K-Pax (97 page)
1987
,
no
w
1986
.
Now
,
Robert
,
i
t
i
s
Augus
t
eighth
,
1985,
_
a
t
noon
.
Wher
e
ar
e
you?"
H
e
remaine
d
motionles
s
fo
r
severa
l
minute
s
befor
e
murmuring
,
"
I
a
m
a
t
work.
"
H
e
sounde
d
tired
,
but
hi
s
voic
e
wa
s
clear
,
thoug
h
slightl
y
higher-pitche
d
tha
n
prot's.
"Wha
t
ar
e
yo
u
doin
g
there?"
"
I
a
m
eatin
g
m
y
lunch."
"Wha
t
ar
e
yo
u
eating?"
"
I
hav
e
a
Dutc
h
loa
f
sandwic
h
wit
h
Miracl
e
Whi
p
an
d
pickles
,
a
peanu
t
butte
r
sandwic
h
with
Concor
d
grap
e
jelly
,
potat
o
chips
,
a
banana
,
tw
o
suga
r
cookies
,
an
d
a
thermo
s
o
f
coffee."
"Wher
e
di
d
yo
u
ge
t
you
r
lunch?"
"Fro
m
m
y
lunc
h
bucket."
"You
r
wif
e
mad
e
i
t
fo
r
you?"
"Yes."
"Al
l
right
.
W
e
ar
e
goin
g
t
o
mov
e
forwar
d
eigh
t
day
s
an
d
tw
o
hours
.
I
t
i
s
2:0
0
P.M
.
o
n
August
sixteenth
,
1985
.
Wher
e
ar
e
yo
u
now?"
"A
t
work."
"An
d
wha
t
ar
e
yo
u
doin
g
a
t
thi
s
moment?"
"Knockin
g
steers."
"Al
l
right
.
Wha
t
d
o
yo
u
see?"
"I
t
i
s
jerkin
g
aroun
d
makin
g
noises
.
I
ban
g
i
t
again
.
No
w
i
t
i
s
still.
"
H
e
wipe
d
som
e
imaginary
perspiratio
n
fro
m
hi
s
forehea
d
wit
h
th
e
bac
k
o
f
hi
s
hand.
"An
d
i
t
move
s
dow
n
th
e
lin
e
wher
e
someon
e
els
e
cut
s
th
e
throat
,
i
s
tha
t
right?"
"Yes
,
afte
r
i
t
i
s
shackled."
"The
n
what?"
"The
n
anothe
r
on
e
come
s
along
.
The
n
another
,
the
n
another
,
the
n
another-"
"Al
l
right
.
No
w
i
t
i
s
jus
t
afte
r
quittin
g
time
.
Yo
u
ar
e
on
_
you
r
wa
y
hom
e
fro
m
work
.
Yo
u
ar
e
home
now
,
gettin
g
ou
t
o
f
you
r
car
.
Yo
u
ar
e
goin
g
u
p
th
e
walk-"
Hi
s
eye
s
widened
.
"Someon
e
i
s
there!"
"Who
?
Wh
o
i
s
there?
Agitated
:
"
I
don'
t
know
.
H
e
i
s
comin
g
ou
t
o
f
m
y
house
.
I
hav
e
neve
r
see
n
hi
m
before
.
H
e
i
s
going
bac
k
int
o
th
e
house
!
Somethin
g
i
s
wrong
!
I
a
m
runnin
g
afte
r
him
,
chasin
g
hi
m
int
o
th
e
house
.
Oh
,
God,
no!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
"
H
e
bega
n
t
o
wail
,
hi
s
hea
d
waggin
g
bac
k
an
d
forth
,
hi
s
eye
s
a
s
big
a
s
th
e
moon
.
The
n
h
e
looke
d
towar
d
m
e
an
d
hi
s
demeano
r
change
d
radically-a
n
utte
r
transmogrification.
H
e
looke
d
a
s
thoug
h
h
e
wante
d
t
o
kil
l
me.
"Robert!
"
I
yelled
,
clappin
g
m
y
hand
s
togethe
r
a
s
loudl
y
a
s
I
could
.
"Wak
e
up
!
Wak
e
up!
"
Hi
s
eyes close
d
immediately
,
than
k
God
,
an
d
a
n
exhauste
d
Rober
t
sa
t
slumpe
d
i
n
th
e
chai
r
i
n
fron
t
o
f
me.
"Robert?"
N
o
response.
"Robert?"
Stil
l
nothing.
"Robert
,
it'
s
al
l
right
.
It'
s
ove
r
now
.
Everythin
g
i
s
al
l
right
.
Ca
n
yo
u
hea
r
me?"
N
o
response.
"Robert
,
I'
d
lik
e
t
o
tal
k
t
o
pro
t
now.
"
N
o
response.
"Pleas
e
le
t
m
e
spea
k
t
o
prot
.
prot
?
Ar
e
yo
u
there?
"
I
wa
s
beginnin
g
t
o
fee
l
a
mountin
g
trepidation.
Ha
d
I
bee
n
to
o
aggressive
?
Wha
t
if-?
Finall
y
hi
s
hea
d
lifte
d
an
d
hi
s
eye
s
blinke
d
open
.
"No
w
you'v
e
don
e
it."