K-Pax (85 page)

Read K-Pax Online

Authors: Gene Brewer

Tags: #Fiction, #Science Fiction, #General

BOOK: K-Pax
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"On
e
live
s
i
n
alaska
.
Th
e
othe
r
i
s
jus
t
lik
e
everyon
e
els
e
i
n
town."

"Woul
d
yo
u
sa
y
h
e
hate
s
her?"

"H
e
doesn'
t
hat
e
anyone."

"Wha
t
abou
t
mal
e
friends?"

"Ther
e
ain'
t
none."

"Wha
t
abou
t
th
e
bully
.
an
d
th
e
ki
d
h
e
bea
t
up?"

"On
e
i
s
i
n
prison
,
th
e
othe
r
wa
s
kille
d
i
n
lebanon."

"An
d
h
e
neve
r
stop
s
of
f
a
t
a
taver
n
afte
r
wor
k
fo
r
a
bee
r
wit
h
hi
s
fello
w
knockers?"

"No
t
an
y
more."

"H
e
di
d
earlier?"

"H
e
use
d
t
o
jok
e
aroun
d
 
wit
h
 
th
e
 
others
,
 
hav
e
 
a
 
bee
r
 
o
r
 
two
.
 
Bu
t
 
wheneve
r
 
h
e
 
invite
d
 
someon
e
 
for
supper
,
 
the
y
 
alway
s
 
foun
d
 
som
e
 
excus
e
 
no
t
 
t
o
 
come
.
 
An
d
 
n
o
 
on
e
 
eve
r
 
invite
d
 
hi
m
an
d
 
hi
s
 
famil
y
 
fo
r
 
a
barbecu
e
o
r
anythin
g
else
.
Afte
r
a
whil
e
h
e
 
bega
n
 
t
o
 
ge
t
 
th
e
 
idea
.
 
No
w
 
the
y
 
stic
k
 
t
o
 
thei
r
 
traile
r
 
mos
t
 
of
th
e
time.

I
trie
d
t
o
tel
l
hi
m
thi
s
woul
d
happen."

"Sound
s
lik
e
a
prett
y
lonel
y
existence."

"No
t
really
.
Sara
h
ha
s
a
millio
n
brother
s
an
d
sisters."

"An
d
no
w
they'r
e
goin
g
t
o
bu
y
a
house?"

"Maybe
.
O
r
buil
d
one
.
They'v
e
go
t
thei
r
ey
e
 
o
n
 
a
 
fe
w
 
acre
s
 
o
f
 
land
.
 
It'
s
 
a
 
beautifu
l
 
spot
,
 
a
 
par
t
 
o
f
 
a
far
m
tha
t
someon
e
spli
t
up
.
I
t
ha
s
a
strea
m
an
d
a
coupl
e
o
f
acre
s
o
f
trees
.
A
lovel
y
place
.
 
Remind
s
 
m
e
 
of
home
.
Excep
t
fo
r
th
e
stream."

"Tel
l
hi
m
I
hop
e
h
e
get
s
it."

"I'l
l
d
o
that
,
bu
t
h
e
stil
l
won'
t
tel
l
yo
u
hi
s
name."

A
t
tha
t
 
poin
t
 
Mrs
.
 
Trexle
r
 
barge
d
 
in
,
 
ou
t
 
o
f
 
breath
,
 
whisperin
g
 
franticall
y
 
abou
t
 
a
 
disturbanc
e
 
i
n
the
psychopathi
c
 
ward
:
 
Someon
e
 
ha
d
 
kidnappe
d
 
Giselle
!
 
I
 
quickl
y
 
hushe
d
 
he
r
 
u
p
 
an
d
 
reluctantl
y
 
brought
pro
t
bac
k
fro
m
hi
s
hypnoti
c
state
,
lef
t
hi
m
wit
h
Mrs
.
T
,
an
d
too
k
of
f
fo
r
th
e
fourt
h
floor.

Giselle
!
I
t
i
s
har
d
t
o
expres
s
th
e
feeling
s
I
ha
d
i
n
th
e
fe
w
second
s
 
i
t
 
too
k
 
m
e
 
t
o
 
mak
e
 
i
t
 
downstairs
.
 
I couldn'
t
 
hav
e
 
bee
n
 
mor
e
 
distresse
d
 
i
f
i
t
 
ha
d
 
bee
n
 
Abb
y
 
o
r
 
Jenn
y
 
i
n
th
e
 
hand
s
 
o
f
 
whicheve
r
 
lunati
c
 
had
grabbe
d
 
her
.
 
I
 
sa
w
 
he
r
 
slouche
d
 
dow
n
 
i
n
m
y
offic
e
 
chair
,
 
hear
d
 
he
r
 
childis
h
 
voice
,
 
smelle
d
 
he
r
 
sweet,
pine
y
 
scent
.
 
Giselle
!
 
Al
l
 
m
y
 
fault
.
 
Al
l
 
m
y
 
fault
.
 
Allowin
g
 
a
 
helples
s
 
gir
l
 
t
o
 
"cruis
e
 
th
e
 
corridors
"
 
o
f
 
the psyc
h
ward
.
I
trie
d
no
t
t
o
imagin
e
a
pai
r
o
f
hair
y
arm
s
wrappe
d
aroun
d
he
r
neck
,
o
r
worse....

I
bange
d
int
o
Four
.
Everyon
e
 
wa
s
 
millin
g
aroun
d
 
o
r
 
chattin
g
 
amiably
,
 
som
e
 
eve
n
 
beginnin
g
 
t
o
 
return
t
o
thei
r
regula
r
routines
.
I
couldn'
t
believ
e
ho
w
unconcerne
d
the
y
seeme
d
t
o
be
.
Al
l
I
 
coul
d
 
think
'
 
o
f
 
was: Wha
t
kin
d
o
f
peopl
e
ar
e
these?

Th
e
kidnapper'
s
nam
e
wa
s
Ed
.
H
e
wa
s
a
handsome
,
white
,
fifty-year-ol
d
ma
n
wh
o
ha
d
gon
e
berserk
si
x
year
s
earlie
r
an
d
gunne
d
dow
n
 
eigh
t
 
peopl
e
 
wit
h
 
a
 
semiautomati
c
 
rifl
e
 
i
n
a
 
shoppin
g
 
mal
l
parkin
g
 
lot.
Unti
l
tha
t
 
tim
e
 
h
e
 
ha
d
 
bee
n
 
a
 
successfu
l
 
stockbroker
,
 
a
 
mode
l
 
husban
d
 
an
d
 
father
,
 
sport
s
 
fan
,
 
church
elder
,
six-handica
p
golfer
,
 
an
d
 
al
l
th
e
 
rest
.
 
Afterward
,
 
eve
n
 
wit
h
 
regula
r
 
medication
,
 
h
e
 
suffere
d
 
periods
o
f
episodi
c
dyscontro
l
accompanie
d
b
y
significan
t
electrica
l
activit
y
i
n
hi
s
 
brain
,
 
whic
h
 
usuall
y
 
ende
d
 
with
utte
r
exhaustio
n
an
d
fist
s
bloodie
d
b
y
poundin
g
the
m
agains
t
th
e
wall
s
o
f
hi
s
room.

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