Ever since her stay at the hospital, Marina had been having strange dreams. They had warned her of certain side effects of the procedure – hair loss, increased libido, yellowing of the skin – but this was unexpected. She was sitting in the airport, waiting for a flight, sipping a cardboard-flavoured coffee, and trying not to worry.
Voices clamoured over the tannoy, but she couldn’t make out any words for some reason. The departure and arrival boards clattered, despite being digital. A man in a cowboy hat led a llama on a leash past her, she could smell its wool.
Marina woke up. She was in a doctor’s waiting room. A magazine she had been reading lay on the floor at her feet. For some reason, the other people in the waiting room all had pet carriers on their laps. She couldn’t see inside the pet carriers, but each was emitting strange snuffling and chewing noises. The door opened, and a man in a cowboy hat aimed a gun at her and pulled the trigger.
Marina woke up. She sat bolt upright in bed, sweat soaking her tank top. She rubbed her face with her hands and blinked hard. The clock said 3:00am. It was always 3:00am. There was a good reason for this, but she couldn’t remember what it was. She walked to the bathroom for a glass of water, blinking at her stretched features in the cold light of the bathroom mirror. She thought she saw something over her shoulder in the darkness, and started – but it was just a hoodie hanging on a door. She turned back to the mirror, her face was made of raw steak.
Marina woke up. She was in a hospital bed. She instinctively pinched her arm – it hurt. This was reassuring. She ran her hands through her hair, then looked at them. Thick strands were interwoven between her yellow fingers.
Marina woke up.