One Shot Stories

VIII ~ Poisonous Appeal

• Credit to CheyBooks for the banner.

I must've eaten something bad. I can't figure out what it is though. I had toast this morning, I went to a Chinese place for lunch, and my friend made me dinner at her house. What in the world could it be?

    I rush to my bathroom and throw up again. Fifth time tonight. God, it's awful. I bow my head over the toilet. My thoughts go back to the Chinese place. It was pretty sketchy and I knew that. It was just that I was so hungry. I remember I walked in and ordered and when they came to give my food to me, the lady whispered to the other lady and the lady, who had my food, rushed back into the kitchen.

    She came back out with a smile on her face and handed me my food. I ate it hurriedly for I was late to a meeting. It just now occurs to me that I should go to a doctor. I pick myself up and stagger down the stairs of my apartment building.

    Driving to the ER, I will myself not to throw up. I finally get there and rush in. The man at the front desk looks at me worriedly.

"Sir, are you alright?"
"Oh, yes I'm fine," I rasp. "No! I'm not okay! Why do you think I'm here?"
"Sorry, sir. Have a seat. The wait time is a hour."
"What? I'm pretty sure I'm gonna puke my guts out in a hour."

    Saying that, I smack a hand over my mouth and rush to the bathroom. I hear the man running after me. I retch into the toilet while the man pats my back. I lift my head up.

"Sixth time tonight." I mumble.
"Sixth?"

    I only nod and slump against the cool basin.

"It seems you are in dire need of help. I'll go get the doctors, sir."

    I nod. How could I hold so much fluid in my stomach? The padding of feet behind me makes me lift my head. A woman bends down and puts her hand against my forehead. I lean against her soft touch.

"Can you walk, sir?"
"I... I can try."

    She smiles at me and helps me up. The woman helps me to a room and helps me sit on the examination table.

"Tell me, what have you eaten today?" She asks.
"I ate my usual toast for breakfast, and then went to a sketchy Chinese place for lunch, for dinner my friend cooked me something. I have a strong feeling about the Chinese restaurant."
The doctors smiles fades an she says,"What's the name of this place?"

     I tell her and she curses.

"You are the tenth person to come in here this week sick to their stomach. All of them ate at that place."
"So... so what's wrong with me?"
"Well, they either poisoned what you ate, used raw chicken, or," She looks around nervously then, makes eye contact with me. "We found a fetus in one patients stomach."

    She shivers.

"A fetus?" I ask.
"Yes. God, it was awful. The police have tried to go in but the owners refused to let them in."
"So, you're telling me I could have an unborn something in my stomach?"
"Yes, sir. You have a thirty percent chance of it being poison or raw chicken."

    I stare at the woman.

"Why do they do that?" I ask in horror.
She shrugs,"Cruel, cruel people in this world. Anyways, lets go ahead see what's wrong."

    By the end of the night, they concluded it was raw chicken. I still had my suspicions. I go home after they give me medicine that'll help. When I get home, I go straight to the bathroom. Oops, I didn't flush. I cringe at the orange liquid but, I see something that catches my eye.

    And to my vision, it looks awfully like a curled up something.

•••

Please don't ask. I literally just thought
of this as I got off of the bus.
Anyways, did you enjoy
the cringe?