Excerpt of Rose Of The Adriatic by K. M. Daughters

Anna came down the aisle and slowly neared the kneeler.
She stood in front of it, the chain of her rosary beads
dangling near Matt’s ear. Her pleasant, powdery scent
brought a spontaneous smile to his lips. He squelched it,
relieved she hadn’t seen, and also confused by the
distraction when he had work to do.

Anna knelt, an apparent signal for the rest of
them to follow suit, and continued to lead the prayer
recitation. On his knees, hard stone against bony
kneecaps, all Matt’s muscles tensed for action. Anna’s
right elbow rested on the front railing of the kneeler,
inches to his left. Her three-quarter length sleeves left
her exposed forearm a perfect target.

Mid-sentence, Anna’s prayer ended. Matt
glanced left. Her eyes were upturned and fixed on a point
on the far wall. He registered the transformation of her
features, glowing angelic. He opened his bag and slipped
out an alcohol wipe and the first needle.

Matt shuffled sideways on his knees pulling
his doctor bag along the floor in front of him. Ecstasy
radiated from Anna’s features and it made Matt hesitate,
breathless, wishing for a split-second that he had put
that expression on her face. Such joy. Like she emanated
pure love. Focus. He’d process his conflicting response
to her later.

Matt swallowed his guilt, swiped the
antiseptic down Anna’s forearm using his left hand and
sunk the needle in her flesh with his right, exerting
minimum pressure while he watched her face. No reaction.
He dotted the piercing along her arm. Nothing. He pulled
a lancet from his bag and snagged her right thumb, angled
back from her prayer-clasped hands. He jabbed it a couple
times, squinting his eyes, his gaze riveted on her face.
No reaction other than a few droplets of blood. Maybe a
larger gauge needle.

Stirrings began behind him. He was running
out of time.