Doctor, Doctor

Sarah got herself comfortable as the doctor pottered about.

Nerves turned her stomach. She'd always hated the thought of her eyes poked and prodded, yet here she was.

Her eyes had suffered problems for as long as she could remember, and sadly, she had never overcome her fear. She felt vulnerable as the large seat engulfed her.

'You’re sure the assessment’s not dangerous’ She asked.

'Any type of procedure to the eye can carry some threat. But trust me,' the Doctor tutted, 'many a successful assessment are under my belt. Just lay back and don't move. Almost all my customers have left here unharmed.'

‘Almost?’ Sarah laughed nervously.

‘Apart from the pretty ones.’ He retorted.

Sarah huffed at the joke. The doctor had an aura that repulsed her, but she couldn’t work out why. She regretted the fact she’d turned up early out of respect. He hadn’t welcomed or thanked her, just waved her towards the seat as though her presence was an annoyance. The amount of money she’d forked out for the doctor’s care, she’d expected the courtesy of acknowledgement, at least.

He was older than she’d expected and sported a long raggedy beard and smudged glasses. He seemed almost out of place for such a clean room.

After the doctor fetched what he needed, he shuffled towards Sarah. He stopped just short of the back of her seat and pushed a lever on the bottom. Sarah shot backwards, shocked; She was almost completely flat. A harsh yellow glow beamed down on her from above.

‘Well, let’s see what we’ve got here.’ He muttered as he reached towards her face. Sarah fought the urge to squeal as he pulled her eyes open as far as they would go. The smell of the old man’s sour breath engulfed her and her eyes began to water.

Before she could protest, he placed a cold metal frame across her face that held her eyes fully open. The apparatus was heavy and pushed hard on her cheeks and forehead.

Sarah took a deep breath as she told herself that she was an adult and must overcome her fears, no matter how hard they may seem. She began to shake as she struggled to keep her nerves at bay.

‘Can you – can you talk me through the assessment please?’ She asked. She sounded scared and prayed he would show some empathy. She needed to talk a lot when she was nervous.

‘How about you let me concentrate?’ He snapped as he placed a strap across her brow and secured her head to the headrest.

She attempted to frown but the cold metal that held her face frozen wouldn't allow her forehead to crease. She'd seen the assessment performed before, but she couldn't remember the gadget so cumbersome.

The apparatus pushed uncomfortably hard on her skull.

Sweat began to bead on her brow as she contemplated a future where she kept her awkward spectacles and settled for a relentlessly blurred outlook.

‘Grow up, you’ll be okay.’ She muttered to herself.

She felt the same rugged straps wrap around her forearms as he secured them to the arms of the seat. The pressure squeezed her forearms. Defeat washed over her. She couldn't turn back now.

‘What are they for? The problem’s my eyes.’

‘You can’t move. Not a muscle. People tend to let fear get the better of them and that leads to a whole world of hurt. You mustn’t move - so now you can’t.’

Sarah fought the urge to attempt to scratch her eyes as they grew dry. The need to close them, even for a second, felt crazy.

'How long?' She panted.

'Don't rush me, young lady.' The Doctor snapped as he shuffled back to the counter and looked over an assortment of tools.

The depths of her stomach became a ball of hot nerves.

He wasn't exactly an endorsement for the comfort and calm presence you'd want from a doctor, but she hadn’t had an abundant range to choose from. He was the cheapest, and the only one not booked up for months to come that she could afford. To walk out now would only prolong her problem and she was desperate to see the world clearly.

A clatter caught her off guard as the Doctor arranged what he needed on a tray.

Sarah ventured a look to her left, but her head would barely move. The lengths he had gone to keep her almost paralysed seemed unnecessary.

She swallowed hard as doubt began to overcome her.

The doctor turned and shuffled slowly back towards her; every step he took caused the tray to rattle. Sarah watched closely, her eyes large and fearful as he popped the tray onto a table to her left. Sharp fragments of metal sparkled under the glare of the overhead lamp.

'Are those for me?' She gasped. 'Those can’t be for me. You’re supposed to assess my eyes, not perform a procedure. Not yet.’ Sarah gasped, shaken. The doctor refused to acknowledge her. ‘Hey, Buddy… you are supposed to locate the problem and see what steps we need to take to correct them. That’s all.’

The doctor proceeded to get comfortable on the adjacent stool as he made sure he had what he needed.

'Excuse me, Doctor? You don't seem to understand... Surely these aren’t for me, you must be confused. You must've expected someone else.'

Why wouldn't he look at her?

'Hey!' Sarah shouted - a desperate attempt to see any concern on the doctor's face, embarrassment even, at the amateur attempt to perform surgery on the wrong person.

The doctor checked the table once more. Once he was sure he had what he needed, he reached for a set of transparent gloves and carefully pulled them on.

Sarah's alarm grew as she watched; A stray tear caressed her cheek.

'Hey, what the fuck? Are you deaf? You've got the wrong person!'

Her knuckles bulged as her hands clenched. She struggled to free her arms from the straps but her efforts were useless. Scared, she attempted to knock herself over and onto the floor, but the heavy seat barely shook.

The doctor took a deep breath, as though bored by her attempts at escape.

Fear engulfed her as Sarah began to scream. She was suddenly all too aware of how empty the compound had been when she’d got there.

Casually, the doctor leant towards her face, and to her terror, roughly placed tape across her mouth.

Her head exploded. She knew she was helpless.

The doctor paused and looked at her, as though to savour the moment. Sarah's heart pounded as she watched. A few seconds passed before he reached for a small bottle, half full of a runny brown substance, and at last made eye contact.

Her eyes pleaded and begged as tears ran down her face and snot seeped from her nose.

The doctor’s eyes showed no mercy as he gleefully produced a needle and slowly sucked the substance out of the bottle.

She fought to scream but the tape proved too strong and pulled flesh away from her mouth, small tears began to weep and bleed.

She tasted her own blood.

Sarah bared her teeth as the needle plunged deep.