The Zeros

[first lines]

Doctor:
I didn't start treating him until well after his initial contact with the virus. First case on record. Poor guy, should already be dead. And all I can do is give him something to keep his energy up, but does nothing to inhibit the illness. And I had hoped he'd hang on long enough so I could name the disease after me.

Medical Student:
Doctor, what's happening now?

Doctor:
That's a psychic healer dispelling evil spirits - part of his HMO.

Psychiatrist:
Experienced properly, death can be like a good sneeze.

Joyce:
What's with you?

Joe:
I'm dying, actually.

Joyce:
On my couch?

Joe:
I was looking at her out of the corner of my eye, and she's staring right at me, which is kind of a surprise to me. And then she says, do you want to make eye babies? And I said, what's that? And she said, it's when you look at someone real close, and you can see your tiny little self in there eyes, and they can see their tiny little self in your eyes. That's eye babies. And so we made them the whole way there.

[last lines]

Joe:
My chest opened up, and some great pain of void was suddenly known, and filled at the same time. It was the only pure moment I've ever known.