Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 16)

"Well you're sorely mistaken if you think you should ever stop hearing about it. I hope you never live it down, Tomhas. Hell, I hope it haunts you even after you're dead."
"Vi--"
"No." Viol strode up to him so they were nose to nose. "You knew the risks and you took them, and someone got hurt. You couldn't handle the guilt and went back on your promise, and now even more people are getting hurt. There's no excusing that."

What a horrible thing to say to her father. Should she do something?

Tomhas was silent, head bowed.
Viol glared up at him, tears in her eyes. "Fourteen years old, Tomhas. You remember what happened to you when you were fourteen? How that scarred you?"
"Don't," he said softly.
"You're going to say that's different," she went on after a pause. "And it is. But Lyra had to live through night after night of that maniac. You woke up beside a dead boy--imagine that, remember how you felt. And you still decided to put your daughter through worse."

(Update: I made the wrong call by laying very still and being sure I didn’t throw up. Just woke up at 1 am and vomited immediately and am now violently shivering even though it is objectively not cold in my room. The food poisoning theory is increasing in probability)
(Update 2: I just woke up at 2 and immediately threw up and now am shaking like I’m cold but I’m literally sweating I turned the heat up so much an hour ago)

Wait, what? What dead boy? What was she talking about? Who?

She took a step backward, further away from the door. She didn’t belong here. As utterly fascinating and tempting as it was.

(Please tell me you went to a doctor between midnight and now. Are you okay now???)

The room was very silent.
"I think you should leave," Tomhas said, very quietly.
"I will," Viol replied, seeming to have deflated a little, though there was still anger in her voice. "I've said my piece."

(Nah idk if there’s anything they can really do for me other than telling me to rest and hydrate. Which I can’t. I threw up like five times, one of which was after I drank a single sip of water. I’ve since managed to sip on some ginger ale and am so far keeping down a singular Ritz cracker. Lowkey considering going to a doctor later to get an IV bag of saline but idk if I currently have insurance or not and I cannot afford self pay)(the worst part is I was in a hotel so now I am currently sitting at truck for three hours which is the fucking pits. I think I’m going to take sick leave as soon as we get back and go home. It’s been a very, very long time since I’ve been this sick)

Ky turned and quickly started away, not wanting to be in the line of sight when they came out.

(Oh god
Food poisoning isn't something to mess around with; I hope you feel better really soon. Google says saline ivs can cost between 100 and 500 but the cost may be able to be adjusted for those who don't have insurance.
If you can't get saline though, may I recommend the nearly as good salTine cracker, which is lighter than Ritz and twice as salty?)

Viol strode out a moment later. Narfi was still in the room with Tomhas.

(Ooh I may if I feel like going to the store lol I found the Ritz at a gas station. Hopefully my body just gets it’d act together and I can load up on some Gatorade. I don’t think I’m in danger any time soon but it’s really inconvenient to have this happen on a Friday because if I drag my feet then imma have to go an ER if I get worse which is hella dollars. I can deal with the discomfort I’m just already dehydrated from two weeks straight of field work and then I threw up probably literally a liter of fluids and have it coming out the other day too and it’s starting to concern me that I’m losing so much without being able to replenish, yknow?)

Ky was too slow and glanced at her, panicked, when she realized she’d failed at getting away in time. She dropped her gaze, still walking quickly as she tried to get to the stairs.

(Yeah for sure
Which is why I'd recommend an iv, but I'm not even a med major, nor am I completely financially independent from my parents. So I'm probably only offering the ideal solution rather than realistic :/)

Vi paused as she saw Ky, frowning. "It's rude to listen in on private conversations," she called after her.

(Haha I mean valid; it’s probably the smartest course of action. In theory I should have insurance coverage now too they just haven’t sent me my cards yet and I’m phobic of phone calls and don’t want to deal with it with how bad I feel currently. But also I’m supposed to go back in the field next week so I should probably be proactive with this. Meh.)

“I’m sorry!” Her face was burning, tears stinging her eyes as she hesitated to glance back at her. “I didn’t mean to.”

(Level 10 adulting sounds nightmarish)

Viol took a step forward, face softening. "Good gods. Don't cry about it."

(It’s pretty terrible)
(Ish. Some parts are fantastic. Like I can get any medical care I want without having to inform my parents I’m absolutely planning to get my tubes removed in a few months and can’t decide whether I will tell them or not. Can live wherever I want; work wherever I get hired. It’s just stressful af at moments like this because it’s hard to decide whether it’s more or less responsible to spend hundreds of dollars on medical care lol)

“I’m not.” She definitely was. She wiped at her eyes. “I’m sorry. I-I’m sorry… I’m… sorry.”

(That's fair. That's the anxiety inducing shit right there
This is way less high stakes but I was feeling sick a couple weeks ago; I think I told you. And usually I'm supposed to inform my professors and mask up and whatnot
But I thought it was allergies and I was scared to miss class for something so small. Then I got a fever during the night and woke up exhausted. Went home and kept masking, took a covid test (negative) and then within days my brother has covid and people in front of and beside me in class are coughing.
All because I didn't take precautions and did in fact have covid)

"You're the new girl of Tomhas's, right? We met in the tavern?"

(Aww oof I’m sorry dude. It’s always tough to make that call tho! I don’t think anyone blames you. But I do know the guilt/fear that you gave someone else something like COVID. I’m sorry you’ve gotta deal with that)

“Yes ma’am.” Ky nodded, wiping her face as a few more tears slid from beneath her lids. Gods she was embarrassed. And terrible.

(Yup and Dad has it now from my brother, so I got my family double
I'm gonna go hang out with him and the dogs this weekend since the rest of my family is up north doing college visits for my sister. He's bored and stuck watching three whole dogs, so we're gonna watch movies and play video games while social distancing)

"Ky, was it?"