The scalpel I kept for 30 years

Found it today in the back of a drawer, wrapped in oilcloth. Still sharp enough to slice through a hair—though I haven’t touched one since I retired. It’s strange how something so small can hold so much weight. I almost didn’t open the box. But then I remembered the last time I held it: the quiet before a craniotomy, my hands steady, the room humming with anticipation. Now all I hear is silence. And the faintest echo of a heartbeat that isn’t mine.