A body is required

The needle put a solution into his veins, knocked him out and when he really woke up he couldn’t remember a thing.

He was tall, wearing a green silk shirt, brown leather pants and Indian moccasins. There was bandage on his right arm from the needle. The clear white plastic bag hanging from a hook when he reclined on the chair was gone. Before they attached electrodes to his chest to monitor his heart rate.

The room was clean. No tables with wires, tools, syringes, masks, machines. A woman eased him out of the chair and walked him down the hall to steady him. He retrieved his down jacket, baseball hat and a plastic bag holding a useless pink tongue. She escorted him through the complex to another office.

A woman with dark hair waited in the reception area.

“Here, these are for you,” handing him brilliant purple, yellow and orange flowers with long green stems.
“They’re beautiful,” he slurred. “What are they?”
“Tulips. From my garden.”
“Do I know you?
“I’m Michele, your friend. Must have been some good drugs.”
He smiled. “Yes. It felt like five minutes.”

“You were out 1.5 hours.”
“Really? I had no idea. I don’t remember time now. It’s been erased. I’m now a stranger to myself. I died back there.”
“Good. One needs to die before they can live. May I take you home now?”
“I don’t remember where it is.”
She turned to the receptionist. “Do you have his address? Thanks. Let’s go.”

The cabin was surrounded by bamboo. He found a key in his pocket and opened a door.
“It’s small,” she said.
“Yes it is. Would you like some tea?”
“No thanks. I have to get home because I have a Wednesday deadline.”
“What day is it?”
“Monday.”
“How many words?”
“They want 1000 and I usually give them 1400. They can cut what they can’t use. Here’s my number. Call me if you have any trouble.” She placed a piece of paper on a table next to an hourglass.
“I’ll walk you out. I need to have a look around.”