Illness, A Moomin Story

Illness 1

It was early Autumn.

Moomintroll and Snufkin didn't talk about the encounter they'd had with the Groke earlier that year. They didn't talk about his invisibility, his depression, his eating problems. Snufkin didn't need to, and Moomin respected that. He was doing much better, keeping his spirits up, enjoying his time with Moomintroll and their friends, fishing, hiking, playing, laughing, telling stories. He had managed to keep the hard times at bay from his mind and was having a really lovely time with everyone, feeling properly at home and at peace. He'd kept up strict eating habits and had managed to put on some weight and keep it. His trousers no longer needed a tight belt. His chest, previously hollow, filled his dress. He was relieved about this, because he was going to need his strength for his Winter travels. His mental state was excellent, and he while he was looking forward to going down south for the Winter, he knew he would miss Moomin terribly.

Snufkin had sown up the hole in his dress which the Groke had seared with her freezing cold touch, but there was a shard of ice that seemed embedded in his side, and it started causing stabbing pains through his body. It was getting worse.

Snufkin tried not to worry. He'd always been healthy, colds passed quickly, he'd be better in no time. He would be fine if he could ignore the searing pain and the chill that had settled in his chest.
He even stopped smoking his pipe in an attempt to get rid of the burning ice in his body, but it didn't help.

Soon he started to think that this wasn't a normal cold.

The chill stayed inside him. It was a small, nagging thing that he couldn't get rid of. He drank as much hot soup and tea as he could, trying to drive away the aching cold. He didn't want to worry the others with it. He'd be fine.

But then he developed a cough that wouldn't go away, that only got worse. It rattled in his chest when he tried to run, stopped him playing so much with the others. He found himself always breathless. It started to wake him up at night when he tried to sleep, coughing so much his chest hurt and his eyes streamed. Certainly sleeping on the ground wasn't helping, but he morally refused to sleep inside with the Moomins, much as he liked them. He needed his independence.

However, they could hardly not notice that something was wrong.

One afternoon Snufkin was fishing by the river when Moomintroll came down to see him.

"Hullo Snufkin!" He said happily, sitting down beside his best friend.

"Hullo yourself," said Snufkin. Moomin noticed his voice sounded hoarse and strained. He frowned.

"Hey, ah... Snufkin?" He said, wanting to see the Mumrik's face, to gauge if his suspicions were right. But Snufkin didn't look up, instead keeping his hat lowered over his face.

"Yes, Moomintroll?" He asked.

"Are you ill?"

"No," said Snufkin quickly. Moomin's frown deepened.

"Really?"

"I'm fine, Moomin," Snufkin said.
But then he winced, giving a small gasp, and involuntarily placed a hand to his side.

"Whats wrong?" Moomin asked at once, coming closer.

"Nothing," Snufkin snapped, looking up at Moomin fiercely, and withdrawing his hand, looking cross with himself for jumping like that in front of Moomin. "I'm okay."

Moomin peered into Snufkin's face- he didn't look sick, just a little peaky, and his eyes looked tired and dark, as though he hadn't slept well in a few days.

"Snufkin, you will tell me if you're feeling..." Moomin looked sheepish. Snufkin's expression softened, knowing Moomin was thinking about earlier in the Spring, when Snufkin had been feeling really low.

"You know I'd tell you if something was wrong," said Snufkin, "if I felt the same as I did before. But I don't. I'm okay, I promise- I've just got a little cold."

Moomin blushed.

"I just worry is all."

"I know, but there really is no need," Snufkin said reassuringly. He placed a hand on Moomin's shoulder.

"I promise I won't keep anything serious from you," he said seriously, and Moomin knew he was telling the truth. "I'm not relapsing. I wouldn't do that to you. Okay?"

Moomintroll nodded.

"Good," Snufkin said briskly, getting back to his fishing. "Now let's forget about this. Would you like to so swimming this evening?"

Later, the others began to pick up on his condition too.

"Snufkin, are you feeling okay?" It was Moominmamma, after Snufkin had had a particularly bad coughing fit while they all sat down for breakfast with Snorkmaiden and Sniff.

"Yes, Mamma, fine, thanks," Snufkin choked when he could breath freely again. He looked up to see the others all staring at him worriedly. "Honestly," he hastened to assure them. "It's just a cold."

"You're travelling soon, I presume?" Moominpappa asked.

Snufkin nodded with half a guilty glance at Moomintroll.

"You'd better make sure you're alright before you go, dear," said Moominmamma sternly.

"Dont worry," said Snufkin. "It's much warmer in the south- I'm sure I'll be able to drive it away. There are lots of hot springs that I can bathe in. I'll be okay, honest."

"Hmm," said Moominmamma, unconvinced.

Snufkin looked resolutley down at his plate, trying not to catch Moomintroll's eye.