I'M DYING 4: FLU MISERIES

Chapter 3

"Not another one!"
"What do you mean, another one? You mean besides Toad?"
The doctor nodded and gestured to Lance, who had passed out in the doorway behind them.
"Great."

Toad looked at Wanda. "Sorry."
"For what?"
"You know . . ."

"Ohhh . . ."

"I found it!" someone called from the doorway. "They had it shelved in the wrong section . . ."

"Had what?" Wanda asked.

"Bring it in here!" Toad called out.

Brenda came in, carrying one of her books. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the others.
"Oh, dear," she said. "Not another epidemic. Should I call the hospital and have them prepare some rooms?"

Toad nodded.

"No, that's all right," Wanda said. "As long as they're isolated here, the virus can't spread . . ."
"Isolated?"
"The doctor said this room is officially quarantined."

At the mention of the word "quarantined", Brenda looked alarmed. A quarantine usually meant something serious.
"I thought it was just the flu," she said.
"Yes, but we don't want anyone else getting it."

"I guess we'll have plenty of time to read Eric*, then."
Pietro woke up. "What's going on? Where am I?"

"Long story."

"What's on top of me? An elephant?"
"Just a few blankets."
"Blankets? I'm boiling! I don't need any--" He started to toss them aside, and then started coughing his head off.

Wanda draped the blankets back over him. "Easy. You just rest now . . ."

He mumbled something.
"What was that?"

"I'm cold." Funny how a minute ago he'd been complaining he was too hot, and now . . .

"Okay." She got another blanket. It looked like this chill was worse than the last; he was shaking so hard it looked like he was having a fit.
She looked over. Toad was listening to Brenda read him a story, and Lance was still sleeping.

Brenda broke off and asked if Wanda needed anything.

She looked around. She hadn't heard the doctor leave, but he was gone.

"You could get me some ice water." Wanda replied.

"Okay."
Then Brenda remembered the quarantine. For the safety of everyone else living in the mansion, she probably wouldn't be allowed to leave the room. She mentioned this to Wanda.

"Try the intercom."
"Intercom?"

"Yeah." Wanda pointed at the wall. "It's right behind you."

"All right." She went over to it. There was a little red button beside the grille, and she pushed it. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

"Hi, Brenda. It's me, Rogue."

"Could you bring us some water? And maybe some food?"
At the mention of food, Toad sat up and said, "I don't think any of us are in much of an eating mood right now."

Lance was still sleeping. In fact, Wanda had to check him with a mirror to make sure he was still breathing.

Someone came with some water and a little bit of food . . . and gently nudged him awake.

"Lance?"
He opened his eyes . . . and saw Wanda standing beside his bed.

"Huh? Where am I?"
"We brought you to the X-Men's mansion to get taken care of. You've picked it up, too."
Lance groaned. "Figures. Anyone call and check on Fred?"

"I did that right before I came up here." Wanda told him. "He's fine. Mystique's keeping an eye on him."

"Just hope he's not eating her out of house and home."

Wanda took a thermometer from the drawer. "Open up."
"What? Oh, no!"
"Come on, don't be such a baby!"
"I'm not! I just--just want to sleep."
"You can sleep in two minutes. Now open."

Reluctantly, Lance opened his mouth.

"See? That wasn't so bad, was it?"
She glanced over at her brother, who was taking small sips of water (only small sips, she'd told him; any more and he might throw up again). "I'll be back," she said.

Pietro looked up at his sister. "I'm hot again," he said.
She could see the sweat glistening on his face. "Poor Boo," she murmured, adjusting the covers over him.

"Got any ice?"

"I'll see if I can get some," she promised, knowing that by the time she did, he'd be having chills again.

At the Brotherhood house, Fred was bored.
No one to talk to. Nothing good on TV. And he'd eaten everything that wasn't nailed down already.
Mystique came home just then . . . and had a fit when she noticed the empty refrigerator.

"You ate everything?"
"Well, nobody else is here!"
"What? Where'd they all go?"
"To the X-Geeks' place. They all got sick--well, except Wanda, but she's gotta stay and look after the rest of them."

Mystique froze. "They went where?" Wanda had said she was getting them help, but she had somehow left that part out of it.

"They were really sick, and we don't have money for a doctor or anything." Fred explained.
Well, that at least was true. She knew Magnus was loaded--he owned property both in this country and in Europe--but she was lucky to get a living allowance out of him.

If only . . .

There you go thinking again, said the nasty little voice in her head. You know what happens when you think too much . . .

Shut up, she told the voice.

She got her coat.
"Where are you going?" Fred asked.
"I'm going over to see them, where else?"

"Can you get ice cream?"

She rolled her eyes. "Get your own ice cream!"

"You don't have to yell at me." Fred protested at Mystique closed the door.

Wanda stared worryingly at the thermometer she had just removed from Lance's mouth. It read: 104.2 degrees.

"Oh no . . ."

"What? Am I dying?" He strained to see the thermometer. When he saw the numbers, his eyes widened. "That's not good, is it?"
"No, it isn't."
Wanda went to the intercom and thumbed the button. "If anyone can hear me . . . I need the doctor in here right away."

"Who is it? Lance?"

"Yes, how did you know?"
"Look up, right behind you."
Wanda turned and looked. The blinking red eye of a camera stared back at her.

"You weren't spying on us,were you?" Wanda asked nervously.

"No, of course not."

"Sorry." Wanda said. "I get nervous when I think I'm being watched."
"We're sending the doctor right down to you," the unseen voice told her. She didn't know the X-Men well enough to be able to figure out who it was.

Lance just lay on the table.

Wanda went to him. "They're sending the doctor," she said. "I'm sure you'll be fine."

She then went to look at her brother.

"I'm gonna die," he moaned.
"You won't die." She checked his temperature . . . and found that it was almost as high as Lance's.

"Brenda?" she asked. "How are you doing with Todd?"

"Not good." Brenda sighed. "He's developed chills, and he's vomiting at least once every fifteen minutes . . ."

"Good thing the doctor's coming--" She took another look at Brenda, who suddenly looked very pale. "Are you all right?"

"It's nothing--"

Wanda came over and put a hand on the other girl's forehead. She was burning up, but didn't even know it. Even when Wanda helped her lie down, she insisted, "I'm fine."

"I don't think so," Wanda said, "but we'll know for sure when the doctor gets here."

It seemed like a long time till he finally showed up . . . but when he did, he didn't look happy.

(Next chapter coming soon! Sorry there's no romance, riye, but you can see why now, I hope. Go read Mindshadow—I've just updated!)

*Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett, in which a demonology hacker inadvertantly calls up the inept wizard Rincewind instead.