Short Story 7 : A Deadly Sickness
A Deadly Sickness - T ABRAHAM
It was not like the usual weekends with a cozy couch and a bottle full of honey. The day was damp and dry with the approaching monsoon. Little Stuffy was unwell and had bouts of vomiting from Friday afternoon. It was unusual and he had hardly eaten any food because of his severe stomach ache. Mrs. Eddy was worried about his little son, throwing out all the solid food being ingested but unable to digest any.4.jpg)
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‘What happened to my dear little one?’, asked Mrs. Eddy to little Stuffy who was unable to speak because of his weakness. ‘I will be alright mamma’, assured little Stuffy with his feeble voice. It was almost a day spent without food but only fluids, as little Stuffy was unable to eat anything. Mrs. Eddy knew that something was disturbing little Stuffy which had made him sick and was also hindering him from eating any food. But she knew that the doctor was not required to cure him, but words and happiness can cure him.
During the afternoon little Stuffy was fast asleep and Mrs. Eddy did not want to bother him while he was sleeping. ‘My poor little child, what is it that’s bothering you? I do not understand what’s happening’, said Mrs. Eddy to herself in a very low and tiresome voice. Mr. Eddy was not at home since morning and little Stuffy was gradually getting cured.
In the evening little Stuffy was able to eat some hot porridge and also took some medications to gain his regular appetite. As it was nearing the dinner time. Little Stuffy was getting better and Mr. Eddy came home. ‘Where have you been all this time? It’s time for dinner’, said Mrs. Eddy to Mr. Eddy. He nodded his head but did not say a word in return. ‘Stuffy… are you alright?’, asked Mr. Eddy to little Stuffy, and in reply he just nodded his head. Mr. Eddy continued to speak, ‘I caught hold of the man who is the reason for your sickness. The trauma which you have underwent these days have come to an end. He has been brought to the notice of the authorities and no longer he can harm you in any aspect my boy’. During whole of this conversation taking place between little Stuffy and his father, Mrs. Eddy overheard everything and finally got the answer regarding the sickness of her son.
The next morning little Stuffy has recovered from his sickness and also he had come back to his everyday routine. He was able to have a hearty meal without the fear of throwing out. During the afternoon Mrs. Eddy asked Mr. Eddy regarding the reason for little Stuffy’s sickness. Mr. Eddy’s reply shocked Mrs. Eddy as he began to narrate the whole sequence of incidence which was bothering little Stuffy.
‘I came to know this, but it was terrible. There was a psychopath in our street. This man was seen bullying the children and men going past his house. He also hurls insults upon anybody whom he sees and threw sticks and stones and also broke some of the bones of little children seen near his gate. This Friday when Stuffy was walking past his house he noticed a young boy being abused by this psychopath. When he had tried to relieve this little one he got into trouble. The psychopath started to hurl insults and used foul language and words upon Stuffy and had also threatened to kill him’, said Mr. Eddy to Mrs. Eddy.
Mrs. Eddy who knew the rest of the narrative keenly watched the expression on his face. She suddenly stopped him and asked, ‘Did Stuffy take it quite seriously and became restless?’, ‘yes…..’, said Mr. Eddy in quite a low voice. Little Stuffy was asleep.
There was complete silence surrounding the house. Mr. Eddy described how he had approached inspector Ruddy and solved the issue by forcibly admitting the man to an asylum. Mrs. Eddy said, ‘Only words were the problem, the deadly sickness by ill words spoken by some stranger?’. Little Stuffy suddenly woke up and said, ‘Yes mamma, those words were the very cause of my sickness. No germs nor virus, but only those ill words’. Then suddenly little Stuffy fell down and Mr. and Mrs. Eddy started to panic. They placed their fingers on his nostrils to check whether he was alive, but no air came out.
‘It was a new sickness found in this world, a deadly sickness which is caused by words’, cried out Mr. Eddy with little Stuffy being held motionless in his hands.
During the afternoon little Stuffy was fast asleep and Mrs. Eddy did not want to bother him while he was sleeping. ‘My poor little child, what is it that’s bothering you? I do not understand what’s happening’, said Mrs. Eddy to herself in a very low and tiresome voice. Mr. Eddy was not at home since morning and little Stuffy was gradually getting cured.
In the evening little Stuffy was able to eat some hot porridge and also took some medications to gain his regular appetite. As it was nearing the dinner time. Little Stuffy was getting better and Mr. Eddy came home. ‘Where have you been all this time? It’s time for dinner’, said Mrs. Eddy to Mr. Eddy. He nodded his head but did not say a word in return. ‘Stuffy… are you alright?’, asked Mr. Eddy to little Stuffy, and in reply he just nodded his head. Mr. Eddy continued to speak, ‘I caught hold of the man who is the reason for your sickness. The trauma which you have underwent these days have come to an end. He has been brought to the notice of the authorities and no longer he can harm you in any aspect my boy’. During whole of this conversation taking place between little Stuffy and his father, Mrs. Eddy overheard everything and finally got the answer regarding the sickness of her son.
The next morning little Stuffy has recovered from his sickness and also he had come back to his everyday routine. He was able to have a hearty meal without the fear of throwing out. During the afternoon Mrs. Eddy asked Mr. Eddy regarding the reason for little Stuffy’s sickness. Mr. Eddy’s reply shocked Mrs. Eddy as he began to narrate the whole sequence of incidence which was bothering little Stuffy.
‘I came to know this, but it was terrible. There was a psychopath in our street. This man was seen bullying the children and men going past his house. He also hurls insults upon anybody whom he sees and threw sticks and stones and also broke some of the bones of little children seen near his gate. This Friday when Stuffy was walking past his house he noticed a young boy being abused by this psychopath. When he had tried to relieve this little one he got into trouble. The psychopath started to hurl insults and used foul language and words upon Stuffy and had also threatened to kill him’, said Mr. Eddy to Mrs. Eddy.
Mrs. Eddy who knew the rest of the narrative keenly watched the expression on his face. She suddenly stopped him and asked, ‘Did Stuffy take it quite seriously and became restless?’, ‘yes…..’, said Mr. Eddy in quite a low voice. Little Stuffy was asleep.
There was complete silence surrounding the house. Mr. Eddy described how he had approached inspector Ruddy and solved the issue by forcibly admitting the man to an asylum. Mrs. Eddy said, ‘Only words were the problem, the deadly sickness by ill words spoken by some stranger?’. Little Stuffy suddenly woke up and said, ‘Yes mamma, those words were the very cause of my sickness. No germs nor virus, but only those ill words’. Then suddenly little Stuffy fell down and Mr. and Mrs. Eddy started to panic. They placed their fingers on his nostrils to check whether he was alive, but no air came out.
‘It was a new sickness found in this world, a deadly sickness which is caused by words’, cried out Mr. Eddy with little Stuffy being held motionless in his hands.
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