Second Variety

“You’re going to sleep?”

“That’s right.”

The room plunged into darkness. Hendricks got up and made his way past the curtain, into the kitchen.

And stopped, rigid.

Rudi stood against the wall, his face white and gleaming. His mouth opened and closed but no sounds came. Klaus stood in front of him, the muzzle of his pistol in Rudi’s stomach. Neither of them moved. Klaus, his hand tight around his gun, his features set. Rudi, pale and silent, spread-eagled against the wall.

“What—” Hendricks muttered, but Klaus cut him off.

“Be quiet, Major. Come over here. Your gun. Get out your gun.”

Hendricks drew his pistol. “What is it?”

“Cover him.” Klaus motioned him forward. “Beside me. Hurry!”

Hendricks did not answer. In the flickering light his eyes were glazed, two sightless orbs. Tasso’s fingers dug into his arm.

“Is the ship near here?” Tasso slid over beside him, settling down on her haunches.

The bear and the David both dissolved. He grinned, blinking. It was like a dream.

I’ll have to take your word for it.

They had a couple of hours of light left, at the most. Probably not that much.

He tossed the dead match away, increasing his pace

Only a single claw was in sight. It was folding itself back, disappearing into the ash, like a crab. Like some hideous metal crab….

It’s worth a try, at any rate.”

Sometimes I think we were better off before.”