Imposter (daily micro edition)

It's dark. The patients are asleep. My shoes squeak. I barely notice the antiseptic smell anymore, but now it feels strong in my nose.

Something tingles my spine, and lifts the hairs on my arms.

I'm tired. It's been a long, busy shift. I'm still new at this. I haven't done this task before.

I want to accost someone, find an excuse for them to accompany me...

Sometimes, in forests, it goes unnaturally quiet. Even animals avoid a place Touched. Are people subconsciously avoiding this hallway?

The door is ajar, the room beyond darker. I move into the room. Irrational fear grips me: the door will blow shut behind me, a lock click...

Nothing.

She looks like a cartoon ghost; a child's last-minute costume for Hallowe'en. A person under a white sheet. I almost burst out laughing.

I grip the sheet. I cannot bear to do it slowly, so I rip it off quick. I look down.

I gasp. She's ghastly. Death hasn't been kind. Her face is a rictus, her hands claws. Her hair, wiry and white, is sparse on her bloodless scalp. She stares at something I can't see.

I feel for a pulse, for a whole century of a minute. Her talon flashes out, catching my wrist in an iron grip... in my mind. I pretend all's well, my fingers pressed to her cool, papery skin. Locked there as surely as if she had grabbed me.

Now I check for breathing, for two centuries. I lean close. I'm the prince. She's not sleeping, nor a beauty. Her head's tilted back, her mouth open, as if for a kiss. Oh, please don't wake!

We're still. In a static dance.

tick tick tick...

almost done!

Something grabs my wrist. Is this my imagination? No: it hurts. A lot. In this heartbeat (mine) I'm less afraid than shocked that the thing I feared is actually happening.

Fear returns, flooding back and slamming into every cell of me. She feeds. I go limp, fear bleeding away, sleep swirling... Like I've been given benzodiazepine-

-shoes squeak. I hear his breath, his heart. I smell his fear. I wait for him to pull back the sheet. We are hungry.

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Quick author's note

Word count: 366

(NB. This excludes the title, subtitle, and author's notes.)

Submitted on Tuesday 15th October at 22:43

A Year of Stories: I'm writing (and submitting, here) a story every day this year. This continues my 289 daily micro-fiction story streak since 1st January.

ONLY SEVENTY-SEVEN DAYS TO GO!

Please consider lending your support to the other creators on this madcap "a story every day" adventure. They're putting out excellent content every day!

Rachel Deeming

Gerard DiLeo

Thank you

Especially if you are one of the wonderful people who has been staunchly reading these daily scribbles since the start of the year. I see you, and I am extremely grateful for your ongoing support.

Thank you to those who leave feedback/comments. Bear with me while I catch up on reads (I will have much more time to do this at the end of the coming week. In the meantime, I do appreciate your eyes!)

If you enjoyed this one, the very best compliment you can give me is to share it, or read another!

This is my latest dollar challenge. Please have a look.

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Thank you again!