Ladies of Horror Flash Project – #Horror #author Kendra Smart @DevourAllWords @Darc_Nina #LoH #fiction

The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

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Just a Spoonful of Sugar 
by Kendra Smart 

The world felt so big now, every single action, gesture, became wrought with friction and meaning. Nothing felt light in this frame of space. Time wasn’t slow or fast, it went as it willed and passed in whichever was the most excruciating way with which to proceed forward. 

The feeling of forever, being forever endless. A lost wanderer without a course or a choice. A purpose long lost, and only the agonizing hope, that by somehow moving forward the sinking feeling would just let go. Let loose a few threads and somehow feel lighter and lesser. Less constraining and constricting, in some way easier to carry. Just lesser. 

There were passing thoughts of lighter loads and lesser pains but in this realm, none of those moments were relevant. None of that had served to prepare for this feeling. There was a prayer for numbness, for the stripping of any feeling. A true moment of desperation. The clawing, tingling, static driven rat race that had become the wargrounds of her mental space. 

There was no telling what time had passed and even clocks and calendars, alarms and lists, appointments or work…what did any of that mean? What did anything mean? What was the point of this endless noise? The utter continuous nature of scatter and clutter, chaos and eerie calm. 

The sun will come out tomorrow, oh wait a forecast featuring an overcast provided by the universe that kept relentlessly pounding in how hard and painful life could be. 

But life is pain…isn’t princess? 

Well where was the comely and dandy salesman knocking on her door ready to sell her his wares with that snake oil grin and that guarantee for her socks to be knocked off. 

She would willingly listen to any bargaining price…just for this to end. 

All of the allegories, nursery rhymes, legends, myths, folk lore, campfire stories, all held their own truths and yet there were no adequate words that could have served as warning. 

So much dark from light. 

This purgatory felt as futile as a duel with Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, in a multitude of outcomes and variables..the story ended the same. 

But the point was that, just that, that there was an ending. 

But her lover was Death, and his anger felt cold as the ice that bites past the numbness that the chill mercifully brings. The endless years of just existing were filled with enough pressure that ten healthy lungs could not have withstood the weight. 

An asphyxiation of the heart, the metaphysical involuntary morphing of the soul. A direct reasoning behind the changing at the core level…at a factitious rate and in the most grievous manner. 

A refusal to her many overtures and invitations to dance, to apologize and come together, he had relinquished her of his time, eliminating her from his visage…from his whole being. 

Strange thing it is to exist…how do we know we do? If it is like the Sages say, then it is our lineage, it is our legend, our legacy, our family lines, the word of our deeds carried on and through some means…tangible or not. 

But what if none of those things are there? What if the only person who knows your story is you?

Do you exist if you are the only one aware? 

On and on, forward motion.

E Tu, Mio Amore…

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Fiction © Copyright Kendra Smart
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com

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More from author Kendra Smart:

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Just Emotions:
A Gothic Bite Magazine Anthology

A collection of poetry.

‘Just Emotions‘ is exactly as it states, a group of writers who had feelings they wanted to express in poem form. Inside, there are a range of emotions to explore. Each writer has given a bit of themselves to you, each in their own way.

We hope that you enjoy these writings and that among the poems you may find some thing you can identify with or relate to. Thank you for giving us this chance to open the catacombs and share with you.

Available on Amazon!  

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Ladies of Horror Flash Project – #Horror #author Elizabeth H. Smith @bethsmithwrites @darc_nina #LoH #fiction

The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

Banished
by Elizabeth H. Smith

A wonderland of eternal joy, filled wtih indescribable beauty, the blessings of Heaven and desires of Hell in pleasant abundance. I’ve no idea how long I remained there, blissfully unaware of the passage of time. But there, no one ages. No one dies. I never wanted to leave…

But some things don’t go your way.

I was cast out; perhaps I indulged too much, maybe I said the wrong things, it’s possible myely my wants were too obscene. But they drove me from that magical place, and banished me back to the real Hell that is the world. But it’s changed so much. Lights dorn the horizon, massive temples reach the sky. It’s a world far beyond what I left.

As I leave the portal, and step into the rancid air, I wonder if I’ll be able to adapt after having been away for so long. Everyone smells of filth and all the trees are gone. There is a deafening noise all around me that never ceases.

Then a realization comes to me. Here, people can die. Here, my fantasies can be played out with a true ending. The blood will flow, and the souls will wink out one by one as I make their bodies my playthings. Here, it’s more than a game that never harmed anyone.

And that, puts a smile on my face.

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More About Elizabeth H. Smith:
Elizabeth H. Smith is a storyteller who writes while trying to keep her cat, Luna off the keyboard. The musical group, Rasputina is her muse. She was born in the state of New York and would never feel at home anywhere else.

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The Ladies of Horror Flash Project – #Horror #author M.L. Roos @Malina_Roos @Sotet_Angyal #LoH #fiction

The Ladies of Horror

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The Wretched Times: The Beginning 
by M.L. Roos 

The brownouts they told us about keep coming, but can they really call them brownouts when the city goes black for days? I have been saving water by the gallons for over a year, long before the Tribal Council made the edict of one litre of water per day, per household. If they ever demanded an inventory, all my water will be confiscated, and I would be put to death, regardless of my title.

These are difficult days and I fear more are coming. Strife, uprisings, and finally War. Will the War be the Eternal One I have often seen in my dreams? Only the Gods know the answer. And if they are watching, please show mercy to the invisible ones. The Gods know these will be the first sacrificed. So far, the streets are quiet during nightfall and the “brownouts”. But that will not last. Once the food shortages and rations begin, then things will turn for the worst.

I have seen streets on fire, whole cities burned, countries that will not exist as we know them now, the eventual demise of what we know as North America and the mythology it will become in centuries forward. The Tribal Council and the military will cease to exist and 99% of the population will die off in slow, painful deaths. I see burning flesh, people with no limbs, women, children and old people put to death in massive raids.

In their short sightedness, The Tribal Council will ultimately put all women to death, however a 100 or so of these cunning women will escape and and evacuate, to settle somewhere safe, because they will have The Sight. They will also have the support of many men.

The Handmaid’s Tale will be Disney Land compared to the barbarity of The Tribal Council.

Soon, I must leave. I have gathered what I need, packed the car, taken my dogs, Isabella and Dante, and I will travel as far as I can during the day, and hide at night. Mentally, I have gone over and over where my travels will take me. The airlines are still running, so maybe I shall fly to a different country that is still safe and has not been touched by The Madness.

Spain, Portugal, and Greece will keep their heads the longest, until France breaks down. Once France burns, Germany will try and save as many as they can and offer sanctuary to all surrounding countries. Germany will rise as the new Roman Empire did in the past. But there is no need to view the future that will be in 3024. By then, my dogs and I shall be safe and many communities will survive in Europe, as they always have for centuries.

That gives me plenty of time to get out of this brackish water they call civilization in North America. I know its early, but in my lifetime, to the chagrin and in some, outrage of my partners, my Sight has proven accurate to the minute detail. Men do not like having their secrets and thoughts exposed.

All you need to see is the politics of the day; the President creating the Tribal Council with their red hats, and Canada following suit. Although, a poor one because the Prime Minister has become a laughable farce. No drama teacher should be made leader, but that is just the opinion of an wizened woman in 2024.

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Fiction © Copyright M.L. Roos
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com

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More from M.L. Roos:

Zippered Flesh 2
Short Story: After Darque

So, you loved the first ZIPPERED FLESH anthology? Well, here are yet more tales of body enhancements that have gone horribly wrong! Steroids from Hell. Horrendous piercings. Bizarre brain modifications. Obscene amputations. Facial reconstruction. Self-mutilation. Implants. Chilling tales by some of the best horror and suspense writers today, determined to keep you fearful all night (and skittish during the day).

Available on Amazon!

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Ladies of Horror Flash Project – #Horror #author Sue Renol @Darc_Nina #LoH #fiction

The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

The Death of Farmer Joe
by Sue Renol

I tend to my children with great care, observing every second of their existence. I keep them warm and safe. I wouldn’t want my little babies inside to fail to grow. They must be healthy and strong if they’re to help Mother. Because Mother has a lot to do.

The waiting isn’t a weight on my back, but rather a blessing. I enjoy the quiet moments, the long days with nothing to do but check on these delicate shells every minute. I keep such care, I barely eat myself. But a good Mother has to be healthy too. Who else will protect my little ones?

I hear their soft chirps begin as the round vessels begin to wiggle. Their beaks poke at the inside, their instincts telling them to break free, to escape into the world. I watch as the first one gets out of its shell. I help those who struggle to get out on their own. What else would a good Mother do?

I raise them until they’re big, some, even bigger than me. I tell them it’s time. I tell them we’re ready. The man who consumed the rest of their family, his time has come as well. I’ve trained my children to fight, to kill. They’ve sharpened their feet and are ready to draw the blood of vengeance.

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The Ladies of Horror Flash Project – #Horror #author Marge Simon @Darc_Nina #LoH #fiction

The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

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Cave of Souls 
by Marge Simon 

Beyond is a world of many shapes and colors that the gods have created, with the addition of mortals for entertainment. Most of them are stupid and can be dangerous, so I stand unmoving at the exit. There are bodies of small birds just outside my cave. Poor things thought they could fly inside, but my cave is sealed with an impenetrable screen that keeps all living things outside.

It is always night in my cave. Always cold, but that doesn’t bother me. There is a living wind of spirits that rise and fall with wails of unbearable misery. When the voices grow old and begin to fade, I’m allowed to pass outside to the mortal world to select new ones. I believe the mortals’ children must sense the time of my coming, because it invariably happens on the last night of October.

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Fiction © Copyright Marge Simon
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com 

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More from Marge Simon:

MargeSimon_CastFromDarkness

 

Cast from Darkness
by Marge Simon and‎ Mary Turzillo

Cast from Darkness is another triumphant collaboration between award-winning Speculative poets, Marge Simon and Mary Turzillo.

The poetry includes themes running the spectrum of the speculative genres and forms ranging from the haiku through many nuances of vere libre to the prose poem.

Available on Amazon!

 

 

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Ladies of Horror Flash Project – #Horror #author Kim Richards @Kim_Richards @Darc_Nina #LoH #fiction

The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

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Ruby’s Rest
by Kim Richards 

Ruby sat hunched forward in the bathtub of a bed and breakfast she checked into late last night. It promised to be a quaint, peaceful place. Perfect for the rest she desperately needed. Rest denied her by her ex. He gave her pain and trepidation in every moment—waking or not. She never really slept. His twisted and snarling face invaded her dreams. That’s why she fled into a dark, rainy night.

The short woman who hosted the place grimaced when she saw the bruises on Ruby’s face and arms. She gingerly handed over the room key with a knowing nod.

“Rest, dear. You’ll be safe here.”

Ruby wept with each step of the staircase taken up to her second room floor.

~~

The muddy water in the tub contrasted sharply with the white ceramic. The air smelled of jasmine soap and earthy fresh dirt. So numb from it all, she couldn’t tell the water temperature. It just was. She cradled her head in her hands, wishing the throbbing pain to cease. Her awareness flitted back and forth between her head and a spot on the base of her neck, equally agonizing.

Ruby still had no idea what he hit her with; only that it felt hard and cold. A sharp jolt on the vertebrae where her head attached to her shoulders sent her stumbling. She dropped hard, hitting her head on one of the garden stones. Her world became a dark void.

When she awoke, it took a few moments to realize where she was. The stench of blood and soil smelled odd. She tried to move and realized she lay at the bottom of a hole with her limbs bound, elbows scraping on the earthy walls. Then the pain washed over her body and she moaned.

“Perfect,” said his voice.

Ruby looked up to see his angry face…lips curled into snarl and eyes narrowed. He stood at the pit edge, shovel in hand.

“You seeing me bury you alive makes this SO much better.”

She opened her mouth to scream but a shovelful of dirt slapped her face and filled her mouth. She choked and twisted her head, desperately spitting out what she could.

Another round of dirt pelted her head. Then a third. Her tears absorbed into the soil instantly.

A sharp crack echoed above. The dirt stopped falling. Then, once again, her world went dark.

~~

A soft rap on the bathroom door drew Ruby’s attention.

“Sweetie. Can I get you anything?” said the woman who checked her into the bed and breakfast. She opened the door a few inches and peered in.

“What…how?” Ruby stammered.

“No worries now. He won’t bother you ever. I told you this is a safe place. Take as long as you need. I put fresh towels on your bed. Breakfast is at eight.” Then she closed the door.

An hour later, Ruby crawled beneath the thick, soft bedcovers. Then she slept.

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Fiction © Copyright Kim Richards
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com

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Ladies of Horror Flash Project – #Horror #author Kathleen McCluskey @KathleenMcClus4 @darc_nina #LoH #fiction

The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

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The Hatchery  
by Kathleen McCluskey 

In the heart of the ancient forest, far from prying eyes, a small hidden farm thrived. Alex, a fearless explorer, accidentally stumbled upon it while hiking. An eerie glow shown from within and strange, unsettling sounds filled the air. Driven by his curiosity, Alex decided to investigate.

He crept closer, his steps light and cautious. Peering through the thick underbrush, he saw a woman tending to large, pulsating eggs. Her presence was otherworldly, her movements were graceful yet deliberate. She whispered incantations in a language that Alex did not recognize. Her voice was a haunting melody that sent shivers up his spine. He hid behind a large oak, his eyes wide with fascination and fear. The woman known only as Lila seemed to be performing some kind of ritual. She moved from egg to egg, her hands glowing with a strange light that emanated from within. She gently touched each shell lovingly. The eggs responded, glowing and pulsating to the rhythm of her chants.

Alex stood and watched silently for a few hours as the mysterious woman tended to the eggs. As night fell, the forest around him grew silent. Alex watched as one of the eggs began to crack. A faint line appeared on its surface, slowly widening, the creature inside was eager to make its appearance. With a final, loud chant, Lila stepped back. Her eyes glowed with anticipation.

The egg split open, revealing a grotesque winged creature. The gooey remnants of the egg slid down the creature’s chest, dripping and oozing as it prepared to enter the world. It screeched. The being stretched out its leathery wings and snapped its jaws. Lila approached the brute calmly and spoke in soothing tones. The being responded to her voice. As a soft guttural purr emitted from it, she guided it away,

Alex’s heart pounded in his chest. He knew he should leave but his legs felt as if they were rooted to the forest floor. He watched in terror as more eggs hatched. Each creature emerging was more horrifying than the last. They all gathered around Lila, their eyes gleaming with malevolent intelligence. Suddenly Alex’s foot slipped, cracking a twig beneath him. The sound echoed in the silence of the forest. Lila’s head snapped towards him, her eyes narrowing. With a flick of her wrist, large vines shot out of the ground and wrapped around Alex. He was bound in dark tendrils of magic as she pulled him into the open.

“Who dares to spy on my sacred work?”, she demanded. Her voice was cold and calculating.

Alex struggled against the bindings. His fear overwhelmed his curiosity. “Please, I didn’t mean any harm. I was just…just curious.”

Lila’s expression remained stiff, “Curiosity can be dangerous.” She said looking down at her long,  black fingernails. “Remember, it killed the cat.” She tossed her head back and laughed heartily. “These secrets are meant for the darkness.”

Alex’s mind raced. “What are those things? Who are you?”

Lila regarded him for a moment before answering. “These creatures are my creations. They are meant to serve a higher purpose.” She paused. “They will join Lucifer’s impending confrontation with heaven.”

Alex’s blood ran cold.

Lila’s eyes gleamed with sinister amusement. “You do not recognize me? I am Lilith, the first woman created then cast out. Now I serve Lucifer as his most loyal general.”

Before Alex could respond, the largest egg began to crack. The forest fell silent once more as the final being emerged. It was a terrifying embodiment of darkness and power. Its presence sent waves of fear through Alex. Its body was a nightmarish fusion of writhing tentacles, gleaming scales and gaping tooth filled maws. It pulsed with an otherworldly, malevolent energy. The creature’s main mouth and jaws were lined with razor sharp teeth, each one gleaming ominously. They worked in unison to shred anything that came too close. With a sickening, slithering motion it lunged at Alex, engulfing him in its massive jaws. Lilith could hear Alex’s bones breaking as he was consumed by the infant from the egg.

Lilith shrugged her shoulders and returned to her work, a satisfied little smirk on her face. The darkness was coming and there was no stopping it.

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Fiction © Copyright Kathleen McCluskey
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com 

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More from Kathleen McCluskey:

The Long Fall: Book 1: The Inception of Horror

Lucifer always cunning and intelligent challenges father to a battle of wits. Being the angel of light he casts a judgemental eye upon mankind. He begins a war with his fellow archangels and God. Michael, along with his siblings defend their home and mankind from their deranged brother. Broad swords and hand to hand combat drench heaven in blood. The four apocalyptic steeds are released, each having their own destructive power. Betrayal and lust are at biblical levels. Understand the very creation of evil and the consequenses that transpire in the first of THE LONG FALL series.

Available on Amazon!

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Ladies of Horror Flash Project – #Horror #author Angela Yuriko Smith @AngelaYSmith @darc_nina #LoH

The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

I’ve Lived Through Worse, or The Most I’ve Paid for Lunch in Spokane
by Angela Yuriko Smith

There was that one time I lay staring at the plastic skinned, faux wood paneling in your bathroom for three days straight, naked, dazed, stunned. I watched your bare lightbulb a lot, trying to count the small, brown specks that dotted the thin glass. It was a harsh light, like you. A glaring intrusion into my purple dreams, heavy with something in the milk, no such thing as a free lunch. Your bathroom smelled sour, like sweat and vinegar, just dirty laundry, shadows and deep, deep dreams of anywhere. Was your mother always there, or just visiting? I heard voices, not in my dreams, not in the room, and the thought that I was alone slid through my brain like black molasses, as dark as your walls…

… and then I was back. The door was ajar and you were down the long hall. My pants, my shirt, wadded in the corner, snatched up. Through a narrow opening, near enough, a front door deadbolt, and then the cool brass knob was in my palm. My insides were cold, numb, frozen as I twisted the lock latch with trembling efficiency, and the door opened. I was the blind wind, an eagle-missed rabbit, a second chance, zagging behind bushes, zigging through alleys, my back a magnet for your eyes, my bare feet painting the pavement in blood. Excitement and terror twisted together so tight in my chest there was no more room for breath and I stopped. Re-clothed, a payphone, a collect call, a ride arriving as you walked down the middle of the quiet, neighborly street, demanding your girlfriend back. I never knew we were going steady.

Three days of my life
                      is a high price for lunch, but
a cheap lesson learned.

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More from Angela Yuriko Smith:

Angela Yuriko Smith is a third-generation Ryukyuan-American, award-winning poet, author, and publisher with 20+ years in newspapers. Publisher of Space and Time magazine (est. 1966), two-time Bram Stoker Awards® Winner, and HWA Mentor of the Year, she shares Authortunities, a free weekly calendar of author opportunities at authortunities.substack.com.

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Ladies of Horror Flash Project – #Horror #author Nadia Corin @darc_nina #LoH #fiction

The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

Through the Cave
by Nadia Corin

As I exit the cave I see a place I’d only seen in my dreams. An expanse of lights and bustling life. Bigger than any village I’d known of, with houses reaching into the sky. This must be the home of the Gods, I thought. But why have they led me away from my family? Why have they brought me here? These questions plague my thoughts as I enter this undiscovered domain.

The people here are unclean and unkempt. They walk fast with sour faces. I look for anyone friendly, anyone I can ask for help, but they stare at me with disgust in their eyes. Their voices are hostile as they tell me to get away.

I walk until darkness falls. Less people prowl the streets in this late hour. I’m getting tired, but there is nowhere to sleep. I’m lost in this place, and start to wonder, if maybe it wasn’t the Gods who brought me here. Maybe it isn’t their domain after all…

Panic sets in. I worry I’ll never leave this place. Never see home or my family ever again. I beg strangers for help in vain. They cast me away like trash.

I see a man sitting along on a bench. He looks more friendly than the rest I’ve encountered. I go to him in a last-ditch attempt to find my way home. He welcomes me, doesn’t turn me away like everyone else. He lets me sit next to him.

“Can you help me find my way home?” I ask.

“Of course,” he says. “No problem at all.”

He takes me by the hand and we walk through the park. My fears are temporarily subsided, he must be leading me back to the cave, so I can go back where I belong.

But that relief washes away when I see something shiny glinting in the moonlight. He’s holding a knife. Before I can react, he plunges it into my stomach.

“Don’t worry, dear. You’ll be home soon enough,” he whispers in my ear as my consciousness fades away to nothingness.

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The Ladies of Horror Flash Project – #Horror #author Naching T. Kassa @NachingKassa @darc_nina #LoH #fiction

The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

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Spoiled
by Naching T. Kassa 

Ann Williams glanced up from the sink and her soapy hands, as Dr. Mason led the elderly woman into the room. Shadowed eyes stared from a pale face. A bald head shone in the harsh fluorescent light.

A younger woman, one resembling the old, followed. Dark hair flowed down her back, concern etched her face. Ann dried her clean hands and glanced at the sheet on her desk, hoping to refresh her memory. She didn’t know their names or what the elderly woman suffered from.

The page revealed all—or almost all. Gladys Sawyer, age sixty-eight, had Stage One pancreatic cancer. The younger woman remained a mystery. Had she met her before? She seemed familiar.

The elderly woman sat in one of the recliners as the doctor approached.

“Same today, Ann,” Dr. Mason said.

“Not exactly the same,” the younger woman piped up. Ann frowned as a memory of the woman’s name popped into her head. Maureen Simmons, Glady’s daughter.

“What is it, Maureen,” the doctor asked.

“The anti-nausea medication. Last time you gave it to Mom, she had a bad allergic reaction. You said you were going to prescribe something else.”

Dr. Mason glanced at Ann, who paged through the sheets in her hand. “Yes, we’re using Varubi. The one we gave your mother last time, after we purged the other medication out of her system.”

“I’m sorry, I should’ve mentioned that,” Dr. Mason said. “We’ll take good care of your mom, Maureen. Don’t worry.”

When the doctor had gone, Ann set to work on Gladys’ intravenous line. The elderly woman had declined a port, and it was difficult to insert the long needle through the papery flesh of her hand and into her vein. She missed it completely the first time and was forced to abandon it for the one in Gladys’s opposite hand.

When she’d finished, she glanced up into Maureen’s eyes. The younger woman glared at her.

“I’m so sorry, Gladys,” Ann said, quickly. “This is why we recommend ports. It’s much easier on the patient.”

Maureen mumbled something under her breath. “Easier for you.”

Ann washed her hands, then turned her attention to the IV bags. She hung them on the tree and said, “This is the New Medicine, Gladys. It’ll take about thirty minutes to go in. Then, we’ll start the actual chemotherapy treatment.”

Gladys didn’t answer. She’d closed her eyes, seemingly relaxed. Maureen, however, continued to glower. When Ann turned back to the desk, she could still feel the woman’s gaze on her back.

Ten minutes later all hell broke loose.

“Oh, my God, she can’t breathe!” Maureen cried.

Ann turned to see Gladys gasping for breath in the recliner. Maureen stood above her. “Help her!” she screamed.

The other patients in the Chemo Room looked up in alarm as Ann rushed forward to stop the drip. Within minutes, Dr. Mason and the other medical staff appeared beside her. Gladys didn’t respond to their ministrations.

In the confusion, Ann knocked the IV tree against the wall and somehow, the bags fell to the floor. She quickly righted the tree and returned the bags to it.

When Gladys failed to respond, she was rushed from the room. Maureen, her face ashen, stared after her mother.

“She’ll be alright,” Ann said. “I’ve seen this happen before. They’ll help her at the hospital.”

“What did you give her?” Maureen asked, her tone cold, dead.

“I gave her the New Medicine.”

Maureen glanced up sharply. “Varubi?”

“Yes.”

The woman stared, her gaze as lifeless as her voice. “Your lies…they cling to you. You’re dirty. Soiled.”

Ann reached out to her, but Maureen shook her off and hurried away.

***

Ann soaked in her bathtub, the hot water soothing her body but not her mind. The news of Gladys’ passing had come shortly before her shift ended. Maureen had not returned.

Ann bit her lip, her stomach roiling with anxiety. Dr. Mason had assured her it wasn’t her fault, but she still felt so…guilty.

She picked up a bottle of jasmine-scented soap, poured it on her bath puff, and scrubbed her skin.

How had Maureen known?

The way she stared, it was as though she had seen right inside Ann’s head, as though she had sifted through each of her memories.

She was low on the totem pole, not up at the top with the doctors and administrators. They dealt with the financials and insurance companies. They milked the patients for all they were worth. Ann’s only responsibility was to make sure the patients who didn’t want a port, got one. That they suffered allergic reactions severe enough to make the patient believe it wasn’t medication, but the IV which caused the problem.

Had Maureen seen her replace the IV bag when the tree fell against the wall? Had she somehow known that Ann hadn’t given her Varubi at all?

How had she known Ann was lying?

No. She couldn’t know. She’d been upset. She’d—

Ann glanced down at her arm and startled. A muddy-brown smudge had appeared beneath the puff. She scrubbed at it and more appeared.

The bath quickly filled with mud and filth from her body. The more she scrubbed, the worse it got. Shaking, she stepped out of the tub.

Ann released the water. Once it had drained, she filled the tub again and stepped in.

The moment she reclined, the water grew brown and worse, slimy. She drained it again.

This time, when she filled the tub, she added a strawberry bath bomb. The water grew fragrant, until she stepped in it. The moment she sat down, the strawberry scent grew sulfurous—like raw sewage. She poured a generous amount of soap on the puff and rubbed it across her chest, another brown smudge appeared across her skin.

Ann whimpered as she scrubbed, as layer after layer of brown slime peeled away. She scrubbed until polished, white bone appeared and she could scrub no more.

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Fiction © Copyright Naching T. Kassa
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com
 

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More from Naching T. Kassa:

NachingTKassa_SherlockHolmesAndTheArcanaOfMadnessSherlock Holmes and The Arcana of Madness: A Horror Mystery

Discover the untold mysteries of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson in Sherlock Holmes and the Arcana of Madness, a trilogy that unveils three captivating cases intertwined with the mystical allure of tarot cards, designed by the renowned, yet infamous artist, Richard Dadd.

A collection of manuscripts, meticulously penned by John H. Watson M.D., is unearthed in 2019 amidst the restoration of Broadmoor Hospital, found inexplicably in the grave of Richard Dadd. The manuscripts’ concealed journey and their remaining unpublished raise a myriad of questions, enveloping them in a veil of mystery.

Available on Amazon!

 

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