The last thing Carcer remembered was the sudden realization that, yes, he was really going to die. Then the rope went tight, and everything went black.

It had come as somewhat of a surprise, later on, when he opened his eyes again and the light came back. He wasn’t back home—the room was too big—and he doubted that any afterlife smelled like formaldehyde. Then he remembered: Surgeons’ Guild. Idiots nearly stuck a live man on the slab….

Then he looked down. His clothes were gone—again—but that wasn’t important. His skin had started going grey….

“Oh, shit.”