K-Pax (90 page)

"H
e
know
s
that
,
too."

"The
n
why-"

"Becaus
e
the
n
you'
d
kno
w
wha
t
eve
n
h
e
doesn'
t
wan
t
t
o
know."

"D
o
yo
u
kno
w
wha
t
happened?"

"No."

"No
?
Doesn'
t
h
e
tel
l
yo
u
everythin
g
tha
t
happen
s
t
o
him?"

"No
t
an
y
more."

"The
n
wil
l
yo
u
 
hel
p
 
him
?
I
f
 
yo
u
 
ca
n
 
ge
t
 
hi
m
t
o
 
tel
l
 
m
e
 
wha
t
 
happene
d
 
yo
u
 
woul
d
 
b
e
 
takin
g
 
th
e
 
first
ste
p
towar
d
helpin
g
hi
m
dea
l
wit
h
it."

"No."

"Wh
y
not?"

"H
e
doesn'
t
wan
t
t
o
tal
k
abou
t
it-remember?"

"Bu
t
time'
s
runnin
g
ou
t
fo
r
him!"

"Tim
e
i
s
runnin
g
ou
t
fo
r
everyone."

"Al
l
right
.
Wha
t
i
s
happenin
g
now?"

"H
e
i
s
floatin
g
dow
n
th
e
river
.
H
e
i
s
 
drowning
.
 
H
e
 
want
s
 
t
o
 
die.
"
 
pro
t
 
state
d
 
thi
s
 
matter-of-factly
,
 
as
i
f
h
e
wer
e
a
disintereste
d
observer.

"Can'
t
yo
u
sto
p
him?"

"Wha
t
ca
n
I
do?"

"Yo
u
coul
d
tal
k
t
o
him
.
Hel
p
him."

"I
f
h
e
want
s
t
o
die
,
that'
s
hi
s
right
,
don'
t
yo
u
think?"

"Bu
t
h
e
i
s
you
r
friend
.
I
f
h
e
die
s
yo
u
wil
l
neve
r
se
e
hi
m
again."

"
I
a
m
hi
s
friend
.
Tha
t
i
s
wh
y
I
won'
t
interfere."

"Al
l
right
.
I
s
h
e
conscious?"

"Barely."

"Bu
t
stil
l
i
n
th
e
water?"

"Yes."

"Ther
e
i
s
stil
l
time
.
Hel
p
him
,
fo
r
God'
s
sake."

"Ther
e
i
s
n
o
need
.
Th
e
strea
m
ha
s
washe
d
hi
m
ont
o
th
e
bank
.
H
e
wil
l
survive."

"Ho
w
fa
r
downstrea
m
di
d
i
t
carr
y
him?"

"Jus
t
a
fe
w
jarts-
a
mil
e
o
r
so."

"Wha
t
i
s
h
e
doin
g
now?"

"He'
s
coughing
.
He'
s
ful
l
o
f
water
,
bu
t
he'
s
comin
g
around."

"An
d
yo
u
ar
e
wit
h
him?"

"A
s
clos
e
a
s
I
a
m
t
o
yo
u
righ
t
now."

"Ca
n
yo
u
tal
k
t
o
him?"

"
I
ca
n
tal
k
t
o
him
,
bu
t
h
e
won'
t
tal
k
t
o
me."

"Wha
t
i
s
h
e
doin
g
now?"

"He'
s
jus
t
lyin
g
there.
"
A
t
thi
s
poin
t
pro
t
too
k
of
f
hi
s
shir
t
an
d
la
y
i
t
o
n
th
e
floo
r
i
n
fron
t
o
f
him.

"Yo
u
covere
d
him?"

"H
e
i
s
shivering.
"
pro
t
la
y
dow
n
o
n
th
e
carpe
t
besid
e
hi
s
shirt.

"Yo
u
ar
e
lyin
g
dow
n
besid
e
him?"

"Yes
.
W
e
ar
e
goin
g
t
o
slee
p
now."

"Yes
,
yo
u
d
o
that
.
An
d
no
w
I'
m
 
goin
g
 
t
o
 
as
k
 
yo
u
 
t
o
 
com
e
 
forwar
d
 
i
n
tim
e
 
t
o
 
th
e
 
nex
t
 
morning
.
 
The
su
n
i
s
up
.
Wher
e
ar
e
yo
u
now?"

"Stil
l
lyin
g
here."

"H
e
i
s
sleeping?"

"No
.
H
e
jus
t
doesn'
t
wan
t
t
o
ge
t
up."

"Di
d
h
e
sa
y
anythin
g
durin
g
th
e
night?"

"No."

"Di
d
yo
u
sa
y
anythin
g
t
o
him?"

"No."

"Al
l
right
.
 
No
w
 
it'
s
 
lat
e
 
afternoon
.
 
Wher
e
 
ar
e
 
yo
u
 
now?
"
 
pro
t
 
go
t
 
u
p
 
an
d
 
returne
d
 
t
o
 
hi
s
 
chair
.
 
"In
zaire."

"Zaire
?
Ho
w
di
d
yo
u
ge
t
t
o
Zaire?"

"It'
s
difficul
t
t
o
explain
.
Yo
u
see
,
ligh
t
ha
s
certain-"

"Wha
t
I
mean
t
was
,
wh
y
di
d
yo
u
g
o
bac
k
there
?
I
s
you
r
frien
d
wit
h
you?"

"I
t
looke
d
lik
e
a
beautifu
l
country
.
I
though
t
som
e
sightseein
g
migh
t
chee
r
hi
m
up."

"Di
d
yo
u
tal
k
t
o
hi
m
abou
t
it?"

"Yes
.
I
said
,
`Let'
s
ge
t
ou
t
o
f
here.'"

"Wha
t
di
d
h
e
say?"

"Nothing."

"S
o
no
w
you'r
e
i
n
Zaire."

"Yes."

"Bot
h
o
f
you."