Equalitin

Frank sat hunched over in the stiff leather chair, pressing his hand into the small of his back, hoping for some relief. The familiar pinch shot down his spine as he shifted, and he groaned. “Doc, this back of mine—it’s getting worse.”

Dr. Palmer looked up from his clipboard, calm and reassuring. “That’s why you’re here. We’ve got something new. It just received FDA approval—Equalitin. It’s not like any other pain management drug you’ve tried before.”

“Equalitin? What’s it do?”

“Think of it as redistributing the pain. Instead of feeling intense discomfort in one area, it spreads it evenly throughout your body. No more sharp pain. It’ll be there, but… manageable.”

Frank raised an eyebrow, intrigued but cautious. “Manageable, huh? My back’s been killing me for years. I’d do anything to get rid of this pain.”

Dr. Palmer smiled and reached for the syringe. “Trust me. You’ll feel the difference almost immediately.”

Within minutes, the drug was in his system. Frank braced himself, expecting the usual numbing sensation or perhaps a dull buzz, but something stranger happened. His back pain—gone. He sat up straight for the first time in months. A wave of relief washed over him, though he noticed something new: a faint, almost indistinct ache across his arms and legs. Not pain exactly, just a mild discomfort.

“Wow,” Frank breathed, testing his movements. “My back doesn’t hurt at all!”

Dr. Palmer nodded. “That’s Equalitin at work. It spreads the load, you could say. You might feel a little ambient discomfort, but it’s much more manageable than acute pain, right?

“Yeah,” Frank said, twisting his back experimentally. “I feel a bit off, but I can live with this.”

Days Later

Frank returned to the office, this time walking in without a limp. But there was a weight in his expression, and he kept massaging his arms and shoulders as he sat down. Dr. Palmer didn’t look surprised.

“How are we feeling today, Frank?”

Frank grinned, though his eyes looked tired. “It’s been amazing, doc. The first couple days, I felt so good that I went all out. I fixed up a bunch of stuff around the house—been meaning to get to it for months, but my back, you know? But with Equalitin, it felt like I could do anything.” He paused, chuckling a little. “Hell, I even hit my finger with a hammer while I was working. Didn’t feel a thing!”

Dr. Palmer raised an eyebrow. “You hit your finger and didn’t feel pain?”

“Yeah,” Frank said, almost proud. “I thought I broke it, but I barely felt it. This drug… it’s incredible. But, uh…” He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, rubbing his neck. “I woke up this morning feeling, I don’t know, just… off. I’m not in pain exactly, but everything kinda aches now. My whole body feels heavy, like I’m carrying something I can’t put down. I guess I’m just… uncomfortable.”

Dr. Palmer leaned back, tapping his pen against the clipboard. “Well, Frank, that’s to be expected. You see, before Equalitin, the pain was concentrated in your back or your knee. It was unfair, really—your knee was doing all the suffering while the rest of your body got off easy.”

Frank frowned. “I don’t know about that. I mean, sure, my knee and back hurt, but now everything hurts. It’s not the same sharp pain, but I feel like I don’t want to do anything anymore. My whole body’s dragging.”

Dr. Palmer gave him a patient look. “But isn’t that better than having one part of you in agony? Why should your back or knee have to carry all that weight alone?”

Frank rubbed his temples, the ambient ache settling in. “I get that, but… I mean, it’s not like my whole body was useless before. My heart, my brain—they were fine. They didn’t need to hurt.”

“Ah, but Frank,” Dr. Palmer leaned forward, his voice smooth and reassuring, “that’s exactly the point. Sure, your heart and brain were doing important work, but isn’t it a little unfair that they were feeling good while your back was suffering? They were benefiting from the comfort while other parts of your body bore the brunt of the pain. Doesn’t seem right, does it?”

Frank blinked, unsure. “I mean… I guess I just don’t see why they should suffer. They need to work, you know? I don’t really feel any better now that everything hurts a little.”

Dr. Palmer smiled knowingly. “That’s the beauty of Equalitin, Frank. It evens everything out. No part of you is suffering disproportionately. Your back isn’t going to take you out of commission anymore. The work is spread across the whole system. It’s not about feeling better, it’s about making sure no one part of you is privileged while another part suffers.”

Frank sat quietly, rubbing his forearm absently. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense. But now I just feel… tired. All the time. Is that normal?”

“Completely,” Dr. Palmer said with a calm smile. “No one part of you is in agony, right? You’re functional. The pain is shared. Equalized. And that’s the whole point, isn’t it? Fairness, Frank. You’re not being unfair to any part of your body now. Everything’s sharing the load.”