The morning after

That night was never meant to go too far. But it did.

It begin innocently enough, with just the slightest hint of skin brushing against each other. But it grew and progressed, progressed and grew. Seductive glances, longing stares. Beer bottles dropped on the floor, lips met. Undies peeked, articles slipped. Hands everywhere .

Flashing lights and warning sirens popped up in their heads. Isn't it going too far? No. Just this one time.It feels so right. So it happened. The time when two became one. Double happiness. The next door neighbour can't sleep at all.

For he and she, the sleep was blissful enough, but the morning dawned a nightmare.

When's the last time you saw blood? 10 days ago? 15? Not sure? Idiot. What to do now? Panicky and shrill voices echoed across the wall. Gosh, the neighbour thought, they never stopped.

And now frighten, worried and unsure, they wandered around the city like a pair of lost children and ambled into the very first pharmacy with the lights on in the still dark winter morning.

It had to be a MyChemist, because they are the only ones which opened at 7a.m.

The great pharmacist was summoned.

I love my girlfriend very much. But we are too young. You know what I mean? he started, whispered and stammered.

Er...no?

We...we...too young to get married. We..

Oh snap it. We did it last night. And I don't want a baby. How can you help us? She interjected.

So you are after the pill.

What pill?

The morning after pill.

Morning after?

Yeah the pill you take in the morning to cure all the nightmares that happen after you both did you-know-what at night. Just fill in this form.

So they stared at the big white sheet of paper and started to answer the questions.

Q1: Usual mean of contraception: The oral contraceptive pill/condoms/rhythm method/none

Q2: Reason you need the pill: contraceptive failure (split condom)/missed pills/sexual assault/didn't use contraceptive.

Q3: First day of menstrual period? Usual duration of bleeding? Usual number of days in cycle?

Q4: How many times you have unprotected sex during the cycle? Hours since last unprotected sex? Dates of unprotected sex?

Q5: Are you taking any medication at the moment? Do you have any serious medical condition? Had you have a pregnancy test recently?

Oh great pharmacist, we had finished.

Then they stood there watching the pharmacist peruse the paper like school kids waiting for their teacher to check their maths homework.

So you did 7 hours ago. Excellent. Then you have 95% chance of success not getting pregnant. Here's the two magical pills. Take the first one now and the second exactly twelve hours later. Understand? Great. Be more careful next time okay? Good. Please pay at front counter. Good luck!

He and she walked to the counter with the magical pills, knowing their nightmares will be cured. They feel as light at feathers, a bounce in their steps. Their skins started to brush against each other again.

Good morning. Big smile. Beep. Scanned through. That will be $32. 2 miniscule white pills. You want the water also? That will be another $2.50. Money parted hands very reluctantly. Thank you very much. Ouch. That's a lot of rubber.

For more information about the morning after aka the emergency contraceptive pill, click here.