Alex in Sirius trouble

"Unbelievable!" Alex spat out saliva that collected in his mouth, and his friends burst into the laugh. "You can do it! You can do it!" They started to encourage him to try again. Alex hated forcing, but the plant looks so appealing. So TASTY! How he could resist that temptation? He slowly ripped the top of the plant and put it on his tongue again. It was piquant and he wanted to spit it out again when something interrupted him and he accidentally swallowed a piece of plant. Everyone went quiet and they observed him cautiously. Alex gulped and then threw up all over the fire pit. “Nice shot.” His best friend Frederico grinned at him and handed him a tissue. “That was the most stupid thing I have ever done.” Alex threw up again. “Oh man, we should tell someone. You look sick.” The younger boy simply nodded. Frederico turned at his friends and ordered them to found some help in Thellas’ bar, which wasn’t afar from their camping site. “You okay, buddy?” Frederico looked at his friend worryingly. He was pale and shook like in a fever. Instead of an answer, he bent over the fire and threw up once again. “Shit. That’s definitely not a good sign. Try to drink something.” He handed him a bottle of water. Alex shook his head. “No, Freddie. I’m done.” Frederico slapped him twice. “Don’t say that. Boys went to get some help, they will be back in a minute. Just speak to me, right? Nothing is going to happen to you.” He tried to convince himself more than his friend. “That was the most stupid thing I have ever done.” He repeated himself, eyes getting matte. Frederico laughed a bit, to relieve his stress. “Sure, and the second stupid thing was being my friend.” Before Alex could answer, they both heard a loud noise and then a pair of adults appeared at their campsite. “What have you eaten, can you show me?” The woman asked, visibly worried. Alex nodded slowly, pain crossing his face. “It’s okay, we came to help. Just show me what it was.” Alex raised his shaking hand and pointed at the plant. “Robert, come. The boy poisoned himself with Sirius. I need your assistance.” Frederico stuttered. “Sirius? Is it dangerous?” Robert, woman’s companion, raised his eyebrow at boy’s question. “You shouldn’t eat stuff you don’t know.” He said but then turned his attention to Alex. “How much have you eaten? Do you hear me?” Alex became unresponsive. “Shit! You, boys, get into your tents and don’t go out until we tell you. We are about to do something not nice to see, so please obey.” Frederico looked at his friends who brought a couple, and without other words, he climbed into his tent.

“Good. Good. Now we are taking you to the hospital. They have an antidote. Robert called them already. But before that, we need to speak to your parents, young man. You put your life in great danger. Consider yourself lucky we found you so quickly.” Alex didn’t say a word. “Did you hear me?” Robert’s patience was wearing thin. “Rob, let him rest a bit. We can talk later. Ask his friends if they could contact his parents.” The man growled but then called boys back outside. “Do you know his family? Do you have a phone number to his parents?” Frederico lost colour from his face when the man asked and looked at Alex nervously. “I-I- he is living with his sister. She is now with her husband and kids on holidays. He stays at our place. Do you want a contact to my parents instead?” Alex shook his head, but the woman asked him to do.

“Mom, dad… something happened to Alex. They are taking him to hospital. They want to speak to you...” He handed a mobile phone to a woman and she said: “Hello. My name is Stacy. Your son’s friend gets poisoned by eating a toxic plant. Could you come to the hospital to fill some forms? Yes, he is stable now, just little stubborn to communicate.” Frederico’s mom said something and woman laughed humbly. “Despite that, yeah, your son’s quick reaction and cold head saved the boy’s life.”

A few hours later Alex fell asleep. But Frederico stayed at his side and watched him. Just in case, he said to the doctor who asked him to go home. “Hi. Are you his friend, Frederico, if I am correct?” The woman walked inside the room and smiled at him. “Yes, ma’am. But I am sorry, I don’t know you.” A woman giggled at this remark and introduced herself: “My name is Selena. This is my step-brother. Nice to meet you.” Frederico’s face reddened from embarrassment. Then he realized they had to come back because of him. “It was my fault, not Alex’s!” He yelled out of blue. “What?” Selena exhaled from a shock. “We had that stupid courage contest and I forced him to try. Just lick it and spit it out, but something went wrong and he swallowed it.” Selena patted his shoulder, slight smile decorating her tanned face: “Frederico, you are just a young boy. Of course, you sometimes try dangerous things and sometimes things turn out wrong. I’m not angry at you, boys. I was just very worried when your mum called me. We took the first flight from Havana to get there as soon as possible. But doctors assured me that antidote is starting to kicking. He will be soon back in full power as my annoying brother used to be.” “Thank you, ma’am, for your nice words.” He apologized again, but she just waved it off. “Promise me to not try anything stupid until I return from Cuba next week, please.” Frederico scratched back of his head nervously but replied: “I will try to keep him and myself out of danger. Besides, we both starting high school this September. I would like to go with him, side by side.” Selena assured him that it’s going to happen and then she turned her attention to the boy. In shock, she realized he was awake all that time, but didn’t want to interrupt her. “I-I am sorry you had to come home because of me, Sel.” He stuttered. “It was a dog day and long as hell. Let’s talk about it when we are both ready. And don’t mention home, I would fly back even from the North Pole if you are hurt, my little brother.” Alex nodded quietly, wiping away tears from his slightly swollen cheeks. “It’s the end of the summer, Alexander. Hopefully, you are not going to school in a wheelchair. Moral of this story? Better to be safe than sorry.” Alex rolled his eyes playfully and Frederico, quickly following by Selena, burst into the laugh. “See you at home, good night, boys.” Selena bid them goodnight and left the room. “Buddy, you got the lesson of the lifetime. And me as well.” They hugged carefully and then Frederico’s mom came to drive him home. “See you tomorrow, mister Toxico.” Alex sticks his tongue out at him, and then he closed his eyes. Goodnight, Alex. Have a nice dream.