Themaoodrooted,gazeflickeringlikehewaswrestlingwithsomethieringinthedarkerersofhismind.
Reyawatchedhim,notinghowtheheathadnearlysteamedhimalivefromthei.Shesmirkedinwardly.Hewasalreadyburningup,nearlysettingthathazmatsuitonfire.Nowayhecouldkeeppyiraintformuger.
"Whatareyousoafraidof?"shewhispered,hervoicesoftasadream."It''''snotlikeyou''''llloseapieceofyourself."
Hedrewinaloh,chestheaving,asifsteelinghimselfforachoice.Then—withoutanotherword—heturnedandstrodeforthedoor.
Reya''''sbrowfurrowed.Aflickerofdoubtscrapedatherposure.Hadshemiscalcuted?Noway.Washereallygoingtowalkaway?
Butthedisappoididn''''tstlong.
Hereturnedmomentster.
Stillsealedihehazmatsuit—onlynow,ajaggedholehadbeencutcrudelyintothecrotch.Fromitjuttedanenged,purplishlength,slidstraining,framedgrotesquelybythesterilewhitefabric.
Somethinggtoit.Notskin,notcloth,butathin,translutgstretchedtightovertheshaft,glisteninglikesomemanufacturedmembrane.
Reya''''sgazesoit—andfroze.Hersmirkvanished.
Awaveofrevulsionrippedthroughher.Herinstinctsrecoiledviolently.Thatthingwasn''''tbareflesh.Itwassealed,encased,blockedoff—theverypartsheofeedfromsmotheredinsideanartificialshell.
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