Julian set the tray down on the wheeled table beside the bed. On the tray was a sterile pad, a small bottle of antiseptic, a tiny scalpel that looked more ceremonial than medical, a folded clean cloth, and a small digital timer.
"I need someone to hold the timer," he said.
Kalugal lifted his hand. "It will be my honor to time the healing duration."
"Excellent." Julian handed him the device.
The doctor turned back to Arezoo, picked up the antiseptic and a swab, and cleaned a small area in the center of her right palm.The antiseptic was cold, and the smell reminded her of things she would rather not think about today.
She closed her nose and breathed through her mouth.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
She nodded.
"Watch your hand closely."
She nodded again.
He picked up the scalpel, pressed the tip to the center of her palm, and made a small, quick stroke.
It stung.
A bright bead of red welled up in the line he'd made.
"Now," he said.
Kalugal started the timer.
The bead of red did not get any bigger, and the red did not run. It hung there, a small bright line in her skin. It stopped welling almost as soon as it began.
Julian dabbed gently with the gauze to clean the blood away. The cut was visible underneath, a thin red line about a centimeter long, and then it was less visible, and then the red began to fade to pink, and then the pink began to fade to white, and then the white began to fade to nothing.
A small rim of new pale skin pulled the edges together.
The new skin smoothed.
"Stop," Julian said.
Kalugal stopped the timer and looked at the display. "Thirty-nine seconds."
The room exploded in cheers and applause.
Soraya pushed Ruvon aside, not gently, and gathered Arezoo up against her chest.
"My girl," she said into Arezoo's hair. "My girl. My beautiful girl."
"Maman."
"You are immortal now."
"Almost. Not quite yet."
"You are mostly immortal. Close enough. Mostly immortal."
"Yes, Maman."
Arezoo could feel her mother's whole body shaking, and it went on for a while. Arezoo held on to her mother and listened to her mumbling in her hair, sometimes in Farsi and sometimes in English.
