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Gentle brought the car to a skidding halt； and they flung themselves out。 The ground beneath them was still solid enough to run on； but they could feel tremors in it as they went； prophesying dissolution。
〃Can you swim？〃 Gentle called to Pie。
〃If I have to；〃 the mystif replied； its eyes on the approaching tide。 The water looked mercurial； and seemed to be full of thrashing fish。 〃But I don't think this is something we want to bathe in； Gentle。〃
〃I don't think we're going to have any choice。〃
There was at least some hope of rescue。 Boats were being launched off the island's shore； the sound of the oars and the rhythmical shouts of the oarsmen rising above the churning of the silver water。 The mystif wasn't looking for hope from that source； however。 Its eyes had found a narrow causeway； like a path of softening ice； between where they stood and the land。 Grabbing Gentle's arm； it pointed the way。
〃I see it！〃 Gentle replied； and they headed off along this zigzag route； checking on the position of the two boats as they went。 The oarsmen had prehended their strategy and changed direction to intercept them。 Though the flood was eating at their causeway from either side； the possibility of escape had just seemed plausible when the sound of the car upending and slipping into the waters distracted Gentle from his dash。 He turned and collided with Pie as he did so。 The mystif went down； falling on its face。 Gentle hauled it back onto its feet； but it was momentarily too dazed to know their jeopardy。
There were shouts of alarm ing from the boats now； and the frenzy of water yards from their heels。 Gentle half hoisted Pie onto his shoulders and picked up the race again。 Precious seconds had been lost； however。 The lead boat was within twenty yards of them； but the tide was half that distance behind； and half again between his feet and the bow。 If he stood still； the floe beneath him would go before the boat reached them。 If he tried to run； burdened with the semiconscious mystif； he'd miss his rendezvous with his rescuers。
As it was； the choice was taken from him。 The ground beneath the bined weight of man and mystif fractured； and the silver waters of the Chzercemit bubbled up between his feet。 He heard a shout of alarm from the creature in the nearest boat…an Oethac； huge…headed and scarred…then felt his right leg lose six inches as his foot plunged through the brittle floe。 It was Pie's turn to haulhim up now； but it was a lost cause： the ground would support neither of them。
In desperation he looked down at the waters that he was going to have to swim in。 The creatures he'd seen thrashing were not in the sea but t》/the sea。 The wavelets had backs and necks； the glitter of the spume was the glitter of countless tiny eyes。 The boat was still speeding in their direction； and for an instant it seemed they might bridge the gap with a lunge。
〃Go！〃 he yelled to Pie； pushing as he did so。
Though the mystif flailed； there was sufficient power in its legs to turn the fall into a jump。 Its fingers caught the edge of the boat； but the violence of its leap threw Gentle from his precarious perch。 He had time to see the mystif being hauled onto the rocking boat； and time too to think he might reach the hands outstretched in his direction。 But the sea was not about to be denied both its morsels。 As he dropped into the silver spume； which pressed around him like a living thing； he threw his hands up above his head in the hope that the Oethac would catch hold of him。 All in vain。 Consciousness went from him； and； uncaptained； he sank。
26
Gentle woke to the sound of a prayer。 He knew before sight came to join the sound that the words were a beseech…ment； though the language was foreign to him。 The voices rose and fell in the same unmelodious fashion as did earth congregations； one or two of the half dozen speakers lagging a syllable behind； leaving the verses ragged。 But it was nevertheless a wele sound。 He'd gone down thinking he'd never rise again。
Light touched his eyes； but whatever lay in front of him was murky。 There was a vague texture to the gloom； however； and he tried to focus upon it。 It wasn't until his brow； cheeks； and chin reported their irritation to his brain that he realized why his eyes couldn't make sense of the scene。 He was lying on his back； and there was a cloth over his face。 He told his arm to rise and pluck it away； but the limb just lay stupid at his side。 He concentrated； demanding it obey； his irritation growing as the timber of the supplications changed and a distressing urgency came into them。 He felt the bed he was lying on jostled； and tried to call out in alarm； but there was something in his throat that prevented him from making a sound。 Irritation became unease。 What was wrong with him？ Be calm； he told himself。 It'll e clear； just be calm。 But damn it； the bed was being lifted up！ Where was he being taken？ To hell with calm。 He couldn't just lie still while he was paraded around。 He wasn't dead； for God's sake！
Or was he？ The thought shredded every hope of equilibrium。 He was being lifted up； and carried； lying inert on a hard board with his face beneath a shroud。 What was that； if it wasn't dead？ They were saying prayers for his soul； hoping to waft it heavenward； meanwhile carrying his remains to what dispatch？ A hole in the ground？ A pyre？ He had to stop them： raise a hand； a moan； anything to signal that this leave…taking was premature。 As he was concentrating on making a sign； however primitive； a voice cut through the prayers。 Both prayers and bier bearers stumbled to a halt and the same voice…it was Pie！…came again。
〃Not yet！〃 it said。
Somebody off to Gentle's right murmured something in a language Gentle didn't recognize： words of consolation； perhaps。 The mystif responded in the same tongue； its voice fractured with grief。
A third speaker now entered the exchange； his purpose undoubtedly the same as his patriot's： coaxing Pie to leave the body alone。 What were they saying？ That the corpse was just a husk； an empty shadow of a man whose spirit was gone into a better place？ Gentle willed Pie not to listen。 The spirit was here！ Here！
Then…joy of joys！…the shroud was pulled back from his face； and Pie appeared in his field of vision； staring down at him。 The mystif looked half dead itself； its eyes raw； its beauty bruised with sorrow。
I'm saved； Gentle thought。 Pie sees that my eyes are open； and there's more than putrefaction going on in my skull。 But no such prehension came into Pie's face。 The sight simply brought a new burst of tears。 A man came to Pie's side； his head a cluster of crystalline growths； and laid his hands on the mystif s shoulders； whispering something in its ear and gently tugging it away。 Pie's fingers went to Gentle's face and lay for a few seconds close to his lips。 But his breath…which he'd used to shatter the wall between Dominions…was so piffling now it went unfelt； and the fingers were withdrawn by the hand of Pie's consoler； who then reached down and drew the shroud back over Gentle's face。
The prayer sayers picked up their dirge； and the bearers their burden。 Blinded again； Gentle felt the spark of hope extinguished； replaced with panic and anger。 Pie had always claimed such sensitivity。 How was it possible that now； when empathy was essential； the mystif could be immune to the jeopardy of the man it claimed as a friend？ More than that： a soul mate； someone it had reconfigured its flesh for。
Gentle's panic slowed for an instant。 Was there some half hope buried amid these rebukes？ He scoured them for a clue。 Soul mate？ Reconfigured flesh？ Yes； of course： as long as he had thought he had desire； and desire could touch the mystif； change the mystif。 If he could put death from his mind and turn his thoughts to sex he might still touch Pie's protean core： bring about some metamorphosis； however small； that would signal his sentience。
As if to confound him； a remark of Klein's drifted into his head； recalled from another world。 〃All that time wasted；〃 Klein had said； 〃meditating on death to keep yourself from ing too soon。 。 。。〃
The memory seemed mere distraction； until he realized that it was precisely the mirror of his present plight。 Desire was now his only defense against premature extinction。 He turned his thoughts to the little details that were always a stimulus to his erotic imagination： a nape bared by lifted curls； lips rewetted by a slow tongue； looks； touches； dares。 But thanatos had eros by the neck。 His terror drove arousal away。 How could he hold a sexual thought in his head long enough to influence Pie when either the flame or the grave was waiting at his feet？ He was ready for neither。 One was too hot； the other too cold； one bright； the other so very dark。 What he wanted was a few more weeks； days…hours； even； he'd be grateful for hours…in the space between such poles。 Where flesh was； where love was。
Knowing the death thoughts couldn't be mastered； he attempted one final gambit： to embrace them； to fold them into the texture of his sexual imaginings。 Flame？ Let that be the heat of the mystif s body as it was pressed against him； and cold the sweat on his back as they coupled。 Let the darkness be