Fever

*This story contains a physically painful event*

Present day

As I take my daily evening walk, I savor the sound of crunchy autumn leaves under my boots as crisp fall air breathes on my cheeks. This is my favorite time of year for many reasons, one of which being the change of weather. It's late October in Massachusetts, and the night of a new moon. 

The flashlight I'm carrying illuminates the low hanging fog as I make my way through rows of apple trees. My feet have always lead me to this orchard with a magnetic pull that I don't resist. It's magical; a place to tune out the busy world and hear nature's melodies. Soft breezes rustle through branches of dying leaves, pulling some into their final spiraling dance to the ground. I inhale deeply, then exhale a puff of white that is swept away on an invisible current.

I'm so engulfed in my own world, I practically step on a little cat as he runs past me.  He is such an onyx black I would have missed him; had it not been for the flash of his iridescent green eyes. 

Many years ago, I believed in the superstition of bad luck when crossing paths with a black cat. I would also knock on wood, throw salt over my shoulder, and never open an umbrella indoors. Whenever I would find a penny heads down on the street, I would flip it over- careful not to break it's contact with the ground- and leave it for the next person to pick up for good luck. Good karma, I would think to myself. My way of tipping the world in my favor. 

Little did I know back then, but my world was about to change.. irrevocably.

** 7 years earlier

 On the eve of my 16th birthday, I awoke with a chill.

"This is not happening!" I moaned to my mother, flipping over and planting my face into the softness of my bed. "My birthday is tomorrow."

 Muffled gasps of irritation escape through the down pillow as I flail my arms and legs like a fish out of water. 

"You'll be fine," Mother says assuredly, patting my butt, then giving it a slightly harder smack. That was her way of telling me to get up, get going, and stop moping. "The fever started on the eve of my 16th birthday as well."

"Huh?" I whip up my head and shoot my mother a baffled look, which she ignores.

"Anyway, I'm going to make you some of my special pancakes." And with that, Mother ups and walks out of my room. 

The fever??

I think on her words for a moment, then shake my head and sigh. It wouldn't be the first time mother has said something strange. She's an unusual woman after all. Actually, my whole family is weird.. if I'm being honest. "Uugggg!" The sound comes out as I fling myself backward, sending my long auburn hair flying. I rub my eyes then roll myself straight off the bed and onto the floor.

"Time to pull it together Saoirse", I chide to myself.

*

That evening, as I step under the stream of a hot shower, I can feel my tense muscles start to relax. My mind, on the other hand, is more active than ever.

 To say it's been a weird day would be an understatement. My body feels utterly drained of all energy. There's a sharp yet dull, achey, pinching, scratching, stabbing pain in my mid to upper back. My vision keeps getting blurry, then clear, and then extra clear.. like so clear I can see individual dust particles floating in the air. 

~Earlier that day, when I told Mother about my symptoms, she didn't seem fazed in the least! She simply offered me a smile, rubbed some herbal balm on my back, and said, "Don't worry. The fever will be over soon".

"Don't worry?!? I think I'm cursed!!" I had shouted while knocking on the wooden cabinet next to me. "This goes beyond any sickness I can remember having!"

"You're not sick!.. it's just...." her eyes had wandered, searching for what to say, "..the fever will be over soon." 

I looked at her through narrowed eyes, but deciding to ignore my question.

"Well, whatever this is, it needs to get gone! ASAP!"~

"Fever", I say aloud to myself while soaking in the hot water.

The fever??

My mother's words replay in my brain, and I can't help but feel like I'm missing something. It's annoying, like a little gnat that keeps flying near your face; you can't really see it, but you know it's there. 

Suddenly, a memory comes crashing to the forefront of my mind. A conversion I overheard several months ago between my parents and grandparents.

~They thought I was sleeping, but I was thirsty and wanted some water. I remember walking down the hall, but stopping short of the kitchen when I heard hushed whispers. 

".. not long until the fever is upon her", Grandmother said.

"Should we tell her? Should we tell her what to expect?" Mother's voice was soft and concerned.

"You know we can't say anything. She wouldn't understand. It's better to just let nature runs it's course." Father sounded assured of himself. 

"But there's always the chance of.." Grandfather started, then stopped. 

Eyes wide and lips tucked between my teeth, I had softly but quickly made my way back to bed for fear I would get caught eavesdropping. I yanked up my blanket and shut my eyes just as the door to my room slowly opened. I held my breath, willing my wildly beating heart to slow, and listened. Finally, I heard the soft click of the door closing. ~

"The fever? Let nature run it's course? A chance of what??" The questions in my brain were now on rapid fire, hurling one on top of the next. I feel uneasy, like my stomach is twisting around itself. Quickly, I hop out of the shower, wrap myself in a towel and lean over the sink expectantly. 

After a minute of nothing coming up, I splash my face with cold water and look into the mirror.

I'm staring blankly at my reflection, mulling over the words and feelings swarming inside me, when I see it. The irises of my dark green eyes flash a bright gold, and then it's gone. It happens so fast that I'm convinced I'm now hallucinating. 

"What the hell?!" 

I say it out loud to my mirrored self as I move my face closer, changing angles and examining my reflection intently. Nothing. Just plain ol' me is all I see. 

I drop the towel from my body and start to look at the rest of me, turning slowly as to not miss anything strange.. just in case. 

"Aaagggghh!" A groan escapes my lips and I double over. Rippling pain moves under the skin in my back as I fall to the floor. What is happening to me?? Images and faces I don't recognize start flickering in my head; each one burning as if being seared into my gray matter. I pull myself into a fetal position unable to process what is going on or what to do about it. I'm dying..I must be.

"Mother!! Mother!!" I yell with all I have left.

Then everything goes black. 

*

"I'm here love. I'm right here." My mother says, and strokes my hair as I come to. She's holding me in her lap and rocking me gently. 

"I'm here too", Grandma says sweetly.

 "What is happening to me?" I manage to say though I can barely speak. Large tears slide down my cheeks as I look up at my mother's face. The suffering in her eyes matching my own.

"My love", she begins, " you just..."

"Aaagggg!" White hot pain slices through the middle of my back and it feels like my flesh is tearing open. My mother helps me sit up and holds my hands to steady me as wave after wave of agony carves it's way out of my body. I hold onto her for dear life, fear gripping my core. This is the end..

And then, just like that, the pain is gone. It takes a few moments, but then I suddenly feel overwhelming strength fill my body head to toe. Molten warmth flows through my every vein and memories I don't recognize but understand flood my mind in an instant. My eyes fly open and a world of vibrant hues enters my vision. I slowly rise to my feet, testing my strength, until I'm standing on my own.

"I feel so.. good..So alive!!" I say loudly. Tears of relief start steaming down my face as I mentally assess myself. Truely, this is the best I've ever felt! I'm so overcome with joy that I start to spin, arms outstretched to the ceiling.

As I turn, I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror and my mouth drops open as I gape at myself.

Looking back at me, are a pair of shining golden eyes. 

"Gold wings!" My grandmother suddenly cries out with happiness as she clasps her hands together. 

And then I see them. My own set of luminous and iridescently golden fairy wings. 

My mother comes up behind me and embraces me with a knowing hug. Her eyes glow violet, and I know without asking, all the answers to my many, many questions. 

** Present day

I look down at the cat and flash my golden eyes back at him. He purs as he rubs his soft body on my legs, then turns and vanishes back into the orchard.