Big soft bed. I'm in one, and the sun is shining on my face through the window. I feel a discomfort in my chest, and slip my hand under my shirt to inspect. There is something sticking to my left breast. I peel it off, just like I peeled away from each other two rubber animals that had been locked in a dark warm box together for a year, and propped them up, smooshy-faced, next to the nativity on the piano. Before I see what it is I rub my fingers along its edges, rough, and then I realize. Before I see it is my nipple, I know it is my nipple. I hold it in front of my eyes and confirm this. There is no blood, but a long white vein-like cord hangs from the back.
Calmly, I rise from the mattress and walk downstairs. He is in the living room fixing an old computer, and I stand in front of him in my nightclothes, detached nipple in hand. He looks up.
"My nipple fell off." I hold it up to show him. He blinks, stands, and takes it from me.
I lift my shirt and we both look down at my breast; a plateau exists where a cone used to be, and there are five white cords peeking out of the skin. They are obviously what kept my nipple in place, and I wonder if a new one will grow soon.
His eyes go wide and he exclaims, "Oh! These can come out!" and before I am able to stop him he grabs two of the cords and begins pulling, and I wonder Can this really be healthy pulling what appear to be veins out of my breasts oh my god maybe we should call a doctor before doing anything ourselves this is starting to feel strange I don't like this I don't know if I can trust him does he really know what he's doing?
I feel a pressure in my left arm. I lift the sleeve of my shirt and see that my skin is crinkled due to the veins being pulled out of my body. He keeps pulling and pulling, and the veins keep coming out, and I feel like I'm disappearing within myself. I stare in horror as the pressure spreads to other areas, and suddenly everything goes...