“This will feel like a bee sting...” I wasn’t scared, but I was wondering if I should be. The needle slowly came closer to my skin. What had I seen so far? Blood, cotton balls, needles. I wasn’t scared... Why was everyone panicking? I could hear my heart beat. What if I had it? Positive...The word of the day. The needle was getting closer. Bee sting? In English, the girl came back stunned. Mosquito bite. Carefully aimed towards my right arm. My arm was pale, the needle was cold. Was it touching me yet? I couldn’t tell. Sideways, it seemed. I flinched. Why?

Anyone who had attended the school last year had to have it. It was just a shot. The principal had explained it to us at orientation. I had had one in 1st grade, but I didn’t remember it at all. Tuberculosis...I had read about it. A disease in the lungs, possibly fatal. The TB test they had called it. A vaccination injecting tuberculosis into your blood stream. A couple days later they would check it. If there was a spot, they would be positive. A possibility of catching tuberculosis. They all knew though, and they would stop it. I never realized how many kids hated needles. They were scared. I didn’t think much of it. I had heard it was less than half as bad as getting your ears pierced. A lot of people had to be tested. They called them down by homerooms. When walking through the hall, all anyone heard was “Does it hurt?”. The question everyone was asking. I was in English class. There were four of us, and we didn’t talk about it. We didn’t want to. Jordan, Hannah, Philip, and I. We were writing and talking. We tried, but we couldn’t avoid it. Who had it? There were rumors. Were they true? News travels fast. They called my homeroom teacher. I went to the band room. I guess the nurses office was too small. I received a sheet of paper and they told me to get in a line. They filled out my name and information and sent me to a nurse.
She prepared the vaccination. She wet my arm down with something on a cotton ball. Cold, I didn’t care. Shots don’t hurt, having TB does. What would happen if...
“This will feel like a bee sting.” What kind of supportive “Oh yeah it will be easy” statement is that? I’ve been stung by a bee, it’s not the best thing in the world. The needle came closer, did my life depend on this needle? This sharp, shiny needle? Positive...the word of the day. Who was positive? I flinched. For half a second, it did feel like a bee sting. But then it was over and I hardly remembered it. That easy, but was I positive? Bbrrr...It was cold all of a sudden. No pain, just a little blood. She handed me a cotton ball, ewww... I didn’t keep it long. I handed another form into someone and went to 2nd period.

Positive...The word of the day. It had been a couple days since the shot. Who was positive? Walking through the halls, the whispers told secrets. Three people so far. The question is will we have to take it again? I got in line, pretty confident. Three people so far. Would there officially be four when I left the room? No, I doubt it... Probably not. The nurse took one look at my arm and handed me a note. I walked out and read the note...Negative. Three people so far. I promise, they can stop it before it happens. That test will save three people. All for half a second of a bee sting.