Paying the Price

Chapter 25: Oakley

last chapter recap- Oliver

She nodded and went back into her room. We have been doing this forever. Whenever one of the two gets sick, the other is immediately banished to their own room.

With both of them having no immunity we can't risk them spreading diseases. When they get sick, they get sick bad and it can become deadly if we don't take enough care of them.

Janae and I entered our room to thankfully find Oakley right where we left him.

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I hated being sick.

I despised it.

I loathe it.

It was the worst thing in the world.

The actual being sick part wasn't the worst but the fact that I lose almost all my independence is what kills me.

I'm a perfectionist.

I crave perfection.

I like to take care of everything myself and the thought of someone having to take care of me brought me disgust.

Of course, my siblings did not understand this and always insisted on taking care of me when I was sick.

Like right now, "Open your mouth, Oakley." Janae told me.

"I can hold my own spoon, Janae."

She raised her eyebrows, "oh yeah? Tell that to the soup stain on your bed."

Damn her.

I had tried to feed myself earlier but it didn't work and I ended up spilling the bowl.

I knew why I was sick.

The wounds on my back from my father had become infected.

The pain from my wounds was almost as painful as the day that I had first received them.

I had tried my best to keep them clean but I supposed that they had gotten infected while we were on the run trying to get here. The first thing I had done when we moved in here was take a shower and try to clean my back off but I suppose by then it was too late.

A few days ago they started to hurt more than normal and when I looked in the mirror they had turned red around the area. I knew I probably should have told someone then but we had just gotten Owen and I didn't want to bother them so I just tried to clean them again but I guess it was too late.

"Oakley?" Janae asked, "Do you have any other symptoms besides your fever and fatigue? Does your throat hurt, your head, your stomach? And don't lie to me Oakley, I know you like to hide what's wrong from me,"

I debated answering her.

"Actually I know what the problem is."

I decided to tell her because if the infection is bad enough that I have a fever then it's probably worth mentioning.

I rolled over on my stomach so that she could see my back.

There was silence for a brief second before there was screaming.

"Oakley James Price!" She yelled. "Oh my God. Oh my God."

I turned my head so that I could see her. She had her hand over her mouth in shock and was completely frozen.

"Janae? Are you okay?" I asked which thankfully snapped her out of it.

"Am I okay? Are you crazy Oakley? Oh my God" she repeated putting her hands on her head and pacing around the room and then out the door.