78. Steaming

Alec lay on the bed, drifting in and out of consciousness. The strange sedative had left him in a state that made us all panic despite Wanda saying he would be okay. Ultimately, we were a team, and one of our own was down. I felt the team bonding more in these moments than any forced hour of skating could ever accomplish.

We all huddled close, trying to distract ourselves with chess games. We had enough boards for everyone to play now.

The pieces clacked against the board, each move a futile attempt to mask our anxiety.

I glanced at Kris, noticing how he kept glancing between the game and Alec. Every so often, he'd shift uncomfortably, clearly uneasy. The others mirrored his concern.

As the night wore on, exhaustion claimed us one by one. Unable to keep his eyes open, Kris climbed to the top bunk.

I stayed beside Alec while everyone else passed out on the bean bags and floor.

Sleep didn't come easy. I kept an ear out for any changes in Alec's condition. I shifted until my back was