Jeff is ill, and naturally feels the need to share his illness.


EIGHTEEN – SPREAD THE GERMS AROUND

Jeff Morgan felt like death… death warmed up. His cheeks resembled a blazing fire, and his whole face felt on fire too. He shivered slightly, wrapping himself further into the thick moss-green coloured blanket. He was boiling hot, but every time he kicked off the covers, an icy embrace was awaiting him, and he quickly dived back under into his crumpled burrow, the battle between sweating and shivering continuing to wage on.

It was a Sunday night, and this particular case of flu – (the doctor had said it was flu, no doubt about it) had struck him down badly. He had struggled through Friday, sneezing, coughing and spluttering all over Rose. She had demanded he stop, to isolate himself or even, cue the dread, go home ill. Jeff couldn't bare to go home sick – he'd be letting his duties slack, all because of some stupid illness!

Groaning in despair, Jeff poked his head out from under the blanket. His duties were essential for the good of the school and if the Headmaster believed him to be slacking… He shuddered and simultaneously crossed his fingers and squeezed his eyes shut, mumbling under his breath:

"Feel better tomorrow. Need to go in, come on, I need to be not ill!"

He would make it in, even if he had to down a whole bottle of calpol and pop as many tablets as possible before it became dangerous. Jeff believed that his parents would insist on him staying home, to fully regain his strength and be back to normal, but Jeff was very stubborn when he wanted to be. He would be going back to school tomorrow, to prove to the Headmaster that a simple illness wouldn't stop him from performing his duties, and to reinforce the rules to the lower pupils of St Champions.

A coughing fit overwhelmed him, and Jeff's cheeks reddened. He felt horrendous, and hoped for an undisturbed sleep.


"I don't know why you bothered to come in today. You're going to make all of us ill, and with the state you're in, the Headmaster will take one look at you and send you straight home!"

He huffed behind her turned back and shuddered within his blazer. His eyes were dull with drowsiness, his nose continued to run, and he blew hot and cold.

'I'm not going to make you and the others ill. All you have to do is keep your distance, I'll be over this in a… Ah-ha…'

His dull eyes settled on a pupil walking down the corridor, top teeth worrying their bottom lip. Jeff chuckled lowly, before striding over, shaking the fuzziness in his head away. It was inevitable, that because he was ill, someone unfortunate may catch his illness, and what a shame it would be, if he were to… sneeze on them.

Coming to a stop in front of the paused pupil, Jeff opened his mouth;

"Ah, Harvey. I need to speak to you, urgently."