'(Not) Afraid of Blood' by Bayveen O'Connell

On the rainforest trail at Binna Burra, a leech loosens itself from a fern and clings to Jay Benson’s forearm as it swings by. The leech sucks and swells. Soon the boys in the class have gathered round the gore, pointing and whooping. Look, Mr. Phillips, this is sick! The girls hang back, running panicked scans of their bare limbs, pulling Psycho faces. All except Alison Everett who stops to rummage in her backpack and grabs a Tampax which she lobs into the huddle of horror. The boys spring apart, and stare down at it, shaking their heads, shuddering. Gross.