I’d decided to go big for my first tattoo, and this was my third and final sitting. “Almost done,” my tattoo artist said. “How you feeling?” “Feeling fine,” I answered. “Thankfully, I have a high pain tolerance.” Tony was the kind of artist who focused more on his work than on his conversation, so I’d filled in the silences during our sessions. I liked to talk. One of my friends, Evan, said I liked to hear the sound of my own voice. Tony surprised me, though, by pushing the conversation further. “What’s the worst pain you’ve experienced?” “Getting shot in the head.” The tattoo gun let out a short buzz and then cut off abruptly. “Seriously?” he asked. “Seriously.” The needle returned to my back with a sharp bite. “How’d you survive something like that?” “I was a test subject in a clandestine government experiment that made me invincible.” The tattoo machine went quiet again. The radio switched from hard rock to pop and the front desk girl sang along with the lyrics.
What do You think about Played: An Altered Saga Novella?
