Page 112 of Petals and Strings
My stomach churned, a loud bubbling noise that had bile rising in my throat. Fuck, it was hitting.
I gazed down at the remnants of my breakfast, hoping to see something stand out, but it all looked so normal.
“I’ve got to go,” Ansel said. He was looking a little green.
“Nancy!” Ares called. She was the one nurse he trusted here.
“I’m here,” she called back, rushing forward. Her frown was deep, making her weathered skin look even more aged.
“You take her, I’ve got the guys,” he said. “Call me if anything happens.”
“Oh god,” I said, slapping a hand over my mouth and rushing to the women’s bathroom.
When I got inside it was chaos. Stalls wide open as nurses rushed in and out, offering buckets to everyone who wasn’t already by a toilet. Everyone was groaning in pain.
“Are we going to die?” someone whimpered.
“No,” the nurse said, rolling her eyes. How could she take it so lightly? We were all affected.
“Here,” Nancy said, handing me a bucket. When one girl was ushered to the showers, another took her place.
For hours, it continued like that, not one of us caring that this was the most humiliating situation, just running on fumes as we emptied our stomachs and showered through the pain.
My legs and arms were shaking as I stood under the spray. I’d emptied my stomach so much only bile remained. My eyes were heavy and I gripped the bar on the shower wall to keep myself upright.
“I’m grabbing another towel,” Nancy reassured me. The angel of a nurse had been with me for hours now, never leaving my side.
“Okay,” I croaked, leaning my head against the shower wall. The cool tile sent a shiver through me but it was soothing.
My eyes were heavy, drifting closed as I let the water rain down on me. Exhaustion had taken hold, making it a chore to keep my body upright.
The water shut off and a towel wrapped around me as I was scooped into someone’s arms. I didn’t open my eyes, my exhaustion already pulling me under.
In the back of my mind, I registered that Nancy wasn’t strong enough to do this, but I was too far gone.
I had to trust I was safe.
Ledger
My stomach was empty, my body heavy, but my head was finally clearing. Whatever they’d done to us was fading slowly.
Ansel was collapsed nearby, his body shaking even covered in towels and in this hot steaming room, but at least he’d been able to stay away from the toilet.
Kane and Caspian were both still struggling, shifting through the crowd while Ares helped where he could.
Rydell was the first to break, I was the second. Both of us helping Ares keep an eye on the other three.
I hated I couldn’t see Audrey, though I knew she wouldn’t want us to see her like this.
“They have answers yet?” I asked Ares when he walked by.
He frowned. “They’re saying it’s just food poisoning.”
“You don’t agree,” Rydell summarized. Ares shrugged, answer enough that he saw right through it like we did.
“I need to know my omega is okay,” I said. Before Ares could answer Nancy burst in, face pale and frantic.
“She’s gone. I turned to grab a towel, and she’s gone.”
