Page 19 of Healed By the Grumpy Elf

Once we're alone, I help Millie onto the examination table, where she sits swinging her legs, occasional giggles escaping her lips despite placing both hands over her mouth to stifle her laughter.

"So, Millie," I begin casually, pulling on a pair of examination gloves. "You can't stop laughing. When did this start?"

"This morning," she manages between giggles. "During circle time. Ms. Jensen thought I was being disruptive, but I couldn't stop."

"And how do you feel otherwise? Do you feel sick at all? Does your throat hurt?"

Millie scrunches up her face in thoughts, then dissolves into another fit of giggles.

"Everything feels tickly inside."

I lean closer, examining her face carefully, and a cold sort of dread fills me from the inside out. There's no mistaking what I see. Those freckles are definitely glowing in a faint pulse in rhythm with her laughter.

What is that? Could this be? Oh, no!

My stomach sinks. I recognize these symptoms.

"Millie, do you know anyone else who's been feeling giggly or notice glowing spots on their skin?"

I keep my voice calm, though my heart rate picks up.

"Zinnia has glowing spots too!" Millie nods enthusiastically, then bursts into laughter. It takes her a couple of minutes until she's able to control herself. "We thought it was just a cool new pixie thing."

My alarm grows. If Zinnia has it too, that means it's already spreading. I move to my desk and pick up the phone, dialing the front office.

"This is Nurse Callahan. Could you please send Zinnia Sparkletoes to my office immediately? Thank you."

Pixie-Pox. It has to be.

Not dangerous if treated promptly, but extremely contagious, especially among Other children. All the symptoms make sense. First, the uncontrollable laughter and glowing freckles. Soon, the children will begin floating whenever their little hearts are filled with happy thoughts.

Things could get out of hand very quickly.

Within minutes, Zinnia arrives at my door, her tiny wings fluttering faster than usual, her musical laughter continuous and high-pitched. The moment she spots Millie, she floats several inches off the ground in excitement.

"Millie! You're glowing too!" she exclaims, her own freckles visibly luminescent on her pale skin.

"Zinnia, calm down, honey," I say, grabbing her hand and forcing her gently to the ground. I guide her toward the small recovery room attached to my office. "Millie, you too. I need you both to stay in here for a little while."

"Are we in trouble?" Millie asks, her giggles subsiding momentarily, her big violet eyes on me with worry.

"Not at all," I assure her. "I just need to check something."

Once I've settled both girls in the recovery room with books and drawing supplies, I return to my desk and dial the front office again.

"This is Nurse Callahan. I need an immediate check of all classrooms for students showing symptoms of uncontrollable laughter or glowing freckles. We may have an outbreak of Pixie-Pox on our hands."

The secretary's gasp is audible. "I'll send out the alert right away."

I hang up and run a hand through my hair, dislodging more strands from my already messy bun. This could quickly become a full epidemic if we don't contain it. While I wait for reports from the classrooms, I pull out my medical reference books, confirming the symptoms for Pixie-Pox.

Yep. It's Pixie-Pox, alright.

The phone rings again.

"Nurse's office," I answer.

"Maeve, we have a situation in room 104," Ms. Jensen's voice comes through, tense but controlled. "Billy Merryweather won't stop laughing, and I swear Bobby Babbleton's face is glowing in the dark he’s got so many freckles."