Paranoia

First Lucas contracted it. Then Nicholas was deathly ill for days. Then Sophie. And now....it got Ruanita. With a temperature of almost 103, I took Ruanita to Urgent Care this evening. A quick swab of her throat confirmed our fears. Strep. It is spreading like wildfire through my house. I am the only hold-out. The lone survivor. The last woman standing.

Paranoia is beginning to set in. As I type this, I am slathering my entire body with Purell. I am also online searching for an antibacterial bubble I can move into. There has to be something on eBay. Or Craigslist. If nothing else, I bet I can find a do-it-yourself panic room. Or maybe just an industrial strength surgical mask. Something. Anything. Tonight, I refuse to brush my teeth. My toothbrush sits precariously close to Ruanita's toothbrush in the holder. Bacteria could easily jump from her bristles to mine. Tooth decay or fever and vomiting? I would choose rotten teeth any day. I am thinking about sleeping on the couch tonight. I don't want to risk breathing in air Ruanita has exhaled. She snores. As loud as she snores, there has to be some saliva escaping her mouth. Spewing into the air. Germ-infused droplets of phlegm floating in the atmosphere in search of healthy nostrils to inhabit. I am considering a Lysol bath this evening. It can't hurt, right?

I do not want to get sick. I can't get sick. I don't have the time. I don't have the energy. I don't have the sick days.

Oh, shit. I just realized Ruanita was using my laptop earlier today. Touching these very keys.

Uh....gotta go.....