Pain (2nd Place)

Dr. Mengalla squeezed the eyedropper and a few drops of formula fell into a scratch on his arm. An instant sharp pain shot up and down his limb. Tears welled in his eyes. The skin teemed and bubbled around the wound for about two minutes, and wove back together. A white scar remained.

“Still trying to perfect that formula, eh, Dr. Mengele?” Stan chuckled.

“I’ve told you not to call me that. It’s Dr. Meng-Al-Uh, not Meng-ul-la.”

“Hey, I’m just yanking your chain. Seriously, have you worked out that the healing doesn’t hurt so much or leave such a nasty scar? I mean are we there yet?”

“No luck. It still hurts like hell -- even worse than the original wound. It also works only on small wounds. Put it on a big one, and it just hurts and gives you a weird feeling.”

“It doesn’t even heal it a little bit?”

“Not that I can tell.”

Stan and the doctor paused in silence, both in thought.

“What if you drank it?” Stan asked.

“No. This is a topical treatment. It combines so readily with other compounds. Even anesthetics can’t be used.”

“It shows promise after twelve years, but the pain is too much of a problem. Keep working. I’ll bring some lemonade.”

“Thanks.”

Stan returned with lemonade and placed it next to the doctor’s microscope. The doctor turned and dumped a vial into the glass. He looked at Stan.

“I think you were right. Ingesting it might make someone invincible.”

“You can’t do that. You can’t drink that. It'd kill you.”

The doctor uncovered a pistol from beneath his lab coat. “Oh, I’m not drinking it. You are. Yes, it'll probably kill you, but twelve years has been too long.”

The anguished shrieks could be heard two kilometers away….


300 Words
Flash Story Must Contain the line: "are we there yet?"