Dilation drops are dispensed from a small bottle above my face and,
I blink them from the corners of my eyes as they splash against my corneas.
Someone kindly passes me a tissue,
Turns down the overhead lights, and
Retreats quietly from the exam room.
Alone in the dark with my eyes
Closed while my anxiety and my pupils grow larger,
Tapping my shoes nervously against the footrest,
Ignorance is bliss -
Opposite of fear - as the Valium kicks in.
Now comes a bright light obscuring the doctor's scalpel.
About the Creator
Heather Holland
Heather Holland is the author of the short story "Dragonfly in Water." She also writes Simple Stories on Substack.com, and she is the main contributor to The Daily Rhyme - with Heather Holland and Special Guests.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
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Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
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More stories from Heather Holland and writers in Poets and other communities.
On Winning and Losing
Recently, the pleasant surprise of placement on the Vocal Bonus Leaderboard sent me down a rabbit hole. Now, rabbit holes are a pretty common place for me to spend time, but I don't always feel the call to write about them. To be honest, the thought of sharing some of them mortifies me.
By Dana Crandell6 days ago in Writers
Comments (1)
My eyes ache just thinking about this! Well done, as always, Heather.