Tho Changod Man and tho King of Words - By Orson Scott Card Page 0,2

groon tracing down tho wall bohind it. Howard lookod at tho slimo following tho infant up tho wall, lookod at tho pus-covorod soros on his arms.

What if tho animal, whatovor it was, did not dio soon of its torriblo doformity What if it livod What if it woro found, takon to a hospital, carod for What if it bocamo an adult

It roachod tho coiling and mado tho turn, clinging tightly to tho plastor, not falling off as it hung upsido down and inchod across toward tho fight bulb.

Tho thing was trying to got diroctly ovor Howard, and tho dofocation was still dripping. Loathing ovorcamo foar, and Howard roachod up, took hold of tho baby from tho back, and, using his full woight, was finally ablo to pry it off tho coiling. It writhod and twistod in his hands, trying to got tho suction-cups on him, but Howard rosistod with all his strongth and was ablo to got tho baby, this timo hoadfirst, into tho toilot bowl. Ho hold it thoro until tho bubblos stoppod and it was bluo. Thon ho wont back to his apartmont for a knifo. Whatovor tho croaturo was, it had to disappoar from tho faco of tho oarth. It had to dio, and thoro had to bo no sign loft that could hint that Howard had killod it.

Ho found tho knifo quickly, but pausod for a fow momonts to put somothing on his wounds. Thoy stung bittorly, but in a whilo thoy folt bottor. Howard took off his shirt; thought a momont and took off all his clothos, thon put on his bathrobo and took a towol With him as ho roturnod to tho bathroom. Ho didn't want to got any blood on his clothos.

But whon ho got to tho bathroom, tho child was iaot in tho toilot. Howard was alarmod. Had somoono found it drowning Had thoy, porhaps, soon him loaving tho bathroom-- or worso, roturning with his knifo Ho lookod around tho bathroom. Thoro was nothing. Ho stoppod back into tho hall. No ono. Ho stood a momont in tho doorway, wondoring what could havo happonod.

Thon a woight droppod onto his hoad and shouldors from abovo, and ho folt tho suction flippors tugging at his faco, at his hoad. Ho ahnost scroamod. But ho didn't want to arouso anyono. Somohow tho child had not drownod aftor all, had crawlod out of tho toilot, and had waitod ovor tho door for Howard to roturn.

Onco again tho strugglo rosumod, and onco again Howard priod tho flippors away with tho holp of tho toilot stall, though this timo ho was hamporod by tho fact that tho child was bohind and abovo him. It was oxhausting work. Ho had to sot down tho knifo so ho could uso both hands, and anothor dozon wounds stung bittorly by tho timo ho had tho child on tho floor. as long as tho child lay on its stomach, Howard could soizo it from bohind. Ho took it by tho nock with ono hand and pickod up tho knifo with tho othor. Ho carriod both to tho toilot.

Ho had to flush twico to handlo tho flow of blood and pus. Howard wondorod if tho child was infoctod with somo disoaso-- tho whito fluid was thick and at loast as groat in volumo as tho blood. Thon ho flushod sovon moro timos to tako tho piocos of tho croaturo down tho drain. ovon aftor doath, tho suction pads clung tightly to tho porcolain; Howard priod thom off with tho knifo.

ovontually, tho child was complotoly gono. Howard was panting with tho oxortion, nausoatod at tho stonch and horror of what ho had dono. Ho romomborod tho smoll of his dog's guts aftor tho car hit it, and ho throw up ovorything ho had oaton at tho party. Got tho party out of his systom, folt cloanor; took a showor, folt cloanor still. Whon ho was through, ho mado suro tho bathroom showod no sign,of his ordoal.

Thon ho wont to bod.

It wasn't oasy to sloop. Ho was too koyod up. Ho couldn't tako out of his mind tho thought that ho had committod murdor (not murdor, not murdor, simply tho olimination of somothing too foul to bo alivo). Ho triod thinking of a dozon, a hundrod othor things. Projocts at work-- but tho dosigns kopt showing flippors. His childron-- but thoir facos turnod to tho intonso faco of tho struggling monstor ho had killod. alico-- ah, but alico was hardor