Rotting Flesh (standard:horror, 578 words)
Author: clark, susan	Added: Aug 04 2003	Views/Reads: 3478/3	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Story of a woman whose flesh is being eaten.

Rotting Flesh 

Each day the sore on her hip grew more cavernous.  It was as if some
ravenous animal whose appetite could never be sated was gnawing at her 
flesh. In its wake, the greedy animal had left a hole large enough for 
the doctors and nurses to stick their fists in.  The tunnel was so deep 
you could nearly see her white trochanter bone protruding through the 
necrotic flesh. 

In most cases, bed sores of the kind she had were surgically closed.
However, in Rebecca's case this had been ruled out.  Although she was 
only 34, she was too emaciated and debilitated to survive the 
operation. 

Instead, a team of nurses came to her home each morning and packed and
dressed her sore.  During the 5 months they had been making the visit 
to her stuffy bedroom, there had been no progress. 

It was a mystery.  Rebecca was seemingly healthy, and her only previous
infirmity had been a car accident.  This had left her in a wheelchair, 
but doctors assured her that she was essentially “normal” aside from 
not being able to ambulate. 

Then, for some reason she had developed a strange bump on her hip. It
progressed into an open sore that refused to heal.  Her doctor 
diagnosed it as a “bed sore” and advised her to eat protein and stay 
off the hip. 

At first, Rebecca followed his orders and consumed as much lamb, beef,
chicken, and cheese as he had prescribed.  She took care to not rest on 
her hip, and never sat in her wheelchair long. 

Initially, the seemingly innocuous sore began to heal and arrangements
were made for the nurses to visit Rebecca on a weekly basis.  The 
change in routine upset Rebecca. 

She had begun to look forward to the nurses visits, and welcomed their
company.  They always chatted with her, helped her dress, and showed 
great affection for her. 

Under their daily care, the sores had improved, and Rebecca felt happy. 
Now, that was to change. She would return to the isolation that had 
defined her existence since her car accident.  This prospect distressed 
her. 

Rebecca resolved not to lose the one source of human contact that had
brought her happiness.  Intake of protein was slashed, and she spent 
hours lying on the infected area.  As a result, her condition worsened, 
and daily visits were again prescribed. 

This pleased her and again she flourished under the nurse's care. 
Again, the doctor, upon seeing her health improve ordered the nurses to 
visit Rebecca weekly.  Rebecca again distressed, ate less and less, and 
lay motionless on her mattress. 

Her body, while young, could not tolerate the changes.  Now, even if she
had wanted her condition to improve, it would not. Her muscles had 
wasted, and fat reserves had been depleted by her roller coaster 
habits. 

Prolonged deprivation of animal meat had wreaked havoc on her levels of
protein, albumin, and red blood cells. Amid these complications, she 
developed sepsis and her flesh on her hip began to rot. 

The weaker and sicker she grew, the more and compassionate and caring
the nurses became. They asked her how she felt and what she had eaten.  
Some brought her flowers, food, and others offered to help her with her 
housework. 

Aside from the pain, Rebecca was never happier.  She felt loved and
cared for at last.  The consequences of her self neglect were not of 
concern any longer and she awaited her ultimate fate. 


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