In the middle of the night, I started coughing deep, rough sound that wouldn’t let up. Probably just a cold.

My respiratory system has always been weak, and whenever I catch something, it usually triggers coughing fits. Between the long day and the chilly mountain air, it was no surprise.

“Cough, cough…” I clutched my throat, the irritation making it feel like something was stuck there.

Even after drinking water, the coughing didn’t stop. That’s when I heard a knock at the door.

A knock in the dead of night can be unsettling, but being at the monastery, I felt oddly calm. Before I could ask who it was, a woman’s voice called softly from the other side. “I’m from next door.”

It had to be Mrs. Drago. She had a reputation for being deeply spiritual, and now she was standing outside my door.

I got up and opened it. “Good evening.”