#cody snail oc | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

snaillamp · 2 months

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Tea-saster

Cody turned into the driveway of the small property, looking at the tall, moss covered trees as they swayed. His aunt’s house was away from the road, cast in shadow as the trees swayed and creaked around him. Getting out of his car, he walked up to the silent house, his boots crunching one the gravel as he got to the house.His mother had called him, concerned about Rex, his cousin.

She had tried calling him and couldn’t get through, so she tried her sister, Rex’s mother Janey, but couldn’t reach her either. Knowing Cody lived close by, she had asked him to take a look, see of they were okay. Going up to the door, he knocked loudly, listening for a reply. “Rex? Aunty? You there?”

He heard their dog, Raven bark inside the house, so he tried the door. It creaked open into the dark house, that smelt strange, like burning herbs. “Aunty?” He called out, entering the house. The more usual stale smell of cigarette smoke began to dance around from under the smell of the burnt herbs as he made his way through the house.

“Aunty? Rex?”

“Cody? Come here baby!”

He heard the rough sound of his aunt’s voice grew louder as she came out of a nearby room, running over to him and wrapping him in a hug. “Aww, look at you, my little guy.” Cody laughed, moving his nose out of the way of her cigarette scented hair. “Aunty.” He grimaced, trying to avoid the harsh smell. “Hey, where’s Rexxy?” Janey looked up at Cody, messing with his hair. “Cody baby? How long have you growing your hair out? It’s so long. Awww, here let me braid it up for you, eh?”

Cody sighed, letting Janey drag him over to the sofa nearby. It was soft, but sagging slightly. Janey sat him down, before leaving for a second and coming back with a hairbrush. “You always had nice hair Cody. Shame you let your mother cut it when you were a kid.” Cody smirked, “Eh, I didn’t really have a choice. You know what she’s like.”

Janey scoffed, “Renee never cared about the body’s natural mechanisms, she always cut hers short too. She got Gramma’s shit hair though, you definitely inherited your father’s. His was always so shiny and thick.” Cody grimaced as Janey pulled the knots from his former ponytail, smirking when he grunted pain every time she yanked one out.

“Start from the bottom, hurts less.” He begged, listening to her click her tongue. “Quiet, I know what I’m doing.” ‘Yeah, you always do, don’t you…’ He thought as her fingers divided his hair into three pieces. “Aww, you’ll look so nice.” Janey cooed, pulling the strands of hair tightly together. “You know before stupid modern culture happened, everyone was more connected to the earth. Every culture in history had long hair, but then the modern, western society colonists came and cut it all, but even they had long hair. So they cut it to lose their connection to their mother, their land, their earth so they didn't feel the pain of hurting her.” Cody frowned at that sentiment, he wasn’t sure that historical anecdote what entirely correct.

“There, you’re lookin’ all natural and good now.” Janey said, patting Cody’s shoulders as she tucked the braid over his shoulder. “Thanks, Aunty.” “Hey, want some tea?” She asked quickly, standing up and going to the kitchen across the room. Cody knew she wasn’t gonna take no for an answer. “Yes?” He answered, apprehensively, watching her grab the tea leaves.

“You know you should drink more tea, it strengthens your connection to nature, and is like… full of detoxifying stuff.” She opened a drawer, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and lighting one. ‘She says as she lights a cancer stick…’ Cody groaned mentally. “Aunty, I’m gonna go to the bathroom.”

“Kay, baby.”

Cody sighed, grateful to escape the dim main room, slowly filling with smoke. He threw his braid over his shoulder and looked in the mirror. Janey had done a good job, but it scared Cody how much he looked like his dad with his hair like this.Leaving the bathroom, he walked past the door Janey had come out of, Rex’s room. He knew it was Rex, cause Rex was the only one in the family who would dare to have a Vancouver Grizzlies poster taped to the front of his door.

“Cody?! Ya done pissing?” Janey’s voice broke his thoughts, right as he was reaching for the door. “Yeah, yeah… I’m coming.” He mumbled, loud enough the Rex might hear him from behind the door.

When he re-entered the room, Janey was already lighting another cigarette. “So, how’s my baby?” She asked, looking at him with tired eyes.

“Good.” Cody answered, sipping his tea. It tasted strange… like there was something in it. “Your mother said you collapsed at work a couple months ago. Some doctor you are.” Her voice was still concerned, but there was a masked bite to it.

Janey had never agreed with Cody becoming a doctor, leaving home and finding his own way. She had always said it would come back to bite him and he should learn real medicine: natural and traditional remedies.“Yeah, well that was different.” Cody blushed, looking back down at his tea. He really shouldn’t have gone to work with appendicitis, but that was his business.

“Nah. You’ve always put others before yourself.” Janey smiled, grabbing his hand and stroking it. “What’s that saying I heard some TV show say? We ruin our bodies so we can look after yours.” Cody laughed, pulling his hand back and sipping more tea. “Yeah, something like that. I like being a doctor though, it’s a big achievement for me.” Janey laughed, a low, rasping laugh, her teeth stained from decades of smoking. She took a drag of her cigarette and blew a cloud of smoke into the air.

“Yeah, ‘specially when you were such a menace in high school, eh?” Cody pulled his lips tight. “Don’t remind me.” They chatted, Cody finishing his tea. “Hey, so mum wanted to know where Rex was. She called him to come and fix her sink and couldn’t reach him.” Janey looked at Cody pulling her lips into a thin line. “My baby boy’s fine.” Cody smiled, nodding. “Good.” Janey looked suspiciously at him, as he cleared his throat of the strange tasting tea.

“Codes?”

A sick sounding voice appeared behind him. Turning a round, Cody looked at his cousin, traipsing down the hall slowly, looking far from well. “Oh, honeybun… Come here, have some tea.” Janey cooed, looking over at her sick son. “Sit, sit, let me get you a cup.” She offered him her seat and rushed back to the kitchen to make him some tea. “What is it this time?” Rex asked, looking apprehensive. “Peppermint tea isn’t doing anything.”

Janey shot him a look, “Sush, I got different tea this time. Try this, it’ll help with your breathing.” She tottered around the kitchen, throwing her cigarette in the sink whilst she did it. “Help me.” Rex mouthed at Cody, who nodded. “Hey Rex, how about I give you a quick checkover.” Cody said loudly. Rex nodded eagerly as Janey shot him a glare from the kitchen. “I told you, he’s fine. I’ve done all my research, trust me.” Rex groaned, causing Cody to smirk. “Well, I’m the one with a PhD so…”

Janey rolled her eyes. “Lording over me with your fancy piece of paper, hey?” Cody frowned as he began to take Rex’s pulse. “No, I just know what I’m doing.” “Oh, so I don’t?” Janey snapped. “You doctors are all the same never trusting the people who’ve done their research.” Cody sighed, “No, I never said you didn’t know what you were doing, all I said is I knew what I was doing.”

Janey huffed, rolling her eyes and brought the tea over. “There you go baby.” She murmured in Rex’s ear, kissing his cheek. “You know, the knowledge you have is just the propaganda pushed on you by Big Pharma, they made your textbooks you know."

Cody ignored her as he checked Rex out, his pulse was a little elevated, as was his breathing, plus he felt kind of warm. “You have a nasty cold by the looks of things.” He muttered, taking his seat again. “What’s been helping?” He asked, looking at Rex, who was flushed and sweaty. “Everything, been putting lavender and peppermint oil in his diffuser and it really helped his stuffy nose.” Rex rolled his eyes. “You also put potato peels in my socks mum. That didn’t do anything.” Cody frowned, looking at Janey confused. “Potatoes? In his socks?”

Janey shrugged, “My friend on Facebook recommended it. It did get rid of your watery eyes.” She poked Rex. “Yeah, that’s cause I begged you to stop burning sage all over the place. You shouldn’t even be buying that, white sage is endangered, its not even native to this part of the country.” Janey rolled her eyes. “It’s tradition though.” Rex shook his head, as if he’d had this argument a lot. “Not for us. Leave it to the people who’s practice it is mum.”

Raven suddenly came flying out of the other end of the house, barking and pawing at Rex. “Hey Raven… My baby girl, yes, you’re a good girl. Mhmm. Sit. Good girl.” He scratched the black lab behind the ears, as she groaned, flopping to the floor and exposing her tummy for rubs. Cody laughed as she stuck her tongue out, lapping up the attention from Rex.

“What’s your opinion on sage, Dr Hill?” Janey asked, emphasising the title of doctor and holding out her hand as if she were thrusting a microphone in Cody’s face. “Uhh, Rex is right. It’s not native to the Pacific Northwest, and it’s not our practice. Besides white sage is at risk because of over harvesting, it’s not something you should really be buying.”

Janey glowered at them both. “Of course you know everything.” She sighed, pushing the mug closer to Rex, who had begun coughing. “Drink up.” She pushed the tea closer again, and Rex grabbed it, sipping it a little. “Oh god. Mum what is that?” He asked, spitting the tea out into the cup. “Herbal tea. New one, not the peppermint.” Rex stuck his tongue out, before pushing it away.

“Please, baby, drink it for me.” Rex groaned, “Mother, I love you, but I am 24, I don’t need to be babied.” He grabbed the mug, chugging the foul tea. “There, I drank your damn tea.” He slammed the mug back down on the table.

“Ugh, fine go sulk.” Janey mumbled, looking down at Raven. “Wanna go outside girly?” She asked in a fake, high-pitched voice. Raven rolled over, looking excited as Janey stood, going to the back door. “I’m gonna grab another smoke. And I don’t wanna hear a peep from you about how its bad. Tobacco is natural.” She glared at Cody how sighed, shrugging.

“Not like that it’s not…” He mumbled, easing out of his chair and going to Rex’s room. He rubbed the back of his neck as he walked, it was feeling kinda stiff.

‘My fault for slouching all the time.’

He guessed.He knocked on the door, before peaking in.

“Hey Rexxy.” Rex looked up from his bed, looking pale. “Ugh… hey Codester. She gone all mama bear on ya yet?” Cody chuckled, shaking his head. “So potatoes in socks huh? That’s a new one.” Rex nodded, “Yeah, I’m worried she’s gonna start feeding me colloidal silver next. She’s in all these Facebook groups and they tell her all this BS about natural remedies… I don’t know man… I’m just sick of her bullshit. If she didn’t need so much help around the house, I really need to move out, but I can’t afford it right now…” He groaned, holding his stomach.

“You good?” Cody asked, taking a seat on a nearby desk chair in front of an impressive gaming setup. ‘Can’t afford or not saving up?’ Cody wondered.

Rex sighed, sitting up and looking at him. “Honestly, no. She’s been feeding me nothing but juice, vitamin tablets and natural, de-fluoridated, artesian spring water she bought from some online forum. She even took away my toothpaste and deodorant, now I have some activated charcoal bullshit and a weird putty to rub in my pits.”

Cody raised his eyebrows. “She’s gotten worse then?” Rex nodded, “Ever since dad left, she’s just gone down the natural medicine rabbit hole and started “reconnecting with our culture”. Man, she even threw out the microwave, cause of the radiation…”

Cody stroked his chin, thinking about their predicament. “I’ll try talking to her…” Rex groaned, rolling over. “Good luck.”

Janey had heard her nephew enter the house and call out her name. At first she was elated, Cody never came over, but then her mind switched into gear. He was probably coming to check on her son. Her bitch of a sister had been calling him every couple days to get her taps fixed, and now she let her little shill of a son know he was sick.

She plastered on a smile, rushing out to see him, her mind already coming up with distractions. Her eyes clapped onto his long hair, pulled back into a low, sagging pony tail. He looked tired, as he gazed around the dark house. Janey ran up to him, wrapping him up in a hug and hearing a soft grunt as they collided. She was happy to see him again, he never came down to their Rez, especially now that he was a big fancy doctor. He thought he was too good for them now he had a fancy degree and stethoscope.

It’s not like she never saw him, but since she’d found the truth a few years ago, right after the divorce, her entire family had been distant. They saw each other around, but she never got a visit. Her mind was already suspicious. What if he tired to take Rex? Her son needed his medicine and healing oils, Cody would go and fill him with chemicals from dead babies and the government tracking chips.

He looked down at her, greeting her, his eyes still the same Cody he’d always been…

“Hey, where’s Rexxy?”

Janey looked up at Cody, messing with his hair as she smiled. ‘Not so fast, Mr Doctor.’ She thought, pulling his hair over his shoulders and smoothing it against his chest. “Cody baby? How long have you growing your hair out? It’s so long. Awww, here let me braid it up for you, eh?” She hauled him along and sat him down, rushing off to get Rex’s hairbrush and hair ties. She’d made sure to keep his hair as natural as possible.

As she brushed her nephew’s hair, she sighed as he winced. It was nice spending time with him, he’d always been her favourite nephew, he was just a little misguided by government propaganda. She could get through to him, show him how effective her treatments were of her son. Show him the truth.

“You know before stupid modern culture happened, everyone was more connected to the earth. Every culture in history had long hair, but then the modern, western society colonists came and cut it all, but even they had long hair. So they cut it to lose their connection to their mother, their land, their earth so they didn't feel the pain of hurting her.” It was true, she’d read it on Facebook and stuff. She could tell her doctor nephew wasn’t convinced.

“There, you’re lookin’ all natural and good now.” Janey said, patting her nephews shoulders as she tucked the braid over his shoulder.

“Thanks, Aunty.”

‘Awww, he’s still the polite one.’ She thought. Admiring him for a second, she thought about how her son was. It was about time to test her new water parsley tea.

“Hey, want some tea? She asked, excitedly rushing to the kitchen and finding the dried herbs in the cupboard she had left them. She rushed about, preparing the tea, only for Cody to get up and wander away. He said he needed to pee, so she had plenty of time. Excitedly brewing her tea, she poured out a cup for herself and Cody. She’d always test the medicine first, to make sure it worked before she gave it to her precious baby boy.

She called out for her nephew, “Cody?! Ya done pissing?” as she lit another cigarette. It filled her with a wave of euphoria, the sacred tobacco filling her lungs. Cigarettes were her answer right now, calming her nerves and getting her ready to have her medicine. As Cody re-entered the room, she found her hands opening the drawer and pulling out her other stash of cigarettes, lighting a new one to give them something to do. That other cigarette was pretty much done anyway.

“Your mother said you collapsed at work a couple months ago. Some doctor you are.” Janey probed. She had gotten the call from her sister all panicked one early morning asking if she could stay at her house that morning for a sleep before heading down the the hospital further south in Sawmill Inlet. Cody brushed it off. Janey frowned for a moment, worried that her nephew wasn’t looking after himself. She’d get Garret to send her some vitality veggie shots, get him some good nutrients to take and boost his immune system. The last thing she wanted was to see her nephew hurt.

Janey laughed, ‘You spent years being brainwashed by the corporations, that’s not an achievement.’ She thought as took a drag of her cigarette and blew a cloud of smoke into the air. “Yeah, ‘specially when you were such a menace in high school, eh?” She thought back to Cody’s childhood.

He had been a good kid, until about 14. He’d gotten into the wrong crowd at school, smoking weed and getting drunk too often. It had caused too many fights with his parents, and he’d ended up living with Janey for a few weeks at one point when he was 16. It all came to a head when he was 17, when he had a little too much to drink and turned up on his mother's front door step barely conscious at 2am.

“Don’t remind me.” Cody mumbled as he grimaced. Janey wondered if that experience is what got him into medicine. He had always been smart, but he had no direction in life, like most kids like him out this way… But after that he’d changed, turned his life around and really grown up.

They chatted, Cody finishing his tea. “Hey, so mum wanted to know where Rex was. She called him to come and fix her sink and couldn’t reach him.” Janey looked at Cody pulling her lips into a thin line. “My baby boy’s fine.”

He began checking Rex over, but she spoke up. “Hold your ground against the sheep!" Rachel had told her. Rachel knew so much, she posted it all in the Natural Life for Women and their Families group.

She was the one who had taught her about the Big Pharma medicine companies brainwashing poor doctors like her nephew. This is exactly what Janey had been warned about. She thought about how the oils Rachel had sold her were working so well in the diffuser she’d just bough from her too…

However, Rex had other plans, “Codes?” He spoke up from behind them. “Oh, honeybun… Come here, have some tea.” Janey jumped up, her spine tingling, looking over at her sick son. “Sit, sit, let me get you a cup.” She glanced at Cody a she sat her son down, he looked worried. Rex was fine. Sure, he was pale and grey looking, sweaty, with reddened cheeks. Even his eyes looked kind of dull.

“What is it this time?” Rex complained. “Peppermint tea isn’t doing anything.”

’He doesn’t know what’s good for him.’ Janey thought.Janey shot him a look as she made up the tea, “Sush, I got different tea this time. Try this, it’ll help with your breathing.”

“Hey Rex, how about I give you a quick checkover.” Cody said loudly. Janey’s back straightened and she shot her nephew a glare from the kitchen. “I told you, he’s fine. I’ve done all my research, trust me.” Rex groaned, causing Cody to smirk. “Well, I’m the one with a PhD so…” Janey rolled her eyes. ’He thinks he’s so fucking good… He’s just like every other shill doctor.’

“Lording over me with your fancy piece of paper, hey?” She shot back as Cody frowned, replying quietly as he focused. “No, I just know what I’m doing.” Janey scoffed. “Oh, so I don’t?” Janey snapped. “You doctors are all the same never trusting the people who’ve done their research.”

Cody sighed, “No, I never said you didn’t know what you were doing, all I said is I knew what I was doing.”

Janey huffed, her voice changing to sweet and loving as she approached her son. “There you go, baby.” She murmured in Rex’s ear, kissing his cheek. “You know, the knowledge you have is just the propaganda pushed on you by Big Pharma, they made your textbooks you know.” Janey pointed out.

Cody ignored her, which was typical of doctors, because they thought they knew everything. They didn't know how mind controlled they were.

“You have a nasty cold by the looks of things.” He muttered, taking his seat again. “What’s been helping?” He asked, looking at Rex, who was flushed and sweaty. “Everything, been putting lavender and peppermint oil in his diffuser and it really helped his stuffy nose.” Janey explained proudly. She’d researched it all herself and figured so much out.

Rex rolled his eyes, but boys will be boys, of course, and he was her son after all… He was just going through his moody phase. “You also put potato peels in my socks mum. That didn’t do anything.” Cody looked at Janey, slightly shocked. “Potatoes? In his socks?”

Janey shrugged, “My friend on Facebook recommended it. It did get rid of your watery eyes.” She poked Rex, who fired back about her white sage. He’d been complaining about it for ages, but he wasn’t ass connected to tradition as her. She would educate him. And Cody. Both of them…

“It’s tradition though.” She shook her head at Rex as she took his hand. “What’s your opinion on sage, Dr Hill?” Janey asked, as Rex played with Raven, who had come bounding out of her room. She was a slightly fat, old black Labrador, and an absolute angel. She made their lives infinitely better.

“Uhh, Rex is right. It’s not native to the Pacific Northwest, and it’s not our practice. Besides white sage is at risk because of over harvesting, it’s not something you should really be buying.” Janey clicked her tongue at them both.

“Of course you know everything.” She sighed, pushing the mug closer to Rex, he had to drink and stop his coughing soon. The tea would work, she’d done it all right so far… “Drink up.”

Rex sighed in annoyance, grabbed the tea, and drank. He was such a good boy. Janey could make him better… This would fix him. “Oh god. Mum what is that?” He asked, spitting the tea out into the cup. “Herbal tea. New one, not the peppermint.” Rex stuck his tongue out, before pushing it away.

“Please, baby, drink it for me.” Rex groaned, “Mother, I love you, but I am 24, I don’t need to be babied.” He grabbed the mug, tipping it back and swallowed the entire mug in a few gulps. He was lucky it was cooled down or he’d burn himself. Janey quizzed herself quickly on how to an internal burn… Aloe Vera juice. Rex however, slammed the mug down, glaring at her.

“There, I drank your damn tea.” Boys were so temperamental, especially when they were sick. ’Poor baby must be feeling worse today…’ Janey reasoned.

“Ugh, fine go sulk.” Janey mumbled, choosing not to have that fight again… Rex just didn’t know what was good for him. Like when he used to refuse to eat his vegetables when he was 6. She needed another smoke, Rex was stressing her out, his being sick for almost two weeks had caused her to almost triple her cigarette intake. But tobacco was sacred and natural and good and was a gift to humanity and she needed it to decompress. She deserved a cigarette for getting through that tough morning with Rex…

Raven grunted, rolling over. “Wanna go outside girly?” Janey asked asked in a fake, high-pitched voice. Raven rolled over again, looking excited as Janey stood, going to the back door. “I’m gonna grab another smoke. And I don’t wanna hear a peep from you about how its bad. Tobacco is natural.” She snapped at Cody. He was ripping her family apart right now. It was all his fault, he’d upset Rex and made him think he was seriously sick.

Cody disappeared, presumably to go and brainwash her son. She didn't even care, nothing Cody would do could help. She was doing the right thing by Rex and keeping him safe at home with her, so he couldn’t be hurt by the outside world and everyone in it…

Eventually Cody came outside, sitting down next to her. Closer up in the light, she could see he looked tired, rings under his eyes and slightly hollow cheeks. See? This doctor job was destroying his sacred body too… Her poor Cody.

Finding Janey outside, watching Raven chase her tail, Cody sidled up to her. “What do you want?” She asked, looking at him. “Nothing. Just wanna ask how you’re feeling.” Janey sucked on her cigarette, thinking. “Eh, fine.”

Cody sighed, sliding down the wall. He was feeling kinda weird. “Well I don’t think you are.” He countered. “I think you feel out of control of your own life. I think you’re afraid everyone’s gonna leave you like Henry.” Janey scoffed, flicking her cigarette to the ground and snuffing it out.

“Don’t talk to me about him. That bastard can go fuck himself.” Cody nodded, swallowing the saliva accumulating rapidly in his mouth. “I just want you to know that we all care about you, and that we can help you. The family, the community around you. You don’t have to punish yourself for that jackass leaving.” Janey sighed, sliding down the wall to join him, putting her head in his shoulder. “I hate when you do that.” She muttered.

Her hands were trembling slightly as she reached for another cigarette. “Do what…?” Cody murmured, clearing his throat again. It was starting to prickle. “Your doctor talk…” Janey had replied whilst Cody was slightly distracted with his tingling throat. Frowning, he wrapped his arm around his aunt, kissing her forehead. “You love me, and I love you, and that will never change.” He whispered. “But I want you to be happy. This isn’t it, Aunty.” Janey shook her head, getting up and going inside. “Yeah. Maybe. Sometimes you just gotta say fuck the world though, eh?”

Cody rolled his eyes, admitting defeat, until he heard Rex from inside. He was coughing badly. Janey was already in his room, switching on the diffuser again. Cody took one look at him and shook his head, barging into the room. “Come on man, we need to get you some medicine.” Janey ran over to them as Cody pulled Rex out of his bed and helped him walk down the hall.

“But he’s fine I’m managing it all by myself. I don’t need your chemicals, he needs be at home, with me!” She grabbed at Cody, who whirled around, getting dizzy. “The only place we’re going is the pharmacy. He needs medicine or he will get sicker and sicker, and then he might die. Do you want that Janey? Do you want your only son to die?” He looked at her, his hardened stare boring into her own. He didn’t want to be harsh on her, but this was getting ridiculous.

“You take him, I will never talk to you again! YOU CAN’T TAKE MY ONLY FAMILY I HAVE LEFT!” She grabbed Rex’s shaking hand, pulling him towards her. Rex groaned, dropping to the floor. “Mum… Please…” His body convulsed as he threw up at her feet.

Kneeling down, Cody leaned Rex against the wall, his own head swooning as he looked at his cousin. His eyes were weird, his pupils dilated wide. Swallowing more saliva, Cody gasped as he felt Rex’s pulse, it was way too fast. “Hey buddy, can you squeeze my hand?” He asked, concerned. Rex squeezed Cody’s hand weakly, as Janey stood still, watching with suspicion.

Cody shook his head, trying to rid it of the weird lightheaded-ness. Looking at his own hands, he realised they were trembling and everything was way too bright, even inside the dim house. Rex was groaning, holding his stomach and mumbling nonsense. Cody’s eyes widened, he had seen these symptoms before, a hippie had been rushed into his ED a few years ago, after eating wild herbs…

“Aunty… What was that tea you gave us?” He asked, his voice weak and hollow with dear. Janey looked at him, her pupils were fine “Water parsley, why?” Cody felt a chill run down his spine. “How did you get it?” Janey smiled, looking proud, she clearly hadn’t put two and two together. “Picked it myself. Dried it out and made it into tea for Rex. It supposed to help with his breathing.” Cody stood shakily, “Show me.”

He followed his aunt to the kitchen, watching as she began pulling a small bundle of dried plants out from a cupboard. Cody raced over, his vision tilting as he looked closely at it. “Shit, Aunty… This isn’t water parsley. That has flatter, whole leaves. This looks a lot like it, but this… This is hemlock.”

A chill went down Janey’s spine… ’Did I just poison my babies?’ She thought, as she watched Cody stagger over to Rex, slinging an arm around her almost unconscious son and haul him up. He was quite a bit bigger than Cody, who was already struggling to hold him up in his weakened state…

“We need to go Stoney Creek, now!” Cody grunted, as he held Rex, looking to Janey. The two men staggered towards the door, as Janey followed, dazed. “Wait, come back, please.” His vision was blurring as his ears rang. He felt so woozy, but he had to keep going. He couldn’t get Rex to his car and an ambulance would take to long… Rex was getting heavy to carry, as Janey came up behind the slowing men, watching them closely.

“Aunty, did you drink any of the tea?” Cody asked, coughing slightly. She shook her head, “I was busy with my cigarette, then forgot after the whole sage thing.” Cody sighed in relief, “Good, you gotta drive us to the hospital in Stoney, please!” He fished his keys from his pocket with clammy, shaking hands.

Janey stood frozen in shock, staring at the keys. “Aunty! Please!” Cody desperately begged, looking a strange colour as sweat covered his skin. Her mind was reeling. She had poisoned her son. He was going to die and it was all her fault…

Cody groaned in exasperation, shoving his keys into his aunt’s hand and grabbing her wrist, dragging both Rex, who was half passed out, and Janey, as fast as he could towards the front door.

He pushed it open, stumbling to his car and throwing Rex in the back, Janey climbing into the front seat and shoving the keys into the ignition after failing a few times due to shaking hands. Cody adjusted the now unconscious Rex, yelling at Janey to drive as the car rumbled to life, speeding off down the driveway and onto the main, winding road.

Cody wanted nothing more than to collapse to the floor of the car, and rest his eyes, but he had to make sure Rex was breathing. He was… His pulse… was… there… Cody was struggling to find it. His vision seemed to be two seconds behind his eye movements… He was seeing things, shadowy figures in the corner of his eyes, hearing whispers of strange words in a language he didn’t understand... But it felt familiar.... Gasping for air, he slumped in the seat, glancing around at Rex. At least he had thrown up his tea, Cody wasn’t sure he’d be able to, something was stopping him.

Cody heard Rex cough. Groaning, his eyes fluttered, reaching over to his cousin, shoving him to keep him awake. “Rex, buddy… come on… stay awake for me… Nhhh…” He felt bile thrashing in his stomach, but it wouldn’t come up. He was slumped in the back seat, next to Rex, leaning heavily against the door as he battled to stay awake. He wasn’t going to let Rex die, not on his watch.

The car took a sharp corner, it was speeding so fast, it made Cody queasy… Somewhere in the back of his mind he cringed at the idea of having to clean up puke from his car… It wasn’t nice, but puke smell was worse…

Cody felt his stomach drop, his racing heart suddenly jumping in his chest, throwing up a little. He swallowed it, his head pounding as he felt the turn throw him against Rex’s shoulder. He tried to lift his head, but Cody’s eyes rolled back as went limp in the back seat.

A car screeched into the small parking lot in front of the Stoney Creek Hospital. Dr Melanie White looked around, frowning, that car looked like Cody’s car. It was a black four wheel drive car, modded, with a deep rumbling engine… the sound was unmistakable… A slight chill went down her spine. Something told her something was wrong.

She frowned when a woman got out. She was native, short and chubby, with long hair tied back in a braid. She bolted to the passenger door and dragged out a young man. Short black hair was plastered to his skin, which looked grey and clammy. Melanie yelled for Vanessa and Dan, the two nurses on shift to come help, her feet already moving towards the door. The woman was struggling to lift the man, who was quite heavy himself. She was screaming for help, trying to pull the man over the car park towards the door.

Melanie raced up to the woman, grabbing the young man’s feet and lifting them. “Hey, I’m Melanie, can you tell me your name?” The woman looked at her with panicked eyes. “Jane Aubrey! Please help my son! He’s poisoned!” She was hysterical. Melanie looked at her eyes, her green ones meeting Jane’s brown ones. “Jane. I’m going to help him okay? Let’s get him inside.”

The sound of feet running up to behind them stopped as Dan and Vanessa both came and helped carry the unconscious man into the ER. They got him up onto the bed, as Melanie grabbed her stethoscope and listened for a heart beat. It was there… Pounding away.

“What’s his name?” She asked Jane. “Rex…” Jane murmured, her voice wobbling. She was pacing back and forth, ensuring that they were looking after him, before dashing back out to the car. Everyone glanced at her as she looked into the back seat.

“Oh no… There’s another one…” Dan murmured, going to follow her, before a devastated, heart broken howl ripped through the air. Jane dropped to her knees, screaming as Dan rushed out, freezing when he looked inside. He grabbed the unconscious person from the back of the car, slinging them over his shoulder and carrying them in fireman style.

“IT’S CODY!” He screamed, looking horrified. Everyone looked at him as he lay their colleague down on the bed, tears brimming in his eyes. Cody was a strange blue, grey colour, his body limp and chest still… He wasn’t breathing. Melanie felt her heart tear itself in two… They didn't have enough people to manage two patients, poisoned like this. “Van…Van I need you to manage that patient.” Melanie ordered with a shake in her voice, Dan already pumping Cody’s chest with his hands. Melanie forced herself to put ‘doctor’ mode on. For Cody. For Rex.

It didn’t make sense in her head though. Cody had left an hour before, happy and tired. They’d had a good day. Not many patients, all the patients they had were good. Cody had been joking around with Dan about smashing his ass in basketball this weekend, and now he was lying on a bed, basically dead…Madeline looked at Jane, who was pacing around, anxious. “Hey! Jane! What’s poisoned them?” Jane looked shocked at the yelling, shaking her head as she tried to remember.

’I killed my son. I killed my son. I killed my son. I killed my son. I killed my son. I killed my son. I killed my son. I killed my son. I killed my son. I killed my son. I killed my son. I killed my son. I killed my son. I killed my son. I killed my son. I killed my son. I killed my son.’

It was all Janey could think as she drove, glancing back and looking at Cody, who was trying to keep Rex’s head tilted back. He seemed to be struggling to stay conscious.

’What have I done…’ She asked herself as she drove.

Making it to the carpark she went back and grabbed Rex, someone running out. Her mind could only focus on her son. Was he alive? Will they be able to save him? If they worked with Cody… they were probably good at their jobs right? Cody had kept him going… She could trust him… Right?

Suddenly she remembered her nephew… They didn’t know about Cody. She had to get him! Bolting out of the ER, she ran to the open car and found Cody lying face down on the car seat. He was grey and washed out, his fingers blue and body still… He looked dead… He was dead. He wasn’t breathing… He was dead…

Dead.

She had killed her nephew.

Her sister would never forgive her.

She would never feel his warm hugs or hear his laugh again.

Someone picked him up. She didn’t know where they had come from.

Someone was wailing. Screaming, sobbing, crying for them to help in as she followed them in a daze.

Cody is dead.

A guy began CPR on Cody, whilst a lady yelled.

“What’s poisoned them?”

Janey froze, her brain not processing what she had said. The next thing she realised, the woman was in her face, looking at her squarely, arms on her shoulders. “What happened Jane?”

Janey shook her head, her mouth talking whilst her brain kept repeating the truth.

’I killed my boys… I killed my boys… I killed my boys…’

“H-H-Hem-m-mlock…” She said, somehow. The next thing she knew Rex was spewing a black liquid all over the floor, her poor baby… But he was alive. Her heart soared with joy as she rushed over to her son, turning to glance at Cody. They had cut off his clothes, his chest exposed and covered in wires and pads. He looked dead. He was dead…

The white lady, the doctor left Rex’s side and took over from the nurse compressing his chest as his body limply moved from the impact. There was a tube down his throat now… The doctor put it there…

Was she safe?

Safe to treat her nephew?

Was Janey safe to be around?

If they brought him back… Would he still love her?

Janey wanted to drink all the hemlock tea in the world right now, to take his place and give him his life back. She would do it without a second thought.

“Come on Cody… You can do it, don’t give up yet.” Melanie whispered as she continued pumping his chest. He remained still and limp as Melanie stepped back, letting Dan take over CPR. She ordered Vanessa to prepare to pump his stomach, getting the toxin out.

“There’s no cure for hemlock… We just have to pray he makes it.” She added, looking at his face… He was gone… The life was ebbing from his body as the toxin stole it from him.

The world was a blur as she ordered the tubes to be put down his throat, and medicines to be injected into Cody’s lifeless body, CPR had been carried out for only 5 minutes, but it felt like 5 years.

She kept glancing at Rex, who seems to be coming around. Focusing on Cody beneath her, she began to clean his stomach of the killer tea, CPR stopping for a few precious seconds and the contents of his stomach came out of his body and onto their feet. They couldn’t care less as they went back to pumping his chest and and.. and…

A beep.

The ECG!

Melanie glanced at the ECG. Ventricular fucking fibrillation…

After 9 minutes of CPR… Cody was still fighting.

“Okay, get ready to shock, 200 joules.” Melanie began the checklist. “Continue compressions. Oxygen away… All others clear.” Her voice caught in her throat as she neared the button that she was going to use to shock her friend, her colleague… Cody…

“Charging to 200… Vee confirm?”

“Confirming 200.”

“Clear.”

Her voice shook as she checked Cody’s exposed body, just in case anyone was touching him and could be shocked…

And pressed the button.

Cody’s body jolted violently and a strange, quiet grunt escaped from his throat. Vanessa jumped back on his bruised chest as they did more CPR. “Come on Cody…” Melanie whispered. “Come on… Come on… You can do it.”

They shocked him again. Melanie had never liked shocking people, but it was horrific when they were someone she knew, and even worse that it was Cody. His body stiffened as it jerked, a strangled gasp escaping his chest… The shock flashing through him, the lighting of life.

Everyone watched as the rhythm changed, Melanies fingers already on his neck. She cried out in relief.

“PULSE!”

She collapsed to the floor sobbing, as Vanessa continued to treat him. “Get up Mel, you gotta keep going.” She was blunt, but right.

Janey watched the doctor and nurses do CPR on her nephew in horror. The way they caved in his chest… and how his body remained limp under them, only moving as they jostled and stabbed him with needles. They had cut his shirt off seconds after he hit the bed, exposing his now purple and black chest to the light. The bruising was awful… nut the shock was worse.

Cody had jerked and stiffened awkwardly, grunting in what she assumed was pain. ’Oh fuck… can he feel this? Is he conscious for this?’ She thought as she sat beside Rex, who was only now beginning to gain consciousness. It was good he didn’t have to see Cody, a man Rex considered his brother going through this.

They shocked him again, and his limbs jerked one more, a quieter grunt escaping him… And then they got a pulse. The lady doctor collapsed to the ground, tears rolling down her face, only to set back up and immediately get to work. Janey breathed a sigh of relief… Her nephew was alive! He was alive and breathing and his heart was beating and…

A quiet cry emerged from her as she sobbed… Cody will live…

He had to…

Melanie sat with Cody watching him breathe. It was slow and laboured, but at least he was still breathing. Rex was lucky, his sickness had made him throw up the tea before it had too much of an effect on him, Cody hadn’t been as lucky. He looked terrible, his skin pale and cold as he lay there, effectively dying in front of her. Rex was sleeping off his fever, which was just as well, he probably wouldn’t have wanted to see Cody deteriorate.

“I wanna try more charcoal.” She spoke up, Vanessa nodding and bringing more over. They lay Cody on his side, inserting another tube and administering the charcoal. They observed him for a while, keeping track of his heart rate on the monitor. “It’s still fast, and he hasn’t had a seizure, so that’s a good sign.” Vanessa read off her phone.

Melanie nodded, “My journal article said the same thing. Hopefully he pulls through without any permanent damage.”

Suddenly, Cody gagged, his body convulsing as he choked on the tube. Melanie and Vanessa jumped into action, pulling the tube up and out of Cody’s stomach. He shuddered, throwing up a black, watery sludge. Gasping, he opened his eyes, trying to catch his breath, before he threw up again. Vanessa rubbed his back as he emptied his guts three or four times into Melanie’s sick bucket that she had materialised from seemingly nowhere. He began shivering, the colour returning to his face a little as he coughed up more charcoal.

“Cody… Thank God, I thought we’d lost you.” Cody sighed, his eyes rolling back as he closed them, a slight whisper dancing from his lips. “It’s gonna… take a… hell… of a lot… more… than that… to take… me out…” He looked concerned as a hand gingerly cradled his chest. “Rex?” He croaked.

Melanie looked over at Cody’s cousin. “Fine, he’s sleeping off his fever, We gave him some antibiotics that seem to have helped a bit.” Cody nodded, curling up and closing his eyes.

Cody awoke to extreme pain. His chest felt tight and bruised as he choked on something slithering out of his mouth, quickly followed by puke…

In his haze he heard someone say they’d nearly lost him…

His chest felt like he’d been crushed under a steam roller, nausea filling his mind as he gazed around, and tried to swallow. His mouth was try and acidic from puke, but all.

He could think about was Rex.

Melanie was next to him.

She said he was fine… He’d puked out the tea he was lucky he wasn’t more poisoned than he had been…

Cody was too tired to think as someone said something about a helicopter to Vancouver.He could talk about it when he had slept. He would’t mind a trip to Van… Stanley Island was always nice this time of year.

~ 5 months later ~

Rex came out of the house as Cody pulled up. “Hey brother, how was work today?” Cody smiled tiredly, “The usual. How you feeling little cuz?” Rex breathed in deeply through his nose. “Good, started working out a little today, just went for a walk, that’s all.” Cody ruffled his hair and chuckled as he walked inside, collapsing on the sofa with a tired groan. “Why do I keep signing up for 48 hour shifts?”

Rex laughed, going to the kitchen and set to work making coffee. “Oh, by the way, your kitchen sink was leaking so I tinkered around, think I fixed it.” Cody looked up from the sofa, “Wait, really? I’ve been trying to get that fixed for months, Darell kept dodging my calls.” Rex rolled his eyes, “Darrell doesn’t like working unless he absolutely has to. Call me, man, can give ya a family discount too!” Cody shook his head, his cousin had been a plumber for six years, why hadn’t he ever called him?

“Hey, so… I wanna get your opinion on something.” Cody blinked sleepily, looking at his cousin/roommate. “Shoot.” Rex sighed, looking out the nearby window. “I wanted to go see mum, ya know just to check on her. I worry about her now that I’ve moved out”

Cody lay back, thinking about it. His aunt had been living alone since Rex had moved in with him, a few months after the now infamous ‘Tea Accident.’ He didn’t really want to see her, after the whole poisoning him thing, he didn’t have any bad permanent damage, but the CPR had done a number on him for a while, as well ass the fact his muscles did feel weaker and he was getting migraines more often… He got tired faster too…

Maybe that would fade with time, but he just didn’t know if he could face her right now. He knew his aunt didn’t mean to do it, but he was just done with all the chaos she brought into his life... But he missed her too.

“That’s your call Rex. I don’t think you should or shouldn’t go, she’s your mum, but… Just keep yourself safe, hey?” Rex nodded, “I know she still believes in all that stuff, but when I called her she said she missed me and hoped I was doing well, and I… I miss her Codes.”

Cody nodded, his eyes sliding shut as he slumped a little on the sofa. “Your choice buddy. I’ll go with you if you want.” Rex looked up at his sleepy cousin, smiling gratefully. “I think that’d be a good idea…”

Cody moaned softly in reply, as Rex walked over and poked him. “Hey, let me help you up. You’re always going on about me sleeping on the couch being bad for my neck, I’m not letting you do it.” Cody smiled, cracking his eyes open a little. “Fine…”

He felt his cousin help him stand, walking him to his room and tucking him in. “I’ll wake you up for dinner, okay?” Cody nodded, rapidly falling asleep.

Somewhere deep down, he was glad that he would be woken up for dinner, because he could wake up at all.

~masterlist~

~taglist~

@i-eat-worlds

@emcscared-whumps

#whump #whumpblr #whump writing #whumpee #poison whump #sickfic #whump oc #snaillamp #original post #cody snail oc #this was originally day 10 of sicktember

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