Chapter 4: Sickness

"Orly!" Dean, Kai and Luka rushed through the living quarters in search of little Orly. And secretly following behind, Shaw crept towards her room as well.

They entered her room, which was Luka's too. She has specifically requested to have her bed placed next to his when she first came here.

Inside, they found Orly having a coughing fit on her bed, with Cal next to her, comforting the poor girl.

She was wrapped up head to toe in warm blankets, and the room's radiator was operating on full blast. The room was so hot that Dean could feel himself sweating by simply being there.

And yet, Orly still seemed cold. She was still shivering.

The three immediately ran towards the side of her bed and surrounded her.

"What's wrong with her?!" Dean asked Cal, who was busy fiddling with a small rectangular box.

"I'm checking right now." Cal pulled out an electronic ear thermometer and inserted it into her, well, ear, and pressed a button. The thermometer lingered for a second, before finally beeping.

Cal checked the readings. His eyes widened, "Oh my gosh... her temperature's Forty degrees Celsius. That's not good." He turned towards Kai, "Kai, go take a handkerchief from the kitchen and soak it in cool, freezing water. There should be one in the second drawer next to the refrigerator."

Kai went to do as he said. Running past a concerned Shaw, who stood by the doorway because he was too shy to walk forward.

"Should I make some basil tea for her as well?" Dean asked, "I think there is still some inside the pantry."

"Yes, please d—" Cal spotted Shaw in the back, "No, never mind. You stay here and help me. Shaw!"

Shaw flinched when he heard his name called.

"Can you please make some basil tea? Orly might need it."

Dean and Luka turned towards him. The expression on Dean's face was like, 'You were here all along?'

Shaw hesitated for a moment, "I—Ah... yes sir..." He quickly dashed off.

Dean stared into the empty space that Shaw was at, until he heard Orly's sickening cough again and quickly turned back.

He faced Cal with concerned eyes, "How did she even become like this?"

"It must have been something in the soup!" Luka suggested.

"Yes..." Cal thought about it, "Maybe the food was expired..."

"Then wouldn't all of us get sick too?" Dean asked, "It couldn't just have been her right?"

"Hmm..." Cal scratched his chin as he thought about the reason, trying to find a cause to Orly's sickness. But he gave up, not having enough information. "I don't know... but for now, we can only guess that it's from the food."

"Here!" Kai came rushing in with a wet towel. "Is this right?"

"Yes. Thank you." Cal took the towel, and slowly draped it across Orly's forehead.

The cold sensation seemed to both comfort and pressure her at the same time. She shivered more.

"It's okay. It's okay..." Cal rubbed her head and stroke her hair, "The discomfort will only last a minute. You're okay."

Luka stared at Orly with concern and a hint of anxiousness in his eyes. "Will she be okay?"

Cal put on a smile and said, "...Of course she will..."

Dean noticed that hesitation in the beginning. He was hiding something. He was hiding...

...his fear.

--

Cal measured her temperature again. "Ah... good, she dropped to to thirty-eighty. It's still bad, but it's better than forty."

By now, Orly was fast asleep. Luka was also getting some shut-eye, but he was resting on Orly's bed, not wanting to leave her side.

Only Cal and Dean were awake, ensuring that Orly and Luka was warm, regularly checking her temperature gently, and wiping up any sweat from her face.

"You should get some rest..." Cal said to Dean.

"You talking to me?" Dean laughed shakily, he rubbed his bloodshot eyes, "You've been up all day and night, trying to keep us happy. And now you're staying up late to take care of Orly... if I need some rest, then you must take a one hundred year slumber in order to feel refreshed again!"

Cal chuckled too. In the dim light, Dean could see that his eyes were also bloodshot. His face was beaded with sweat. His hands were trembling.

This poor man was clearly stressed, by all the work he had to do.

It didn't feel right. It WASN'T right.

And yet...

"But still..." Cal looked towards Dean with a smile, "You need to get as much rest as possible. For a smelly, old fart like me, whose time is almost up, I would rather me perish than to see you all suffer. So please, give this old man some comfort by knowing that you are well rested, and ready for whatever comes tomorrow!"

Dean couldn't say no if Cal was gonna be so enthusiastic.

"Hehheh..." Dean grinned as he got up slowly to his feet, "You're such a kind man, Cal... y-you deserve much more than this." A tear fell from his eye and streaked his cheeks.

Cal simply smiled, as he looked upon the peacefulness on Orly's face, listening to her shallow breath. "Go on... get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

"Thank you Cal..." Dean wiped the tears from his face, "Goodnight."

He turned and left towards his own living quarters.

As he stepped out into the silent hallways, he suddenly heard a voice behind him.

"Is she alright?"

Dean turned around, and saw Shaw standing, trembling, leaning against the walls for support. His fingers were twitching.

Dean squinted at his face. His eyes were so filled with red, Dean doubted that he blinked at all.

Dean opened his mouth,"How long have you been standing the—"

"Is she alright." Shaw looked up, his face looked shallow with fatigue, "Please tell me..."

Dean gulped nervously, "She's Fine... she's getting better."

Shaw showed a slight smile. Dean blinked as he realized that he had rarely ever seen Shaw smile before.

"T-That's a r-relief..." Shaw stammered. He started staggering into the hallways, towards his own living quarters.

"Shaw." Dean called out.

Shaw paused.

"Thank you..." Dean said it as genuinely as he could.

Shaw hesitated for a moment. Dean could tell that he was shaking, for some reason. Before he continued on into the corridors.

--

Cal sat by Orly's and Luka's side. Barely able to keep his eyes open.

Must... stay awake. Must stay... awake. He thought.

The drowsiness plagued his mind.

Must... stay... awak—

"Cal?"

A soft but sweet voice woke him up.

Orly made eye contact with Cal, "What time is it?"

"Orly..." He looked at the clock next to them, "It's 4:35... you should be going back to sleep."

"I don't... want to go back to sleep." She stated.

"Why-ever not?"

"Because I had a strange dream..." Orly explained, "I saw my parents... in a beacon of light. I tried to go closer to them... but for some reason, they stopped me. They said that it was not my time to come with them... so I did as they said, and then I woke up..." Orly looked back up at Cal, "Can you tell me what it mea—"

Plop.

"Cal?"

Plop. Plop.

Cal reached up and wiped his eyes furiously, but it wouldn't stop. His tears wouldn't stop. "I'm so sorry..."

"What's wrong?"

It just came gushing out, overflowing and leaked down his face. His eyes stung from the sudden moisture. But he didn't care, the despair within his heart consumed him, swallowed him up like anaconda to its prey.

"I'm so sorry..." He whimpered. "So, so sorry..."