My New Life

I woke up and I was back in my room. I felt very different, though. I felt very sleepy and weak, and I shivered as I brought my blanket over my head. But after a little bit, I started getting very hot and took my blanket off. I started coughing, and then realized that my throat was very sore. I stumbled out of bed slowly, not waking Buster up, and shivered a lot as I walked through the hallway. I didn't know what time it was, but the sun was up so I thought someone might be home. I walked slowly down the stairs and into the kitchen, where I saw Landon and Shaun sitting at the table, talking and eating. It didn't take them long to see me.
“Kaiser, you're up way early. What's wrong?” Landon asked.
“Maybe he wants to start school early,” Shaun chuckled, taking a bite of his food. I shivered, coughed, and wiped my nose. Shaun stopped smiling, and Landon leaned down and pressed his hand on my head.
“Dude, you're warm. Where's the thermometer?” As Shaun looked around the kitchen, Landon sat me up on the counter and pressed a tissue up my nose.
“Put it under your tongue. Don't talk,” Shaun said. I did what he told me to do with the thermometer, and watched as they both looked for medicine.
“Is your throat hurting?” Landon asked. I nodded. He frowned and kept looking. I flinched when the thermometer made a “beep” sound. Shaun took it from my mouth and frowned.
“Looks like you have a fever, kid. Your temperature is 101.2.” I shivered more and kept coughing, and that just made my throat feel worse.
“I hurt all over. My head hurts, my tummy hurts, and I feel too weak to move,” I mumbled. I felt like I was whining, but I couldn't help it.
“We don't have any medicine for him, do we?” Shaun asked.
“No, and all we have is too strong. I'm not giving it to him,” Landon said, shutting the cabinet.
“Well, I still have thirty minutes. Let me run down to the drug store and grab him some.”
“You sure it's alright, dude?”
“Yeah, it's no problem,” Shaun smiled and got his jacket on,” I'll try to hurry. I recommend keeping him close to a toilet, if you catch my drift,” Shaun grabbed some keys and went out the door. I shivered and looked over at Landon.
“Why toilet?” I asked. Landon picked me up and held me in his arms.
“Do you feel like you're gonna throw up?” He started walking back up the stairs.
“My tummy does, but I'm not sure,” I leaned against his strong chest as tears ran down my face. My entire body ached all over and made me cry. Landon walked into my room and laid on the bed. He rubbed my back as he held me, and I just kept crying and coughing and shivering. Buster whined and licked my cheek a few times before he laid back down.
“Landon,” I said.
“What's up, little dude?”
“I'm s-sorry that I'm sick.”
“That's something stupid to be sorry for,” Landon smiled, “You can't help it.”
“B-But Dad always hit me when I got sick. He said I deserve it.” I felt Landon's arms get tighter.
“Forget about him, Kaiser.”
“Huh?”
“Dad was a very bad man. What he did to you was wrong,” Landon kissed my head, “And you'll never get hurt again. You understand?” I nodded slowly and held out my pinky finger.
“Pinky promise?” Landon smiled and hugged his pinky with mine. Suddenly, my tummy turned upside down and I felt very dizzy.
“What's wrong?” He asked.
“I'm gonna throw up.” Landon's eyes got big, and he jumped up and ran down the hallway with me in his arms. He lifted the toilet seat up, and held me over it as I threw up everything I ate yesterday. I felt like my tummy was being forced out of my mouth.
“Holy shit! What's happening?!” Nick asked.
“Kaiser's kind of...,” Landon paused after I threw up again, “...Sick.”
“No shit. Man that kid looks awful,” Nick bent down beside me and pushed my bangs out of my eyes. After a few more times of throwing up, I was done. My tummy didn't hurt anymore, but I was still very weak. Nick flushed the toilet and Landon picked me back up.
“Shaun's getting him medicine right now. Let's hope it works,” Landon said.
“It would suck if he had the flu,” Nick scratched his head and frowned, “I mean. That's what's been going around recently, ya know.”
“I don't wanna die,” I started crying again.
“No no! You won't die!” Landon said.
“Yeah, you just feel like you're dying!” Nick said. My eyes got wide with fear, and Landon hit him in the head.
“Dude! He's five! Don't say that!” Landon said.
“Well that's how I felt when I had the flu!” Nick said.
“You could have worded it differently without scaring him, though,” Landon said as he sat me on the bathroom sink. He filled up a paper cup with water and handed it to me. I drunk it down slowly.
“Well, the medicine will help,” Nick smiled at me.
“Yeah let's hope so,” Landon refilled my cup and gave it back to me.
“The taste of medicine sucks though. I remember those days,” Nick stuck his tongue out, “Bubblegum flavor my ass.”
“It doesn't taste like gum?” I asked, frowning again.
“You wish it did! It tastes like everything horrible crushed into a liquid, then someone put pink food coloring in it,” Nick frowned. Landon hit him again as I wiped my nose.
“Not helping,” Landon looked down at me, “Shaun is great with kid's. He'll make sure to get you a great flavor. Not bubblegum.”
“Hey, where are you guys?!” Shaun asked from downstairs.
“In the bathroom!” Nick said. I heard the front door shut, then Shaun walked up to all of us. His nose moved a little.
“He threw up?” He asked.
“Yeah. A lot,” Landon said.
“We were just explaining to Kaiser how bubblegum flavor medicine is horrible. And how you'd be just as horrible if you got that flavor for him,” Nick said. Shaun pulled out a small box from his bag and rolled his eyes.
“Of course I didn't get that awful flavor. I got him cherry, which tastes great,” He smiled at me. He poured some red stuff in a spoon and held it near my mouth, and after I took it, I scrunched my face up and wiggled. They all laughed.
“That wasn't cherry at all!” I said.
“Well, yeah, but it's better than bubblegum,” Shaun said.
“Normally, if a medicine tastes good, it doesn't do a very good job,” Nick said.
“The medicine should work in about half an hour,” Shaun looked at Landon, “You should stay home with him today. He needs to take it every four hours. But he needs his rest, too. I bought him some food that will ease his stomach. It's in the fridge.”
“You're a lifesaver, man,” Landon said.
“Just great with kids,” Shaun ruffled my hair, “He'll be alright, even if it is the flu. But I gotta get going, school's gonna start soon.” Landon picked me up and I snuggled in his arms. I still felt sick, but more sleepy than anything.
“I'm gonna go back to sleep, because it's way too early for me,” Nick said. After Nick when back to his room, Shaun left. Landon laid me in bed and covered me with the blanket.
“You'll feel better soon, alright?”
“You promise?” I asked.
“I promise,” He smiled and kissed my head. I smiled back and closed my eyes. I hope the medicine really works, because it tasted so icky. I was just so happy that they cared about me.