Hands of Blue

I force my eyes open. Why so heavy?

Blue lights pointing down. Why so bright?

My face is tight. A mask strapped across my mouth, foggy with breath.

Further down, blue hands move. Blurry with speed

I blink.  Then I feel it

The knife beneath my ribs

Then a hundred knives arching across my back.

a thousand needles rammed into my bones

a million voices screaming through my ears.

Try to scream.  Can’t

Try to move. Restrained.

Four blue hands pin me down.

One blue hand drives a needle into my arm.

gasp. choke.

see spots.

blink.

            black.

blink.

nothing.