[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

handed it to Chumaya. Then he pulled out a can of cola and sat down again. "Do you have any clear
memories of your experiences with the Zeta?"
"As a child I had horrible nightmares. Many nights my parents would come rushing to my bedroom to
comfort me when I would wake up screaming. Now I know that my nightmares weren't nightmares at all;
they were real experiences when the Zeta abducted me." Chumaya took a deep breath and said, "Now
some of the memories that eluded me have recently become very clear. Specific memories of past
encounters with them snapped into focus when the Zeta took you and Santoo and me."
Daniel took a swallow of soda. "Can you tell me about your memories?"
"No," Chumaya whispered, tears in her voice now.
"I don't want to pry, Chumaya," Daniel said gently. "I just thought that maybe you could help shed light
on our experiences." Daniel was hurt that Chumaya wouldn't trust him enough to share her experiences
with him. He thought they were much closer than that.
"Daniel, please don't be hurt. I haven't told ta'Sara. I haven't even told Santoo what I experienced. I
haven't even told them I remember."
"But why?" Daniel did love Chumaya very much. He would fight for her well-being as strongly as if
Sara's well-being were threatened.
"I can't speak of it, Daniel. I can't face the reality of what they did to me."
Daniel sat back on his chair. "What did they do to you?" he murmured.
She hesitated. "There were-examinations. I'm afraid of what that might mean. ta'Sara's eyes-you must
know what I'm thinking."
Daniel stared at her. Sara had feared this very thing. She had brooded about the possibility so much, at
times it almost debilitated her. Could it be true? Could Sara really have been the result of some sort of
genetic mutation between Chumaya and the Zeta? He closed his eyes against the thought.
"I've disgusted you."
"No, Chumaya, you haven't. Sara and I have worried about this possibility so much. We prayed that this
could not have happened. I mean, we couldn't think of any way that . . ."
"I fear it may have. I hope with all my soul that I'm wrong. You must promise me that you will tell no one
of what I just confided, especially not ta'Sara. Promise me, Daniel."
Daniel picked up Chamaya's hands and kissed them. "I promise, dear mother-in-law. I won't tell a soul.
I won't tell Sara. But she already knows. She's been dealing with this possibility for a long time. She'll
read my thoughts and she'll know everything we said here tonight . . . ." He paused. He was afraid to tell
Chumaya what was eating at him.
"Chumaya . . . I need to confide in you, now."
Chumaya leaned forward. "What would you like to share with me?"
Daniel didn't know how to begin because he didn't even know if the conclusions he'd come to were even
true. "Your confession a moment ago made me think. I . . . think I know what the marbles mean-at least
the black ones." Did he, or was he simply trying to add meaning to his experience of high strangeness
with the Zeta?
"You're referring to the experience with the mantisse being that you and ta'Sara both had?"
"Yes. I believe . . ." He hesitated, then continued, "I believe the two black marbles refer to Sara's eyes. I
don't know if this means they manipulated her genes to give her those eyes, or if it simply means Sara
must face the reality of her eyes. I'm not sure, exactly . . ." Daniel ran his fingers through his hair in
frustration and puzzlement.
"But, Daniel, the being opened your chest and pushed the marbles inside you, into your heart."
"Yeah," Daniel said softly, "into my heart."
"Then perhaps the being is trying to communicate in her own strange way that you must face the reality
of ta'Sara's eyes-of ta'Sara's origin. Perhaps that's what is meant by her act."
"But I accept Sara's eyes, Chumaya. I accept every part of her."
"Yes, but you had a most difficult time accepting her when you first learned of her eyes, Daniel."
"Sure, but . . ."
Chumaya looked at Daniel kindly. "Everyone, regardless of how certain they are of the way they feel
towards another, harbor some guilt, some reservation about the other."
Daniel sighed. "Yes."
"Can you accept her if she is part Zeta?"
"I can accept her. I can't accept them. She can't be one of them. She feels passionately and completely.
How can she be part of them?"
"Then you can't accept her?"
"I don't know. I don't know."
Abruptly, Chumaya changed the subject. "What do you think the single marble that was put into ta'Sara
meant?"
"Well, Sara said the marble was riddled with fissures. I'm still working on what this might mean."
"Perhaps . . ."
Daniel put up his hand. He didn't have to read Chumaya's mind to know what she was about to suggest.
"Now, wait a minute. If you think the busted up marble is referring to my busted up body, you're wrong.
I have perfect cells now. Near perfect, at least . . . I think . . ."
"Yes, Daniel, you were rapidly becoming a nearly perfect physical specimen, but you were not always
this way."
"What do you mean, were?"
"Something is changing in you, isn't it? Santoo noticed, and so have I."
"I don't think anything is changing. The Zeta are always up to their maddening tricks. I'll be fine. Sara
accepted me the way I was. They didn't have to stage some strange, symbolic event to make her
understand that my body at one time was crippled. She knew me back then."
"But perhaps they gave her the marble as a sign that she must accept you fully."
"She has, Chumaya. She loves me-almost without reservation."
"Did you hear what you just said, Daniel? You said ta'Sara loves you almost without reservation."
Daniel was becoming confused. Giving the Zeta some sort of symbolic ability was beyond him at this
moment. It was like giving them souls. He could feel the need for reflection and a bit of sleep.
"Daniel, could ta'Sara accept you if you were disabled now?" Chumaya's question pierced his heart.
Love was easy when your body was whole and strong. When your mind was alert and functioning. When
breathing was easy and deep and strong. When your arms could lift and carry your woman away. He
didn't want to contemplate the alternative. Not for himself and not for Sara.
He stood up. "Time to go back to bed. This is only speculation on our part anyway ." He got up from his
chair and without warning collapsed onto the floor.
Chumaya rushed to his side. "Are you all right, Daniel?"
He tried to speak, but couldn't. "My leg went out. My God, I can't move," he telepathed.
The Zeta had paralyzed him once again. No-that was not quite right. They had severely reduced his
strength. He could almost feel his back curve into scoliosis, even more pronounced that it had been when
he was disabled. Was disabled. I'm disabled again. He felt his left leg shrinking. All of the muscle tone
was withering away as he lay there. His breathing became labored as his chest muscles shriveled. He
tried to calm himself, for he knew that they had to be playing with him, and would soon restore his
functions. They always restored him. Hadn't they? Wouldn't they? He felt as though the wind was
knocked out of him. Sara and Santoo were now at his side. He could feel Sara's hands on him. He could
feel her fear. He could hear the frantic wails of Eric, but he couldn't see him. "Turn me over. Roll me onto
my back," he mentally croaked the command.
They did so. He was becoming so weak, he found it hard to breathe. His breath came in great gulps.
This was worse than his polio days. This was far worse. "They're taking my strength from me! I can't
breathe! Help me! God, help me! I can't breathe!" Daniel tried to keep calm but his panic was
compounding his condition. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]