Chapter 1

Bile rises up in the back of my throat, leaving a bitter vile taste in the back of my mouth, as I throw up into the ravine filled with rusted twisted metal. A hand touches my shoulder in complacency, not moving as I continue to be sick, "it's ok buddy, it'll be ok"a voice sounds through the silence, it's distinctive, it's not my dad, and it's not Ben, so it has to be Hal. "Are you done, do you think you're going to be sick anymore "he asks me, "I don't think I'm going to be sick anymore" I say, as I find the back of his hand resting on my forehead, checking for temperature just like mom used to do, "you're burning up, we need to get you to Doctor Glass as soon as possible "he tells me in a moderately calm voice, "Ok, can you carry me though please, my stomach really hurts "I weakly say, feeling a chill wrack my body. Bending down he picks me up bridal style and I hide my face into his shoulder, which holds familiar smells.

He smells like cinnamon and peppermint, just like our dad, who is way ahead of us in the group towards the front. I've caused us to be about an hour behind everyone, but I can tell Hal is ok with it; he's not angry or anything. A long period of time passes and I start to get really sleepy, my eyes start to close as I remember the last time I got sick, it was when our mom was alive and everything was relatively normal.

Flashback

"Mom, mommy"I say quietly shaking her shoulder, "what is it honey, is something wrong "she asks sleepily, "I don't feel so good, I threw up", "come here "she says, reaching over to the turn on the lamp as I sit on the bed beside her. A yellow glow fills her side of the room as she sits up and cups her hand underneath my chin,just like she does with Hal and Ben when she want's their attention. A chilled hand touches my forehead shaking me to the core, "you're burning up sweetie,do you mind telling me where you threw up"she says quietly to me,"I threw up in my bedroom,I'm sorry"I say, "it's ok Matty,let's get you taken care of","ok".

Finally letting go,she picks me up and carries me to the bathroom,she sits me on the counter and then rummages in the drawer for a thermometer. At some point in time a tall figure is standing in the doorway, "honey what's going on its three in the morning "he says, "Matt's sick, I was looking for the thermometer"she says in response,after hearing the voice I can tell it's my dad. A few minutes later a voice pops up from behind our dad, "mom what's going on", "it's nothing Ben,you need to go back to sleep", "ok"he says sleepily. She eventually finds the thermometer and tries to put it in my mouth with success. After awhile it beeps and I see her frown, wich is never good, and she beckons are dad to come in. "Tom his fever's 103 , we need to keep in eye on it because if we can't get it down we'll need to take him to the er"she says , "honey don't worry he'll be fine, we'll take him if we need to but right now he needs to go back to bed"he says in response. He picks me up as she grabs a wet washcloth and takes me back to bed. The vomit's already cleaned up as he lays me back into my bed and then mom comes in and sits beside me. She lays the wet cloth against my forehead and she stays holding me against her until I fall asleep.