Slave for you

Emma's sick

I and my sisters were left at home as usual. That morning, my sisters went out to play with some of the children in the neighbourhood. I stayed back to clean the house. I was done washing the plates and cups and was about to start sweeping when I heard a loud cry outside the door. I rushed outside only to find Emma, my youngest sister,lying on the floor unconscious with Tessa, holding her in her little arms and crying her eyes out.

I was so shocked that I could not move for a minute till I heard Tessa cry again before I rushed to them and tried to lift Emma. She was heavy, very heavy. So, I had no option than to put her head on my lap and try to wake her up. I shook her gently but she still did not open her eyes. I was so scared she might be dead but tried not to cry in front of my already frantic sister.

"What happened to her?" I asked Tessa after she had calmed down a bit.

"We were playing with Karen and Marina when she said she was feeling cold. So, I brought her back to the house. But when I was about to open the door, she fainted. Is she going to be okay, brother?" I could see the fear in her eyes.

"No, she will be fine. Just go inside and call mom, I will watch over her, okay? You know where the number she gave us is, right?"

She nodded.

"Good. Now, go."

Tessa went inside while I stayed back to watch over our little sister. I tried to wake her up again.

"Emma, Emma. Emma, please wake up. Please, Emma."

Tessa came back a few minutes later. "Mom said she is on her way."

"Listen to me, Tessa. I'm going to Mrs Whyte to get help. Stay here with Emma till I get back, okay?"

"But, mother said... "

"Listen to me, Tessa and do as I say. I will be right back. Just take care of her till I get back."

I ran downstairs to our neighbour Mrs Whyte. She is a widow who lives downstairs and has always been nice to us ever since we moved here. I knocked on her door when I got there and waited when I heard her respond. It took a while before she opened the door.

"Michael? What's wrong, sweetheart?" she asked when she saw me. She was a bit surprised.

"My sister. She... She is dying. I don't know what's wrong with her. Please, help me."

"Wait! Which of your sisters? What happened?"

"Emma. She fainted and has still hasn't woken up yet. Please, help me, Mrs Whyte."

"Okay, okay. Where is she? Take me to her." she followed me upstairs. Tessa was still seated on the floor beside Emma.

"Oh dear!" Mrs Whyte picked Emma up from the floor and held her in her arms.

"God! Her temperature is really high. Come, let's take her inside. And help me bring down her temperature," Mrs Whyte ordered.

I followed her into our room. She placed Emma on my mother's bed, my sisters sleep on the same bed with her though, and removed her clothing.

"Sweetheart, go and get me a bowl of water and a towel, quickly," she said to me.

I ran to our small kitchen and poured water into a small bowl and grabbed a towel. I went back into their bedroom and placed the bowl on the table beside Mrs Whyte.

"Have you called your mother already?"

"Yes, she is on her way. Is Emma going to be alright?" I sat on the other side of the bed while I held Tessa who was still crying. It was evident she was very worried about Emma.

"She will be fine, sweetheart. Don't worry."

She dipped the towel into the bowl of water, then squeezed the water out of the towel. She folded the towel and placed it on her head.

"This should bring her fever down for a while. Do you by any chance have a thermometer around?"

I shook my head.

"I guess we can do this and wait till your mother comes back. But for now, I will be trying to bring her fever down."

She touched the towel on Emma's forehead and took it off her face. Then placed the towel in the bowl again. She continued with what she had done earlier with the towel and placed the towel on Emma's forehead again. She did it again the third time when we heard the squeak of the door. Then, mother appeared.

"Mrs Whyte?"

"Hello, Fina. Michael came to me and told me his sister was sick so I decided to come in here and see how she was," Mrs Whyte explained.

"Yes, yes. Forgive me. How is Emma?" Mother walked towards the bed and sat beside Emma while Mrs Whyte stood a little further away from the bed.

"She has a fever and has been unconscious for a while. I don't know but I think we should take her to the hospital."

"But what really happened to her?" my mother was very worried and it was evident in her voice.

"She went out to with Tessa to play with the other kids while I cleaned up the house. Then I heard Tessa crying outside the door. When I got out, she and Emma were on the floor. Emma was unconscious and Tessa was seated by her crying."

"I think I should take her to the hospital. We have to know what's wrong with her," mother said.

"Yes. Let me ask John if he can help take us to the general hospital," Mrs Whyte offered.

"Thank you." Mrs Whyte nodded and stepped out.

Mother looked up at me and Tessa. "Michael, get me a new shirt for her and a pair of shoes."

"Okay, mom." I went into my mother's closet and got her a new shirt.

Tessa was just standing there not knowing what to do. After my mother dressed up Emma, she picked her up in her arms and rushed out with her while we followed. Mrs Whyte was standing outside with John, her son, who was getting his car ready.

"John will be taking us. You can take her into the car."

We all got into the car. My mother thanked John and his mother and we drove off to the hospital. Things was going get even worse than I thought.