“I think I feel better now.” Elise forced out, holding her neck.

The bathroom tiles were cold against her knees, contrasting the feverish heat that radiated from her body.

She was still sleeping when a wave of nausea hit her, and the next thing she was doing was running to the bathroom to retch.

The icy feel of the tiles seeped through the thin fabric of her cotton pajamas, adding more to the inconvenience she was experiencing as her stomach churned.

Her hands gripped the toilet’s rim, her knuckles pale, as another wave of nausea surged.

Once again, she retched into the bowl, the sound of it coming straight from...