@@@@@ One that meant to chew all the way to my
@@@@@
One that meant to chew all the way to my heart
xi
I almost knocked the second bottle of water over
before managing to pick it upThat was mostly
from surprise, but there was plenty of pain as
well, and I cried outI felt fresh blood begin to
flow, this time running down inside my shirt to
the crease between my torso and my bellyShe was
twisting in my pocket, writhing in my pocket, her
teeth sinking in and biting and plowing, digging
deeper, deeperI had to tear her out, and I
ripped away a good chunk of bloody shirt and flesh
1075
with herThe figure had lost that smooth, cool
feelIt was hot now, and writhing in my hand
"Come on!" Wireman yelled from up above"Come on,
you want it?"
She sank her tiny china teeth, sharp as needles,
into the webbing of flesh between my thumb and
first fingerShe might have gotten away
then in spite of all my fury and determination,
but Nan Melda's bracelets slid down, and I could
feel her cringing away from them, deeper into my
palmOne leg actually slithered out between my
second finger and my ring fingerI squeezed all
my fingers together, pinning itHer
movements grew sluggishI can't swear that one of
the bracelets was touching her - it was pitch
black - but I'm almost positive it was
From above me came the hollow compressed-air CHOW
of the harpoon pistol, and then a scream that
seemed to rip through my brainsBelow it - behind
it - I could hear Wireman shouting, "Get in back
of me, Jack! Take one of the-" Then no more, just
the sound of grunting cries from my friends and
the angry, unearthly laughter of two long-dead
children
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I had the flashlight's barrel clasped between my
knees, and I didn't need anyone to tell me that
anything could go wrong in the dark, especially
for a one-armed manI would have only one chance
Under conditions like that, it's best not to
hesitate
No! Stop! Don't do th -
I dropped her in, and one result was immediate:
above me, the children's angry laughter turned to
shrieks of surprised horrorHe
sounded hysterical and half-insane, but I was
never so glad to hear anyone in my life
"That's right, go on and run! Before your fucking
ship sails and leaves you behind!"
Now I had a delicate problemI had taken hold of
the flashlight in my remaining hand, and she was
insidebut the cap was somewhere in here with
me, and I couldn't se