“You are such a baby Charles” Anna said giving her husband a playful punch on the arm.

“You know I hate hospitals. The smell of disinfectant masking the scent of death” Charles replied with a shudder.

Anna’s smile disappeared, “You are really worried about this aren’t you darling?” she said pulling Charles close.

“Surely you remember what happened last time I went into hospital?” Charles asked snuggling up close to Anna. The scent of her hair, fragrant with apple shampoo calmed his jangled nerves.

“No darling, I don’t think you told me about it” Anna replied.

“I must have done!” Charles said, his whole body beginning to shake afreshe at the recollection.

Anna stroked her husband’s cheek, “I don’t remember, sorry darling. What happened?” she asked.

“You remember when that bloody jack Russell bit me and I had to go into hospital?” Charles said.

“How could I forget there was blood everywhere. You really ought to have made a complaint to the police and had the animal destroyed. It could have been a child rather than you”, Anna said.

“Thanks a bunch! So its OK if I get bitten but not if a kid gets savaged?” Charles said.

“No, and you know that isn’t what I meant!” Anna said.

“Sorry darling, my nerves are all over the place. I know that isn’t what you meant”, Charles said.

“You are forgiven”, Anna said ruffling her husband’s hair.

“As I was saying, I went into hospital and the nurse gave me an injection, I think they call it antitetanus, to kill anything that dirty little mut might have given me. Before leaving I popped into the loo and”, Charles stopped his face turning ashen.

“What did you find sweetheart?” Anna asked massaging her husband’s neck, (she knew how it helped to relax him).

“I opened the toilet door. There was this man leaning over the sink. At first I thought he had just been sick. Then I saw the blood. It was everywhere. The poor man had literally coughed his guts up and was stone cold dead. What a way to die”, Charles said, his whole frame starting to shake anew.

“Oh Charles. You never told me. I can’t imagine how upsetting that must have been. You don’t have to go you know”, Anna said.

“Its important. They are short of blood. I want to donate”, Charles replied.

“Would you like me to go with you?” Anna asked.

“No darling. You have an interview for that teaching job, Charles said.

“You are more important than a bloody job. I’ll see if the school can reschedule”, Anna said.

“No, that would be very unprofessional. I will be fine darling, honestly”, Charles said.

 

—

 

Charles tried to concentrate on the newspaper. It was no good, he kept seeing the bloodless face of that corpse propped up against the hand basin.

“Charles Craven please”, the receptionist said.

Shakily Charles got to his feet and walked through into a small room. The whiteness of the walls perfectly complimented the palor of Charles’s face.

“Please take a seat. Make yourself comfortable”, a young woman in a white coat said with a smile.

Charles gazed mesmerised at the woman’s blood red lips and her ever so perfect white teeth. They where, he thought unusually long and pointed. In fact more like the fangs he had seen on wolves when watching wildlife documentaries.

“You may feel a little prick”, she said advancing on him, the light reflecting of those perfect, sharp teeth.