The New Triage

By Tom Hadrava

Green, Dismissed—Nausea, stomachache, dizziness. Instant hair loss.

The virus is said to be alien, Chinese, or a bit of both. It’s very simple, not specialized, attacking seemingly random cell types. Bastard.

Red, Immediate—Stomach cramps. Intra-abdominal bleeding. Auditory hallucinations.

I get hit by the toxic wind on my way home, the filter in my face mask expired or a dud.

Black, Expectant—Confusion, then deep coma. Severe colourblindness. Heart failure.

I stumble and fall. Hands hold me, then press me down. The sorting medical drone lands on my chest. It whirrs, scans, lights up. Only I can’t recognize the colour.