Cavern Sickness

Paul felt awful. His whole body ached and he felt like he was getting stabbed in the head over and over. He was sweating and shivering.

A clear sign of some kind of illness.

A fever but from what he did not know. All he knew was he needed to lose a chunk of his body moisture and he needed to do it before his body decided to do it for him.

He sat on the edge of his bed and took deep breaths trying to keep himself from getting sick from one or both ends whichever one came first.

He couldn’t even remember the last time he felt so sick. The last time was probably when he was a kid.

Paul stumbled to Chani’s room feeling so sick and exhausted just from moving. He wanted Chani’s help not his mother.

He couldn’t bear the thought of his mother getting overwhelmed by his illness and thinking it was something the Freman did to him.

He held his stomach as he walked hunched over.

When he got to Chani’s room he knocked on the door.

He knocked twice before Chani opened the door.

“Paul what’s wrong? Do you feel alright?” Chani asked worriedly

“Chani I don’t feel good my stomach hurts and I gotta throw up or something. It hurts really bad. I don’t want to freak out the other Freman. Please help.” Paul said weakly.

Chani nodded and helped Paul to the nearest bathroom where he could be alone and not be disturbed.

“I’ll wait out here ok?”

Paul nodded and disappeared inside the room. Chani could hear the sounds of Paul groaning in pain clearly he was very unwell.

Chani stood guard at the bathroom door waiting for him to come out. She’d have to fetch a healer when he came out. She cringed hearing him get so violently ill.

Eventually Paul emerged from the bathroom worse for wear. Sweating and shivering.

“Chani I really don’t feel good.” Paul whined

Chani shushed him and helped him to her room. Despite his tough exterior when he was injured or ill. Paul was clingy but only with her and not Princess Irulan or his mother. Paul’s relationship with his mother had changed a lot since they had come to Arrakis.

It was more strained than when Paul was a young boy. Everyone on Caladan had called Paul a momma’s boy for the longest time.

But things were very different now.

Chani helped Paul sit on her bed.

“I’ll fetch you fresh nightclothes and water. If you’re as sick as you are. You need hydration and luckily in the Seitch Taber we have plenty of drinking water down here.” Chani explained.

Paul could only nod in response. So exhausted from being so sick from both ends.

Chani returned with Drinking Water which Paul drank in earnest as soon as he was given the glass.

“Slow down or you’ll throw it up.” Chani said worriedly.

Paul nodded and slowly sipped the water. Stopping every so often to see if his stomach could handle it. His belly gurgled and he groaned slightly.

Chani gently put her hands on his stomach.

“Mm that feels good your hands are cold.” Paul said.

Chani chuckled and gently rubbed his stomach before planting a kiss on his forehead and leaving to get him clean night clothes as he had sweated through his usual night clothes.

Paul coughs and wraps his arms around his stomach.

When Chani returns he’s taking deep breaths and trying to keep himself calm.

Chani placed the fresh clothes on the bed.

“After you change is it ok if I bring in a healer to look at you? I’ll go fetch one while you change.” Chani asked.

Paul nodded. “I don’t know what happened all of the sudden I felt awful. I was tired yesterday but I didn’t think much of it.”

Chani nodded and left the room to give Paul privacy to change and find a healer to look him over.

She found one of the healers Alina in the med bay.

“Oh Chani why are you up at this hour? Is everything alright?”

“It’s Paul he’s very sick. Fever, vomiting and diarrhea. I’ve never seen him like this. I don’t know what’s wrong with him.” Chani said.

“Hm I’ll take a look at him. Could be Cavern Flu.”

Alina suggested as she grabbed her bag of medical supplies and followed Chani to her room.

“That’s what I thought too but I’ve never seen it this bad.” Chani said

“Usul isn’t our kind so it would be more intense in his case.” Alina told her.

Chani nodded.

Paul had changed into the fresh night clothes Chani had brought him but he was still sweating.

Paul whined when he saw her.

“It’s Alright Usul Alina can help.” Chani said gently.

Paul nodded and let Alina look him over.

“Hm fever of 102.7 and stomach that’s slightly distended, gastrointestinal upset and vomiting.

Any other symptoms Usul?” Alina asked after she finished examining him.

Paul thought for a moment.

“I have a headache too.” He said.

Alina nodded “that’s usual when you’re losing fluids from this illness. You’ll need to rehydrate and rest as much as possible.

Cavern flu can clear up as long as you stay hydrated and rest. I can leave some medicine here for you as well. It should help you with the GI upset. This will help you avoid any more fluid loss.”

Alina said. She handed the box of pills to Chani.

“Make sure he takes these every two hours if he’s having diarrhea okay? It’ll help him with the pain too. As long as he takes this and water. Remember no food until the stomach issues clear up.”

“I will thanks Alina.”

“You’re welcome. Chani. Feel better soon Usul.”

Paul nodded and Chani helped him get comfy in bed.

“Oh I almost forgot.”

Alina handed Chani a bucket.

“Set this up if he needs to throw up again.

Chani nodded. “Thank you.”

“Of course Chani anything for Maud’Dib.” Alina said before leaving Chani’s room closing the door behind her.

Paul began to gag as soon as Alina left and Chani immediately handed him the bucket and he threw up.

“Oh Usul.” Chani cooed sadly as she sat next to him rubbing his back.

Paul coughed and groaned.

“Chani it hurts.”

“Shhh I know Usul.”

After he threw up Chani helped him clean up his face and helped him get comfy in bed.

After she cleaned out the puke bucket and returned it to his side of her bed. She cuddled him close and rubbed his stomach.

“You shouldn’t lay with me Chani you don’t want to catch this.” Paul said.

“Don’t you worry Usul. Cavern Flu is something every Freman gets as a child. Unfortunately as an outsider you caught it now. Even with all the Vaccines you received before you got here. This is one you can’t vaccinate against.”

Chani explained as she held him close and rubbed his stomach to bring him comfort.

Paul slept fitfully throughout the night and Chani stayed by his side and took care of him when he awoke getting sick from both ends.

She took care of him and slept when he did. Gave him medicine and water and comforted him.

After a long few days he finally recovered thanks to Chani’s support.