Daisy and the Deadly Flu by Julie Gilbert

Author:Julie Gilbert [Gilbert, Julie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: historical fiction; female hero; adventure story; survival story; chapter books for girls; kids 8-12; strong female protagonist; influenza outbreak; influenza pandemic of 1918; influenza epidemic of 1918; flu outbreak; flu pandemic; flu epidemic; Spanish Flu; 1918 Minn
Publisher: Capstone
Published: 2020-04-13T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

Friday, October 25, 1918, 9:15 a.m.

The Meyer Home

New Ulm, Minnesota

“What did you say?” I asked.

Joseph watched me with wary eyes. “Elsie is sick.”

His words felt like a thousand arrows slamming into my stomach.

“No,” I said slowly. I shook my head. “She can’t be sick.”

“But Papa—”

“I said she’s not sick, Joseph!”

Tears welled up in my brother’s eyes and spilled down his face.

“Go get Papa,” I said, trying to keep my voice level. “Tell him I’m in the yard.”

Joseph slipped through the door. A moment later, my father stumbled onto the porch. He clutched the railing as if it was the only thing holding him upright. He didn’t look at me.

“Papa, what did Joseph mean about Elsie?” I asked.

My father shook his head.

“Papa,” I repeated, my voice sharp.

Finally he looked up at me, his face drawn. “She came back from delivering the eggs and complained that the light was hurting her eyes. When Joseph hugged her, she collapsed on the porch.”

Horror gripped my chest. “She touched Joseph.”

Tears started streaming down Papa’s face. “Yes. He’s been exposed and so have I. We’re so lucky that you are okay, Daisy. My little flower will be fine.”

My hands shook when he called me that. “I was exposed about an hour ago. At Daniel’s house.”

Papa’s face turned gray. I untied my mask and shoved the balled-up fabric into my coat pocket. I crossed the yard slowly and walked up the porch steps toward my father. I laid a hand on his shoulder. He reached up and gripped my hand. An odd feeling of relief flowed through me. If flu was already inside the house, I didn’t need to exile myself from my family.

“We should go check on Elsie,” I said at last.

The stench of hot vinegar hit me as soon as we stepped into the kitchen. “What is that smell?” I asked.

“Medicine,” Papa said, hurrying to the huge pot bubbling on the stove.

I glanced at Joseph, who shrugged. “My job was honey,” he said.

“What?” I asked.

“I heard about it from the Herberts at church a few weeks ago,” Papa said. “You boil vinegar with onions and herbs. Joseph added the honey to make it taste better.”

“But the Herberts both died,” I blurted. “I heard about it on my way back home.”

The ladle fell from Papa’s fingers.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“You should go check on your sister,” Papa said. He handed me a glass of water. “Maybe this will help.”

I didn’t bother taking off my boots as I climbed the stairs and walked down the hall to my sister’s room.

“Elsie? Elsie, it’s Daisy. Can you hear me?”

The soft light that crept around the edge of the drapes made the room seem dreamlike. Elsie lay still on her feather bed. She wore a long white nightgown and was covered by a patchwork quilt. She looked like a princess asleep in a fairy tale. It was almost peaceful.

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