Bedside Manner

Copper and bile

Head thundering drums

Measure my pulse

Vision awash with color

And a ringing in my ears

What happened

As if in answer

Someone kneels above me

Blocking the bulb above

“I’m sorry”

They speak

Deep voiced

But gentle in tone

Then I feel a burning

A too hot heat

Spreading through my stomach

I lift my head weakly

Making out an arm

Buried in my torso

He retracts quickly

Prize in hand

And devours greedily

Something crimson and vital

Belabored breath follows smacking lips

My vision snaps to as the pain returns

Rows of serrated teeth

Glimmer in the backlight

The head of this thing

Is that of a leech

My brow quirks

As the scream of pain

Is wrenched from my throat

I am so puzzled by the creature

But my body refuses me a moment to reflect

To inspect

The head turns back to my torso

Needle and thread in hand

And makes quick work of restoring me

Sans-organ that he took

Before I lose consciousness again

I hear it whisper

“Yes this should

It should sustain me

Sustain me a day or more…”