a friend pulled judgement yesterday
“nearly to completion,” they said
sitting in the waiting room’s cushioned armchair 
i pondered the meaning behind the pull
which supposedly ruled in my favor

completion
completion of what?
the riddance of the crawling feeling
beneath my skin?
the knot in my stomach begging
to be unraveled?
the prickling of my goosebumps signaling
danger!
you’ve reached consumption!
you cannot escape now!

desperately clinging to the flimsy card
the judge peers with her hooded eyes
she smiles
“nearly to completion”

i hope she’s wrong