Doll Face, Glass Heart

Chapter Six
Winter Remedy

I had got better for a long time but about a month later I began throwing up again. Damn elf food.
"Are you sure you're not sick?" Rupin asked me for what seemed like the 60 billionth time.
"Yes, I'm sure." I replied.
"You should get some medicine, or something." He said.
"And where am I gonna get it from?" I asked. "Elf-y and Nymph-y medicine works different on me than it does on you guys."
"True." He said. "But I bet my sister could make you some."
"Speaking of your sister, I'd like to hear about her." I said, trying to get my mind off of the wave of nausea coming over me.
"Yes, well, she's sort of like a healer." He said. "She makes medicine and treats wounds and helps deliver babies."
"Interesting." I said, trying to refrain from puking.
"You're going to throw up again?"
I nodded and climbed outside of the treehouse. (Rupin and I began to call the secret house the "Treehouse" because it's a little house under the tree.)
When I was finished I climbed back in.
"I'm worried about you." He said.
"I'll be fine." I said. "I don't throw up that much!"
He sighed.
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Rupin had somehow had a bathroom with a real working toilet, but he had no idea what a shower was, or a bathtub. I found a nearby pond that I bathed in, and it wasn't that bad on a warm day.
I sat in the shallow end of the pond and gently patted the water. It reminded me of when I was a toddler and my mom used to give me baths. Somehow I remembered that far back.
She would pat the water and say that's what a beaver did to talk to his friends and tell them that trouble was coming. So everytime she patted the water I would hide under one of my toys.
I smiled at the memory, and then realized how much I missed my mom and dad.
I sighed and looked down. I paused. What the hell?
I poked my stomach. Am I getting fat?
I poked it again. Weird.
I stood up and dried myself off with one of my old t-shirts. Then I dressed again and walked back to the treehouse.
I sat down on the bed while Rupin was doing something, I don't know, I wasn't paying attention. I was too obsorbed in the fact that my stomach looked too weird.
"Do you have a mirror?" I asked.
"Yeah, there's one in the bathroom." He said without turning.
I ran in and shut the door. Then I remembered these stupid homemade doors didn't have locks.
"Don't come in." I said.
"Okay." He said.
I took off my shirt and examined my stomach in the mirror. It's weird, and little. Sort of... Oh god.
I put my shirt back on and ran out to Rupin.
"What?" He asked when he saw my face. "What is it?"
"Where's the nearest my-people town?" I asked.
"I don't know, maybe about 20 miles east, away from the forest." He said. "Why?"
"How fast can you get me there?" I asked.
"In a few hours maybe." He said. "Why?"
"We have to leave now."

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I rode on Rupin's back while he ran towards the town at full speed.
We arrived and it was one of those small towns, but that was all I needed.
Rupin kept asking me why we where there but I ignored him.
We entered a tiny conveniant store and I grabbed a hat off of the rack by the door and put in on his head, covering his only slightly-pointed ears.
"Don't take it off." I ordered.
I grabbed a box off of the shelf and ran in the bathroom.
"Wait here." I said.
I waited for a few more seconds. The test was sitting by the sink. It should have the result now.
My stomach was in knots and I slowly inched toward the test. I glanced at it and saw a little plus sign. My heart sank, but I kept my cool.
I threw the test in the garbage and exited the bathroom.
Rupin was examining a gossip magazine like it was scribbles written by a five-year-old.
He looked up and threw the magazine on the ground, causing the guy at the counter to glare at him.
"What is it? Are you alright?" He asked.
"I-I'm going to have a baby." I said, and somehow I still kept my cool.
Rupin seemed to freeze with shock.
I pulled my cellphone out of my pocket. For some reason, I brought it to the woods with me, but it had no bars there, and here it had four.
I dialed the number and waited. Rupin stood, still frozen.
"Hello?" Said my mother's voice on the end of the phone. Suddenly I reverted to the child I was when I left.
"M-Momma?" I said, taking deep breaths to hold back my tears.
"Oh, Sweetheart! What's wrong?" My mother said on the other end.
It was only then I burst into tears.

To be Continued...