by Judy Furniss

Created on: November 06, 2009   Last Updated: November 20, 2009

It started as a tittle. You couldn't see it with the naked eye, but it was there just the same ... waiting.

Ever so often the smallest surge of energy would create a spark like you get when you rub two pieces of flint together, yet ever so slight. Then, like tiny droplets of rain, the sparks began to meticulously join forces in a rehearsed fashion, resembling a million fairies dancing to a concerto in A minor. Eventually a formless vapor materialized.

When the dance was over, the fog had cloaked everything in new garb; even the most innocent sapling turned dark and sinister. Its cold gloomy mist spread silently, destroying everything in its path, not being a respecter of anything.

Ominous fog traveled methodically branching off, creating its own path. At each turn the dark energy became thicker, picking up momentum. Faster and faster the miasma traveled, spreading like wildfire!

Malignant cells began to multiply unrepressed, developing into a mysterious mass, creating the insurmountable monster. With confidence, the beast raised its head to begin a journey beyond its boundariesslowly creeping over the crusty, lava like surface. Sticky tar hung from barren branches like swamp moss, yet didn't hinder its progress. It continued its silent journey through the sticky quagmire.

Armies of genes prepared to attack the evil mass that had crossed the borders to invade their territory. Signals were sent to the heart to 'step up the pace ... Pump harder! Get that blood pressure up!' The lungs received messages, 'take deeper breaths. We need more oxygen!'

Messages came back from corpuscles who had detached themselves from their cohorts. 'Oxygen is depleted in the lungs, there's too much pressure running through the vessels. Something's going to give!'

Confusion abounded, causing total chaos as the implicit enemy began to take over the body creating havoc, causing each system to malfunction.

A line had been drawn. It was body against disease.

Henry wasn't aware of the assault taking place inside his body. With the exception of a dry lingering cough that plagued him, he felt fine. After a few weeks though, the old man started to feel run down and his cough progressively became worse.

"Damned allergies!"

His habitual morning walk to Mom's Caf became a chore. What normally took thirty minutes became an hour, then two. By the time Henry made it home, he was out of breath and exhausted.

"Guess I need to quit smoking." He finally stopped going to the cafe.

In late October, Henry's

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