The bleeder
===========

* Lisa Lemieux

*   Creative writing
*   Doctor

> Red inky words scrawled aggressively across the paper,
> 
> he's looking over my shoulder thinking don't worry
> 
> blood's not red it's blue/purple except air oxidises it just so fast that
> 
> our imperfect eyes don't see
> 
> I reply you're scientifically right I'm sure but it's pretty red
> 
> when you've severed an artery accidentally and it's pump pump pumping away

> reach in, find the bleeder, hold it down tie it off use cautery make it stop stop stop

> I don't believe for several long seconds that I can do it and I'm terrified
> 
> but I'll tell you this man looking over my shoulder
> 
> hope also turns red when it hits the air.

## Footnotes

*   Competing interests None.

*   Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed.