Page 5 of Trust No Alpha

I was angry at my father now because he did not do a thing to stop him.

I heard Father say, “Something?”

Doctor Poe hemmed louder.

“I don’t like your look,” Father said.

Good! Maybe he was going to do something about this pervy runt who should have retired a decade ago.

“I’m feeling nodes,” he said.

My heart jolted at his words. I tried to lift my upper body.

“Down!” said Poe.

Father put his hand on my back. “Stay still.”

Did I have tumors? Was I dying?

“Father--” I began.

“Stay still, I said!”

Tears prickled cold at the edges of my eyes. The finger inside me wriggled and poked until it hurt.

“Ow!” I couldn’t help myself.

“Shh!” Father’s hand pressed harder on my back.

I was helpless, like a bug under a microscope, and they were going to talk about me again as if I weren’t even in the room.

“I need to open him up more,” said Poe.

“What?”

Father reprimanded me again, but it did no good. I was in a panic now.

I felt a cold metal instrument inserted inside of me. It hurt. I could feel it twist and expand my opening. It was like being stabbed.

“It hurts,” I complained.

“It will be over soon,” said Father.

I could feel his heat as he leaned over me. Looking at me.Looking.At my insides. At my most private of all spaces.

The doctor’s breath was on me, he was so close. He explained to Father what he was doing.

“It’s a camera,” he said.

A camera? Going inside me?

“But I can already see what it is,” Pokeme said, a little softer, his voice gone cold.

I clenched my eyes shut. I crushed my lips together and sucked them in. My whole body was tense, aching, split open. Invaded.

“Egg sacks. Dormant but there nonetheless.”

“What?”