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Post by Carolina on Dec 6, 2008 18:21:22 GMT -5
*In a small attic room under the eves at the top of the house, Carolina lay insensible on a clean, if rather rough bed. The small straw tick still dominated most of the space in the room, rustling as she twitched and moved in her sleep, sweat beading on her pale skin.
After her symptoms indicated Spanish flu, she had been left alone but for the occasional visits of another terrified housemaid, who would administer a few sips of cool water or weak broth, then run out of the room, a handkerchief pressed over her nose and mouth.
The doctor confirmed the diagnosis, and the house was in uproar as Carolina burned.*
"It was those filthy gypsies!" *declared the cook.* "Those caravans carry distemper and disease, everyone knows that! One of their women came to the kitchen, begging food or medicine for some of their brats; and she were the only one fool enough to go and nurse 'em. Well--I ask you!"
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Olivier
- Ingenious Pilot -
The Golden Boy%\0\%
Posts: 161
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Post by Olivier on Dec 6, 2008 18:33:57 GMT -5
*Olivier, who was still hovering, frowned at the cook.*
"You can hardly blame the gypsies for being diseased when nobody cares to help them. If anything her actions were admirable." *He said, his voice a little sharp.*
*He hadn't left yet, even though the above stairs folk had all been evacuating to the smaller house that Olivier's mother had brought to the family upon her marriage. Staff was being evacuated as soon as possible, but they were being watched for symptoms. Nobody had any idea what had gotten into Master Olivier--they hadn't even known he was attached to her in any way.*
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Post by Carolina on Dec 6, 2008 18:38:18 GMT -5
*Carolina's eyelids fluttered, briefly opening.*
"...maman..." *her dry whisper faded an instant later, as though she had never spoken at all, but still her glassy gaze drifted towards empty spaces in the room, fixing upon the darkness as though she saw things there which the others could not.*
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Olivier
- Ingenious Pilot -
The Golden Boy%\0\%
Posts: 161
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Post by Olivier on Dec 6, 2008 18:43:01 GMT -5
*Olivier's attention snapped to her and the Cook left, refusing to stay for fear of contagion. The doctor frowned.* "Miss has become delirious; I would suggest you make your exit as soon as possible to avoid..."
*But Olivier shook his head.* "She's got nobody else, Monsieur. I'll stay."
*The doctor had done all he could for the moment, and, shaking his head, left with the promise to return if anything changed. Olivier took a seat in the only chair in the room--a hard, wooden thing--and stayed, watching with a sick worry in the pit of his stomach.*
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Post by Carolina on Dec 6, 2008 18:48:12 GMT -5
*Carolina's head turned on the pillow, her glazed stare settling on the uncurtained window, where moonlight filled the room.*
"...papa...ist es Sie?"
*With a burst of unprecedented strength, she pushed aside the covers and sprang from the bed, her limbs bending weakly under her own weight as she half-staggered, half-crawled the short distance to the window, pressing her palms to the glass and struggling to push it open.*
"My head...my head is on fire, papa...!" *she wailed.* "She's hurting me!"
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Olivier
- Ingenious Pilot -
The Golden Boy%\0\%
Posts: 161
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Post by Olivier on Dec 6, 2008 18:51:50 GMT -5
*His eyebrows went up in shock when she began speaking in German--he'd had no idea whatsoever, and her accent was flawless--but leapt up when she rose. Gentle but firm hands clasped her shoulders, trying to move her away from the window.*
"No, Carolina don't... I'll open the window for you, just please get back to your bed..." *He said soothingly, but his voice was tinged with slight panic. How did you deal with a delirious person? He didn't even realize that he'd called her by her first name instead of awkwardly hesitating.*
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Post by Carolina on Dec 6, 2008 18:54:46 GMT -5
*Carolina looked at him blankly.*
"...Papa..." *her voice cracked.* "Why didn't you come, before? Where have you been?"
*With a sob, she clung to him, burying her face in his shoulder, her skin burning hot with fever.*
"...why didn't you save me?" *she whispered, hot tears drenching Olivier's shirt.*
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Olivier
- Ingenious Pilot -
The Golden Boy%\0\%
Posts: 161
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Post by Olivier on Dec 6, 2008 18:58:07 GMT -5
*Unable to form a coherent sentence out of surprise, he just stroked the back of her head awkwardly.* "Shh, it's going to be fine..." *He said hesitantly, responding in German, unsure what else he should do.* "I'm here."
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Post by Carolina on Dec 6, 2008 19:02:28 GMT -5
*Her sobs quietened after a time, and she curled up like a child in his arms.*
"I've missed you so much..." *she breathed.*
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Olivier
- Ingenious Pilot -
The Golden Boy%\0\%
Posts: 161
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Post by Olivier on Dec 6, 2008 19:05:41 GMT -5
*Still a little bewildered, he held her and hoped it would pass and also that he wouldn't get sick. Occasionally he would make a nondescript, soothing comment in soft German or stroke her hair, but for the most part he just let her curl up in his arms and cry. Something had gone horribly wrong with her childhood, that much he could tell, and if this was all he could do for her he would.*
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Post by Carolina on Dec 6, 2008 19:08:52 GMT -5
*Though her skin still burned, after a time she began to shiver uncontrollably, moments before her crying stopped and she slipped into unconsciousness once more, her limbs going slack, her head lolling like a doll's as her eyes rolled back into her head. Her fever soared, and her pulse was rapid and weak.*
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Olivier
- Ingenious Pilot -
The Golden Boy%\0\%
Posts: 161
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Post by Olivier on Dec 6, 2008 19:19:25 GMT -5
*Olivier continued to hover, not leaving her side even to eat or drink, unsure why he was so compelled to look after her. He did know, however, that the thought of her dying upset him immensely. The doctor came and went multiple times, doing what he could, but he was the only one. Nearly everyone had left the house, and those who hadn't stayed far away from the sickroom.*
*Olivier, however, stayed. When he slept it was in his chair; when he ate it was when one of the remaining staff dared to leave a tray. It was Olivier who attempted to feed her when she wasn't unconscious, Olivier who calmed her down when she was hallucinating, and Olivier who called the doctor when she showed even the slightest change. Each time the doctor visited, the young man was looking progressively worse--there were bags under his eyes and his hair was a mess, but he showed no signs of giving up.*
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Post by Carolina on Dec 7, 2008 5:06:47 GMT -5
*The doctor came in the evening, looking somberly at the girl who slept. He took her pulse, pushed back her eyelids with his thumbs and shook his head.*
"She'll be gone before the morning," *was his pronouncement.* "It's beyond any skill, now. Best to alert her family, so they can come and dispose of her body as they see fit."
*He turned to Olivier.*
"Go and rest, my boy. There was nothing you could have done."
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Olivier
- Ingenious Pilot -
The Golden Boy%\0\%
Posts: 161
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Post by Olivier on Dec 7, 2008 11:35:53 GMT -5
*Olivier nodded, not looking at the doctor or Carolina, rather at the floor.* "Thank you." *He said politely to the doctor, looking up at him.* "You've done as much as possible and I'm grateful... but I won't be leaving." *He nodded to signal that the doctor could leave.*
*At this point, even if he couldn't help her, he couldn't leave either. Not while there was still a chance--if not of science saving her but perhaps of providence. And he'd always been very lucky.*
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Post by Carolina on Dec 7, 2008 14:49:14 GMT -5
*The doctor furrowed his brow, but shrugged, turning to gather his bag and gloves.*
"I suppose no one ought to die alone. Goodnight, sir."
*Putting on his hat, he left the room, and the silence was only broken by Carolina's shallow and laboured breathing, rattling in her lungs with deadly portent.*
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