"Is mother feeling okay?" Henrich asked Nurse Joy by the time we're in Snowfall clinic. After the book fair (Honestly, it was totally great. I even bought several books with big discounts!), Henrich and I were in the nursing room while Rosie and Mondrea were sitting on a bench in the hallway. I hope Rosie survives Mondrea's talking at this point.

 

"Yes, your mother is quite well. Doctor Walden has checked on her condition. He told me to take care of her and make sure to keep her stable," replied Nurse Joy. Her brown hair was tied up in a casual bun. Her calm facial expression was always the same. Her dark brown eyes also looked the same way as she looked at her patients and visitors.

 

"Thank goodness." Henrich sighed in relief as she closed her eyes, but then quickly opening them. "Wait, what do you mean . . . keep her stable?"

 

"Well, there is a little problem to her condition- or a big one. When she reaches difficulty breathing at a regular pace, or when she took things way too intense, it gets worse and she'll be sweating. Most of all, her illness will keep developing until there's no cure for her."

 

The both of us were shocked, eyes widened, I didn't expect that mother's unknown condition could get this worse. Henrich covered her mouth with her hands. I grimaced and touched my chest like I was shot.  I then gasped, "That's horrible. Does our mother know about this?" 

 

"Yes . . ." Nurse Joy slowly nodded, until the transition went to shaking side-ways, "Not exactly, but don't tell her! If you do, she'll go crazy." She tried to calm us by raising her hands, but it didn't help anyway.

 

"This is bad, that means we have to keep her relaxed and safe? Unlike the last time we did since we were really worried," Henrich reminded.

 

"Now I know how mom felt being an overprotective person," I said.

 

"I know right?" she agreed. Being the guardian of your children would take great responsibility. Back then, mom would do everything just to keep an eye on us, even if her surveillance was not present. Right now, we're the ones who need to be the guardians.

 

"Nurse, when will mom be allowed to go home?" I asked out of curiosity.

 

"Let me think." the nurse narrowed her eyes that pointed at the ceiling, hips at her side, and her lips pursed. "Maybe after three years?"

 

"Three years?!" Henrich and I said in unison. Three years, I can't imagine how our mother would spend her time alone with the nurses and doctors in the clinic.

 

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding," Nurse Joy chuckled. "After two weeks, your mother is good to go. However, she will be back in here for another treatment."

 

"What treatment?" I asked. "Like a massage or-"

 

"For the cure," Nurse Joy retorted.

 

"Oh, okay then, thank you, nurse. We'll be on our way." The both of us shook the nurse's hands in thanks and we both went outside.

 

***

 

"What?!" I was surprisingly awakened by Mondrea's reaction. 

 

"We have to look out for mother if something goes wrong," Henrich said. As I looked at my surroundings, I forgot I was reading the book that I just bought: The Tales of the Grimm Brothers. I wiped my eyes and stretched my arms up in the air. Henrich and Mondrea were having this conversation for several hours.

 

"Man, what time is it?" My eyes were moistening from yawning. The sisters were still talking about looking after our mother when she's back. I stood up from the couch next to a bookshelf. I peered at the window, scanning the horizon. I stopped, surprised when Sam was running on the pathway like he's being chased by a wolf.

 

I ran towards the door and as I opened it, Sam said, "Xabiere, Xabiere, you . . . you have to go . . ." He was tired and breathless from all the running. And I could tell he brought bad news.

 

"Sam, just calm down. What's wrong?" Sam took a deep breath and finally held it out.

 

"It's your sister, Rosie! Something bad happened to her." Sam made this ugly, but funny face every time he was tired.

 

"What?!" My sisters shouted. I jumped as their voice went Boom! to my ears.

 

"Ow," I muttered. They just HAVE to say the word "what" at the same time.

 

"You have to go to the clinic right away," Sam panted one more time. "She's not feeling very well."

 

***

 

We bolted to the clinic as I opened the door. We almost bumped a few people in our way but we were really worried about Rosie. Honestly, I hadn't felt so much worry for her, probably because I never thought that something could happen to her.

 

As we reached the nurse, we asked about our sister. So, she led us to the room where Rosie was. We all went in. Henrich rushed towards the right side of the room and touched Rosie's head to check on her unconscious face, while Mondrea knelt beside Henrich, her face was going to burst with panic and tears. Nurse Joy, Sam, and I only stood near the opened door, our concerns rising.

 

"What happened?" I asked Nurse Joy.

 

"I- I don't know. She was like this ever since a guy brought her." Nurse Joy shook her head, shocked. Then, she excused Henrich and Mondrea for a moment to step aside. As they did, Nurse Joy used her witch abilities by putting her hand on Rosie's forehead, after that, she was stunned. "She was poisoned."

 

The four of us were terrified. Rosie was poisoned!? That can't be!

 

"Poisoned?! Please tell us there's a way to cure her," Henrich sobbed.

 

"Don't worry Hen, there is," Nurse Joy assured.

 

"By the way, who brought her here?" Sam wondered. Despite the heavy situation, he was focused on that question.

 

The nurse shook her head. "I don't know. I couldn't familiarize his face. He just brought her here together with other people." 

 

"Other people? Wait, what other people?" I asked her.

 

"MaXabiere, I think we'll talk about that later,"-Nah, she's lying-"Because right now, your sister needs a cure. I'll be taking my leave, then. I have others to cure." Nurse Joy's forehead was sweaty and her brown hair was haggard. I watched her rushing out of the room before pondering. Have others to cure? I went outside and saw an old man rushing closer to me. Silver shaggy hair, brown eyes behind his glasses, and his white coat dangling from every step he made. I could see Doctor Walden carrying a stack of wooden boxes. Judging by his wrinkled face, he seemed very tired, but his patients won't wait for a panting doctor.

 

"Doctor Walden, do you need any help?" I asked, worried that his spinal cord might break.

 

"No, no. I'm fine, thank you, Xabe. Just go to your sister." he panted before focusing on his goal. "The nurse would be back any minute now."

 

"Okay, doc. Be careful," I told him and quickly returned to the room.

 

***

 

It took a while, though Nurse Joy went back inside the room to cure Rosie. "Everyone, stand back. The cure is here," she announced. The cure was a green liquid that bubbled rapidly in a glass jar with a spoon. Then, I saw green smoke emanating from the liquid, forming an almost skull shape. I had doubts about this.

 

"Um . . . nurse, are you sure this is the cure for the poison?" I asked, scared that something worse might happen. "It looks like that could kill her more."

 

"It's not what it seems. Now everyone, move." Mondrea pulled mother back and Henrich's face was filled with curiosity about the cure's appearance. Wait a minute, how did mother get in here? Nurse Joy carefully opened Rosie's mouth, scooped a small amount of green liquid, then being totally careful, poured the liquid on Rosie's mouth and closed it gently. She stood up and all of us waited.

 

We kept waiting for Rosie to wake up, but still nothing. All of them thought that the cure wasn't enough. I even thought that the liquid even killed her more.

 

Then, yea-hey, she's alive! We all backed away as she jerked and moaned. Mondrea, our mother, and Henrich went closer. "Rosie, oh thank the heavenly Lord, you're alive!" cried Henrich. 

 

"Don't worry, twin. You're all right," grinned Mondrea. 

 

"Rosie, it's mom, we're here for you. Thank the heavens." Mom embraced Rosie tight as she came closer to her daughter.

 

"Mom?" Rosie muttered. Henrich held her head one more time. Sam, Nurse Joy, and I grinned with such joy. Finally, we could breathe easily, relieved that Rosie's feeling better. "Good job, miss nurse," Sam patted the nurse's back. "You're truly are a witch."

 

"And a nurse," she added. Abruptly, Rosie's cheeks puffed, she sat up quickly then barfed. All of us saw what we saw. Yup, a bunch of random stuff coming from what she ate- and what she drank. I wished I hadn't seen that. We became disgusted and grimaced at one hell of a sight. It took a while though before she stopped. "Eww, what did I just drink?!" Rosie looked at the green liquid that Nurse Joy was holding.

 

"Uh . . . I'll go cure the others, now." Nurse Joy went outside, pretending as nothing happened.

 

"Um . . . okay . . . I'll go get the mop," I said, a bit stunned. The look on my face would never change again. I hope it did.

 

Then it did. I mopped it until there was no barf left on the floor. The good news was everybody was cured, but there was also bad news (Of course). Despite the cure, they are still feeling a little strange. Rosie even told us. However, Nurse Joy assured me that she would be good as new. And I sure hope she would be.