Tidying Up

The plastic sheet is spread across the floor to catch her blood. Her clothes are neatly folded, set aside -- and so are mine. In one long stride I stand beside her, tweak her nose, and bring her to her senses. It must be rather shocking, I suppose, to be splayed out and firmly tied. The plastic sheet becomes a crinkled, blood-soaked mass as bits of her come free.... My task complete, I wrap her up inside the thick-lined garbage bags and tie them off. I turn. Who to do next? The plastic sheet.... Robert Hansen