[flashback] sick day

[2goodarms]

A decade isn't enough time for illnesses to evolve from their pre-freeze state. So many of them start the same way they always have: with a chill. A lot of times, people don't even know they're sick. What's feeling a little colder than usual, needing to curl up a little tighter under your allotted blanket?

So Curtis doesn't know, for a good forty-eight hours, until the shivering doesn't quit even after Gilliam loans him two more blankets. As soon as Tanya feels his forehead, he's whisked away to the very back of the Tail, stumbling a little as the train heaves along the tracks. Everything's tilted just a little too far off-kilter, and weaves just a little too sharply whenever they go over a bump. He's grateful when he finally has a chance to sit down.

...Actually, maybe he'll lie down for a bit. Yeah. Just a couple minutes.

Comments

[2goodarms]

Curtis watches him go, lets out a longer sigh, and sags further into the rolled-up blanket under his head.

"He's a good kid," he mumbles.

[snowpiercer_npcs]

"Yeah," agrees Evie, just as soft. "I know."

She moves the cloth to his neck, and for a time, everything's quiet.

[hate_gettin_older]

Not for a very long time; it's a bare few minutes before Edgar comes tearing back.

"Gilliam says there's a little left," he reports through gulps of breath. "He asked how much we need and I din't know."

[snowpiercer_npcs]

"We'll be good with a cupful, I think," says Evie. "And a spoon, if you can find one. Something we can use to stir it."

[2goodarms]

Curtis blinks at her, muzzily.

"You said there wasn't any tea," he points out.

[snowpiercer_npcs]

She shakes her head. "Broth. A little protein block in hot water. I've done it before with a couple other patients."

The expression on Curtis's face, even through the fog of illness, makes it clear what he thinks of that idea.

[hate_gettin_older]

"Doesn't sound that bad," Edgar says, uncertain but trying for encouraging.

[snowpiercer_npcs]

"It tastes less...intense than a protein block," Evie decides, more encouraging than uncertain.

[2goodarms]

"Fuuuuuuuck."

That groan makes Curtis sound a good ten years younger. He drags his arm back across his eyes.

"Do I have to?"

[snowpiercer_npcs]

"No, but unless you want to be too weak to stand up once you're better, I strongly recommend it."

[hate_gettin_older]

"Come on," Edgar urges.

And then, with a wicked grin and a lilt to his voice that's a deliberate imitation of a younger Curtis coaxing a much younger Edgar: "I'll eat some if you eat some."

[2goodarms]

"Oh my god, fuck off," says Curtis, but a weak croak of laughter punctuates the words. "If I wasn't sick I'd smack you."

[hate_gettin_older]

Edgar's snickering, but it's at least partly out of relief.

(If he can make Curtis laugh then things aren't so bad.)

"I'll go find a spoon then?" he says to Evie.

[2goodarms]

Evie nods.

"Yeah," says Curtis; he's still smiling a little. "Go find a spoon. Let's get this over with."

[hate_gettin_older]

What Edgar comes back with, some ten or fifteen minutes later, is a crude bowl made from the hacked-off bottom of a plastic jug.

"No spoons," he says, "but Sareet says they've been using these to mash up protein blocks for babies," and holds out a section of metal pipe, narrow and heavy.

[snowpiercer_npcs]

"That'll work," says Evie, accepting both the pipe and the bowl. "Thank you. Can you hand me the protein block?"

With effort, Curtis lifts his head just enough to take in the proceedings, then sinks back down with a muffled groan.

[hate_gettin_older]

He does, and then perches on the edge of the counter to watch what Evie's doing.

It isn't often he gets the chance to see anything he hasn't seen a thousand times already. Even if he's never likely to need to know how to turn a protein block into broth, it's still interesting.

[snowpiercer_npcs]

It's an easy enough task. Evie breaks off about a quarter of the protein block and drops it into the water, then gently stirs for a minute. Whatever's in the blocks doesn't dissolve, really, but it starts to soften, growing more wobbly with each lap around the makeshift bowl. Thin, brownish streams leak from the protein like tea from a tea bag.

Once it's begun to fracture into smaller fragments, Evie mashes them against the sides of the jug, turning the water to a dark broth. This part's a bit more time-consuming, but she works without looking up, quiet and methodical as each bit of protein block slowly blends into the liquid.

[hate_gettin_older]

The water's warm enough to send up a few wisps of steam, which gradually start to smell of the protein block. Edgar finds his mouth watering; he has to remind himself firmly that he's already had his.

[snowpiercer_npcs]

Curtis is too sick to put on a brave face; he scowls as the smell reaches his nose, but doesn't comment.

"Okay," says Evie after a time. "Ready?"

"No."

Rolling her eyes, she sets the jug next to him and moves to prop up his head. "Edgar, help me get his pillow on the other side?"

[hate_gettin_older]

"Sure," he says, hopping down from his perch and circling to where Evie indicates.

It's nearer to the sickbed than he's gotten yet, and he's a little disquieted at the close-up sight of Curtis's pallor and reddened eyes.

He'll be fine, he tells himself.

[2goodarms]

He doesn't have to see it for long: mindful of their earlier discussion, Curtis turns his face away so he's not breathing on Edgar.

"Okay," says Evie again after they've got him situated. She brings the jug to his mouth, tips it just enough for Curtis to swallow a mouthful. He sputters at first, suppressing a gag, but...

She's right. It's not that bad. Maybe it's just because he's sick as hell and hasn't eaten in two days, or maybe diluting it down like that really does help.

Either way, pretty soon Curtis is gulping down the broth like he's found a source of unrationed water.

[hate_gettin_older]

And Edgar's grinning, as pleased as though he'd managed it all himself.

"Can you do that with cold water too?" he asks Evie.

[snowpiercer_npcs]

"You can try," says Evie, "but it's a lot more difficult. Heat helps soften the block a little more so it's easier to blend with the water."

Curtis briefly comes up for air, coughs out a short breath, then continues drinking the broth. The makeshift bowl's three-quarters empty by now.

[hate_gettin_older]

He nods. Somewhere in his head he's working out whether there's any way to scrounge up some more hot water for Curtis; maybe he can find something to trade for it.