Indigestion

U-1146 felt bad. Really bad. In fact, he had never felt that terrible before. The bacterium he had phagocytized, turned out to be especially toxic, and now it looked like he would soon meet the unenviable fate of most neutrophils: an agonizing death from indigestion. His friends carried him home, helped him to undress and laid him down on his bed. The macrophage they had called earlier said that she couldn't do anything as the poison had already irrevocably spread through his entire body. She would try to find the right antidote, although it was too late anyway. But in order to calm down his neutrophil friends, who were desperately shaking her, she promised them to take good care of U-1146, before and after his death. However, they didn't find that very reassuring. Following the macrophage, suddenly the two B cells arrived running: the plasma B Lymphocyte and his friend Memory Cell. And together with them, two red blood cells: AE3803 and her senpai AA5100. "Leukocyte-kun!" screamed AE from the doorstep. "What happened to you?!" But he couldn't answer her anymore, since he had lost consciousness. "This looks bad," observed the B Lymphocyte, handing ampules with the antidote to the macrophage. Unfortunately he still hadn't finished his expert evaluation of that germ's toxins when the neutrophil had run into it, as it turned out, there had been more than just one of that scum. "What can you do," said the macrophage in a sad tone, injecting the medicine. "That's how our job is. If he somehow manages to survive, that would be a real miracle," she added, perfectly aware that miracles like this didn't exist. After all, she had already seen enough leukocytes, who had died while doing their job. And not only them. "Yeah, now we can only hope for a miracle," sobbed U-4989. "Hang on, pal!" "What miracle can there be..." said the senpai with a sigh. "That would be like in that ancient legend that we, Memory cells, pass on from generation to generation," said Memory Cell mysteriously. Everyone was staring at him. "What legend?" questioned AA5100 incredulously. "A legend about a cell who brought back to life another one with a kiss of love." "For real?" The senpai looked doubtfully at AE. "O-Oh..." the latter let out, blinking. Being perfectly aware of the relation between AE3803 and the neutrophil, AA5100 thought that it really wasn't that bad of an option. And it was also a wonderful chance for the two of them to get closer. Even if he should die after all, then at least after having received a goodbye kiss from AE. "Alright, my dear," said AA5100, placing her hands on the other erythrocyte's shoulders and looking her directly in the eyes with all the determination she could muster. "Now all hope lies in you." "Huh? How?" AE didn't understand. "It looks like you have to kiss our dying cell," explained the senpai to her dense kohai, pinching her cheek out of habit. "In any case, it wouldn't make his condition any worse, at least." "Ah! I don't know... What should I do?" asked the baffled AE, watching, in utter horror, how her Leukocyte-kun was moaning in agony. "Please! I beg you!" U-4989 started shaking her arm, while desperately crying. "He's my best friend!" "Yes, yes!" U-2048 and U-2626 did the same. "Alright! I'll do it!" AE summoned up her courage and even heroically rolled up her sleeves. Just in case. Then she bent over the unconscious U-1146 and whispered: "Don't die, Leukocyte-kun... You know, I really..." She gulped nervously. "really... love you." After that, she exhaled sharply, closed her eyes as tightly as possible and kissed him. It was completely quiet for a while, so quiet that everyone could hear his pounding heart. All of them held their breath, since Memory Cell's prophecies and legends were a quite serious topic. After all, who knew? The last time, when the allergy had been raging, it did come true. And AE3803 herself couldn't breathe from worry. Leukocyte-kun's lips were so hot, like a sizzling frying pan. She touched his burning face with her thin fingers and started to carefully caress it. The tension in the atmosphere was growing. Suddenly, U-1146 cracked open his visible eye that had a dark circle under it, and tried to focus. Perhaps he thought that he was just imagining or dreaming it. But no, that wasn't a dream at all: his Red-chan was really here and stroking his cheek. And also kissing him, crying, whispering that she loved him and begging him not to die. So how could he? He abruptly started to think clearly again, and a hot wave went over his entire body, hitting his head with force. U-1146 quickly sat up, staring at AE beside himself. "He's alive!" screamed U-4989, and the others immediately joined him. "Who would have thought..." The senpai was stupefied, peeking into Memory Cell's direction with caution. He was starting to give her the creeps. "I mean, all's well that ends well," she muttered, struggling to not give in to her desire to cross herself. U-1146's entire body was in an unbearable pain. The state of paralysis caused by the toxins was slowly wearing off, but it was still very hard to move. And to top it off, he was now also hugged by his friends, who were glad that he was alive. Cheered on by everyone, AE kissed him again. He hadn't dared even hoping for something like this before! He was feeling extremely uncomfortable, but not so much from the kisses that were happening in front of everyone, but mostly from his strong nausea. Now, of all moments! "Red-chan, sorry..." he managed to whisper and turned his head to the side. What luck, that the macrophage had understood everything and brought him a bowl just in time... Looking at the fragments of the bacteria's protective capsule in the bowl, the B Lymphocyte grimaced, and Memory Cell muttered something like "Go away, evil". After having vomited out the most toxic part of the germ he hadn't been able to digest, the neutrophil felt a huge relief and was now sure that he would live. After that, he was given different things to drink for an entire hour, and U-4989 and the other neutrophils took turns to accompany him to the bathroom, until every remnant of the bacterium had left his body, before running him a bath. The refreshed, but still very weak and pale U-1146 was then laid back into bed. After having made sure that he was alright now, the macrophage took her leave, while AE stayed with him. The senpai and Memory Cell both agreed that the fabulous kissing therapy should definitely be repeated, in order to fortify the result. Right after that, the senpai started to make everyone leave the room with a grin on her face. The still worried neutrophils absolutely didn't want to go, the B Lymphocyte however, who was feeling that he had fulfilled his task, promptly hurried to their kitchen to search for a tasty snack in the fridge. Soon, U-4989 started screaming with indignation: "Hey! That's my sandwich!" But U-1146 and AE3803 didn't hear him anymore, completely devoting themselves to the healing power of love.