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that bad?”
    “I don’t know Frank. It’s made me doubt the beyond.”
    Frank scratched his head. “I’m lost.”
    “Ok, Joe blew up, right.”
    “Yeah.” Frank nodded.
    “All that’s left for him to wander around with is … is … is …” Dan burst. “His head. He is a head in the afterlife.”
    “A head in the afterlife?” Frank asked for clarification.
    “Yes.”
    “A head of what?”
    “Himself.”
    “He’s a head of himself in the afterlife. Was he in a race with himself?”
    “Huh?” Dan looked up confused.
    “You said he was ahead of himself.”
    “Not ahead as in ahead, but a head as in a head.” Dan paused. “He has no body Frank only a head.”
    “Fuck.”
    “Yeah. A floating head.”
    “Fuck.”
    “Sweet Jesus.”
    “What kind of head, a full head, old head.”
    “His head.” Dan said.
    “Fuck.”
    “Sweet Jesus.”
    “I saw him and that’s the last I recall. Ask him.” Dan pointed.
    “Who?” Frank asked.
    “Robbie. He saw.”
    Robbie turned around. “What’s going on?” He walked into the lab and handed Andrea her coffee.
    Roy explained. “Seems Dan has seen the ghost of Joe but only a floating head.”
    “Really? Cool.” Robbie nodded. “Ok, I’m out of here.” He turned.
    “Wait.” Frank called out.
    Robbie stopped. “What?”
    “Dan said you saw.”
    “He saw,” Dan blurted out emotionally.
    “I saw what?”
    “Dad’s floating head.”
    “Frank.” Robbie dropped his voice to a whisper. “I thought I made it clear I never opened the coffin just the tomb.”
    “Sweet Jesus!” Andrea screamed. “You broke into your father’s grave.”
    “Sorry.” Robbie shrugged.
    “No,” Dan said. “Today, you were talking to Joe’s floating head.”
    Frank turned to him. “You were?”
    “When?” Robbie asked. “Because if I were, I’d know it.”
    Dan explained, “At the trailer. I came to give you a ride.”
    “I uh, I didn’t call you for a ride.” Robbie said. “I walked back.” His head cocked when Roy cleared his throat.
    Frank asked. “If you were at the trailer, how did you get here?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “But your jeep is out front.” Frank said.
    Roy interjected. “He drove.”
    Frank looked at him. “He drove?”
    “I drove?” Dan asked.
    “I saw him. I was walking in when he pulled up. He drove.”
    Robbie made eye contact with Roy, Roy winked.
    Roy continued. “Robbie do you know what he’s talking about?”
    “No. Not at all. My dad’s floating head?” Robbie fluttered his lips. “Nope, I’d remember that.”
    “Strange. Along with the loss of time, memory, seeing things. Any headaches lately, Dan?” Roy asked.
    “Come to think of it, yeah.” Dan nodded.
    “Sweet Jesus. Jimmy has been complaining of headaches.” Andrea said. “I wonder if he’s having memory loss.”
    Frank snapped his finger. “He is.”
    “He is?” Robbie asked.
    “He is. He fixed the ALS3 and doesn’t remember doing so?”
    “He fixed it? When?” Robbie asked.
    “Don’t know. He doesn’t even know he got it working yet. I found it. Wait till he finds out.”
    “Wow. Cool.” Robbie nodded impressed. “Bet that tells a lot.”
    “A lot more than you know. Since you didn’t show up.”
    “I had to walk.”
    “I came to get you,” Dan said. “I wish I hadn’t.”
    “Dean?” Andrea asked. “What are you thinking?”
    “Simple. I was worried, hoping it would pass, but it sounds to me like we may be having a few cases of … of …”
    “Of?” Andrea asked.
    “A brain virus.” Roy nodded.
    “What’s it called?”
    “Gosh,” Roy fluttered his lips. “Modula oblongata Hypo …desamen … tray …a chica ….titis.”
    Everyone blurted out a ‘Huh?’
    Roy smiled a tightly closed mouth.
    Andrea asked, spilling out the word smoothly, “Modula Oblongata Hypodesamentrayachictitis?”
    “Fuck.” Frank looked at her. “You said that well.”
    “Yes.” Roy said. “Modula Oblongata Hypodesamentrayachictitis.