me! Listen to me! Aunt Victoria!'"
Moments later the front door opened and closed
below and she was gone. I was alone. The cramps
continued, my nausea returned and I threw up again
and again until I was too weak to li
ft my head from
the pillow.
Rest. I told myself. Stay calm and rest and in a
little while try to get yourself to the telephone in her
room.
I drifted in and out of sleep. I could sense that
things weren't going well with my bladder again. I
was wet and my cramping became more and more
severe. The waves of nausea moved into something else, something beyond. My body felt warmer and warmer and my mouth was suddenly so dry, I couldn't swallow. My tongue was a thick piece of sandpaper.
Shouting for help was painful.
The pain between my temples, over my
forehead became so intense it brought tears to my
eyes. It felt like someone with a thumb and a
forefinger made of steel was squeezing and squeezing
me there. All I could do was moan and cry inside. I
had no idea about time. There wasn't a working clock
in the room. I know I drifted on and off for what had
to be hours, feeling myself grow warmer and warmer
until I thought I might set the very bed on fire, How I
wished I had just a sip of water.
The movement of sunlight away from the east
side of the house told me it was late afternoon.
Drifting in and out of sleep I thought I had heard
footsteps and the creak of the door being opened
farther. Sure enough. when I opened my eyes again. I