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Chapter 41+EPILOGUE

{SONG: Paint it black by The Rolling Stones (cover)}

CANTON

I'm getting really heavy.

Today I woke up with a sensation of complete powerlessness.

I open my eyes and the room is spinning and I close them shut and it still won't stop spinning.

Dare I move, I'll probably collapse.

I'm sweating rapidly from the high fever that refuses to fall.

I weakly moved my palm on top of my heart and squeezed at the clothing to ease the scortching-hot burning I felt against my chest.

I noticed that my heartbeat was beating at a slower pace today.

Dizzy.

I'm so dizzy.

I breathed in and I felt as if my whole system was shutting down, organ by organ, limb by limb.

Slowly.

Torturously.

When did breathing become so difficult?

"..-not responding"

That noise resembled a faded echo of a voice that was so far away.

I struggled to make out the words I was distantly hearing.

"Canton, can you-...."

I blinked.

I had to blink various times for my vision to clear.

It finally did.

A worried looking Errot appeared in front of me, my sister on his side.

"Can you hear us? Are you there, Canton?" Errot asked, his voice almost wavery.

I swallowed. "Hey.."

He rejoiced once he heard me addressing him. "Cant..seems that you're still feverish"

"And trembling. Want another blanket?" Elvina intervened.

I glanced at her. She looks serious. Maybe a little held back.

"No.. it's okay.." I managed to say.

Elvina and Errot shared a look.

"Want to eat anything?" She asked.

I shook my head in disagreement. "Can you.." my voice came out low. ".. help me drink some tea? Makes me relax.."

Elvina immediately grabbed the cup of tea that Tristian had brought me once again and carefully helped me take a few sips.

But Errot's eyes got wide all of a sudden.
"Elvina, stop" he said, the terror visible on his eyes.

Elvina frowned and turned to look at him.

"Stop! Put it down!"

She instantly removed the cup from my lips and placed it on my bedside table.

Errot was still wide-eyed. "Canton, you said Tristian is on kitchen duties. How long has he been preparing food and drinks for you?"

"Around..two months now" I uttered and Elvina froze.

"Canton you begun coughing before the heat..." She said as calmly as she could, her body still stiff.

"That's true..I..I heard you cough on that meeting too. Before the accident" Errot added, his gaze guided by fear.