PREVIEW OF CHAPTER THREE: ASHES TO ASHES, DUST TO DUST

Anthony regained consciousness as they pulled into the E.R. Parking Lot but wished he hdn't,. He had pain everywhere, his heart and lungs seem,ed to be on steroids, and they were at THAT E.R. As Wayne and Homer were unloauding Anthony from the car, DR. Loyd came running out, holding up a hand. “No Medical Waste here,” Anthony heard the hated voice. “I've told you before.” “But. . .” Wayne said. “But,” Homer said. “Bu what? But nothing. Get him out of here.” DR. Loyd turned back towards the hospital. “But he's dying,” cried Wayne. “With immediate treatment, he wont make it..” As DR. Loyd paused, got out a stephiscope, turned and walked back to Anthony, in Anthony's eyes the Mask of “Pro Lie” was torn off of DR. Loyd's faceand Anthony sawwhat he truly was, but was no longer able to speak and so could not say it. DR. Loyd set the stephiscsccope to Anthony's chest and listeneda moment. Then he nodded and withrew. “You're right,” he said after a moment of thought. “He is dying.” He pulled a surene with a vial totallly filled with some bright red liquid and stuck it into Anthony's Chest. Anthony's felt his eyes go as wide as they could as he gazed into what he now saw DR. Loyd's eyes truly were and the vial drained its contents into his body but was still unable to articulate it. As he gazed into those cold, empty eyes as the vial finished draining, he fully saw who and what DR. Loyd truly was. He was. . . “There you go,” said DR. Loyd, problem solved. Suddenly, in a panic, Anthony realized that he had breathed out but not breathed in, and then suddenly his worldwen black.