Story - Novel The Fever

*****I wrote this piece inhigh school for a final portfolio project.
It is not completely finished and at the end, you can tell I was short
for time. I will come back and finish thisstory at some point. The
story was developed from the prompt we were given: "When the fever
broke, they had all hoped that they'd seen the last of Uncle Jack."
Takes a little over an hour to read. Please leave a rating or
feedback!
Enjoy!
PROLOGUE
When the fever broke, they had all hoped that they'd seen the last
of"Uncle Jack." But everyone knew he wouldbe back; he never stopped
until he got what he wanted. The excitement, agitation, and panic
would continue. He would find us again, as he had done consistently
for the last three years. Even so, we were safe for now, but-
The fever would find us again.
CHAPTER 1
Chicago, 1982 - A step back in Time
The frigid air of early March chilled the body tothe bone and darkened
the spirit. Snow was falling, but wasn't collecting on the ground.Its
color was grey, the same grey as the exhaust from the awesome
smokestacks that filled the horizon, tainting the snow from the
pureness the flakes were supposedto produce.
The darkened flakes landed in my hair as I stuck my now discolored
hands in the pockets of my long, khaki trench coat. I lowered my head
as I walked down the sidewalk, keeping to my own business. I ignored
the masked bandits holding a revolver to the forehead of the owner ofa
small jewelry store on my instant right. I ignored the man in the
black, hooded jacket across the street on my left, his eyes following
me while he sucked on a cigarette. I quickened mypace as I crossed the
street. A taxi ran the red light and dark slush was sprayed all over
my trench coat. I sighed thenignored it. Conflict wouldonly cause
problems, something South Chicagodidn't need any more of. I only had
another three blocks to walk, but even so I clamped my hand around the
switchblade in my left pocket. It mademe feel better; it made me feel
safe - well, safer. It was hard to feel completely safe around here.
My grip loosened a bit as my house came into view. It was hard to find
if you weren't looking for it. The shack was worn down, one story,
with a front porch that could be nice but didn't look the part as it
had lost most of its paint. As I got closer to the house, all I could
hear was the screaming of my two year old twins in the living room.
The crying continued as I proceededthrough the door. I hung my coat
and slowly walked into the living room.
"I'm home!" I yelled into the kitchen where the smell of chicken broth
originated. "Soup again,"I muttered under my breath. I couldn't afford
to bring home much for supper because my income didn't spread nearly
far enough. The twins continued their moaning.
"We got robbed again today," Jennifer muttered as she popped her head
out from around the corner. She came back into the dirty and messy
living room to try to entertain the twins before going back into the
kitchen to attend to her soup.
"They are just hungry," she told me as I frowned once they didn't stop
their constant exclamations. I came back into the moldy kitchen to set
the table."We lost the radio and the rest of the jewelry..." my wife
decrescendoed into a sigh.
I didn't reply as I went to grab the two little girls and set them in
their respective seats around the table. The small kitchen was
incredibly humid from the steam coming from the slow-boiling container
on the old stove. Jennifergrabbed four bowls and loaded them up with
soup and added a spoon to each. We all took our place around the small
table to nibble at the never changing meal.
"Paul, will you say grace?" Jen inquired. I sat the spoon down that
was halfway to my mouth and folded my hands together as everyone else
followed my actions.
"Bless us oh Lord, in these thy gifts, which we are..." I continued.
But even as I said the prayer, it was more of a routine than a ritual.
God didn't care, or he would have helped us by now. I quickly finished
the prayer.
"Amen," Jennifer whispered.
"A-MEN!" the girls exclaimed in unison.
Everyone instantaneouslypicked up a spoon and started slurping the
onion and rutabaga soupfrom each of their own bowls. "Jen, where is
the salt?" I asked as my eyes searched the table, hoping, but already
knowing the answer.
"We don't have any, Paul.We haven't had any in over a month."
Disappointed, I went back to my slurping. The rutabaga in the soup
hadbeen overcooked, leaving flavorless orange cubes of mush in every
bite.
After dinner, I took the girls into their room and read those Mother
Goose Rhymes until they were fast asleep. I slowly closed their door
and wandered to the kitchen.Jen was just drying the last of the dishes
and almost ignored me as I walked behind her and grabbed her around
her narrow waist. "Is there anything I can help with?" I politely
asked after a brief silent moment. She shrugged herself out of my arms
and replied with: "It's been a long day; I'm going to bed." She
avoided my eyes the whole time.
I watched her walk downthe hallway and disappear into the darkness at
the end. I turned around and examined the constant plip-plop I was
hearing. First, I turned to the sink faucet, but it wasn't leaking
water. I noticed some discoloration aboveme as I looked up and saw
some rust coloring on the ceiling. Water dripped at a steady and
constant rate from the center and created a small puddle on the
kitchen floor. I shook my head and let the splashing continue as I
turned the light off and exited down the hallway.
I opened the bedroom door at the end of the hallway to my wife lying
in bed, awake in her cotton pajamas. I stripped down to my plaid
boxers and crawledinto bed next to her. At first, all I could hear was
the rain from the storm constantly beating the window. After a few
moments of lying in bed, I noticed Jennifer was crying.
"Are you okay?" The crying continued.
"Paul, we don't have anything left. All we haveare a few dishes and a
few pieces of furniture."
"And now a leaking roof," I chimed in. The crying continued until she
had cried herself to sleep. There was nothing I could do. It was the
same night after night. I couldn't do anything anymore. But then I
changed my mind. I couldand would do something.We couldn't live like
this anymore. Something needed to change.
I fell asleep deciding on aplan. -[ * - TO BE CONTINUED..........]-

Food & Nourishment -, My question is: my wife and I are Muslims and we try to eat halaal meatas much as possible. But my mother is not Muslim and she buys meat from stores that do not sell halaal meat and cooks it.Is it haraam to eat the meat that she cooks for us?? Please note that shedoes that with a good intention. Is there any harm in refusing to eat the food she offers to us? What is the ruling onthat? May Allah reward you with good. Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: If the meat has been slaughtered by one of the People of the Book (a Jew or a Christian) and we do not know themethod of slaughter, butmost people in the country kill meat by means of electric shock or by slaughtering it for someone or something other than Allah, it is notpermissible to eat that meat, on the basis of what is usually the case. The same applies if one is not sure whether the meat was slaughtered properly or killed by means of electric shock. That is because of the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (5485) and

- *-Visit -http://aydnajimudeen.blogspot.com/- I work for about
three years in KFC. They told me that the chicken is halaal. They also
had a certificate. But now i have checked the e-codes on the site
guidedway.comand i have seen that it is mushbooh. So i want to know ur
opinion.
And i have one more very important question.They use shortening(oil).i
checked that about shortening on guidedway.comand it says IT DEPENDS.
so i am not sure whether is haraam or halaal. my question is can I eat
friesor is it better to avoid it.
What is the ruling on fish burger?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
In order for it to be permissible to eat chicken and meat that is sold
in Muslim countries and elsewhere, two conditions must be met:
1. The meat should have been slaughtered in the manner prescribed
in sharee'ah; it should not have been stunned with electricity, or
drowned in water, or any other means of killing that is done in some
countries.
2. The one who slaughtered the meat should have been a Muslim or a
kitaabi (one of the people of the Book, i.e., a Jew or Christian); it
is not permissible to eat meat slaughtered by a communist, atheist or
idol-worshipper.
See the answer to question no. 83362 .
If it becomes clear to youthat the chicken sold in these restaurants
has not been slaughtered in the manner prescribed in sharee'ah, it is
not permissible for you to eat it and it is not permissible for you to
work with those who sell it, because that comes under the heading of
cooperating in sin and transgression.
Secondly:
It is permissible to eat fried meat and fish from these restaurants,
subject to two conditions:
1. That it is not fried inthe same oil as the non-halaal chicken
or in vessels in which chicken was fried, until they have been washed,
because the non-halaal chicken is maytah (dead meat) and is najis
(impure).
2. The meat should be halaal.
And Allah knows best.

He is not sure about the meat that his motherbuys.,Food & Nourishment -, Dought & clear -,

My question is: my wife and I are Muslims and we try to eat halaal
meatas much as possible. But my mother is not Muslim and she buys meat
from stores that do not sell halaal meat and cooks it.Is it haraam to
eat the meat that she cooks for us?? Please note that shedoes that
with a good intention. Is there any harm in refusing to eat the food
she offers to us? What is the ruling onthat? May Allah reward you with
good.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
If the meat has been slaughtered by one of the People of the Book (a
Jew or a Christian) and we do not know themethod of slaughter, butmost
people in the country kill meat by means of electric shock or by
slaughtering it for someone or something other than Allah, it is
notpermissible to eat that meat, on the basis of what is usually the
case. The same applies if one is not sure whether the meat was
slaughtered properly or killed by means of electric shock. That is
because of the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (5485) and Muslim (1929)
from 'Adiyy ibn Haatim (may Allah be pleased with him) from the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) who said: "If you
release your(hunting) dog and say the name of Allah, and (the dog)
catches (the game) and kills it, then eat, but if (the dog) ate (some
of it), then do not eat, because he only caught it for himself. If
another dog joins him over whom the name of Allah was not mentioned,
and they caught it and ate from it,do not eat, for you do not know
which of themkilled it. If you shoot an arrow and you find (the game)
after one or two days with nothing but the mark of your arrow on it,
then eat, but if it fell into water, do not eat it."
According to a report narrated by Muslim: "When you shoot your arrow,
mention the name of Allah. Then if you find it (the game) dead then
eat, unless you find that it has falleninto water, in which case you
cannot know whether it was the water that killed it, or your arrow."
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade eating
if there is any uncertainty as to whether the meat was slaughtered
properly in accordance with sharee'ah because of thehunting dog being
joined by another dog, or because of the target animal falling into
waterand the possibility that itdied by drowning.
Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Sharh Muslim: The
words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): "If
you find with your dog another dog and it joined in killing (the
game), Do not eat because you do not know which of them killed it."
This states an important principle, which is that if there is any
doubt as to whetherthe animal was slaughtered in the permissible
manner, it is not halaal, because the basic principle is that it is
haraam. This is a pointon which there is no difference of scholarly
opinion. End quote.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said in Fath al-Baari: The words "if it fell into
the water, do not eat it" – the reason for the prohibition on eating
it is to be taken from the phrase above, because in that case there is
doubt as to whether it was killed by the arrow or by drowning in
water. If it is established that the arrow struck it and it died, and
it did not fall into the water until after it was killed by the arrow,
then it is permissible to eat it. al-Nawawi said in Sharh Muslim: If
the game is found in the water, drowned, it is haraam according to
consensus. End quote. al-Raafi'i saidthat if he reaches it in time
(before it dies) and cuts its throat for example, then he has
slaughtered it in the proper manner. His opinion is supported by the
report narrated by Muslim, "you cannot know whether it was the water
that killed it, or your arrow." This indicates that if he knows that
his arrow is what killed it, then it is permissible. End quote.
For more information please see the answer toquestion no. 10339 .
Secondly:
If your mother or someone else brings haraam meat, it is not
permissible to eat it, because Allah, may He beexalted says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Forbidden to you (for food) are: Al-Maitah (the dead animals - cattle
- beast not slaughtered), blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which
Allâh's Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering, (thatwhich has
been slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allâh, or has been
slaughtered for idols) and that which has beenkilled by strangling, or
by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by thegoring of horns -
and that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal - unless you
are able to slaughter it (before its death) - and that which is
sacrificed (slaughtered) on An-Nusub (stone altars). (Forbidden) also
is to usearrows seeking luck or decision; (all) that is Fisqun
(disobedience of Allâh and sin)."
[al-Maa'idah 5:3].
You have to be gentle and polite when explaining why you do not want
to eat this meat, and try to make your mother happy by eating other
food that she offers; bring her some halaal meat to cook when you are
there and try to convince her of the importance and benefitsof eating
halaal meat and the harmful effects of eating meat that was not
slaughtered in the proper shar'i manner. This is due to the rights
that she has of respect and kind treatment. - *-Visit
-http://aydnajimudeen.blogspot.com/-

Food & Nourishment -, Ruling on meat slaughted by a Kitaabi if at the time of slaughter he says “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit”.Dought & clear -,

Ive read your fetwa on the subject mentioned but according to our
country's context, its a little bit different which forced me to ask
further explanation. You mentioned that a meat slaughtered by ahlel
kitab can be eaten provided that it is slaughtered in the name of
Allah. In another fetwa in your site, it is also mentioned that we
don't need to ask whether that specific meat is slaughtered in the
name of Allah, as long as it is slaughtered by a Muslim or a kitabiy.
In our country (Ethiopia), we already know that Christians most of the
time slaughter after saying: " In the name of the father (referring to
God),the Son, and the holy spirit". So, can we consider their being
ahlel kitab and eat their meat with out asking about what has been
mentioned during slaughtering, or do we have to take all their meat as
unlawful?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is permissible to eat meat slaughtered by a Kitaabi (a Jew or a
Christian) subject to two conditions:
1. That the meat is slaughtered as the Muslims slaughter it, by
cutting the trachea and oesophagus and draining the blood. If he kills
it by strangulation, electric shock or drowning in water, thenthe meat
he has slaughtered is not halaal. The same applies if the Muslim does
that; the meat he has slaughtered is not halaal.
2. That no name other than the name of Allah, such as the name of
the Messiah or any other name, is mentioned overit, because Allah, may
He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): "Eat not (O
believers) of that (meat) on which Allah's Name has not been
pronounced (at the time of the slaughtering of the animal)" [al-An'aam
6:121]. And He says concerning haraam foods: "He has forbiddenyou only
the Maytatah (dead animals), and blood, and the flesh of swine, and
that which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allah (or has
been slaughtered for idols, etc., on which Allah's Name has not been
mentioned while slaughtering)" [al-Baqarah 2:173].
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: What is
meant here is that on which a name other than the name of Allah was
mentioned at the time of slaughter, such as saying "In the name of the
Messiah" or "in the name of Muhammad" or "in the name of Jibreel" or
"in the name of al-Laat" andthe like.
End quote from Tafseer Soorat al-Baqarah.
It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah (22/387): The basic principle
with regard to the permissibility of meat slaughtered by the People of
the Book is theverse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says
(interpretation of the meaning): "The food (slaughtered cattle,
eatable animals, etc.) of the people of the Scripture (Jews and
Christians) is lawful to you" [al-Maa'idah 5:5]. Ibn 'Abbaas explained
the word "food" here as referring to meat slaughtered by them, which
is one of two interpretations of this verse. If a Kitaabi slaughters
an animal, if we know that he mentioned the name of Allah over it, it
is permissible to eat it, but if we know that he mentioned the name of
someone other than Allah over it, then it is not permissible to eat
it, because of the general meaning of the words ofAllah
(interpretation of the meaning): "Eat not (O believers) of that (meat)
on which Allahs Name has not been pronounced (at the time of the
slaughtering of the animal), for sure it is Fisq (a sin and
disobedience of Allah)" [al-An'aam 6:121], and His words concerning
haraam foods: "and that which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others
than Allah (or has been slaughtered for idols, etc., on which Allah's
Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering)" [al-Baqarah 2:173].
If wedo not know whether the name of Allah or the name of someone or
something else was mentioned over it, then the basic principle is
thatmeat slaughtered by them is permissible.
End quote.
If it is known that the Kitaabi mentions the name of someone other
than Allah, and says "In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy
Spirit," it is not permissible to eat meat slaughtered by him, because
it is something that has been slaughtered for someone other than
Allah. It does not make a difference if he means Allah when he says
"the Father" – as you say in your question – because by saying "[and]
the Son and the Holy Spirit", it is slaughtered in the name of someone
other than Allah. So it is not permissible to eat the meat when these
names have been said over it.

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