He slowly woke up, his mind as fuzzy as his sight.  The glare from a surgical lamp pierced into his eyes.  His face rolled to the side, eyes abruptly focusing on a wine glass sitting on the surgical table beside him.  Confused, he tried to sit up, only to find his arms and legs bound to the chair he lay on.
     "Ah, you're awake..."  A smooth voice came from somewhere behind him.  A moment later, he had a face to go with it.  Smooth Greecian features sculpted their way around his infinatley deep dark eyes.  Curly black hair framed his face.  Any other time, his fair features would have entranced.  Now, however, they perched securely in the realms of both haunted and haunting.
     "I'm sorry it had to be this way, Amadeus, but there seems to be no other way left."  His voice was deep, with a light British accent in it.
     The figure walked to the other side of the chair, and for the first time Amadeus could see his captor fully.  He was dressed all in black, from head to toe.  A cloth trenchcoat covered a skin-tight shirt.  Black slacks were tucked into shining black combat boots.
     "Now, I suppose we must begin."  The figure moved to Amadeus' right side.  A burning pain accompanied the needle thrust in his right arm.  As the needle slid under his skin, Amadeus turned to watch as red flowed down an IV tube into the wine glass on the table.
     His eyes widened, "You're sick!" was all he could exclaim.  This caused another souless gaze from his captor.
     "No friend, you are the one who's sick.  Terminal cancer, isn't it?  I'm simply giving you a purpose before you pass on to the next realm."  For a moment, his eyes seemed compassionate, almost regretful,
     "You will not feel a thing...this is a painless death."
     Amadeus began to feel woozy, slumping forward to the cold touch of coma, that soon to be death.  As more and more blood flowed from him, the stronger death's grip took him.
     "We don't have much time.  I'm sorry for what I must do, but I cannot allow you the same Curse that I hold."  With that, the figure leaned forward, and gently kissed the old man on the forehead.
     "Sleep well, old friend, know the role you play in this is great."