I felt a dull ache in my head, causing me to toss and turn uncomfortably. It was as if I feared the wax might drip onto my hands.

In a haze, I murmured, "Mommy, does it hurt?"

She said something, and her voice echoed persistently in my ears.

A warm hand gently clasped mine, guiding me through winding paths, past a towering tree surrounded by vibrant flowers, until we reached a small tree.

"What kind of tree is this, Mommy?" I looked up at the short tree.

"An almond eucalyptus tree. It’s the