— What do you think… I’m treating him. His back hurts, you know that. A friend told me acupuncture helps. So we’re trying it. It worked for her!

I stared at her in disbelief.

— But you’re not a doctor! You can’t do that with ordinary pharmacy needles! This requires sterility, knowledge… You could seriously harm him! That’s why he has all those bruises!

That was the truth behind the mysterious marks: no illness, no fall… just dangerous, unskilled self-treatment the two of them resorted to without understanding the consequences.

I carefully removed the last needle and said firmly:

— Tomorrow we’re going to a real doctor. No more experiments.