Surgeon Z

I don't know when the cravings first started. I couldn't tell you if my life depended on it. I do know who my first victim was. You never forget your first.

It was a cadaver in the hospital morgue. He was a John Doe. I snuck in there when the medical examiner was gone for the evening. The skull had already been opened, and, from what I could tell of the notes, the brain was weighed. I undid the stitches and carefully pulled back the scalp and removed the skull section that had been cut off to remove the brain. My mouth watered as I looked at the grey matter. Just sitting there, covered with blood and brain fluid.

Slipping on a pair of gloves, I gently removed the brain from the man's skull and set it on the table beside the body. I made quick work of replacing the piece of skull and the scalp. My hands quickly and carefully resewed the skin, my needle going through the exact same holes the medical examiner's needle had made in the skin. After I finished, I found an empty container. I placed the brain inside before sneaking out of the hospital and heading home.

Once I got home, I sat at my dining room table and stared at the organ I had pilfered from the hospital. I sat for what felt like hours just staring at my ill-gotten treasure before ripping off a piece and eating it. I moaned in pleasure as I ate the delicious meal before me. If it could even be called a meal. I savored every bite, taking my time to enjoy the taste and the texture. I knew then that this was a delicacy I wanted to partake of more often.

The next day at work, I tried to act as if nothing happened, though internally, I was freaking out. I was sure someone knew of my misdeed.

"Dr. Harris?"

I jumped when my nurse said my name. "Y-yes?"

"The patient is prepped and ready for you."

I thanked my nurse and walked with her into the prep room, scrubbing up before setting foot in the operating room. My hand shook ever so slightly as I made the first incision. Gently I peeled back the scalp to reveal the patient's pristine skull. I swallowed hard and asked for the saw before cutting open the skull. I cut in a straight line around the skull, making a slight notch in the back to make sure I replaced the skull piece the right way. Setting the bone aside, I stared down at my patient's beautiful, juicy, delicious brain and felt my mouth water just as it had done the night before.

I hesitated a moment, reminding myself over and over again that I was a neurosurgeon. That I was a professional. I could feel my salivary glands working overtime. My stomach growled. I wanted so badly to remove my mask and lick the delicacy before me. I remained professional, though. I finished the surgery without incident then retreated to my office, locking the door behind me.

Oh, how I wanted to taste Mrs. Johnson's brain. Just a small nibble. But I wasn't alone. So that wasn't a luxury I could've afforded myself. Sitting in my office, I could still smell the deliciously metallic odor of the blood, mixed with the delectable aroma that filled the surgical theater when I removed her skull and exposed her brain. The intoxicating smell and sight had aroused something in me. Just as John Doe's brain had done the night before.

I stayed locked in my office between patients, and when the day was over. I stayed there, waiting for the time when I knew the morgue would be empty. Then, I snuck down there again and found my next victim, doing as I'd done the night before. This continued for six weeks, with no one finding out about the missing brains. Soon, though, the cold dead brains weren't cutting it. They didn't satisfy the hunger anymore.

I went out last night and picked up a transient. I took them back to my house to eat and bathe and sleep in a nice, warm bed. They slept heavily with the help of the sleeping pills I put in their drink. It was enough to knock out a small horse. I checked to make sure they were still breathing before moving them to the bathroom to start my surgery.

Less than an hour later, I was sitting in my dining room enjoying a delicious meal. This time I fixed a side dish to go along with my brains. As I ate, I moaned in pure ecstasy. Fresh brains were so much better.

Thankfully I lived in a town with lots of people that wouldn't be missed if they disappeared. I could possibly go months or maybe even years without being caught.