A Tender Compress

I dipped a clean linen compress into the basin of cool water, lifting it gently with both hands. Without making a sound, I pressed out the excess moisture until the cloth was soft, damp, and perfectly smooth. Walking quietly to the bedside, I carefully folded the linen into a neat, cool band and placed it across the patient's resting forehead. I smoothed the corners of the coarse woollen blanket over the cot, tucking the hem straight along the painted iron rail. With the room resting in still, orderly balance, I stepped back into the quiet shadow.