//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Sickness // Story: My Little Luna // by Alcatraz //------------------------------// Sniff, sniff. Sniff, sniff. What the actual fuck is that god-awful smell? It smells like vomit. I wake up with scrunched up facial expressions, looking at the dark, lumpy fluid all over the blankets and bedsheets. "Luna, wake up! Luna? Please wake up!" "D, daddy?" She wearily opens her eyes, struggling to get up only to fall back onto the bed. This has got to be a fathers worst fears come to life. I scoop her up, not caring about getting the sick all over myself, running into the bathroom as I turn on the shower and lay her down in my lap to clean everything off the both of us. "Sweetie, what's wrong? Are you ok?" Well clearly she's not but it's instinct to ask. "I don't know, my stomach feels all..." Luna projectile-vomits all over the tub with enough potential force to have drilled through (like a pressurized water cutter) the ceramic tub! Holding her close, idly stroking the wet fur trying to soothe and comfort the sick filly. I'm sobbing at this point "It's ok, everything will be ok. I'm here for you, I'll make you all better." "Daddy? I'm scared." "I'll go get you some medicine, wait here." As much as I hate to, I had to leave her in the shower, although I pointed the shower head away from her so the water flows around her to help with the sickness, whatever it might be. I'm no expert on equine medicine by any stretch, some of the stuff in the medicine cabinet might make it worse or better. There's no way to know for sure, so I grab a tray of painkillers, antibiotics, and a bottle of cold medicine and return to the bathroom. "Here" I say, putting an antibiotic into her mouth and holding a glass of water to her lips. "Swallow this, it'll help make you better." This time it was the painkiller. "Ok, just one more." They seemed to go down with ease accompanied by the taste of a small dose of the cold medicine in the glass of water, but I had no idea if they were going to work. "Is the water helping you at all?" Luna weakly nods, managing a squeak as she speaks. "It's soothing." The water tank runs off a wood boiler, so I'm going to have to keep it stoked throughout the day. "I'll make you some soup to help, ok?" She only manages a weak nod followed by an "Mmhmm". Soup it is. Normally being sick would've called for chicken noodle, but... yeah... Instead I make a nice smooth tomato soup with a vegetable broth as the base with freshly squeezed orange juice to boot. Bringing a chair into the bathroom I sit on it, removing Luna from the shower temporarily and holding her like a new born to feed her. The spoon didn't work, she kept spilling it from not being able to get it in her mouth, so I voted for putting a straw in the soup bowl. Luna is content sipping the soup and OJ as her leisure, and I can't help but smile, sniffle, wipe away the tears and give her a kiss on the horn. When I do, however, it sparks again. The last time that happened was when I made the Pinkie Promise. I shrug it off for the time being; there's more important stuff to worry about. Like taking care of your daughter. Eventually she dozes off and I put her back in the shower and stoke the boiler so the water stays warm and flows around her. As depressing as this whole situation is, I'm surprised that nothing comes back up to say hello. Whenever I've been sick, I always find that simply sitting in the shower and letting the nice hot water flow over me does absolute wanders for morale, and it helps ease the, for lack of a better word, "pains" that come with being sick. Normally I drink lots when ill, but as a I found out one time drinking copious amounts of blue sports drink will shoot right through you and come out the same colour. Not pretty, but I found it funny. I then told people that purely to exert a disgusted reaction from them. Hey, you gotta have fun while sick or moping around won't get you anywhere. I can't bear to see Luna like this, it makes me break down in tears again. Now, I'm not religious by any means, but, kneeling down by the bathtub I do something I never ever thought I'd catch myself doing. Praying. "Dear god" Wait, who am I trying to kid? If there was a god then he could've prevented this! So I try focusing my efforts on something that I know exists in this situation. "Dear Princess Celestia. I don't know if you can hear me, but all I ask is you make my daughter, your sister, better. I love her too much to see something happen to her. I hope you hear me." Moments later, all I see is a brilliant flash of white light from an unknown source envelop the room and I pass out. I wake up some hours later hanging over the edge of the bathtub, shower still running. Luna is gone. "No no no NO! Please don-" "Hey daddy!" I jump around in fright. "Oh Luna, you scared me! How are you feeling, all better?" "Much better!" She exclaimed, buzzing around the steamy room. I pull her down into a hug. Did I mention how much I love hugs? Especially from princesses! "You had me scared so much, never do that again!" I scold. Luna's ears flatten against her head. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." "It's alright, it's not your fault. I'm glad you're all better." Oh shit, I forgot to call into work! What's the time? Oh no, it's 2pm! Whipping out my mobile and dialing Anne she angrily answers. "Where the hell were you today!? I get a call at eleven o'clock saying that you hadn't turned up for work so I had to come in on MY day off!!" "Look, I'm terribly sorry. I woke up very ill and spent most of the morning being sick and still don't feel 100%, but not to worry I'll be better by tomorrow." "Well, alright then, get better. Just count yourself lucky it was quiet today!" That went well. You kind of have to "know" people to understand when they joke about that sort of thing, and Anne saying "Count yourself lucky that it wasn't busy" is her way of saying you're forgiven. I put Luna to sleep on the couch while I change the sheets on the bed and put the dirty ones in the wash. I hope it'll come out, but hell if I know. It was foul. Since I didn't get around to changing the sheets to begin with the smell had permeated everything on the bed, fortunately the mattress is safe from any smell. Great, now there's no duvet. I'm going to have to buy another one tomorrow after work. I decided it would be a good idea to open the window, put an air freshener in the middle of the room, leave the door closed. With nowhere to sleep I sit on the couch next to Luna who is already fast asleep. Gently, picking her up and putting her on my lap I lay down on the couch, drifting happily off to sleep knowing Luna is safe and sound. I can't help but wander. What was that light? Was it Luna? Celestia? Only time will tell.