Sick

“I am sick of this,” I said as I opened the door and stepped into the sunshine.  “I’m not sure how much longer I can last working here.”  

“It’s really not that bad,” Jeremiah said as he followed me out.  “I don’t mind it too much these days.  I mean, we have a steady paycheck and health benefits.  Should we really be complaining?” 

“How can you even say that?  After everything the administration has done?”  I said looking at him over my shoulder.  His face was blank and his eyes unfocused.  “Is everything all right?”   

“Yeah, everything is fine,” he said slowly as he sank down onto the sidewalk.  He acted like it was one of those slow falls that no one can do anything about.  Luckily, Jeremiah fell straight to his knees and slumped to the side without hitting his head.  He tried to smile at me as he tried to sit straight up. 

“Jeremiah!  Jeremiah!  What’s happening?  What’s wrong?”  I put my hand to his forehead to find it burning up. 

“I just can’t… I can’t…” his eyes rolled back into his head before I could even call 9-1-1.  I knew it was the food he had for lunch.  The food given to him by Jarod.  Jarod was the library ‘Chef’, but he had always given me the creeps so I avoided him at all costs.  I knew he was jealous of our relationship and in doing so, had poisoned Jeremiah’s lunch.  I knew just how to respond.