When he woke the morning, Eli had came down with an intense fever. His body felt so weak, he could hardly move. In and out of consciousness, The only things he could hear were his own quick, raspy breath and the faint shouting that was still going on outside.

Time seemed to move strangely, When it was day, the light was too bright. Eli would shut his eyes to try and keep it out, covering his head with his thin blanket. But at night, strangely, the light was almost brighter than the day, the firelit torches from afar almost seemed to move closer and closer to him. It made the entirety of his room red as a permanent dusk.

As he faded in and out of consciousness, he could vaguely make out Reuel in his room, attempting to give him water to stay hydrated.

"Eli? Eli.."

Reuels voice faded in and out, Muddled in Elis pounding head. He couldn't make out the rest of what his friend was trying to say.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed.

His body seemed to get heavier and then too light, almost like he was going to float away from his bed and room and out of the roof.

A cold feeling on his head brought him back, he opened his eyes and could hardly make out Reuel once again, dabbing a wet cloth on his feverish skin.

"R-Reuel.." His own voice sound far away, he wasn't sure if Reuel could even here him.

He looked around with his blurred vision and was startled when he thought he saw another figure in the room with him. But he couldn't focus enough to see who it was. Maybe it was the father..

Something changed. As Eli tried to speak out the Reuel, he moved his arms slowly to prop himself up, his body protested. His head reeled and he gasped out. Everything toppled over, he had fallen out of his bed. His breath came harder, he tried to pull himself up on the edge of his bed, but he slipped down once again. He could faintly hear someone talking to him. Was it Reuel?

He wheezed and coughed. He felt a warm liquid splatter and run down his mouth. He tried to wipe it away and his vision focused enough to see a red substance now on his hand. More dripped down from his mouth. "What.. That.."

He felt like the ground shifted beneath him and everything went black.

--

Reuel had turned away for a minute to re dampen the cloth he was using to cool his friends fever. He heard Elis voice barely whisper his name.

"I'll be there in a second Eli, I need to re wet your cloth."

He heard a sudden thump and quickly turned around.

Eli had fallen from his bed.

"Eli!"

He rushed over just as Eli coughed. His eyes widened as he saw blood splatter over Elis bedsheets. As Eli wiped his mouth, Reuel could see more blood. His eyes widened. Eli fell over again and Reuel picked him up, feeling something off.

Eli wasn't breathing!

Reuel set Eli back down on the bed and wheeled around.

"You didn't say this was going to happen!"

Reuels voice shook with rage, his eyes focused on the figure on the other side of the room.

"His body is weak. The illness needs to progress. In such a weakened state, his body was either going to fight it off or expire."

Reuel growled at the figure and turned back to Eli.

He listened and still heard no breathing. Panicking, he began to press on Elis chest repeatedly. After a moment he took Elis chin in his hand, using his other to wipe the blood coating the boys lips. He leaned in and breathed into Elis mouth slowly, listening hard. Behind him he heard the window close, the room empty besides Reuel and Elis body.

He pulled away and wiped excess blood from his own mouth. Shallow breathing and a faint heartbeat came back to Eli and Reuel sighed with relief. Reuel readjusted Eli in bed and sat back, his own heart pounding.

After a moment Eli shifted in bed, his eyes flicking open.