Solipsis: Escape from the Comatorium by Jeff Pollard

them.”
    “ That
sounds about right.”
    “ They
really look like a cult. How can anyone be so excited to see some old
guy?”
    “ Technically
they're a church.”
    “ How
do you define a cult?” Renee asks.
    “ I'm
not sure of the exact definition,” Nellie replies. Renee
already had the definition floating in front of her.
    “ A
cult is defined as a religious group or other kind of movement whose
beliefs and/or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre,”
Renee reads aloud.
    “ That's
the problem with that word, it's so subjective.”
    “ Well,
around here, all religious beliefs are considered bizarre,”
Renee replies. Nellie nods. “Cult it is.”

13
    Renee watches Nellie look
through numerous medical charts and displays. “Bored?”
Nellie asks.
    “ Obviously.”
    “ In
a few minutes I have a consultation with a patient and his father,”
Nellie turns to Renee, looking quite serious. “I want you to
sit with the boy in the next room while I talk to his father.”
    “ A
boy? Like my age?”
    “ Yeah.”
    “ Alright,”
Renee perks up, “I can do that.”
    “ Just
try to distract him, he's going to be nervous.”
    “ Why?”
    “ Because
he's dying, and they've come here to see if I can save him.”
    A moment later, there's a knock
at the door. Dr. Lazarus enters with his fourteen-year-old son Seth.
In a moment, Renee is sitting next to Seth in total silence in the
side office. Seth doesn't appear sick. He's skinny, sure, but not
sickly, and he has a thick head of hair.
    Seth finally breaks the silence,
“Why did you look so shocked when we walked in?”
    “ I
did?”
    “ Yeah.”
    “ I
wasn't expecting to see, Dr. Lazarus,” Renee says.
    “ Why?”
    “ I
don't know,” Renee says, “I just wasn't expecting him.”
    “ You
don't like him, do you?”
    “ I
didn't know he existed until a few hours ago.”
    “ But
you don't like him, I can tell.”
    “ I'm
more bewildered than anything else,” Renee says, “I've
never met a Christian before.”
    “ I'm
a Christian,” Seth replies.
    “ I
figured,” Renee replies.
    “ What
does that mean?”
    “ Just
that your dad's a Christian so you probably are, that's the way these
things spread.”
    “ You
say that like Christianity is a disease,” Seth replies testily.
    “ Sorry,
I didn't mean anything by it. I'm just not used to this. I mean,
imagine you met a stranger and they turned out to be a Zeus
worshiper, it would catch you off-guard.”
    Seth grimaces and looks away
from her. He taps his foot nervously and strains to listen to the
muffled voices coming through the door.
    “ Is
Lazarus really your last name?” Renee asks, trying to interrupt
his anxious focus on the next room.
    “ No,”
he says, looking away, annoyed at her attempts to impede his
listening.
    “ I
thought it sounded fake,” Renee replies.
    “ Can
you just be quiet?” It's not really a question. Sweat drips
down his neck, she can practically see his racing pulse bursting
through his skin.
    “ Why
did your dad change his last name?”
    “ It's
like a stage name, he became this whole persona.”
    “ Why?”
    “ I
don't know, to sell books, what's it to you?” Seth asks,
annoyed.
    “ Just
curious.”
    “ Why,
what's your last name?”
    “ I
don't think I have one,” Renee replies.
    “ That's
pretty weird,” Seth says coldly. They sit in silence. Renee
sighs, having seemed to fail at the simple task of maintaining a
conversation. Seth looks at her solemn face and feels bad for the
tone he had used.
    “ Have
you always lived here?” Seth asks.
    “ Why?”
Renee responds curtly.
    “ Well
you said you've never met a Christian. So you must have lived here
your whole life. Are there really no Christians here?”
    “ Well,”
Renee has to think about it, “I don't think so.”
    “ What's
it like living here?”
    “ I
guess I don't have anything to compare it to.”
    The door opens. Seth looks to
their faces for any hints. They both try hard to keep