A bedtime story

"Once upon a time is such a cliché way to start a story, but here we are." Head cocked to the side, he examined the tray of steel instruments on the nightstand. "Of course, all the best bedtime stories begin that way."

Picking up a scalpel, he looked down at the woman tied to the bed. "And this is the best bedtime story you'll ever hear."

"Please don't..." she whimpered.

"Hush, he said, pressing the cold steel to her lips. "Listen. It's my favorite."

"Once upon a time there was a curious little boy who loved to play pretend. His sister and her friends liked to play house and school. He didn’t mind, but he preferred to play doctor. His parents had given him a doctor’s bag with a plastic stethoscope, a tongue depressor, a cup and a plastic hammer.

“Some years later he added the scalpel himself. Well, actually, it was his father’s straight razor in the beginning.

“In the early days, he practiced his surgical skills on stray animals he happened upon…or trapped.

"When adolescence struck, he discovered girls. And the pain of unrequited love.” His fist tightened on the scalpel.

"Don’t worry, like all fairy tales, this one has a happy ending.” He paused. “Although it is true that it does not end with and everyone lived happily ever after.”

"Now, where was I?"