Poison

Poison

Harry followed every slight movement with his eyes closely, beads of sweat clinging to his temples. As Dr. Ganderbai lent forward to press the narrow peaked point of the needle into Harry's moist flesh, I could see him swallow reflexively. His eyes screwed tightly shut as the pinpricked edge of the surgical steel needle slid in, but he did not flinch. I watched the clenching and unclenching of his stubbled jaw as he fought the forceful urge for movement. Dr. Ganderbai nodded silently in appreciation of Harry's blatant efforts as he emptied the yellowish anti-venom into Harry's bloodstream.

I winced as if the pain of it was my own as I gazed on. As soon as the syringe was completely empty once more, Dr. Ganderbai ever so gently withdrew the the minute needle tip from Harry's pulsing vein and sighed softly in relief. He set the now useless syringe onto the nightstand before pressing a clean cotton swab onto the miniature puncture wound, like a one-sided vampire bite, staunching the slow oozing of Harry's blood leaking from the tiny hole. He removed the red rubber tubing from from around Harry's arm expertly. Harry's eyes opened once again and focused on the doctor, following his movements as he had done before. He looked frantic and nervous; the pressure of subduing his cough and remaining still must have been wearing on him.

As both Harry and I watched silently, sweat beading on both of our brows, Dr. Ganderbai moved about very quietly to the bedside on the left and very carefully lifted the sheet. A delinquent rivulet of sweat trekked a winding path between my shoulder blades as I held my breath in apprehension. The anticipation in the room was uncanny as the Krait was finally revealed. And as the light of the room reflected off of the creature's shimmering scales, it awoke, glaring furiously at Dr. Ganderbai. The doctor turned for no more than a mere moment, but that half-second proved to be his undoing as the snake took the opportunity to lunge at him, retaliation for disturbing its rest.

I stood, staring in frozen horror as the Krait latched onto Ganderbai's wrist, its almost insignificantly small fangs slipping into his skin as if it were nothing more than cheap tissue and pumping its lethal venom into his bloodstream. The doctor screamed in shock and agony, flailing his arm out frantically and smashing the serpent against the stone of the bedroom wall, killing the fragile reptile.

Ganderbai's breathing became labored and heavy, his breath coming in short gasps as if he were hyperventilating and his eyes were wide with fear. Harry sat up, realizing that he was now safe from the snake's poisonous bite. He peered at the doctor and I confusedly, his gaze fluctuating between the two of us. Finally, after several moments of utter silence, I concentrated on moving, making my way to Ganderbai who stood staring in morbid fascination at his wound.

“What should I do? Where's the rest of the serum? Syringes?” I asked hurriedly, my words coming in rapid succession, fully forgetting about the knife I'd hidden in my pocket earlier this evening in my rush to help my friend. Ganderbai didn't speak for some time as he began to shake his head in disbelief. I watched him, trying unsuccessfully to comprehend what he was thinking.

Finally he spoke in a tone that spoke only of fright, sweat on his forehead and running rampant down his reddened neck, “There is no more.” he whispered hoarsely. I rushed to his bag and searched inside. I found nothing. There was no more serum; he had used it all on Harry who sat silently viewing the scene unfolding before him as he remained unharmed, no bite marks on his unmarred skin.