The next morning, I woke up burning with a fever. My forehead felt like it was on fire, my throat ached every time I swallowed, and my whole body felt heavy and exhausted.
My mom walked into my room, took one look at my flushed face, and immediately reached over to feel my forehead.
"Oh my goodness. You're burning up. I told you to go to bed after you finished those pastries. Were you up late again?" She scolded me gently, unable to hide the concern in her voice.
I kept my eyes closed and didn't dare say a word. All I could think about was that terrifying red mystery box from the night before.
I simply told her I'd kicked off my blanket while sleeping. There was no way I could let her suspect the truth.
A few moments later, Dad came in too. He casually mentioned that when he'd stopped
