The Remedy - 3AM #147

THE REMEDY

“Why would anyone do that?” James barked. He stuffed more junk food down his gullet. “Medical breakthrough my ass,” he scoffed through his food. He wasn’t surprised he lived alone – he always had. He didn’t understand much of anything, especially relationships and the deeper feelings that can accompany them. He could honestly see no reason why someone would sacrifice their life to save someone else’s, even a family member; even if they were dying from cancer or whatever. Who cared? Shuffling his ample weight, he shimmied off the couch and stood as straight as his frame allowed.

His knees were still bothering him, but he didn’t see any reason to get any surgeries. It wouldn’t do any good and he’d probably never recover; most of the time he just sat on his ass, eating. He was seriously considering letting them amputate so he could just have the motorized wheelchair. He’d probably get out more. He shuffled into the kitchen and moved a couple of dirty dishes from inside the sink to the counter, cringing as he squished something onto his finger from the plate. Even though he couldn’t tell what it was, he plopped the finger into his mouth and sucked the slime off it. It tasted… weird. He couldn’t even smell the stench permeating the kitchen anymore.

He ran his hands through the water then reached into his shirt to “wash” his pits for a second or two. Then he shuffled through the trash to find some napkins. He dried his hands, his pits, then opened a drawer and put on some deodorant. Now he was ready for the day. He waddled to the door, slipped on his shoes and he was outside, squinting into the midday sun.

M M M

“He’s coming around,” someone said from inside the sun. No. It was overhead lights now, not the sun. But they were way too bright.

“Where am I?” James grumbled, realizing he was hungrier than he had been in a long time. “What happened?” He was trying to remember anything after he closed the door. He’d locked it. Walked down the stairs. There was a kid on a bike. Nearly ran him over. He stumbled out towards the street… into the street! The cab!

He tried to bend his neck to look down at his legs, but he couldn’t move. Did they have him tied down? “Sir,” the nurse was doing something to his arm, but he couldn’t feel it. “Please remain calm.”

“What are you doing? What happened to me?” Suddenly everything seemed just fine. The hot nurse smiled down at him and nodded. She asked him if he was feeling better, and he nodded. Or at least he thought he did. “Sure,” he mumbled. “Everything’s. Just. Fine. Now.” He wasn’t sure what she’d said to convince him of that, but she nodded and resumed working on his arm.

“Now be certain you don’t destroy the flesh,” someone said from above and behind him.

“I know,” she snapped at him. “Is the recipient ready?”

“Thanks for doing this,” someone said from behind the nurse. “Your sacrifice won’t be in vain. Thank you.” The man on the bed next to him was sobbing now.

“Keep him sedated,” she yelled.

Tools clattered and a rough looking man bent over James and flashed a grin at him, his yellow and jagged teeth made James’ eyes fly open. He wasn’t wearing a surgical mask, and he didn’t have any gloves on. He didn’t even look like a doctor. “You’re so compassionate, you fat piece of shit!” He popped James on the head a couple of times in mock admiration. The other man seemed confused at the remark, and started to protest, fighting against his restraints. “No! This is what you paid for you rich prick,” the pirate spat. “Remember that when you wake up in hell!”

“Knock it off, Conner,” she chuckled and slapped him on the side of the head. “Just get them sedated.”

“You weren’t paralyzed,” the pirate sang to James through his missing teeth. “Dead for sure. But it was easy to bring you back long enough for harvest.”

“What do you mean?” James croaked.

There was a click at his neck and James felt the pressure release. “Take a look, tubby.” The pirate moved over to the other man and administered some medicine into the medicine bag.

James looked down slowly, and saw his ruptured belly open to the world. His organs were contracting with his motion and his breaths, and the “nurse” was watching him with mild amusement. “You’re sick,” she chuckled to the pirate.

“Why?” James whispered through his horror.

“Didn’t you hear? We found the cure for cancer!”

James held up his arm, but saw only the muscles and bones looking back at him. He passed out again…

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EXERCISE: 3AM EPIPHANY - #147 (LIVING FLESH)

French Poet Paul Valery wrote: “Idea for a frightening story: It is discovered that the only remedy for cancer is living human flesh. … Add water – and flesh. 800 words.”