“Right there. See that?” Dr Robins marked a wide circle around the x-ray image of Gene’s skull.

“Yeah, the big splotchy spot where my brain is”

“No. The spot where your brain should be”

“Oh.”

“Fascinating. Absolutely incredible.” The doctor stood there for a moment, admiring the work of the radiographer. She didn’t seem to notice how the news had troubled Gene, and she didn’t think much of the following silence, which only made things worse.

“So…I’m dead then?”

“Well yes… erhm. No. I don’t know. I wouldn’t call you ALIVE per se.”

Gene wasn’t sure what to make of it. He could probably, eventually, accept the fact that he was dead. He was just worried about how he would break the news to his Mom. ‘She’d die of grief!’ He thought to himself. He wondered about who would plan the funerals if they were both dead.

“Anyway, come back Tuesday. I want to run more tests.”

Gene asked the Doctor about the tests and whether they would hurt, but she was so busy in her work that she didn’t answer him. She just kept on muttering words like ‘extraordinary’ and ‘stunning’ . Eventually Gene just saw himself out of the office.

Gene was afraid. He was afraid of the tests, and of the parasite, and of the tests again, and of what his family would think of him. Dead. The nerve of him to die so early. Couldn’t even wait his turn. Couldn’t even bother to get married first. Dead. Most of all of the things he was afraid of was Dr. Robin, and of the horrible horrible Tuesday of his next appointment.