Hand to the Slaughter

 On hot afternoons, the AC would always be turned on by the teacher at the request of the sweaty student. The kid goes up to the teacher and asks her to turn on the air conditioner, sweat just dripping down his face. She surveys the class before doing so, and everyone agrees. Happily, the student returns to his seat and within a few minutes he is all dry.

 In this particular classroom whenever the AC is activated, the huge outdoor unit which is located outside the window arouses as if it were a bear that had been hibernating for the past six months gathering all its strength to catch a mighty meal. The startles you the first time you hear, but after some time you get used to it. Those who sit at that window need to close it, otherwise all their material and hair will immediately blow off their desks.

 On this particular afternoon it was 30 degrees Celsius, however, it felt like 40. The sweaty student went up to the teacher, as usual, and the request was granted. Nonetheless, there was a new student sitting at the window where the outside unit monster slept until awakened. When it did, it did not frighten the student nor did the kid close the window. Instead, she put her hand out to play with the wind like we do when we are little kids riding in the back seat of the car going on a road trip with the family. The hand just glides rising and descending with the wind.

 When the teacher noticed what she was doing, she asked the student to put her hand in and close the window before it got caught in the machine. This startled the student for she was making believe that her hand was an aircraft flying to distant lands. All that was heard was a high-pitched cry. “Turn off the AC screamed the sweaty boy!” He was pale. The girl sitting near him couldn´t hold it in and threw up on the classmate sitting in front of her. When the teacher got a look at the whole scene, filled with horror she asked another student to go get help. The new girl´s hand was being chewed up by the outside unit monster.

 The teacher tried her best to help the poor girl. There was blood everywhere because it took a few seconds for the machine to stop rotating. It was as if the teacher had predicted what was going to happen. It was just a minute too late. The paramedics arrived and also the cleaning staff. Students were told to go out to the open areas, and some were sent to the nurse´s office.

 What a tragic afternoon! No more AC for this group and minus four fingers for the new girl.

 

Written: April 7, 2022 (This is a work of fiction)

Photo: Meire Marion