"Coming to America "

By:  S. R. Dantzler

Hialeah Convalescent Home- Miami Florida , 1953

“Good morning, Senor Castillos,” said Emorilia. “I am just going to change your bedpan.”

Oh how I hate the cheerful tone you keep. If only I could give you a proper tongue- lashing.

“There is good news. A musical group from the university is coming this afternoon,” she said as she rolled him on his side.

Good news? I am a shriveled pile of skin and precious little bone. What good is your news to me?

“They are called the Campus Owls . They are volunteering their time to play for the patients. Doesn't that sound exciting? Would you like that?” She swapped his pans and let him roll gently on his back.

Would I like that? If I had teeth I would like to peel your flesh and chew your bones. Do you enjoy your soliloquy, nurse? Does it comfort you to talk to the decaying old man who never speaks back?

“You have a new doctor, Senor. He will be in shortly,” she said. Then she leaned over to examine his eyes and whispered, “He is a big shot, from Nuevo York City , Dr Ellington.” She tidied up her supplies and left the room.

Well, this is indeed interesting. A big shot doctor from New York ? If this is true…

He mulled over the possibilities.

What does this mean? An awfully long trip to look over a decrepit old man in Miami . A potential omen?

The door opened.

“Good Morning, Mr. Castillos. I am Dr. Ellington. I have been reviewing your case in New York for some time now, since it was brought to attention by your doctor who happens to be an acquaintance of mine.”

Interesting….

Two nurses followed through the door carrying trays of supplies.

“I have developed a therapy regimen to see what we can do to remedy your condition. I will start by a mega dose of a wide variety of calcium sources to see if we can alleviate your bone deterioration. We are going to put a tube into your stomach and pump a mixture of bone meal, lactose, and calcium carbonate.

Bone meal…yes.

The nurses assembled around him and the doctor fed the uncomfortable tube down his throat. The instant the contents of the syringe met his stomach his core began to warm. As the bone matter mixed with his blood the regeneration began. It felt like fire, tearing stretching and rebuilding every cell in his body. Then his rejuvenation must have become apparent outwardly.

“Oh my god! I knew it. I knew it had to be true. You…you're an osteomancer. Ten years and no change in your condition. I have studied osteomancers for decades.You must be centuries old.” The doctor stumbled backwards.

He felt alive—reborn. Words he had been unable to speak for over ten years welled up to his tongue.

“Avec tresant ecclastius vorinius.”

The first spell he had cast since his ship was sunk. This time he was prepared and wasn't forced to consume his own precious skeleton in order to save himself.

He melted and surged into the reluctant body of the doctor. The nurses screamed and ran out the door speaking vainly to their mother Mary. The excruciating pain of the transformation rivaled that of the rejuvenation but was over quickly.

With new eyes, he looked at his new hands and raised them to feel his new face. He turned to the bed and looked at the thin bleach white skeleton, all which remained of his former body. He grabbed the tip of a finger and popped it into his mouth. The sweet taste of crumbling bone excited him. It was enough. He pulled up the corners of the bed sheet pouching his skeleton and cast a spell of invisibility.

He slipped out the door, unseen through the frenzy of excited nurses.

America , at last we meet.

He inhaled a deep breath of the crisp air. Tilting his head back, he faced the blue sky, and the beautiful sun warmed him… all the way to his bones.

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I am a fledgling writer of speculative fiction, but I have several short stories published in; AlienSkin, 365 Tomorrows, Everyday Weirdness, PenPricks, and an upcoming tale in "War of the Worlds:Frontlines" an anthology published by Northern Frights Publishing. My non-fiction publications include a soon to be released, "Cooking Aboard the Calypso: Memoirs of Albert Ughetto", Avon Books and "Small Town Tenzo", Basil Books.