About 3:00 am on the Orthopedics floor at Swedish hospital.

“Brad, wake up, please.” 

      “Hrrmp. Ah, O. K.” 

“I’m Laura from the lab. I need to draw some blood. I’m going to turn the overhead light on. You might want to close your eyes.”

       “Ah, sure. What time is it?” 

“About three.”

I pull the blanket completely over my head, and stick my right arm out from underneath. 

The room lightens. She gently takes my arm, and checks my ID wristband. Half-asleep, I feel the cold of an alcohol swab. A small prick of a needle. A pause in the quiet room. Then I feel a quick wipe, and the stickiness of a bandaid covers the new, small hole.

“All done. Go back to sleep, Brad.” Through the blanket, I sense that darkness returns to the hospital room.

     “Hrrrmm, thanks, Laura.”

I hear the door close. As I drift back to sleep, a strange thought pops into my mind. 

She took my blood and I never even saw her face. She could be a vampire with the munchies. Or an alien from space doing research. 

Oh, well. Enjoy, Laura.