Create a story that interprets the overlapping meaning of all 5 of these words and use all five words in the story. 1) Meridian, 2) Circumference, 3) Radius, 4) Spiral, 5) Rotate

    My ankles were swollen. My back was one big ball of pain. My nose was runny and the skin on my hands was stretched tight. My head was aching and this silly nurse was smiling while she measured the circumference of my belly. At that moment in that time, she made me sick.

     The doctor pulled on her scrubs, her gloves, and her mask. She was ready; I was not.

     My body went numb with pain and I screamed myself into unconsciousness. When I open my eyes the pain was still there. The smiling nurse informed me that everyone within a two-mile radius could hear my screams. Good, I thought. Here I am at the meridian, and my body had already spiraled out of control. I growled at her.  I didn't think I could take this intense pain much longer.

     Then it was time. I could feel it.

     My hips were stretched beyond any point of reasoning. My eyes grew wide with curiosity. "I wanna see," I said. "Please, let me see." The doctor gave a quick nod and the smiling nurse rotated the mirror hanging from the ceiling to let me see.

     A black patch of fur appeared between my legs and I caught my breath. Suspended between awe and pain, I found I couldn't breath. Tears were leaking fast from eyes, but I scarcely noticed. I saw and felt at the same time a slimy lump slip from my body. My breath and my voice returned at the same time. But gloriously, for the moment, the pain was gone. I sat there gasping as the smiling nurse placed a blanket on my stomach and after seeing what was inside I finally smiled back at her.

Lisa Donell