Submitted by EHardage on Mon, 01/25/2010 - 11:26pm

Momentary Discomfort

The pain is temporary, the techs promised. They didn't say why. Humans can withstand anything for fifteen minutes.

She's withstood the pain for six years. Six years of restricted diets, bizarre treatments, a steady hemorrhage of funds. Nerves, career, family shredded by a virus doctors can barely explain, much less purge.

The clinic is black market, beyond experimental. No bothering with release forms. Her remaining cash up front.

Nanopyrenes, intelligent enough to attach themselves to the virus and burn it out. A single injection. Fifteen minutes and she'll be cured, or...

Her fingers candles, tipped by blue flame.

Elizabeth,

Good story. The last line is a bit too poetic for me. I would like - her fingers becomes candles...

Dave K

mata2m2f

Mon, 02/01/2010 - 10:26pm

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I like to content and storyline.  Good job getting alot of concepts across is so few words

CyberSavant

Mon, 02/01/2010 - 11:18pm

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I'm not sure I understand the ending--the lack of a verb in the closing line makes for confusing reading--but I like the imagery and sense of desperation on the part of the main character.

betzgreat

Tue, 02/02/2010 - 7:37am

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The word 'human' indicates the clinic is run by non-humans, instead of some ugly back-alley scientist using stolen nano-technology. With her fingers tipped by blue flame at the end, I knew the pain she had felt before would be nothing compared to what she would experience now. Ouch! Maybe her death will be mercifully quick. An uncomfortable warning to keep away from non-FDA approved treatments.

Betsy

 Great way to capture chronic pain and the desperate measures one will take to relieve it. Loved the final image of blue flame tipped finger-candles.