Fever

“Jesse?”

“Hwah!” From a dead sleep you bolt up to a seated position. You are panting heavily, your hair and body are soaked in sweat, as your eyes cast about in confusion. This wasn’t home. This wasn’t your room. This place was weird. Where were you!? “Mmmmmm!” You double over clutching your belly as a pang of aching agony shoots from your groin up into your guts. “Owww!”

“Jesse?”

Again you hear that same soft voice that woke you. Turning your head you see a beautiful woman with canine features in a jumpsuit kneeling at your side looking at you with huge concerned caramel eyes.

“Button?” You say through hard, rapid breaths. “Nnnngh!” That ache suddenly stabs into your insides like a flaming sword up your asshole! “OWWW!”

“Jesse? What’s wrong?”

“I…don’t know. Mnngh.” From nowhere you are gripped by an intense chill, the type of bone deep shivering chill that could only mean fever. “Ohhh, God!”

As the fever rigors set in Button lays you down and covers you up with the blankets. Bringing the heater closer she turns it up and despite how much you were sweating you welcome the warmth. From a dish of water Button pulls a wet cloth, wrings it out, and proceeds to wipe your sweaty brow and face. You realize that she’d already had that set up. She must have been doing this even before you woke.

“Now that you’re up I’m going to give you some fever ****, okay?” Not in any condition to argue you nod your head. Button take a tiny tab from a little case and places it on the tip of your dry tongue. The **** absorbs in an instant and you could feel a tingle work down your tongue and into the rest of your shivering body. Carefully bringing a bottle of water to your lips she feeds you some much needed liquid.

“Mmmm.” You swallow. “Thank you.”

“I think you’re sick, Master.” She says softly as she sidles right up against your side and lays a hand over your chest.

After a just a few minutes the **** eases the body seizing shivers down to a mere tremble. You take a few long, deep breaths. “Tell me what happened.”

“It’s still early. You were having dreams. Nightmares I think. You were sweating and thrashing and moaning. You have a fever.” She says as she gives you another sip of water. “You were calling your sister’s name.”

“I was?” You didn’t recall any nightmares or anything else since you bedded down. “Elsie often shows up in my dreams. She’s like a recurring figure. I’m not surprised…”

Button shakes her head. “You were calling for your other sister.”

“Fiona?” You whisper. “Fuck. It must be this heat thing. Whoooo.” Swallowing hard you close your eyes and take another few long breaths. With each breath you began to feel more at ease, the ache was barely at tickle now. “Hahhhh.”

“Perhaps we ought to reveal ourselves.” Button says, worry in her big eyes. “We should get you to the med bay.”

“Mmm.” You shake your head. “Not yet. Not yet. I’m…whooo…I’m starting to feel better.” You close your eyes an let your tense body relax…and relax…and relax. As the trembling eases you are overcome with a deep fatigue. You felt like you’d just run a marathon. “Just a little tired is all. Jusssst…a little…tirrre…”

“Jesse?” A moment later. “Jesse?”

“Mmm?”

“Stay awake now, okay?” She pulls at you, trying to rouse you. “I think you should stay awake.”

“Mmm. Okayyy.” Even as you say it you begin to slip away into slumber.

“Jesse?”

“Mmm?”

“Let’s go see El, huh? You wanna see Elsie?”

“Elsie.” You smile. “I love her so much.”

“I love her too, Jesse.” Button says. “Let’s go see her, huh?”

“Mmm. Just…gonna sleep a little more, Button. Just…a few more minutes…”

“Jesse.” Button whines and licks your face. “Jesse, please stay awake.”

“Good girl.” You stroke your fingers through her soft head fur. “Sleeepyyy.” You are floating as the welcome embrace of slumber settles over you once more. “Come back to bed, Button.”

“First may I call Mistress Elsie, Jesse? Please?”

“Mmm.” You start to drift away again.

“Jesse. Stay awake. Please?”

With a limp hand you pat Button’s arm. “I’m okay, Button. Just…need…sommm…”

“Jesse!”

“Hmm?”

“I’m going to call Elsie.”

“No. Let her sleep.” You pat her again, **** for her just to let you sleep. So tired. It was such a struggle to even talk. Why was she making such a fuss over nothing? “I’m okay.”

“No, Master. You’re not. Something’s wrong. You’re sick. I’m gonna get you some help now.”

“Okayyy.”

“Okay. I’ll be right back.” The blankets get tucked tightly around you.

“I…hmmm…want my mom.” You hear yourself whisper. “Mummmm.”

“Your mother? But…”

“Mom will…make it better. Chicken soup…mmmm…hugs…hmmm…she loves her boyyy.” You sigh as you drift away from the waking world. “Mommy…can fix…anythiiinnnng…”