The Whisper of a Sneeze

Carmel Dvora bounded into her sixth-grade classroom, the familiar hum of chatter and clanging desks surrounding her. Her eyes, full of mischief and warmth, scanned her friends, but something was amiss. Her classmates were sneezing and sniffling like a chorus of broken piccolos.

"Uh-oh," she thought aloud, as she noticed Tova shivering at her desk.

Carmel approached. "Are you okay, Tova?"

Tova nodded, but the sneeze that followed belied her attempt at reassurance. "I think it's just a cold," she admitted.

Feeling instantly warm-hearted, Carmel offered her scarf. "Here, take this. It'll keep you warm."

Tova accepted with gratitude, but as Carmel turned back to her bag, she felt a tickle in her nose. "Ah-choo!"

The sound seemed to echo, blending with others.

"Oh no," Carmel realized, her eyes wide. "Did I catch it?"

The irony hit her—her good intentions might be making things worse.

The Unwelcome Pattern

Carmel sat at her desk, jotting down notes for her history quiz. But every few minutes, another sneeze or cough erupted from her, drawing concerned looks from her classmates. She tried to ignore the tickle in her throat, but it seemed impossible. Her attempts at stifling her sneezes might as well have been attempts to stop a rainstorm with an umbrella.

"Carmel, are you sure you're alright?" Miriam, sitting a row ahead, turned around, eyebrows furrowed.

"Just a cold," Carmel shrugged, though her voice was a bit raspy. "Don't worry," she added with a weak smile.

Hoping to lift her spirits, Carmel decided to organize a lunchtime reading club discussion with Shira, her fellow book-loving friend. They settled near the window, sunlight dancing across the pages of their books.

Shira, eyes bright behind her glasses, chimed in, "I can't wait to discuss this month’s mystery pick!"

Carmel grinned, momentarily forgetting her congestion. Yet, nearby, someone sneezed, echoing the cycle. Would her fun distraction be enough to lift their spirits amidst the epidemic?