Alina woke up feeling better. Her vision was clear, the nausea had receded, and the cramps were bearable now. Her head was still on Austin's thigh.
She looked up at him. He was asleep. She remembered how she had begged him to rest. Only then had he closed his eyes and had fallen asleep almost immediately.
Slowly, she sat up. She poured herself a glass of water and felt better. Then she lay back down on the bed. Austin kept sleeping, with his head resting on the headboard.
For a while, everything was normal. Then, after an hour, the fever returned. The poison apparently worked in waves. Her face became warm, but her hands turned cold. The nausea returned and cramps also cycled back.
She pulled the blanket over herself as her body began to shake again. Then, suddenly, she felt a hand on her forehead. She opened her eyes and saw Austin looking concerned as he checked her temperature.
"The second wave," he said. "But don't worry. It will be milder."
"It is," she assured him.
