At last, the first signs of spring were evident. The crocuses were in full bloom and the daffodils along the fence were swollen, ready to give birth to their bright yellow blossoms. Even the ground was beginning to green with new shoots of grass. It wouldn't be long now.
Carmen paused on her way to the house, the breath rattling in her chest. Her hacking cough had become unproductive, and even breathing was a chore. The rain trickled down the back of her neck and she pulled up her hood, sloshing toward the house again. A cup of hot coffee and a nap - then she would feel better. The house looked so far away as it shimmered in heat waves. No, it wasn't hot. What in the . . .? The sky darkened. Too late she realized she was going to faint. The last thing she remembered was the wet ground rushing toward her face.