the word for it) the stuff with his eyes!
He proved that much by turning his head the other way; he instantly became altogether unaware of its presence.
When he turned back, the bundle of soundless noise was gone--_completely_. And it seemed significant that he had heard the man put the final rock on the pile, thereby finishing the echo barrier.
"You'd better get inside," the other warned, "before the monster comes back!"
"What
happened?"
Reflections of his words fetched a composite of the man raising a trembling hand to wipe perspiration off his face. "The monster didn't take anyone this time. It only stayed out here swabbing the wall with--"
He screamed and shook his hand violently in front of him. Then he plunged deafly down the passage, sobbing, "Light Almighty!"
Jared readily heard what had frightened the other. The palm of his hand was full of the roaring silence!
He advanced curiously on the rock pile. But a seizure of coughing drove home the realization of how sick he was and he stumbled on into the Upper Level World.
There was nobody at the entrance to meet him this time, so he used the _clacks_ of the central caster to sound his way to the Wheel's grotto.
He found Anselm pacing behind the curtain and muttering to himself, grim-voiced and tense.
"Come in, my boy--rather, Prime Survivor," the Wheel invited. "Wish I could say I'm glad to have you back."
He returned to his pacing and Jared dropped miserably down on a bench. He cupped his feverish face in his hands.
"Sorry to hear about your father, my boy. I was shocked when the runner told me. We've had three people taken by the monsters since you left."
"I came back," Jared said weakly, "to Declare Unification In--"
"Unification Intentions--compost!" Anselm boiled over as he faced Jared with hands on his hips. "At a time like this you've got _Unification_
on your mind?"
When Jared didn't answer, he said, "Sorry, my boy. But we're on edge up here-with monsters running all over the place and hot springs drying Up. Five more boiled out yesterperiod. I understand you've been having the same trouble."
Jared nodded, not particularly caring whether the Wheel heard.
Anselm mumbled some more and said, "Unification! Didn't the runner tell you I'd decided to put things off until we can do something about all these other complications?"
"I haven't heard the runner. Where is he?"
"I sent him back early this period."
Jared slumped on the bench, his body boiling like a turbulent spring.
The runner had already left but hadn't reached the Lower Level. And they hadn't passed him on the way up. Only ominous significance could be attached to the fact that several members of the Official Escort-- those with clear noses, at least--had told of smelling the lingering scent of the monster in the passageway.
His lungs convulsed in a coughing spell and when he finished he was aware the Adviser had entered the grotto and was standing there listening intensely down at him.
"Well, Fenton," Lorenz said bluntly, "what do _you_ make of all this monster business?"
Jared trembled with another chill. "I don't know what to think of it."
"I've told the Wheel what _I_ think: The Zivvers have gone back to their old tricks. They're taking Survivors as slaves. And they're in league with the Twin Devils to accomplish their purpose."
"And I say that's ridiculous," put in Anselm. "We even _heard_ the monsters take a Zivver!"
"How do we know that wasn't something they _wanted_ us to hear?"
Anselm snorted. "If the Zivvers are going to start taking slaves again, they'd just _do_ it."
Lorenz was silent. But it was an adamant silence. It was readily audible he was going to insist the monsters and Zivvers were working together. And Jared could understand why: If the Adviser intended to accuse him of being a Zivver, he was going to make certain the accusation also included indirect blame for the presence of the monsters.
"I'm sure Della will want to hear your
He proved that much by turning his head the other way; he instantly became altogether unaware of its presence.
When he turned back, the bundle of soundless noise was gone--_completely_. And it seemed significant that he had heard the man put the final rock on the pile, thereby finishing the echo barrier.
"You'd better get inside," the other warned, "before the monster comes back!"
"What
happened?"
Reflections of his words fetched a composite of the man raising a trembling hand to wipe perspiration off his face. "The monster didn't take anyone this time. It only stayed out here swabbing the wall with--"
He screamed and shook his hand violently in front of him. Then he plunged deafly down the passage, sobbing, "Light Almighty!"
Jared readily heard what had frightened the other. The palm of his hand was full of the roaring silence!
He advanced curiously on the rock pile. But a seizure of coughing drove home the realization of how sick he was and he stumbled on into the Upper Level World.
There was nobody at the entrance to meet him this time, so he used the _clacks_ of the central caster to sound his way to the Wheel's grotto.
He found Anselm pacing behind the curtain and muttering to himself, grim-voiced and tense.
"Come in, my boy--rather, Prime Survivor," the Wheel invited. "Wish I could say I'm glad to have you back."
He returned to his pacing and Jared dropped miserably down on a bench. He cupped his feverish face in his hands.
"Sorry to hear about your father, my boy. I was shocked when the runner told me. We've had three people taken by the monsters since you left."
"I came back," Jared said weakly, "to Declare Unification In--"
"Unification Intentions--compost!" Anselm boiled over as he faced Jared with hands on his hips. "At a time like this you've got _Unification_
on your mind?"
When Jared didn't answer, he said, "Sorry, my boy. But we're on edge up here-with monsters running all over the place and hot springs drying Up. Five more boiled out yesterperiod. I understand you've been having the same trouble."
Jared nodded, not particularly caring whether the Wheel heard.
Anselm mumbled some more and said, "Unification! Didn't the runner tell you I'd decided to put things off until we can do something about all these other complications?"
"I haven't heard the runner. Where is he?"
"I sent him back early this period."
Jared slumped on the bench, his body boiling like a turbulent spring.
The runner had already left but hadn't reached the Lower Level. And they hadn't passed him on the way up. Only ominous significance could be attached to the fact that several members of the Official Escort-- those with clear noses, at least--had told of smelling the lingering scent of the monster in the passageway.
His lungs convulsed in a coughing spell and when he finished he was aware the Adviser had entered the grotto and was standing there listening intensely down at him.
"Well, Fenton," Lorenz said bluntly, "what do _you_ make of all this monster business?"
Jared trembled with another chill. "I don't know what to think of it."
"I've told the Wheel what _I_ think: The Zivvers have gone back to their old tricks. They're taking Survivors as slaves. And they're in league with the Twin Devils to accomplish their purpose."
"And I say that's ridiculous," put in Anselm. "We even _heard_ the monsters take a Zivver!"
"How do we know that wasn't something they _wanted_ us to hear?"
Anselm snorted. "If the Zivvers are going to start taking slaves again, they'd just _do_ it."
Lorenz was silent. But it was an adamant silence. It was readily audible he was going to insist the monsters and Zivvers were working together. And Jared could understand why: If the Adviser intended to accuse him of being a Zivver, he was going to make certain the accusation also included indirect blame for the presence of the monsters.
"I'm sure Della will want to hear your
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