Chapter Two
RABBIT FEVER
Wed. July 6th
Bonjour Meme,
I might have lost count of time; however, I kept my fluorescent pens nearby, and marked an X for each day the sun passed by the window; marking an X seven times, once for each day, seven days since we last spoke.
I couldn't move for the first few days, but to force myself when needed to carry out the bare necessities. Everyday I thought my head would explode. And my chest hurt, every time I coughed; and it felt like I was coughing nonstop.
Meme, now I just feel chills, with a slight headache, and an occasional galloping night slops.
After the first day, or so, I stopped locking the door during the day, and I used a block of wood to keep the door open wide enough to allow Me' Loss access to outside, and another block to keep the door from opening too wide. It made it cold inside the shelter during the mornings so I slept near the wood stove. And I closed and locked the door from the inside at night to keep Me' Loss and the heat in at night.
I had crazy dreams throughout my sickness, one particular bitter surreal dream I dreamt was where I was locked inside a darkened room with Me' Loss, and she kept barking, and barking, nonstop. I thought she was chasing the rabbit again, but there was knocking and shouting and I thought Miles was at the door yelling, "Are you in there Elaine, are you in there?"
I woke crying and missing Miles, and my family, and even papa.
I won't give up hope. Sleep well, meme.