He caresses her skin gently, the tips of his fingers running lightly across her arm.

The peach fuzz almost shies away from the touch.

“You are so beautiful,” he whispers into her ear.

He continues to graze gently, his finger reaching her chest and feeling the strong beat of her heart. 

“I’m a little nervous myself, but don’t worry. I’m here for you.”

His hand remains on her chest, feeling the beat of the drum. 

“Do you know how incredible the heart is? It’s scandalous how often it’s taken for granted.”

He sits up to speak.

“Did you know it’s a muscle, and the most fascinating one there is? Your biceps and triceps and deltoids can’t even compare. It’s at the center of your circulation, allowing the entire system to work.” He taps the bare skin on the left side of her chest as she looks at him. “The center. Without it, your entire body would lack oxygen. Your blood would fill with carbon dioxide and without the heart’s veins carrying them towards it, you’d have a heart attack.”

He looks at her, seeing her blank expression. “I’m sorry. I’m just really intrigued by this stuff. Anyway, there’s something far more alluring and intensely more curious.”

He rubs his pointer fingernail against her stomach, feeling her creamy skin. Her muscles are tight to the touch.

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“And I mean what the heart means.”

He winks magnetically.

“It’s the true organ of love, isn’t it? Or at least Greek philosophers believed so. They argued that our strongest emotions came from the heart. They are technically wrong, but I sometimes wonder why they believed that.”

He looks off into the empty space of the room, seemingly thinking. 

“I think maybe because of how our hearts beat faster when we are in the presence of one we love. Like it’s reminding us of how important they are to us. I get that feeling when I am close to you, like I am now. I can feel my heart pump faster as though recognizing that you take my breath away. Cheesy, I’m aware, but it would make sense seeing as I’ve just described one of its functions.”

He looks back at her.

“Yet even though it is so fascinating and powerful, it’s also fragile. Physically and figuratively. Hundreds of people have heart attacks every day from clogging themselves with junk. Fat, cholesterol, plaques. They clog our arteries and our heart can do nothing about it but keep trying, unsuccessfully.”

He sighs.

“It’s really a shame. But we even loosely use the term ‘broken heart’ to describe an emotional destruction. As though it’s a fate worse than death. A bad breakup, a miscommunication, even a parents ungained love can cause it quicker than the snap of a finger. We can feel that sinking feeling in our stomach like the world is coming to a bitter end. It might as well though. Everything goes gray and boring as we grow apathetic and cold to the world. Our heart is not at fault for such a disaster though. That is our brain. It convinces us of all those insecurities and issues and, historically speaking, throws them on the heart like a scapegoat. The brain is what causes all of our traumas and 

He looks at her again and frowns. 

“I’m sorry, I know I’m rambling. I just really believe in this stuff. But I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.” He picks up the knife from the rusted little cart and holds it firmly in hand. 

“Don’t worry, I won’t hurt your heart.”

Her body remains frozen, paralyzed as she lies naked on the table. An unfortunately bright light directed across her whole body.

“You just won’t be needing it anymore.”