"Mmm hmm," Christine replies, moving to kneel on the opposite side of the man and taking out her utility knife. First she cuts away his clothes to expose his chest and stomach. The skin there really doesn't look much better than his face.

"Maker, this is going to be unpleasant," she says, as if there was really any doubt of that. Starting at the sternum, she cuts a vertical line into him, lips pressed tightly together behind her mask. She has to go over her cut again and again, cutting down deeper until she starts to get somewhere because her knife isn't meant for this sort of job. And while she has no experience with cadavers either, from what she's read in books, something is really not right here, as she makes more cuts so they can get the skin pulled back. She can feel some sort of resistance that isn't the smooth line of his sternum or rib bones. It's something bumpy instead.

With help, she gets the skin pushed aside to reveal crystals of red lyrium seemingly growing along his bones.

"Merde!" she whispers harshly, quickly drawing back her hand so she doesn't touch any of it, not even with the protection of her gloves.