Hold Back The River

The feeble call for her father is answered quickly and Andromeda allows her body to sink back against furs. A cough builds, rolling like waves through her body as her lungs attempt to expel the fluid lodged within. It sounds horrible and each bone-jarring, rattling exhalation is filled with a strange wetness that should not be there. The painful, racking cough subsides and she sinks toward her father, weary from the fit that had fallen over her. Her body curls toward him as he offers the water and orders her to drink slowly.

Glassy, fever dulled eyes lift to settle on his blue gaze and a soft whine escapes her lips as she begs, “Make it stop daddy.” Every inch of her hurts and Andy is almost certain that she can feel each individual fur follicle and they are painful. Head drops as her nose grazes the cool water, allowing her breath to ripple the surface as the girl does not drink right away. While her body demands the liquid, the girl knows what will likely happen. The cold water will hit the back of her throat and cause another spasm in her lungs and that will cause her to fall into yet another coughing fit.

Just the mere thought makes her already sore chest ache but she takes a few weak laps of water… for her father’s sake. He has been with her since the fever settled in and she now leans into his large frame as the coughs begin anew. Tears spring to her eyes from force and pain of them but something breaks loose in her lungs and she brings up more of the foul, green mucus. A frown pulls at her lips as she spits it out, turning her head away in disgust as her father replaces the cloth on her brow. The tears that had gathered, slip free, wetting her cheeks as she hoarsely says, “I’m sorry dad.”

Andy has never really been sick before and, to suddenly be dealing with such a dreadful condition… well, the girl has begun to think she might actually be dying.


"Andromeda Fatalis"