s； the flicking forked tongues。 He closed his eyes again。
He felt one crawling up the leg of his jumpsuit； moving against his bare skin。
〃Don't move； Norman。〃
It was Beth。 He could hear the tension in her voice。 He looked up； could not see her； only her shadow。
He heard her say； 〃Oh God； what time is it？〃 and he thought； The hell with the time； who cares what time it is？ It didn't make any sense to him。 〃I have to know the time；〃 Beth was saying。 He heard her feet moving on the deck。 〃The time 。。。〃
She was moving away； leaving him！
The snakes slid over his ears； under his chin； past his nostrils； the bodies damp and slithering。
Then he heard her feet on the deck； and a metallic clang as she threw open the hatch。 He opened his eyes to see her bending over him； grabbing the snakes in great handfuls； throwing them down the hatch into the water。 Snakes writhed in her hands； twisted around her wrists； but she shook them off； tossed them aside。 Some of the snakes didn't land in the water and coiled on the deck。 But most of the snakes were off his body now。
One more crawling up his leg； toward his groin。 He felt it moving quickly backward…she was pulling it out by the tail！
〃Jesus； careful…〃
The snake was out； flung over her shoulder。
〃You can get up； Norman；〃 she said。
He jumped to his feet； and promptly vomited。
0700 HOURS
He had a murderous； pounding headache。 It made the habitat lights seem unpleasantly bright。 And he was cold。 Beth had wrapped him in blankets and had moved him next to the big space heaters in D Cyl； so close that the hum of the electrical elements was very loud in his ears； but he was still cold。 He looked down at her now； as she bandaged his cut knee。
〃How is it？〃 he said。
〃Not good；〃 she said。 〃It's right down to the bone。 But you'll be all right。 It's only a few more hours now。〃
〃Yes； I…ouch！〃
〃Sorry。 Almost done。〃 Beth was following first…aid directions from the puter。 To distract his mind from the pain； he read the screen。
MINOR MEDICAL （NON…LETHAL） PLICATIONS
7。113 Trauma
7。115 Microsleep
7。118 Helium Tremor
7。119 Otitis
7。121 Toxic Contaminants
7。143 Synovial Pain
Choose one：
〃That's what I need；〃 he said。 〃Some microsleep。 Or better yet； some serious macrosleep。〃
〃Yes； we all do。〃
A thought occurred to him。 〃Beth； remember when you were pulling the snakes off me？ What was all that you were saying about the time of day？〃
〃Sea snakes are diurnal；〃 Beth said。 〃Many poisonous snakes are alternately aggressive and passive in twelve…hour cycles； corresponding to day and night。 During the day； when they're passive； you can handle them and they will ＇＇309＇＇ never bite。 For example； in India； the highly poisonous banded krait has never been known to bite during the day； even when children play with them。 But at night； watch out。 So I was trying to determine which cycle the sea snakes were on； until I decided that this must be their passive daytime cycle。〃
〃How'd you figure that？〃
〃Because you were still alive。〃 Then she had used her bare hands to remove the snakes； knowing that they wouldn't bite her； either。
〃With your hands full of snakes； you looked like Medusa。〃
〃What is that； a rock star？〃
〃No； it's a mythological figure。〃
〃The one who killed her children？〃 she asked； with a quick suspicious glance。 Beth； ever alert to a veiled insult。
〃No； that's somebody else。 That was Medea。 Medusa was a mythical woman with a head full of snakes who turned men to stone if they looked at her。 Perseus killed her by looking at her reflection in his polished shield。〃
〃Sorry； Norman。 Not my field。〃
It was remarkable； he thought； that at one time every educated Western person knew these figures from mythology and the stories behind them intimately…as intimately as they knew the stories of families and friends。 Myths had once represented the mon knowledge of humanity； and they served as a kind of map of consciousness。
But now a well…educated person such as Beth knew nothing of myths at all。 It was as if men had decided that the map of human consciousness had changed。 But had it really changed？ He shivered。
〃Still cold； Norman？〃
〃Yeah。 But the worst thing is the headache。〃
〃You're probably dehydrated。 Let's see if I can find something for you to drink。〃 She went to the first…aid box on the wall。
〃You know； that was a hell of a thing you did；〃 Beth said。 〃Jumping in like that without a suit。 That water's only a couple of degrees above freezing。 It was very brave。 Stupid； but brave。〃 She smiled。 〃You saved my life； Norman。〃
＇＇310＇＇ 〃I didn't think；〃 Norman said。 〃I just did it。〃 And then he told her how； when he had seen her outside； with the churning cloud of sediment approaching her； he had felt an old and childish horror； something from distant memory。
〃You know what it was？〃 he said。 〃It reminded me of the tornado in The Wizard of Oz。 That tornado scared the bejesus out of me when I was a kid。 I just didn't want to see it happen again。〃
And then he thought； Perhaps these are our new myths。 Dorothy and Toto and the Wicked Witch； Captain Nemo and the giant squid 。。。
〃Well；〃 Beth said； 〃whatever the reason； you saved my life。 Thank you。〃
〃Any time；〃 Norman said。 He smiled。 〃Just don't do it again。〃
〃No； I won't be going out again。〃
She brought back a drink in a paper cup。 It was syrupy and sweet。
〃What is this？〃
〃Isotonic glucose supplement。 Drink it。〃
He sipped it again； but it was unpleasantly sweet。 Across the room； the console screen still said I WILL KILL YOU NOW。 He looked at Harry； still unconscious； with the intravenous line running into his arm。
Harry had been unconscious all this time。
He hadn't faced the implications of that。 It was time to do it now。 He didn't want to do it； but he had to。 He said； 〃Beth； why do you think all this is happening？〃
〃All what？〃
〃The screen； printing words。 And another manifestation ing to attack us。〃
Beth looked at him in a flat； neutral way。 〃What do you think； Norman？〃
〃It's not Harry。〃
〃No。 It's not。〃
〃Then why is it happening？〃 Norman said。 He got up； pulling the blankets tighter around him。 He flexed his bandaged knee； it hurt； but not too badly。 Norman moved to the porthole and looked out the window。 In the distance he could ＇＇311＇＇ see the string of red lights； from the explosives Beth had set and armed。 He had never understood why she had wanted to do that。 She had acted so strangely about the whole thing。 He looked down toward the base of the habitat。
Red lights were glowing there； too； just below the porthole。 She had armed the explosives around the habitat。
〃Beth； what have you done？〃
〃Done？〃
〃You armed the explosives around DH…8。〃
〃Yes； Norman；〃 she said。 She stood watching him； very still； very calm。
〃Beth； you promised you wouldn't do that。〃
〃I know。 I had to。〃
〃How are they wired？ Where's the button； Beth？〃
〃There is no button。 They're set on automatic vibration sensors。〃
〃You mean they'll go off automatically？〃
〃Yes； Norman。〃
〃Beth； this is crazy。 Someone is still making these manifestations。 Who is doing that； Beth？〃
She smiled slowly； a lazy； cat smile； as if he secretly amused her。 〃Don't you really know？〃
He did know。 Yes； he thought。 He knew； and it chilled him。 〃You're making these manifestations； Beth。〃
〃No； Norman；〃 she said； still calm。 〃I'm not doing it。 You are。〃
0640 HOURS
He thought back years ago； to the early days of his training； when he had worked in the state hospital at Borrego。 Norman had been sent by his supervisor to make a progress report on a particular patient。 The man was in his ＇＇312＇＇ late twenties； pleasant and well educated。 Norman talked to him about all sorts of things： the Oldsmobile Hydramatic transmission； the best surfing beaches； Adlai Stevenson's recent presidential campaign； Whitey Ford's pitching； even Freudian theory。 The man was quite charming； although he chain…smoked and seemed to have an underlying tension。 Finally Norman got around to asking him why he had been sent to the hospital。
The man didn't remember why。 He was sorry； he just couldn't seem to recall。 Under repeated questioning from Norman； the man became less charming； more irritable。 Finally he turned threatening and angry； pounding the table； demanding that Norman talk about something else。
Only then did it dawn on Norman who this man was： Alan Whittier； who as a teenager had murdered his mother and sister in their trailer in Palm Desert； and then had gone on to kill six people at a gas station and three others in a supermarket parking lot； until he finally turned himself in to the police； sobbing； hysterical with guilt and remorse。 Whittier had been in the state hospital for ten years； and he had brutally attacked several attendants during that time。
This was the man who was now enraged； standing up in front of Norman； and kicking the table； flinging his chair back against the wall。 Norman was still a student； he didn't know how to handle it。 He turned to flee the room； but the door behind him was locked。 They had locked him in； which is what they always did during interviews with violent patients。 Behind him； Whittier lifted the table and threw it against the wall； he was ing for Norman。 Norman had a moment of horrible panic until he heard the locks rattling； and then three huge attendants dashed in； grabbed Whittier； and dragged him away； still screaming and swearing。
Norman went directly to his supervisor； demanded to know why he had been set up。 The supervisor said to him； Set up？ Yes； Norman had said； set up。 The supervisor said； But weren't you told the man's name beforehand？ Didn't the name mean anything to you？ Norman replied that he hadn't really paid attention。
＇＇313＇＇ You better pay attention； Norman； the supervisor had said。 You can't ever let down your guard in a place like this。 It's too dangerous。
Now； looking across the habitat at Beth； he thought： Pay attention； Norman。 You can't let down your guard。 Because you're dealing with a crazy person and you haven't realized it。
〃I see you don't believe me；〃 Beth said； still very calm。 〃Are you able to talk？〃
〃Sure；〃 Norman said。
〃Be logical； all of that？〃
〃Sure；〃 he said； thinking： I'm not the crazy one here。
〃All right；〃 Beth said。 〃Remember when you told me about Harry…how all the evidence pointed to Harry？〃
〃Yes。 Of