First a Nail, Then a Knuckle

"Aw, I broke a nail."

"Ooh, that hurts."

"Yeah."

"How'd it happen?"

"I don't know, I just looked down and it was broken."

"Oh."

"So it didn't really hurt, I guess."

"Oh, OK."

"It's just cracked a little, but it's like 'Hey, part of this broke, when did that happen, what happens next,' that sort of thing."

"What happens next?"

"Like, I can't do nothing. I can't do nothing to the thing. But I don't want to cut it down so close to the skin."

"I—"

"I mean that's what I'd have to do, it's cracked down to the skin. It's not going to heal. Is it? How long would that take?"

"I don't know, like, a while, I guess—"

"It's not like I can cut it."

"You—"

"I know what's going to happen. I know exactly what is going to happen. What is going to happen is I am going to pick pick pick pick at it and more and more naily bits'll break off, they'll break off and the break will get bigger abd bigger and then I'll have this, it'll be like a hook or something, a sliver of nail sticking off of the nail and then that'll catch on something, and then that'll tear, blood, I'll be bleeding, you'll see the part of the finger that no one's supposed to see, then it's just exposed and it's pain and hell I gotta chop off this motherfucker."

"That escalated quickly."

"Right? I mean, he has to go."

"He?"

"I gotta cut it, gimme your knife."

"What makes you think I have a knife?"

"Dammit, man! Now there's no time!"

"No time for what, no time for what—?!"

"Let's see, a knife, a knife a knife a knife a knife, I must fashion a knife."

"Don't you think you're taking this a little far?"

"There's no time for thinking! There's no time for thought! There is only action, and if I don't act soon then all is lost!"

"It's just a nail!"

"HA! Just a nail. Just a nail?! That's how it starts, friend, that's how it starts. First it's a nail, and then a knuckle, then a finger and hand and arm and torso and before you know it you are bits and pieces and gone and forgotten and you've left a trail of nothing to no one now where do you keep the knives?!"

"I don't keep knives, there are no knives on me!"

"If... if I can't govern my nails... if I can't govern my body... then it's all over. Then I'm as good as dead."

"It's just a little thing."

"That's not the point.

"Hey. It happens. Nails catch. Nails grow back."

"And then what?"

"Then... then you'll have all your nails. I don't know. Then you'll be fine. You'll be fine in the meantime, too."

"I don't want to be fine. I want to be in control."