Sunday Snippet: Xanthic Flu

Crazy week with projects finishing up and new ones starting. I love the variety of editing work I have right now.

Pretty decent week of television. I got caught up and back on my regular schedule for the most part. I have a few new recommendations and I have to decide if I'm going to work those shows into my weekly viewing calendar.

To start things off this week, I caught an episode of The Ready Room with a recap of season two, episode nine. This was such a great one. I always love when the interviewee is a huge fan of the franchise.

Watched two episodes of Chicago Med. I'm a little disgusted by Nat's storyline even if I'm thrilled to bits that she kicked Philip to the curb. I'm so glad Maggie finally told the others what's going on with her. Nice to see Noah kind of stepping up and growing in his role as a resident. I love this show.

Enjoyed an episode of The Snoopy Show. I kind of like it when they let Snoopy act like a dog and enjoy things like head scratches. So much fun.

Caught the bonus episode of Signora Volpe with behind the scenes cast interviews. I'm hoping there will be another season of this show because I really love the characters.

Watched a well-done first-parter of Silent Witness. This arc is very twisty and turny. I have a solid idea of who the killer is and why they're trying to set up Nicki. Can't wait to find out if I'm right.

Enjoyed an episode of Classic Who. Ace is rather fun and I like how she handled the betrayal. This is another episode kind of set in the fifties and that always interests me because it was such a thing in the late seventies and early eighties.

Started season three (because there is no season two) of Most Terrifying Places in America. This one focused on haunted road trips and I liked the change in the format. I'll finish the series out before starting something new.

Finished the first season of The Mandalorian. I truly loved it! Now I have to decide if I'm going to dive right into the next season or start a new show and wait until it's closer to season three. Stay tuned.

Caught an episode of Harrow and, whoo boy, the walls are closing in. James is a big, fat liar—about everything. Nichols is completely in the know and it kind of breaks my heart because Harrow needs friends and he might have burned a bridge here. I still completely dislike the boss person even though they tried to soften her up by giving her a kid. Sorry, not buying it.

Watched an episode of Blue Heelers and loved it. A very young Sullivan Stapleton guest starred and the storyline rocked. Good stuff.

Enjoyed another MasterClass with Roxane Gay. She discussed the writing process in this lesson and I took away some good information.

Also caught two more episodes of Classic Rugrats and took another trip down memory lane. This show played such a huge role in my kids' childhoods. Makes me happy to reminisce.

That's pretty much it for this week's life update. Tonight's post is from Xanthic Flu, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Rowan Buel and Fuller Beckett are competitive by nature, but when they contract the Xanthic flu—a nasty virus that turns the skin yellow—at the same time, it takes their game of one-ups-manship to the extreme. Isolated and quarantined together, the duo learns working together can actually be fun.

And a sneaky peek…

Back in quarters after visiting the infirmary, Rowan wrinkled her nose. "Ugh. This stuff smells like ass." The goopy concoction didn't go on easy either.

Fuller arched a brow. "I'm not even gonna ask why you think that." He grimaced. "But, yeah, it smells rank." A growl sounded when a glob plopped onto the floor after he tried to smear it on his back.

Rowan took his container. "Geez, let me." She scooped out a handful of the stuff and swiped it over the bites marring his torso. "It's a good thing Ambrose gave us three days light duty. No one, and I mean no one, is gonna want to be anywhere near us with this stuff on." She hesitated a moment, trying to decide if she should get the ones on his ass then figured why not.

Her fingers dipped under his waistband and she quickly massaged the goop over the bumps.

Fuller's head jerked up but he gave a nod. "Thanks." He took the container. "Want me to return the favor?"

She lifted her chin. "If you don't mind. The ones on my back are itching like crazy." She lifted her shirt and bent over a little.

Fuller rubbed the ointment over the raised welts and the stingy, scratchy feeling dissipated. She didn't think twice and lowered her shorts, exposing the red dots. Her face flamed briefly but she got over it. Not like Fuller had never seen her back end before.

He huffed out a breath. "Gotta say, not exactly the way I ever imagined touching your ass." He smoothed the salve over her bites.

Rowan blinked, putting her shorts back in order. "You imagined getting your hands on my butt?"

Fuller gave her a long look. "Rowan, there's not a man with a pulse on this ship that hasn't." He waited a beat. "More than a few women, too."

She shook her head and laughed. "Good to know." Putting the lid back on the container, she paused and met his gaze. "Holy crap. Do you feel that?"

Fuller frowned. "Feel what?" He shrugged into a T-shirt.

Rowan grinned. "Exactly. This stuff is stinky but it works. I'm in pure bliss over here." Not a single spot itched anymore.

Fuller's head bobbed up and down. "Damn, you're right." He fist-pumped the air then sobered. "I wonder how long it'll last."

Rowan snorted. "Who cares? Doc said to use as needed and the welts should go away in two to three days." She tucked the jar of ointment into her locker. "As long as he doesn't run out of the ingredients, we're golden." A wave of lethargy hit her hard and she yawned.

Fuller grunted. "Yeah, I'm wiped out, too." He crawled up into his bunk.

She admired the view of his ass and thighs, red bumps and all. Crossing to her berth, she sat on the edge. The beginning of a headache thrummed along her temples and she thought about heading back to the infirmary to get some painkillers. Another yawn escaped and she slumped sideways instead, drawing her legs up onto the mattress.

Fuller propped his head on his hand. "Did Ambrose say if the goop is supposed to make us tired? I can barely keep my eyes open." He yawned this time.

Rowan shrugged. "I stopped listening after he said it would stop the itching." She'd been a little distracted by Fuller tracing a circle around the welt on his knee, trying so hard not to scratch at it.

He rolled his eyes. "Doesn't matter, I guess. After today's experience, we could use the shut eye." He flopped back and threw his arm over his face.

Rowan fluffed up her pillow and barely remembered putting her head down before she drifted off to sleep.

There's nothing like the calm before the storm … and a whole different storm is coming for these two.

 

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye