Friday, February 24, 2012

Drawing Blood

I'm barely awake; Fingers wrap around my forearm right before a sharp sting, there is a momentary feeling of relief as I watch the thick red liquid flow into the vial. The suffocating anxiety floods back into my chest as as the needle is removed. "I don’t need a Band-Aid it won’t bleed." The nurse skeptically shakes her head and lifts the cotton ball, her eyes slightly widening when there isn’t bleeding. I shrug my shoulders, "I don’t bleed and I can’t cry and yet the pain is overwhelming." Turning towards the wall, I close my eyes and welcome the dark veil that comes over my mind and extinguishes the screams inside.