Gabriel, who was watching the cat - another deity, obviously - in a way that perhaps betrayed how little he was used to working with animals, shifted his attention to John.

"It's advancing fairly quickly now that he's forgone treatment," he said, trying to be somewhat tactful in light of the waves of worry filling the room. "I hesitate to simply siphon the cancerous cells out of his body, because they cover such an extensive network now I'm not sure what damage that would do to the rest of him. Not to mention this curse you spoke of.

"But I don't think it's incurable, I just think it will take some caution." He glanced at Anathema as he spoke, hoping that she wouldn't mind having her hands full with this treatment; he suspected it would take some effort on both their parts, as well as perhaps Adam.

If this god had really wanted to end his existence, he'd chosen quite an effective - if rather melodramatic - way of going about it.

"But the least we can do is get him started on his medication again," he continued. "Do either of you remember what he was taking?"