by Helen Huber
that.Something's taken them over. Something terrible. Oh, Pete! Nobody wouldbelieve me."
"I believe the end result," he said, quietly. "That's what I'm for,angel. When you shake like this I'll always believe. But I'll have toknow more. And I'll hunt for an answer."
"There isn't any answer, Pete. I _know_."
"We'll still look. Tell me more, first."
"There isn't any more." Her eyes widened as she stared into his with theshock of a new thought. "Oh, Lord! One of them talked to me, but maybehe--or it--won't talk to you. Then you'll never know for sure! You'llthink I'm ..."
"Stop it. Quit predicting what I'll do. Let's go to the nursery."
They went to the nursery and stayed there for three-quarters of anhour. They left with the tinny laughter filling their minds--and thelast words of the monstrous entity.
"We'll say no more, of course. Perhaps even this incident has beenindiscreet. But it's in the form of a celebration. Never before has awhole swarm gotten through. Only a single entity on rare occasions."
Pete leaned against the corridor wall and wiped his face with the sleeveof his jacket. "We're the only ones who know," he said.
"Or ever will know." Lorry pushed back a lock of his curly hair. Shewanted to kiss him, but this didn't seem to be the place or the time.
"We can never tell anyone."
"We'd look foolish."
"We've got a horror on our hands and we can't pass it on."
"What are we going to do?" Lorry asked.
"I don't know. Let's recap a little. Got a cigarette?"
They went to the fire door and dragged long and deep on two from Lorry'spack. "They'll be quiet from now on. No more talking--just babysqualls."
"And thirty little assassins will go into thirty homes," Lorry said."All dressed in soft pink and blue, all filled with hatred. Waiting,biding their time, growing more clever." She shuddered.
"The electric chair will get them all, eventually."
"But how many will they get in the meantime?"
Pete put his arms around her and drew her close and whispered into herear. "There's nothing we can do--nothing."
"We've got to do something." Lorry heard again the thin, brittlelaughter following her, taunting her.
"It was a bad dream. It didn't happen. We'll just have to sleep it off."
She put her cheek against his. The rising stubble of his beard scratchedher face. She was grateful for the rough touch of solid reality.
Pete said, "The shock will wear out of our minds. Time will pass. Aftera while, we won't believe it ourselves."
"That's what I'm afraid of."
"It's got to be that way."
"We've got to do something."
Pete lowered his arm wearily. "Yeah--we've got to do something. Wherethere's nothing that can be done. What are we--miracle workers?"
"We've got to do something."
"Sure--finish out the watch and then get some sleep."
* * * * *
Lorry awoke with the lowering sun in her window. It was a blood red sun.She picked up the phone by her bedside. "Room 307 Resident's extension."
Pete answered drowsily. Lorry said, "Tell me--did I dream, or did itreally happen."
"I was going to ask you the same thing. I guess it happened. What areyou doing?"
"Lying in bed."
"So am I. But two different beds. Things are done all wrong."
"Want to take a chance and sneak over? I've got an illegal coffee pot."
"Leave the door unlocked."
Lorry put on the coffee. She showered and got into her slip. She wasbrushing her hair when Pete came in. He looked at her and extendedbeckoning, clutching fingers. "The hell with phantoms. Come here."
After a couple of minutes, Lorry pulled away and poured the coffee. Shereached for her uniform. Pete said, "Don't put it on yet."
"Too dangerous--leaving it off."
He eyed her dreamily. "I'll dredge up will power. I'll also get scads offat rich clients. Then we'll get married so I can assault you legally."
Lorry studied him. "You're not even listening to yourself. What is it,Pete? What have you dreamed up?"
"Okay. I've got an idea. You said something would have to be done."
"What?"
"A drastic cure for a drastic case. With maybe disaster as the endproduct."
"Tell me."
"I'll tell you a little, but not too much."
"Why not all?"
"Because if we ever land in court. I want you to be able to say underoath, 'He didn't tell me what he planned to do.'"
"I don't like that."
"I don't care if you like it or not. Tell me, what's the one basic thingthat stands out in your mind about these--entities?"
"That they're ..."
"Fragile?"
"Yes--fragile."
"Give me some more coffee."
* * * * *
Lorry demanded to know what was in Pete's mind. All she got was kissed,and she did not see Pete again until eleven o'clock that night. He foundher in the corridor in Maternity and motioned her toward the nursery. Hecarried a tray under a white towel. He said, "You watch the door. I'mgoing inside. I'll be about a half an hour."
"What are you going to do?"
"You stay out here and mind your business. Your business will be tosteer any nosey party away. If you can't, make noise coming in."
Doc Pete turned away and entered the nursery. Lorry stood at thedoorway, in the silence, under the brooding night-light, and prayed.
Twenty-five minutes later, Pete came out. His face was white and drawn.He looked like a man who had lately had a preview of Hell's invertedpleasures. His hands trembled. The towel still covered the tray. Hesaid, "Watch them close. Don't move ten steps from here." He startedaway--turned back. "All hell is scheduled to break loose in thishospital shortly. Let's hope God remains in charge."
Lorry saw the sick dread of his heart underneath his words.
* * * * *
It could have been a major scandal. An epidemic of measles on thematernity floor of a modern hospital indicates the unforgivable medicalsin--carelessness. It was hushed up as much as possible, pending thetime when the top people could shake off the shock and recover theirwits. The ultimate recovery of thirty babies was a tribute to everyoneconcerned.
Wan, done-in, Doc Pete drank coffee in Lorry's room. Lorry gave himthree lumps of sugar and said, "But are you sure the sickness killed theentities?"
"Quite sure. Somehow they _knew_ when I made the injections. Theyscreamed. They knew they were done for."
"It took courage. Tell me: why are you so strong, so brave? Why are youso wonderful?"
"Cut it out. I was scared stiff. If _one_ baby had died, I'd have gonethrough life weighing the cure against the end. It isn't easy to riskdoing murder--however urgent the need."
She leaned across and kissed him. "And you were all alone. You wouldn'tlet me help. Was that fair?"
He grinned, then sobered. "But I can't help remembering what that--thatinvisible monster said: '_Never before has a whole swarm gotten through.Only a single entity on rare occasions._'
"I can't help wondering what happens to those single entities. I thinkof the newspaper headlines I've seen: Child Kills Parents in Sleep.Youth Slays Father. I'll probably always wonder--and I'll alwaysremember...."
Lorry got up and crossed to him and put her arms around him. "Notalways," she whispered. "There will be times when I'll make you forget.For a little while, anyhow."
THE END
Transcriber's Note:
This etext was produced from _If Worlds of Science Fiction_ November 1953. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and typographical errors have been corrected without note.
friends