A Sneeze of Suspense

The school bell chimed, signaling the end of another history class at Bet El's middle school. Carmel Dvora, her dark eyes alive with curiosity, turned to her friend Sarah. She'd noticed Sarah's constant sneezes throughout the lesson.

"Are you okay, Sarah?" Carmel asked, noticing Sarah's nose seemed a bit red.

"Oh, just a little cold," Sarah sniffled, waving it off. "No big deal."

Carmel nodded, assuming it was nothing serious. As she gathered her books, a small tickle crept into her throat. "I must be talking too much today," she thought, brushing it off with a smile.

The morning buzzed by in a series of classes, and soon Carmel found herself chatting animatedly with different groups during breaks. By noon, her throat tickled more persistently, a tiny warning she continued to ignore.

As the final bell rang, Carmel felt a peculiar heaviness at the back of her eyes. Heading home, she only noticed how tired she was, dismissing it as a result of an exciting and busy school day.

Unbeknownst to Carmel, she'd caught Sarah's cold and was spreading it around.

A Silent Clue

Carmel returned to school the next day, still feeling that peculiar heaviness behind her eyes. As she entered her classroom, the chorus of sneezing greeted her ears. It echoed through the hallway like a symphony of tiny trumpets.

"Seems like we're in a sneeze-fest," commented Carmel to her friend, Yael, who was coughing into her sleeve.

“Tell me about it," Yael said, a raspy undertone in her voice. "Even Mrs. Levy is under the weather."

Carmel furrowed her brows. "Maybe it’s something in the air," she mumbled, her suspicion growing.

Later that day, an announcement crackled through the school intercom: "Don't forget the art contest submission tomorrow!"

Carmel felt a jolt of excitement. "I nearly forgot! I need to finish my painting tonight!"

Carmel’s enthusiasm bubbled over, but her mind was a swirling mix of art and unease. Could she really ignore the tiredness and sniffles everyone seemed to have caught, including herself? As Carmel pondered the art pieces she wanted to create, a sense of realization crept in—a realization she pushed away with thoughts of colors and brushes.