Just do it √

Thirty Four

I felt full. Too full to eat, too full to move, too full to breathe but I did all that anyway because I didn't like not doing them. I had woken up the day after the carnival with a splitting headache and a fever, the stomach pains followed a few hours later but the chills didn't come until the evening.

Typhoid, just as mom had suspected. That was what the test reports said and immediately I began receiving treatment along with a lot of unnecessary care. The drugs weren't an issue, it was the constant knocks on my door followed by hot food and 'how are you feeling?'

I couldn't recall a time when I had fallen ill but I could easily say I had never been as babied as I was. Mom spoon fed me for the first day, she even offered to bath me but there was no way that was happening. Marcel took up my chores without waiting to be asked and Kunle was kind enough to tune down his Christmas carols.

It was the last day of the year and although I wasn't feeling as good as I would've liked, I was determined to not act like it, that is why I decided to join them that afternoon for lunch instead of having it brought to my room. Mom had her eyes on me the whole time, she'd have eaten better if the food had been smeared on my face.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" She asked again.
"You said the meeting with the pastor is important". I reminded her.
"It is but I can come back after that, we can have our own vigil here". I saw the look on Marcel's face and expected his protest to be flying out soon but he was smarter.

"But it won't be the same, I know how much you've been anticipating it so, go to church, you and dad. I'll stay back and look after browny". His concerned expression looked legit enough but as usual, only my mom was falling for it. Kunle's and I knew he just wanted to escape the new year's eve vigil.

"Amanda, will that be okay?"
I pretended to ponder on it, avoiding Marcel's eyes for a few seconds before nodding.
"Okay".

They left the house a couple minutes before 5pm for their meeting with the pastor and it was only a short countdown before Marcel lost his home training.
"So. Jumanji or Avengers?"
"Jumanji".
He went on to put avengers anyway and I didn't have the strength to argue. Halfway through the movie, I got up and he looked at me.

"Are you going to throw up or shit yourself? I will not be cleaning your vomit or packing your.. "
"It's just headache, I'm going to take panadol and lie down. Awon nanny".
He grinned as I walked off and returned to the movie.

Falling asleep was hard with the headache and chills but the painkillers acted quickly. The sleep was restless, I could feel myself tossing and sweating, I had turned off the fan and covered myself all the way up to my neck.
It was restlessness that woke me, it was the weird feeling of having someone else in the room.

It was dark outside and the light in my room had been turned on. I turned towards my reading table when I heard something drop.
"You are awake". Christopher Lawal said with a creepy smile that had me jolting to a sitting position.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, pulling the blanket that I had pushed aside to cover my bare legs.
"Just looking". The smile widened.
"Where is Marcel?"
"He left to get something, should be gone awhile. Do you know he got this from me?" He raised the book I had left open on the table, the one Marcel gave me for Christmas.

"It belonged to my sister but she doesn't have time for books anymore. If I had known he was getting it for you I'd have signed it with hugs and kisses".
The person standing in my room was new to me. I thought I knew Chris' type but with every passing second, he continued to prove me wrong and it scared me.

"Get out". I put all the confidence I wasn't feeling behind those words but he wasn't fazed, instead, he took a seat at the foot of my bed.
"I think Henrietta is fun but you already know that".
"You also think she is a toy". I accused and he laughed.
"That too but I think you are real".
"I am a person and so is she".