Wednesday's Words on a Friday

 The original Words for Wednesday was begun by Delores and eventually taken over by a moveable feast of participants when Delores had computer troubles. Sadly, Delores has now closed her blog forever due to other problems.

The aim of the words is to encourage us to write. A story, a poem, whatever comes to mind.

If you are posting an entry on your own blog, please let us know so we can come along to read it and add a few encouraging words.

This month the words/prompts are supplied by Charlotte and can be found here

This week's words/prompts are:

1.cold  2.door  3.fire engine  4.tree  5.jacket  6.sign

and/or:

1.candle  2.cup  3.egg  4.roses  5.window  6.hazy

Charlotte's colour of the month is Jade Green.

Here is my story:

Flushed with fever, Rebecca’s cheeks were as red as fire engines used to be, though she complained of being so very cold. It was the first sign of illness within the Sanctuary since Vincent had died of untreated infection last year. He had been badly scratched by thorns on the roses but pooh-poohed disinfectant methods.

Susan carefully checked Rebecca from head to toe, for outward injuries and found none, so bundled her into a blanket and carried her to Maggie who often seemed to know what was wrong. Maggie’s first question was “is anyone else in the family ill and who else has had contact with Becky?” “No and no-one” were Susan’s answers so Maggie told her to go home, put Becky to bed in her own room, and close the door to within an inch to allow air while keeping her isolated. “Put her bed near the window so she can see out if she wants to”.

Susan hurried home and did as she had been told while Becky had fallen asleep on the way and didn’t stir even when being wiped down with a cool cloth. Maggie realized her recollections of illnesses was hazy after so long and asked to borrow books from anyone who had any medical references. Erin had one and gladly handed it over. Knowing a little herself, she talked with Maggie a while and offered to be go-between with Susan and Maggie, but Maggie said it would be far wiser for Erin to keep away so as not to endanger her own health with the baby now being only a few weeks away.

Wandering towards home, Erin decided to walk near the woods where Russell was helping Terry string the latest catch of fish for smoking, having first delivered a basket full to the kitchen where they would become tonight’s dinner. Stopping by her favourite tree, Erin pulled her Jade Green quilted jacket closer against a strong breeze and thought of things her mother had told her. If Becky was sickening with measles, she would be highly contagious, also light would hurt her eyes, so a candle would be gentler illumination for the first week.

Food could be withheld until the fever was gone, then a cup of water several times a day and a lightly cooked egg once a day until the appetite returned. Other contagious illnesses she remembered were chicken pox where the spots became extremely itchy and of course influenza which was well known for streaking through communities like lightning. All other parents would have to be told to keep their children close to home in case they also became ill. She decided “I can do that on my way home.”

“Contagion is a funny thing,” she thought as she walked, “it has to begin somewhere before it can spread, so where does the original illness come from?”