The Scream by Ken Whitson

A prick. A sting. And the voice flows from the syringe—a whisper, really. Soft. Encouraging. Helpful. Nestling between my ears, warm and comfy. But one became two, and two, ten…

Do this. No, that. Stop. Go, wait!

The chorus grows and grows until there’s no room left for my own thoughts.

Run. Hide. Fight. Kill!

The voices rage. They demand. They cajole. They threaten. What do they want? Why? How do I give it to them? What can I do?

Now. NOW. NOW!

I scream. I SCREAM! And at last, they’re quiet… Another prick. Another sting. Another voice. Another.



About the Author

Ken Whitson is a retired civil servant who likes to write way more often than his email address suggests. When not consulting or otherwise unretiring, he enjoys crafting vivid, emotionally charged stories with unconventional themes. His work recently appeared in Bunker Squirrel, CafeLit, and Dragon Soul Press's Doctor Fear Anthology.