a short story
It was midwinter and Faye Stevenson�despite the late hour�had decided to go for a walk through the mostly quiet city streets before her appointment. Though buildings rose high enough to strain a person�s neck, the landscape was among the most beautiful she had ever seen. There was something beautiful in how the city seemed alive even in the latest hours of the night. Windows looking down at the streets were like a massive collection of observant eyes; they just watched, never interfered.
A car hummed by, its metal throbbing actively from the bass within. Faye watched ahead as it took the street corner aggressively; again she turned her eyes downward. Her breath curled in front of her eyes, a phantom of life. Winter wind churned quietly around her, the scarf around her neck whipping to the side.
Soon, as the throbbing car was out of hearing distance, Faye only heard her inhalations and the soft clop, clop of her shoes. A block from home, she had no intention of returning anytime soon.
Humming a few notes from a song, she glanced up once more at the street around her. Browning slush was in the streets, and the only white snow that could be seen was a number of melting wigs atop the heads of gargoyles. The gargoyles themselves looked displeased at the mockery of their devilish appearance.
�Oye�hola bonita.� The slithery sound of a man�s voice came from beside her, and for the first time, she noticed a shifty looking man with greased hair watching her from an alleyway. He was hunched predatorily in a leather jacket, or perhaps just huddled away from the cold. �Come over here.� He was definitely a predator.
Faye walked quicker and was soon out of the man�s sight.
She shivered quietly�now whether from sudden fear or the still persistent cold breeze, she did not know�and it took twenty minutes to arrive at a small office. A light still burned brightly in the window, words painted onto the glass.
Dr. Corvaisi�s Medical
�Bringing you the most professional and efficient assistance!�
Faye opened the door without regard to the harsh clang of the bell just above the doorframe, and made a beeline directly for the secretary�s desk.
�I�m here for my appointment.� Her voice was dry from the cold.
The secretary didn�t even glance up from her glowing computer screen, �Name?�
�Faye Stevenson. F-a-y-e.�
A quick nod let Faye know that the woman had heard clearly.
Faye noticed the dense smell of pine cleansers. The familiar sterile smell of a hospital sickened her.
�Dr. Corvaisi will see you now. All of your paperwork is in order.�
�Thank you.� The brunette gave a brief smile before she headed towards the doctor�s office. Her hand tingled as she opened the door and let herself in.
Dr. Corvaisi was a squat bald Italian man, but he looked as professional as any other doctor might. His voice was deep, booming, and lacked an accent.
�Please take a seat, Ms. Stevenson. How would you like today�s procedure to go?�
�Quickly?�
Corvaisi smiled knowingly and nodded. �So it shall be. Follow me, Ms. Stevenson.� With that, he stood, pushing himself up by using the arm of his swiveling chair.
Faye followed him into what appeared to be an examination room and was immediately told to lay on the medical chair in the center of the room, which lay back as far as possible without falling back. She noted that it resembled a dentist�s chair.
�It must be cold out there.� Corvaisi commented lightly as he pulled medical gloves onto his hands and came to Faye�s side. He pulled her arms out to her sides and tied them to the arms of the chair before facing his back to her.
�Very.�
�Here we go.�
Those words sent a pang of nervousness, doubt, and an onrush of second thoughts. Faye swallowed nervously and watched as Dr. Corvaisi faced her once more, a needle of industrial size in his fat palms.
The needle slowly sunk into Faye�s vein, and she bit her bottom lip hard as she felt the injection of liquid mix with her blood.
The world began fading slowly around her as a sense of peace swallowed her as gently as the chill of the night had. Faye�s eyelids slowly became heavy as she felt herself drifting into sleep.
Dr. Corvaisi watched closely, monitoring his patient�s blood pressure and heart rate, nodding satisfactorily as Faye�s life slipped quietly and quickly from her body, just as she had wanted.