Pockets Full Of Posies [P]

Ah, I love him so much! Where should we start?

Alright, I’ll start and probably change the title to something fitting.

It started when Matthew and his family were doing their daily check for buboes and swelling. Matthew checked out fine with no plague symptoms. But Matthew’s father’s face dropped when he checked his neck. That was a bad sign and lo behold, there was a swelling on the neck. Matthew could feel his face pale.

That was two days ago. And the plague killed within three days of contraction. Matthew didn’t know if his body was strong but he didn’t feel ill or anything. Matthew had to beg for help, even though his family was shut up in the house for quarantine. That’s when he called for the plague doctor even though he knew that the treatments were.... odd. And not really sensible, but his parents were dying and he needed anything to help. Successfully, his requests for a plague doctor were answered and he had hope fill him. He waited outside the house.

Matthew nodded his head quickly when asked if he asked for the services of the doctor. He had no signs of plague even when he hadn’t been confined into the infected house. But he had flowers... thyme, posies, roses, lavender to smell and protect him from being exposed to the bad air, or miasthma. “Yes, I did.” He replied quickly, sweating a bit from stress. In honesty, he didn’t care what Hugo did, as long as his parents were going to heal from this. But even Matthew had doubts for his parent’s health was declining. With no sign of recovery. Matthew opened the door to let Hugo inside.

The inside of the home was hot due to the summer like weather. Matthew had tried to take care of his parents himself but it would drain his energy from constant nursing and taking care of ill parents. And it would bring about stress on him. “My parents.” He said, sounding a bit strained and tired. Matthew had feared sleep for he thought that he would catch the plague in his sleep and not wake up. Matthew was the only healthy one out of his family. His parents laid on cots on the floor covered with blankets.

Matthew kept a reasonable distance between him and Hugo, not wanting any physical contact at all. Even if it was just brushing against the shoulder or bumping into each other. "T-Two days ago." Matthew stuttered out, reasonably making sure that he was careful when breathing as to hot inhale anything that would give him the plague. Then he continued to speak. "We were doing our daily body check to make sure we didn't have anything relating to the plague and... my father found a lump on his neck. And then it transferred over to my mother within a few hours after she tried to treat the swelling." Matthew went on to explain, hoping that his parents wouldn't succumb to the plague.

Was death inevitable for Matthew's parents? They did look awfully ill and they were at the point where they were coughing up blood and mucus. Bloodletting didn't help his parents. He even managed to buy some treacle - an aged sticky black syrup that was supposed to remove the plague from the body when consumed. However, that did not take on any effect either. "What?" Matthew didn't want to live without his parents, and he had never ever prepared for the worst that could happen to them. And most of the people that he and his parents knew were dropping dead from plague. "N-Not really." Matthew stuttered out nervously as all he was focused on was making sure that hopefully his parents would recover and feel better.

Matthew could not believe what he was hearing. He had been filled with hope that his parents were going to make a full recovery. But even he had his doubts on his parents and he wondered why he wasn't contracting the plague even when he's been treating his sick parents. Matthew was getting hot and without a word, he stepped outside of the house, his face muscles tensing as if he were going to cry. Once Matthew had stepped outside, Matthew's mother, who was coughing up blood and had blood trickling down her mouth, turned her head to look at Hugo. "Listen to me..." She began to say in a strained voice. "If we die, please... I am begging you, take care of our son until this plague is over." Matthew's mother pleaded with Hugo. Matthew had made his way to the stable where his horse was kept at, finding more comfort in there with the horse.

Upon hearing Hugo’s words, Matthew’s mother was very pleased. It did make her feel better to know that her son wouldn’t be all by himself if she and her husband did die. “Thank you.” She said, before remaining quiet and she tried to ignore the swelling pain of coughing and the painful swellings on her lymph nodes and underarms. With Matthew, Hugo’s words did hurt him... a lot. As he denied the fact that his parents might succumb to the disease like others. But he wanted to know why he hadn’t caught it... he’s been around his sick parents. Matthew stayed in the stable for quite some time until he was able to take a breath and calm down enough for him to return to the house.

Matthew's mother already knew that she was probably not going to make it, and her husband knew it to. Both wanted to be out of their misery and not be in anymore pain and agony that the tender buboes on them were causing. Matthew's mother was sweating profusely due to the heat and her face was wet and glistening with sweat from fever and chills. All she could do was give Hugo a small smile and she was already drained of energy so she could not sit up let alone stand and walk around. Her immune system was already weak from trying to fight off the plague. Matthew entered the house and all he did was look at Hugo for a moment before his eyes averted to look at his ill parents.

"What are you talking about?" Matthew demanded hotly. "Surely there is something else you can do." He insisted greatly to Hugo whilst biting his lip nervously. He was in clear denial that his parents were going to die and he didn't want that to happen. Matthew though, did not argue with Hugo and then he kept his mouth shut and looked down at the ground.