THE ISSUE STEPHEN KING -Last call for the Expedition 701, a pleasant female voice announced in the

Blue Hall of the Port Authority Terminal, e! "or#$ The %uildin& had not chan&ed much in the last three hundred years$ 'ept &ivin& the impression, some!hat sinister, to %e a%out to collapse$ Perhaps the anonymous female voice !as the only thin& nice there$ ()*t)s Expedition +hitehead, ,ars (continued the voice($ All passen&ers !ith %an#notes should assem%le in the %oardin& loun&e of the Blue Hall$ of the Blue Hall$ Please ma#e sure that all your documents are in order$ Than# you very much$ The departure loun&e !as nothin& creepy$ A carpet, pearl &ray color, entirely coverin& the &round$ -rom the !alls of a nondescript !hite, hun& more or less a%stract print$ .n the roof, a ran&e of colors pretty accurate conformed a set appealin& to the eyes$ There !ere a%out one hundred loun&ers arran&ed in perfect ro!s of ten$ -ive auxiliary Expeditions /ervice offered &lasses of mil# to passen&ers, encoura&in& them !ith comments friendly, comfortin&$ At one end of the room, t!o &uards &uardin& the door$ .ne of the company employees carefully examined the papers of a ne!comer, a su%0ect !ith ra%%it face and a copy of the e! "or# +orld (Times under his arm$ .n the opposite side of the enclosure, the &round %e&an a &entle descent to lead to a #ind of ramp into a tunnel of a%out t!o meters !ide and t!ice as lon&, na#ed, !ithout doors$ ,ar# .ates, his !ife and t!o children ,arilys !aited in their loun&ers, near the exit$ ( 1ad, !hy do not you explain !hat the Expedition no!2 3ic#y as#ed$ * had promised$ ("es, 1ad, you promised ( Patricia added, !ith a chuc#le stupid$ .pposite, an individual !ith all the appearance of %ein& in %usiness and the same constitution a fi&htin& %ulls, loo#ed as#ance, and said nothin&$ Lyin& on a sun loun&er, !ith %eautifully polished shoes, leafed throu&h his papers$ The %u44 of conversation 5uietly and hustle off of those !ho !ere comin& eventually completely fill the room$ ,ar# !in#ed at ,arilys, !hich corresponded, thou&h it loo#ed as fri&htened as Patty$ 6+hy not2 6 As#ed ,ar#$ *t !as the first time * &ot to his family in such a venture$ *t had %een several months that the company for !hich he !or#ed, Texaco +ater, had informed him of his upcomin& move to +hitehead 7ity$ They spent entire !ee#s, ,arilys and he, discussin& the advanta&es and disadvanta&es that the entire family follo!ed him to his ne! post$ -inally after difficult deli%erations, decided it !as %etter that they all move to ,ars durin& the t!o years that he !ould have to &o there$ He chec#ed his !atch8 there !as still a%out half an hour for the &ame$ He had time to tell the !hole story$ He said may%e that !ay mana&ed to distract children and prevent the esta%lishment nervous$ And may%e even ,arilys &ot to relax a little$ (.#ay ( he said$ 3ic#y and Pat !atched him carefully$ 3ic#y !as t!elve and Pat, nine$ He thou&ht that, for !hen the return to Earth, the &uy !ould already %e in the throes of pu%erty, and the &irl pro%a%ly had %reasts$ * could hardly %elieve it$ * had decided after consultation !ith ,arilys that children attend school in +hitehead, !ith the sons of en&ineers and other employees of the company$ 3ic#y could participate in a field trip to Pho%os, only a fe! months a!ay$ *ncredi%le, %ut as true as they !ere there at the moment$

6+ho #no!s2 (He told himself( * may even calm myself$ 6 ( -rom !hat * understand, the method Expedition, or 0ump, as it is also #no!n, !as invented %y a man named 9ictor 7arune, %y 1:;7$ 7arune had received a &overnment &rant, to do research$ -inally, the &overnment, or the oil companies, put his hands on the matter$ o exact date %ecause 7arune !as 5uite eccentric$ ( "ou mean he !as cra4y2 3ic#y as#ed$ ( <ust a little cra4y( ,arilys said, smilin& at ,ar#$ (Ah, no!= ( +ell, that !or#ed for a time 7arune !ithout reportin& their findin&s to the >overnment, and only spo#e to them %ecause he ran out of money and needed a ne! &rant$ ( *f it is to your satisfaction, money %ac#( Pat interrupted, lau&hin& a&ain$ (Exactly, darlin& ( said ,ar#, tenderly stro#in& her %an&s$ At that time, t!o ne! auxiliary crept in, !earin& %ri&ht red 0umpsuit employees space Travel 7ompany$ They carried on a !heeled ta%le stainless steel sprayer !ith a ru%%er tu%e, carefully hidden %y the s#irts of the ta%le cloth$ (,ar# #ne!( there !ere t!o &as cylinders, in the %a& attached to one of the sides !ere #ept a hundred disposa%le mas#s$ ,ar# continues !al#in&, !ith the hope that his family did not even notice the ne!comers$ *f amounted to tell the story to the end, his !ife and children !ould %e the first to !elcome the &as !ith open arms$ ,oreover, they had no alternative$( ("ou #no! that the 0ump is not nothin& %ut a process of teleportation$ *n professional environments 7arune effect is called$ The term 60ump6 !as invented %y the same 7arune, !ho !as a fan of science fiction novels$ *n one of them, called the /tar 1estination %y Alfred Bester, there !as tal# of this phenomenon$ Althou&h the novel supposed to %e su%0ected to only experience !ith thin#in&, !hile, in practice, not possi%le$ At that time the auxiliary mas# applied to an old lady, this too# a turn and she lay, serene and lax, on your loun&er$ The s#irt had risen sli&htly, revealin& a limp and laced thi&h varices$ An auxiliary fa%ric sat 5uietly !hile the other mas# chan&ed !ith a ne! one, !hich led ,ar# to thin# of the plastic cups that are usually found in the motel rooms$ He loo#ed at Pat, prayin& to >od to calm? had seen children !ho needed to su%mit %y force, and some !ere screamin& until mas#s over their faces$ ot that such a reaction normally found in a child, %ut did not !ant to see Patty in these circumstances$ 3ic#y inspired more confidence$ ( +hat one can say that the ne! discovery came at the ri&ht time he continued$ /he spo#e to 3ic#y, %ut hers held the hand of his dau&hter$ The &irl)s fin&ers clutched his father)s, ri&id !ith panic$ His palms !ere s!eaty and some!hat cold$ 6The !orld !as a%out to exhaust the oil reserves !hich, for the most part, continued to %elon& to the countries of the ,iddle East, !hich they used as a political !eapon$ They had formed a cartel .PE7 oil they called$ ( +hat is a cartel2( Patty as#ed$ ( +ell $$$ a monopoly( ,ar# replied$ ( /omethin& li#e a clu%, honey ( ,arilys interrupted$ But you can only %elon& to this clu% if you have a lot, %ut a lot of oil$

( * !ill not stop no! explain ho! the !orld !as at that time$ * studied in school$ But it !as a mess$ "ou could only use the car t!ice a !ee#, and the &as !as old fifteen @$/$ dollars a &allon$$$ (1amn= (3ic#y exclaimed ( $ o! only cost three or four cents, is not it, 1ad2 ,ar# smiled$ ( That is !hy !e &o !here !e &o$ .n ,ars there is oil up to ei&ht thousand years, and 9enus for other t!enty thousand $$$ Any!ay, this fuel is not as important$ +hat !e really need no! is$$$ (+ater= ( Patty yelled$ The %usinessman loo#ed up from his papers and smiled for a moment$ (Exactly( said ,ar#$( Because %et!een 1:A0 and B0C0 almost all the !ater !e pollute our disposal $ The first shipment of !ater from the ice caps of ,ars to Earth is #no!n as$$$ ( .peration /tra!( 3ic#y said$ That)s it$ *n B0DE or so$ Althou&h it had %een used lon& %efore the same procedure, the <ump ( in the search for ne! sprin&s on Earth$ And no! the !ater represents the lar&est share of exports ,artian $$$ oil is only a sideline$ But then, it !as vital$ The %oys nodded$ ( The fact is that these thin&s had al!ays %een there, %ut !e could only &et them !hen they invented teleportation$ +hen 7arune discovered the process, the !orld !as plun&ed into a ne! 1ar# A&e$ There !as such a cold !inter that more than ten thousand people fro4e to death in the @nited /tates for lac# of heat $ (+o!= ( /aid Patty, phle&matic$ At that time, t!o assistants spo#e !ith shy (loo#in& man, !ith the aim of you to stic# to your specifications$ -inally too# the mas# and fell as dead on his chair a fe! seconds$ 6-irst Time, thou&ht ,ar#$ *t soon &uesses$ ( To 7arune, it all started !ith a pencil, #eys, a !atch and a fe! mice$ The mice sho!ed him that there !as a pro%lem$$$ 9ictor 7arune returned to his la%oratory drun# !ith 0oy$ * thou&ht * #ne! no! !hat * had felt ,orse , Alexander >raham Bell , Edison $$$ %ut its discovery exceeded those of his predecessors , and on t!o occasions had %een a%out to crash the van on the !ay %ac# to the pet shop e! Palt4 , !here he spent his last t!enty dollars on nine !hite mice $ All !e had in the !orld !ere the ei&hteen dollars from his savin&s account and ninety(three cents of his ri&ht poc#et$ But never for a moment thou&ht a%out it$ And, if so, pro%a%ly !ould not have cared$ There ena%led an old %arn as a la%oratory, !hich is reached %y a narro!, dusty road$ Precisely in this !ay had %een a%out to dump a second time$ The &as tan# !as almost empty, and * could fill it !ithin ten or fifteen days, %ut that did not care$ *n his fevered %rain ideas revolved li#e a !hirl!ind$ othin& happened next !as totally unexpected$ .ne of the reasons that the &overnment had assi&ned the paltry sum of t!enty thousand dollars a year !as the possi%ility, hitherto unmet particle transmission$ But it happened so $$$ suddenly $$$ !ithout notice $$$ and consumin& less electricity than a color T9 $$$ >od=

He par#ed the van in front of the %arn$ *n the %ac# seat !as a %ox !ith the !ords 7.,E -3., PET /H.P ./TA7'P.LE and ima&es of do&s, cats, &uinea pi&s and &oldfish$ 7arune &ra%%ed the %ox and ran to the dou%le door entry to the la%oratory$ He tried to open one of the &ates$ -indin& that he could not, he recalled that it had loc#ed$ (1amn= He yelled, loo#in& them in pants poc#ets$ He al!ays for&et that one of the conditions imposed %y the >overnment to &rant the su%sidy !as to maintain its research center permanently loc#ed$ +hen * finally found them, he %ecame fascinated !ith the * opened the %arn$ <ust as the telephone !as first used in a completely random (Bell, to pour some acid on %urnin& some papers and shouted to the device8 6+atson, come 5uic#ly=6 ( The first teleportation too# place %y chance$ *nadvertently, 9ictor 7arune t!o fin&ers teleported to the other end of the %arn, to five hundred feet$ 7arune had installed t!o !indo!s, one on each end of the %arn$ At his side had put a &un *onic, of !hich are sold in electronics stores for less than five hundred dollars$ .n the opposite side, shaped and si4ed to approximate a %oo#, li#e the first, !as installed a &as cham%er$ Bet!een them there !as somethin& li#e a sho!er curtain, assumin& that a sho!er curtain could %e lead$ The idea !as to shoot ions throu&h the first !indo! and o%serve its course %y the &as cham%er, !ith the lead curtain to sho! that they !ere actually %ein& transmitted$ *n t!o years, the experiment had resulted in only a couple of occasions$ +hy, 7arune had no idea$ +as installed the ion &un in the holder, !hen he spent t!o fin&ers out the !indo!, una!are$ @sually, there !ere no pro%lems, %ut that mornin&, 7arune had driven, to touch him !ith her hip, the s!itch panel to the left of the !indo!$ He did not reali4e !hat had happened, the hum of the machine runnin& !as almost inaudi%le, until she felt a tin&lin& sensation in the fin&ers$ 6*t had nothin& to do !ith an electric shoc#,6 !rote 7arune the only article on the su%0ect that could %e put %efore the >overnment made him shut up$ The article appeared in no less than Popular ,echanics, and sold it for seven hundred and fifty @$/$ dollars, in its last desperate attempt to #eep his invention in the field of private enterprise$ 6*t had nothin& of the nasty thrill you feel, for example, to ta#e a frayed cord$ *t !as more li#e the feelin& you &et !hen you play a machine that runs at full speed$ The vi%rations are so fast and impercepti%le, experienced literally tin&le$ 6 6* sa! that my index fin&er !as &one, !ith an o%li5ue cut, up to the #nuc#le$ The other, a little lo!er$ And there !as no trace of the nail of the rin&$ 6 7arune, utterin& a cry, had !ithdra!n his hand instinctively$ As he !rote later, he thou&ht he sa! %lood even thou&h, o%viously, it !as 0ust a hallucination$ By movin&, hit the &un, !hich crashed to the &round$ He stood$ He put his fin&ers in his mouth to ma#e sure that yes, they !ere still there$ He told himself that he !as !or#in& too hard, * !as exhausted$ But another idea struc# him8 that he had 0ust discovered somethin& $$$ very important$ 7arune not dare to run his fin&ers throu&h the !indo! a&ain$ *n fact, only made it t!ice in his life$ At first, he did nothin&$ -or a lon& time, !as !al#in& around aimlessly around the %arn, runnin& his hands throu&h his hair and !onderin& if * should call 7arson, e! <ersey, or Buffin&ton, 7harlotte$ * #ne! that 7arson never stin&y conference accepted collect calls, %ut perhaps Buffin&ton did$ /uddenly, he had an idea8 if your fin&ers had crossed the %arn, he mi&ht find any indication in the second !indo!$ aturally, there !as not$ 7arune had installed on a pile of crates$ *t loo#ed li#e a &uillotine, 0ust !ithout

leaf toy$ At one side of the !indo! frame of stainless steel, had a plu& !ith a ca%le connectin& to the terminal of transmissions, it !as little more than a particle transformer connected to a computer$ This reminded that$$$ 7arune loo#ed at his !atch, it !as eleven (fifteen$ +hile the &overnment &ave him little money, &ave him computer time, somethin& infinitely precious$ That afternoon he availa%le until three, then you should leave until the follo!in& ,onday$ He had to move, do somethin&$$$ 6* !ent to see the dra!ers ( 7arune !rote in his famous article, and then examined the tips of my fin&ers$ o dou%t, the proof !as there$ *t occurred to me that * could not convince anyone except myself$ But in principle, !ho must %e persuaded, if not yourself2 6 ( +hat !as it2 3ic#y as#ed$ )"es,) said Patty, !hat !as it2 ,ar# smiled$ They !ere, includin& ,arilys, han&in& %y a thread$ They had almost for&otten !here they !ere$ ,ar# sa! the corner of his eye as the company)s auxiliary cart moved silently amon& travelers, plun&in& them into a deep sleep$ ever the process !as so fast in the civilian sector and the military$ 7ivilians !ere nervous and discussed$ The %u44 and ru%%er mas# too reminiscent of an operatin& room, !here sur&eons, !ith their scalpels, lur#ed %ehind the anesthetists and stainless steel cylinders$ /ometimes, there !as hysteria or panic, and al!ays lost any nerves$ T!o men rose from their chairs !ith a%solute serenity, the flap is detached la%els and headed to!ards the exit in silence$ After returnin& the papers to one of the auxiliary, left !ithout loo#in& %ac#$ The employees of the company had strict instructions not to ar&ue !ith those !ho !ere !ithdra!in& their purpose$ Al!ays !aitin& lists, sometimes of up to forty or fifty people$ +hen someone left, a ne! traveler came !ith your la%el attached to the shirt$ ( 7arune found t!o chips on his index fin&er ( 7ontinued ,ar#$ ( The extracted and saved$ .ne of them is lost forever, %ut the other is preserved in a hermetically sealed case /mithsonian *nstitution Annex in +ashin&ton, close to the one containin& the stones %rou&ht from the ,oon the first space travelers$ ( +hat moon, dad, ours or ,ars2 3ic#y as#ed$ ( .urs( said ,ar#, smilin&($Landed .n ,ars manned %y one man, 3ic#y, a -rench expedition, around B0C0 $ +ell, as * !as sayin&, that)s ho! an ordinary chip ran at the /mithsonian *nstitution8 The o%0ect teleported throu&h space$ And then !hat happened2 Patty as#ed$ )+ell, they say, 7arune ran $$$ 7arune ran to the first !indo! and stood %eside her for a fe! seconds, %reathless, heart leapin& in his chest poundin&$ 6* have to calm do!n, she told herself$ 7oncentrate on this$ *f you act in haste, no time advanta&e$ F 1eli%erately i&norin& !hat !as the focus of their thou&hts, too# the chips, storin& them on a chocolate !rapper$ .ne of the t!o !as later lost, the other is the /mithsonian *nstitution, !ith its &lass case surrounded %y velvet ri%%ons and eternally monitored %y a 7ircuit interior of T9$

Extracted /liver 7arune felt a little calmer$ *t occurred to repeat the experience !ith a pencil$ /he too# one and introduced !ith caution in the first !indo!$ The pen !as disappearin& slo!ly, inch %y inch, li#e a ma&ician )s tric# in an optical illusion$ He had printed on yello! varnish, some letters in %lac# 8 EBE3HA31 -ABE3, n G B$ +hen only the letters EBE3H, 7arune !ent to see !hat !as happenin& in the second !indo!$ There !as the pen, as if he had a #nife severed$ Her heart pounded in his chest uncontrolla%ly !hen he too# it$ He raised it, * said$ *n a fit !rote8 +.3'/= Pressed !ith such force that the mine eventually %rea#$ 7arune lau&hed li#e cra4y in the %arn !ilderness lau&hed !hile a floc# of s!allo!s fle! a!ay, disappearin& throu&h holes in the roof$ (*t !or#s= He shouted, runnin& %ac# to the first !indo!$ He !aved his arms li#e a madman, %randishin& %ro#en pencil in a hand$ +or#s= +or#s= "ou hear me, 7arson, asshole 2 *t !or#s and +.3' */ ,* E= +.3' */ ,* E= (,ar#, do not tal# li#e children ,arilys reproached him$ ,ar# shru&&ed$ ( The story &oes that)s !hat * said$ could not &ive an expur&ated version of the facts 2 ( 1ad ( Patty interrupted$ 1oes the pencil is also in the *nstitute2 ( *s not it true that %ears shit in the !oods2 ,ar# replied, coverin& her mouth, fei&nin& surprise at his o!n o%scenity$ The t!o %oys lau&hed loudly$ Patty )s lau&hter had lost that nervous tone , ,ar# thou&ht , relieved$ ,arilys fro!ned in a &esture of reproach, %ut could not help lau&hin& too$ Then 7arune experimented !ith the #eys$ Be&innin& to thin# clearly$ He !ondered if there !ould %e time to find out if teleported o%0ects suffered some chan&e in the process$ He !atched the #eys out the !indo! and, at exactly the same instant he heard fall at the other end, on the crate$ He !ent to the second !indo! slo!ly, ta#in& this time to ad0ust the position of the lead curtain$ Any!ay, did not need it, as needed the &un$ -ortunately, %ecause the &un had %een shattered$ *t proved one of the #eys to the loc# that the >overnment had forced him to put on the &ates$ *t !or#ed to perfection$ Then did the same !ith your home$ There !ere no pro%lems$ The same happened !ith the #eys to the filin& ca%inets and the van$ 7arune poc#eted the #eys in his poc#et and removed his !rist!atch$ *t !as a /ei#o 5uart4 !ith a small computer in the field$ T!enty(four little %uttons allo! doin& any math, from addition and su%traction, to the s5uare root$ *n addition to a &reat stop!atch, a delicate precision mechanism$ 7arune placed the cloc# in front of the !indo! and pushed it &ently !ith a pencil$ +atch instantly reappeared at the other end$ At the time of insertin& the mar#in& C1H11HC7$ +hen 7arune pic#ed it up, the 11HC1HD:$ Perfect$ +hile it !ould %e far %etter to have an assistant !ith dra!ers for certifyin& that no override any$ +ell, it did not matter much$ 9ery soon, the &overnment !ill cover assistants$

He tried the calculator !atch$ T!o and t!o !ere still four$ Ei&ht divided %y four t!o remained$ The s5uare root !as unchan&ed eleven8 C$C1AABD7 $$$ and so on$ *t !as time to experiment !ith mice$ ( +hat happened to the mice, 1ad2 3ic#y as#ed$ ,ar# hesitated$ He !ould have to tread carefully if * !anted to scare their children ( and his !ife ( !hen there !as already so little time for his first 0ump$ The most important thin& !as to convince them that the pro%lem had %een resolved and no! everythin& !as fine$ ( As * !as sayin&, there !as a small pro%lem$$$ "es$ The horror, madness and death$ +hat do you thin#, #ids2 7arune placed the coffer !ith the mice on a shelf and chec#ed the time$ *t !as 5uarter to three$ He had only an hour and a computer room$ 6*t)s ama4in& ho! time flies !hen you)re havin& fun,6 he thou&ht, lau&hin&$ He opened the %ox and pulled out a !hite mouse %y holdin& the tail$ The little creature screamed desperately$ * stood in front of the !indo!$ 67ome on, little mouse,6 he said$ The mouse ran do!n one side of the dra!er on !hich the !indo! !as installed$ 7arune cursed and tried to catch him, %ut !hen he put his hand on the animal slipped throu&h a crac# in the floor %et!een t!o %oards$ ( 1amn= 7arune cried$ He pic#ed up the %ox and narro!ly avoided t!o mice escape$ He &ra%%ed another mouse, this time %y the %ody$ *t !as physical, and he had no idea ho! to treat a mouse$ He closed the %ox carefully$ The animal cau&ht 7arune )s hand , %ut it !as useless8 it introduced him to the !indo!$ *mmediately he heard it fall on the dra!er the other end$ This time he ran, remem%erin& ho! he had missed the first mouse$ 1o not have !orried$ The animal !as curled up on the dra!er, dull eyes, %reathin& !ea#ly$ 7arune slo!ly approached$ He !as not used to deal !ith mice, %ut it did not ta#e a !hi4 to see that somethin& had &one terri%ly !ron&$ I( The mouse !as not, after the experience, as !ell as at the %e&innin&, )said ,ar# , !ith a &rin , that only ,arilys felt forced$J 7arune touched the mouse$ *t !as somethin& inert, li#e stra! or sa!dust ( except for the sides, movin& in search of air$ ot loo#in& around or 7arune, starin& for!ard$ Before, it !as a lively little animal, nervous !hat !as left !as 0ust a copy of !ax$ 7arune snapped his fin&ers at the mouse pin# little eyes that %lin#ed several times$$ and fell dead$ ( /o 7arune decided to try another mouse ( 7ontinued ,ar#$ And at first, !hat had happened2 3ic#y as#ed$ ,ar# returned to force a smile$ He !ithdre! !ith honor said$ 7arune &ot the %ody of dead mouse in a paper %a&$ ,osconi !anted to ta#e him to the vet toni&ht$ ,osconi could do an autopsy to find out !hat happened$ The >overnment disapprove the inclusion of a private citi4en in a pro0ect that had %een rated triple secret$ +orse for them, he thou&ht$ He !as determined to do everythin& in his

po!er for the >reat +hite -ather in +ashin&ton came into the &ame as late as possi%le$ 9ie! the mea&er support he had %orro!ed, could !ait$ /o ,osconi recalled that lived far a!ay, %eyond him and %ac#$ e! Palt4, and did not have enou&h petrol in the van to &o to

But it !as the B$0C $ * had less than an hour on the computer$ /he !ould !orry later than the damn autopsy$ 7arune %uilt a funnel, !hich set %efore startin& the !indo!$ I)Actually,) said ,ar#, it !as the first ramp ever %uilt for expeditions $ , Patty , the idea that the mice entered the !indo! do!n a slide found it extremely funny$J The researcher dropped another mouse to the funnel$ He %loc#ed the entrance !ith a %oo# and after sniff and !al# for a fe! moments, the mouse !ent throu&h the !indo! and disappeared$ 7arune ran to the other end of the %arn$ The animal !as dead$ There !as no %lood or edema indicatin& that a violent chan&e in %lood pressure had %ro#en any internal or&an$ 7arune !ondered if may%e the lac# of oxy&en could$$$ He shoo# his head, irritated$ The mouse had ta#en a millionth of a second to appear in the second !indo!$ 7onfirmin& that the cloc# time remained constant in the process$ At least apparently$ The second mouse !as to meet !ith the first paper %a&$ 7arune un%oxed a third mouse Ifourth, if you count the luc#y !ho had fled into the crac#J, !onderin& !hat !ould end earlier if the mice or computer time availa%le$ 7lutched the animal)s %ody and forced him to &o %ac# le&s out the !indo!$ Across the %arn, sa! reappear the le&s $$$ only the le&s, desperately clin&in& to the dra!er$ 7arune mouse !ithdre! the !indo!$ He !as fiercely alive$ /o live, that %it a fin&er, dra!in& %lood$ 3eturned the mouse to the %ox and disinfected the !ound !ith hydro&en peroxide that !as in the #it$ He covered the !ound !ith a %anda&e$ * rumma&ed around to find a pair of heavy !or# &loves$ Time !as &ro!in& increasin&ly $$$ *t !as already B$11$ He too# another mouse and it did &o throu&h the !indo! intact$ The mouse lived almost t!o minutes$ *t even &ot to run around a %it %y the dra!er, %ut stum%led %efore fallin& side!ays, stru&&lin& !ea#ly re0oin, only to fall a&ain, no! on all fours$ 7arune snapped his fin&ers in front of the animal, !hich perhaps &ave four steps and fell side!ays a&ain$ The flan#s !aved more and more faintly, until they !ere immo%ile$ He !as dead$ 7arune shivered$ He returned to the first !indo!, too# another mouse and introduced the head, %ut only half!ay$ /he sa! him reappear on the other side$ -irst the head, then the nec# and front le&s$ 7arune loosened his &rip on the mouse , ready , ho!ever , to hold him if he !as nervous $ *t !as not necessary 8 the animal remained motionless, half( len&th at each end of the %arn$ 7arune ran to see the result in the second !indo!$ The mouse !as still alive, %ut his pin# little eyes !ere dul , veiled $ The !his#ers !ere not movin&$ Loo#in& from %ehind, 7arune sa! somethin& surprisin&$ As in the case of the pencil, %efore it cuerpecillo cross section of the animal$ The verte%rae in the spine !ith tiny concentric rin&s, the %lood flo!in& throu&h the veins ,

esopha&eal tissue in motion, full of life$ He thou&ht that, at least, as he later !rote in his famous and uni5ue article that could %e a &reat dia&nostic tool$ Then he noticed that the movements of the mouse esopha&us had ceased$ He !as dead$ 7arune mouse up to the mu44le, overcomin& his reluctance, and dropped it into the paper %a&, alon& !ith the a%ove$ 6Enou&h of mice, he thou&ht$ @na%rid&ed die if you enter, !hether you put them head as if you do it %ac#!ards$ They die if you put only the front half$ But, if you put only the rear, retain their vitality$ 6 +hat the hell !as happenin&2 A sensory matter, he thou&ht, almost %y chance$ To ma#e the trip, they see somethin&, hear somethin&, touch somethin&$ ,y >od, can even smell somethin& that &lares$ But !hat2 * had no idea, %ut * !as proposed to find out$ * had forty minutes %efore he disconnected the computer$ He pic#ed up a thermometer on the !all next to the #itchen door, and introduced it to the !indo!$ @pon leavin&, mar#ed thirty de&rees, the same temperature as the inside$ He reached into the cellar, !here he had toys to entertain his &randchildren$ -ound a pac#a&e of %alloons$ *nflated one and tied it also launched throu&h the !indo!$ The %alloon came intact, !ithout a scratch$ *t !as clear that the pressure had nothin& to do !ith it$ Even five minutes detracted fateful time$ He ran to his house, returned !ith a fish tan# inside !hich Percy and Patric# s!am %y movin& and rotatin& fins a&itated$ He pushed the %o!l into the !indo!$ The tan# appeared intact on the crate$ But Patric# floated %elly up, Percy s!am slo!ly near the %ottom of the tan#, in a da4e$ /econds later also floated as his partner$ 7arune !ould ta#e the tan# !hen Percy shoo# faintly and turned tail to s!im !ith indifference$ >radually apparently exceeded the effects of the process, !ere the ones !ho !ere, and that ni&ht, at nine o)cloc#, !hen 7arune returned ,osconi 9eterinary 7linic , Percy seemed more alive than ever $ Patric# had died$ 7arune &ave Percy dou%le ration of food and Patric# %uried in the &arden, !ith the honors of a hero$ +hen * finally too# him off the computer, 7arune decided to clinical reached ,osconi, hitchhi#in&$ A 5uarter to four * !as on the road, !ith 0eans, a plaid shirt and %ro!n paper %a& in hand$ A car the si4e of a can of sardines stopped %eside him$ 7arune settled inside$ ( +hat)s in the %a&, man2 The driver as#ed$ ,ice dead ( 7arune replied$ After a !hile, another car pic#ed him up$ This time, !hen the driver as#ed for the %a&, 7arune said she had a fe! snac#s$ ,osconi dissection performed one of the mice in the act$ 7arune promised to call that ni&ht to tell you a%out the results$ But the first data !ere not encoura&in&, so ,osconi could tell, he had explored the mouse !as perfectly healthy except for the fact that he !as dead$ 1epressin&$

(9ictor 7arune !as an eccentric, %ut he !as no fool, continued ,ar#$ Attendants Expeditions company !ere very close, so * !ould have to rush $$$ or finish his story in the arrival hall of +hitehead 7ity$ 7arune !ent home that ni&ht hitchhi#in&$ Althou&h he had no choice %ut to !al# most of the !ay $$$ and as he !al#ed he reali4ed that it !as possi%le that there !as a third offset existin& ener&y deficit, in one fell s!oop$ All &oods !hich until then had to %e transported %y train, truc#, airplane or %oat, you could teleport$ "ou could !rite a letter, for example, to a friend in London, 3ome or /ene&al, and he !ould receive the same day , !ithout spendin& a sin&le drop of fuel$ o! it seems the most natural thin& in the !orld %ut $$$ !as a discovery of extraordinary ma&nitude, not only for 7arune, %ut for everyone$ ( But !hat happened to the mice2 3ic#y as#ed$ )That !as !hat #ept !onderin& 7arune replied ,ar#$ Because also understand that if people could %e teleported, the ener&y crisis !ould %e solved in its entirety$ And !e could con5uer space$ *n his famous article said that even the stars !ere finally ours$ +ith metaphorical sense, ar&ued that it could cross runnin& !ater !ithout &ettin& !et shoes$ -irst, ta#e a stone and thro! it into the stream , then ta#e another , and , standin& on the first, the spears in turn , come %ac# to see# a third $$$ and so on, up to a stone path to cross the !ater $$$ or in this case , the solar system , or perhaps even the &alaxy$ * do not 5uite understand, )said Patty$ ( Because you have sa!dust on the head instead of %rain ( 3ic#y said, very full of himself$ ( o, sir= 1ad, 3ic#y says$$$ (7hildren, do not start $$$ ,arilys ( spea#in& tenderly$ ( 7arune sensed !hat !as &oin& to happen ( continued ,ar# ( /pacecraft to reach the moon first$ Then, perhaps, ,ars, then 9enus, and <upiter )s outer moons $$$ Actually, all pro&rammed to do one thin& after landin& $$$ ( /et teleportation stations astronaut ( 3ic#y said$ ,ar# nodded$ (And no! there are scientific stations alon& and across the solar system, and may%e, someday, !hen !e are no lon&er here, it %ecomes availa%le to another planet$ At this very moment, there are four ships teleported on four different &alaxies, each !ith its o!n solar system$ But it !ill %e a lon&, lon& time %efore they reach their destinations$ ( * !ant to #no! !hat happened to the mice Patty insisted impatiently$ ( *n the lon& run, the >overnment too# the matter in his hands ( continued ,ar#$ 7arune remained out of control as he could, %ut finally fell on him$ 7arune !as the nominal head of Pro0ect Teleport, until his death ten years late, %ut never came to %e really in char&e of it$ (<o, poor &uy= 3ic#y exclaimed$ ( But it %ecame a national hero Patricia said$ .ut in all the history %oo#s, as President Lincoln and President Hart$ 6*t sure is a &reat comfort to 7arune6 thou&ht ,ar#$ The &overnment, stuc# in a dead end %y the ener&y crisis, increasin&ly serious, too# over the process$ They !anted to sell it as soon as possi%le, as usual$ The economic situation !as chaotic and terrifyin& specters of anarchy and famine loomin& over the !orld %y 1::0$ The &overnment and scientists !ho experimented !ith

disparate o%0ects %efore certifyin& that the teleportation did not alter the nature of the o%0ects, !ere en&a&ed for a lon& time$ -inally, he announced to the !orld, !ith &reat fanfare, the openin& of the ne! teleportation system$ The >overnment, &ivin& intelli&ence tests for once, put the issue in the hands of a pu%lic relations a&ency$ /o the myth !as developed 7arune a peculiar old man , !ho !as sho!erin& at most a fe! times a !ee# and chan&ed clothes !hen occurred $ That pu%lic relations firm and those that follo!ed, made 7arune a mixture of Thomas Edison, Eli +hitney, Pecos Bill and -lash >ordon$ The most maca%re and funny thin& I and ,ar# hid his family J !as that , %y then, had died or !as 7arune mad$ They say that art imitates life and perhaps 7arune had read 3o%ert Heinlein )s novel !hich deals !ith the theft of pu%lic fi&ures for their t!in in real life $ 7arune 9ictor %ecame a pro%lem$ A persistent and irritatin& pro%lem that resisted any solution$ He !as a loudmouth and a %um, a vesti&e of environmentalism in the sixties, !hen there !as enou&h ener&y to allo! the !al#in& &ait !as a luxury$ But it !as in the terri%le ei&hties, !ith its coal clouds o%scurin& the s#y and the possi%ility that much of the 7alifornia coast !as uninha%ita%le for a%out t!o years due to a )distraction) nuclear$ 9ictor 7arune remained a pro%lem until 1::1$ Then it %ecame a posta&e stamp, a %enevolent &randfather smilin&, an ima&e seen on the ne!s !avin& from the stands !ith his arm$ *n 1::C, three years %efore his death officially, !al#ed on a float of the Tournament of 3oses Parade$ Ama4in&$ And a little creepy$ The official announcement of the openin& of the teleportation system, on .cto%er 1:, 1:;;, resulted in an explosion of &lo%al enthusiasm and economic madness$ The old dollar decline suddenly s#yroc#eted in !orld money mar#ets$ People !ho %ou&ht &old spea#s ei&ht hundred six dollars the ounce !as found overni&ht !ith a pound of &old they represented somethin& less than 1B00 dollars$ *n a sin&le year, %et!een the official announcement of teleportation and the inau&uration of the first stations in e! "or# and Los An&eles, the stoc# rose a%ove a thousand points$ .il prices dropped only seven cents, %ut in 1::D, !ith teleportation stations in the seventy lar&est cities in the @nited /tates, .PEP had ceased to exist and the price of oil %e&an to drop$ *n 1::;, !ith teleportation stations in most cities of the !orld and ma#in& headlines frei&ht teleportation %et!een To#yo and Paris , Paris and London , London and e! "or# , e! "or# and Berlin , oil had already fallen to fourteen dollars a %arrel $ *n B00A, !hen humans %e&an to %e teleported re&ularly, the %a& had five thousand points located a%ove the level of 1:;7, oil !as sellin& for six dollars a %arrel and oil companies had %e&un to chan&e their names$ Texaco Texaco renamed +ater H .il and ,o%il chan&ed its name to ,o%il Hydro (B (.x$ *n B0DE, ac5uired prospectin& priority a5uifer and oil returned to !hat it had %een in 1:0A8 a trifle$ ( +hat happened to the mice2( Pat insisted impatiently$( +hat happened to the mice2 ,ar# decided that all !as 5uiet and cau&ht the attention of children on auxiliary /alto, !ho !ere already !ith your shoppin&, 0ust three ro!s a!ay$ 3ic#y !as content to nod, %ut Patty !as startled to see a lady, her head shaved and painted ele&ant fashion, fell %ac#, unconscious, after fittin& the mas#$ (7annot 0ump !hile a!a#e, ri&ht, 1ad2 ( 3ic#y as#ed$ ,ar# nodded, smilin& at her dau&hter, encoura&in&ly$ ( 7arune reali4ed !hat !as happenin& %efore the &overnment intervened in the matter ( continued$ ( And ho! you heard the &overnment of everythin&2 ( ,arilys intervened$ ,ar# smiled$ (Throu&h service computers$ All the %asic information 7arune drivin&$ *t !as all he could not hide or conceal or steal$ The particle transmission depended on the computer, and that represents %illions of data$ Even today, the computer remains responsi%le for not reach the other side !ith the head in the middle of the stomach, for example$

A shiver ran %ac# ,arilys$ ( 1o not panic, ,ari$ @ntil no!, there has never %een an accident of this #ind$ ever$ ( "ou ever have to %e the first ( mused ,arilys, &rim$ ,ar# !ent to 3ic#y8 ( Ho! 7arune reali4ed that to ma#e the 0ump had to %e asleep2 ( Because !hen introduced mice slo!ly %ac#!ards ( 3ic#y said( there !as no pro%lem$ As lon& as not introduced at all$ *n contrast, !hen the &ot to head out a little annoyed$ *s not that so2 (Exactly ( said ,ar#$ Leapin& assistants approached his truc# silent o%livion$ There !ould %e no time to finish the story$ Perhaps it !as %etter that !ay$ (.f course, it !as not very difficult to 7arune &ive to the cause$ The teleportation system over the correspondin& conventional speciali4ed industry, %ut at least, scientists %reathed calmer$ "es, the !al#in& &ait had returned to %ein& a luxury$ La%oratory tests continued for t!enty years , althou&h the first evidence 7arune dru&&ed mice had convinced him that no animal is unconscious suffered !hat is #no!n as .r&anic Effect , or more simply , Effect /alto$ 7arune y ,osconi dru&&ed and multiple mice, introducin& the !indo!, and retrievin& the other end$ They !aited patiently to return itself$$$ or die$ They re&ained consciousness$ After a %rief recovery period, re%ootin& their lives mousy, eatin&, playin& and defecatin& !ithout further conse5uences$ They !ere the first of a series of &enerations studied !ith extraordinary interest$ ever appeared in them lon&(term disorders, not died prematurely or had offsprin& !ith t!o heads or &reen coat, no nothin&$ ( +hen did you start experimentin& !ith human %ein&s, 1ad2 As#ed 3ic#y, !ho #ne! the ans!er, havin& read a%out it in school$ ote that$ ( * !ant to #no! !hat happened to mice Patty repeated$ Althou&h aides had reached the %e&innin& of its ro!, ,ar# paused to reflect$ His dau&hter, despite #no!in& less, !as the one !ho made the #ey 5uestion$ Precisely for this reason, he decided to ans!er his son$ The first humans !ere not teleported astronauts or test pilots, %ut death ro! !ho !ere not even protected %y a concern for their psycholo&ical sta%ility$ *n fact, in the opinion of the scholars of the case I7arune !as only the developerJ, the more un%alanced the %etter$ *f a distur%ed could emer&e unscathed from the experience or at least not !orse than %efore, the process is li#ely to %e safe for politicians, executives and models$ /ix of these volunteers !ere transferred to Province, 9ermont, a place that %ecame so famous %ecause of those events as he had %een 'itty Ha!#, orth 7arolina$ After sleep them !ith &as, !ere filled into !indo!s separated %y a distance of exactly three #ilometers$ ,ar# had this to their children %ecause, of course, the six volunteers returned undama&ed and in excellent spirits$ He did not spea# of the seventh volunteer$ *t is not #no!n !hether it is a myth, or a real person or, most li#ely, a com%ination of %oth$ But it had a name8 3udy -o&&ia$ -o&&ia !as sentenced to death in the state of -lorida, for the murder of four old in a &ame of %rid&e in /arasota$ Accordin& to chronicles the com%ined forces of the 7*A and the -B* had made an offer uni5ue, unrepeata%le8

ta#e it or leave it$ *t !as a%out ta#in& the leap into full !a#efulness$ *f you !ent ri&ht, Thur&ood >overnor pardoned him$ +as free to %ecome a follo!er of the .ne True 7ross or to #eep #illin& elderly %rid&e &ames !ith his !hite shoes and yello! pants$ *f, ho!ever, the experience left dead or cra4y, %ad luc#, as the cat said$ +hat do you thin#, 3udy2 -o&&ia, !ho !as a!are that in the state of -lorida not 5ualms !ere !ith !hen applyin& the death penalty and !hose o!n la!yer had confessed that it !as li#ely that the next turn for the Toaster !as his, a&reed$ The >reat 1ay of the summer of B007 had in place many scientists experience to form a foot%all team !ith a fe! alternates$ Ho!ever, if the history of -o&&ia and ,ar# !as certainly thou&ht so ( it !as difficult to have transcended %y one of those scientists$ *t seems more li#ely that it !as one of the &uards !ho had accompanied from 3aiford to -o&&ia and thence to ,ontpelier Province, in an armored vehicle$ ( *f * &et out of this alive, say -o&&ia said, )* !ant a chic#en for dinner %efore leavin&$ /aid and done$ -o&&ia entered the first !indo! and immediately reappeared in the second$ 7ame out alive, %ut not a%le to eat a chic#en$ *n the time it too# to cross the mile Idependin& on the computer, the 0$0000000000A7 of a second J , the hair is turned !hite as sno!$ His features had not chan&ed in the physical sense, had no !rin#les, no %eard and he loo#ed tired, %ut seemed to have a&ed a fantastic, ama4in&$ -o&&ia !as thro!n throu&h the second !indo!, eyes !ide, his mouth t!isted into a rictus violent hands stretched for!ard, as if to &ra% somethin&$ A second later, he %e&an to drool uncontrolla%ly$ /cientists !ho had &athered around him, recoiled in horror$ /till, ,ar# !as convinced that none of them had revealed !hat happened$ After all, had experimented !ith rats, &uinea pi&s, hamsters !ith$ *n a !ord, had experimented !ith all #inds of animal endo!ed !ith a %rain more complex than a !orm$ They must have felt li#e the >erman scientists !ho had tried to fertili4e !ith sperm <e!ish !omen pastors Aryans$ ( +hat happened2 /houted one of them Iit is #no!n that criedJ$ That !as the only 5uestion -o&&ia had the opportunity to respond$ ( There is eternity he said, and fell died from !hat !as dia&nosed as a heart attac#$ The assem%led scientists !ere left !ith a corpse Ineatly dispatched %y the 7*A and the -B*J and the stran&e and distur%in& statement8 6There is eternity 6 )1ad, * !ant to #no! !hat happened to mice Patty repeated$ The man in the sharp suit and shiny shoes !as a pro%lem for the auxiliary$ He did his %est to prevent you apply the &as$ He #ept tal#in&, made them meanin&less 5uestions, tried distractin&$ The poor assistant tried to control the situation usin& all his experience ( 0o#in&, smilin&, usin& convincin& ar&uments, %ut they !ere late$ ,ar# si&hed$ He himself had %rou&ht it up$ *t is true that his intention !as to distract their children !hile they !aited$ But no! he had no choice %ut to finish the story, %ein& as truthful as * could, !ithout surprise not alarm you$ He decided not to mention, for example, the %oo# of 7$ '$ /ummers, Politics of Teleport, one chapter, 6El /alto %eneath the 3ose6 !as a compendium of all credi%le rumors on the matter$ -o&&ia 3udy )s story , the murderer of %rid&e players, !ho could not account for the chic#en so much he !anted , !as part of it $ *t included thirty other stories, more or less, all on volunteer human &uinea pi&s or cra4y, !ho had dared to ma#e the <ump fully a!are, over the past three centuries$ ,ost had reached another dead end$ The remainin& reason irretrieva%ly lost$ *n some cases, the fact seemed to cause them %ac# out as shoc# !ho died instantly$ The same chapter of /ummers that such experiences !ere narrated contained another distur%in& fact $ *t appears that the 0ump had %een used several times as a murder !eapon$ .ne of the %est #no!n Iand the only

documentedJ had ta#en place not more than thirty years$ A researcher from the su%0ect, called Lester ,ichaelson, his !ife had tied !ith rope s#ippin& of their dau&hter and pushed her to!ard the !indo! in /ilver 7ity, evada$ -oresi&ht, had pressed the %utton that erased all information concernin& the infinite output !indo!s and located %et!een 3eno and teleportation experiment station as one of the moons of <upiter$ /o the poor lady 0umpin& ,ichaelson found in cosmic o4one for all eternity, lost and not #no!in& !here to &o$ ,ichaelson !as declared sane and fit to %e ta#en to court Ithou&h he mi&ht %e sane !ithin the strict limits of the la!, common sense !as ravin& madJ $ His la!yer desi&ned an ori&inal defense8 could not 0ud&e his client for murder %ecause no one could prove conclusively that his !ife !as dead$ Throu&hout the process, attended the a!ful specter of the !oman, disem%odied %ut still someho! sentient, ho!lin& endlessly endless lim%o$ ,ichaelson !as found &uilty and executed$ Accordin& to /ummers, the 0ump had %een used also %y various dictators to &et rid of political opponents$ Even had even hinted that the ,afia had its o!n private stations, connected to the central computer of the 7*A , !hich !as much more practical , clean and effective in &ettin& rid of dead %odies ( not li#e poor ,rs$ ,ichaelson ( that traditional concrete %loc# or the !ei&ht attached to the foot$ All of !hich helped to &ive %ac# to the ideas and theories of /ummers on the su%0ect and finally too# Patty to insist on your 5uestion a%out mice$ ,ar# hesitated$ (+ell, ( ,arilys implored caution !ith rapid eye movements$ o one really #no!s for sure, Patty$ But !hat the animal experiments can %e assumed is that !hile the 0ump is instantaneous in the physical sense, in the mental sense, ho!ever, lasts a lon& , lon& time $$$ (* do not understand anythin&$ * !as afraid of Patty !hispered dar#ly$ *t !as 3ic#y !ho spo#e, solemnly$ ( The animals !e have experimented is still thin#in&$ And so !e happen to us, if !e !ere unconscious$ ( That)s ri&ht, ,ar# added$ This is !hat is currently %elieved$ 3ic#y )s eyes %e&an to &lo! !ith a stran&e &lo! $ Perhaps horror, perhaps attracted %y the un#no!n$ ( *t is not only the teleportation, are you, 1ad2 *s not it somethin& li#e a curve in time2 6There is eternity 6 thou&ht ,ar#$ (*n a !ay she replied$ But that is 0ust a phrase, 3ic#y, it means nothin&$ *t seems to revolve around the idea that consciousness is not disinte&ratin&, that it remains fully and consistently$ *t also has to do !ith a delusional concept of time$ But do not #no! ho! pure consciousness perceives the passa&e of time, or if the concept ma#es sense for pure consciousness$ +e can not even ima&ine the pure consciousness$ ,ar# speechless$ He !as !orried a%out his son)s expression, tense , restless $ "ou understand and yet not understand it, all at once, he thou&ht$ The mind can %e the %est friend of man$ "ou can entertain yourself !hen you have nothin& to read, or not to do$ But it can !or# a&ainst you if you leave it %lan# for too lon&$ "ou can turn on you, that is, a&ainst itself, %ecome uncontrolla%le, perhaps even consumed itself in an inconceiva%le act of intellectual canni%alism$ Ho! lon& is the 0ump2 "es, 0$0000000000A7 seconds for the %ody$ But, ho! much time elapses for consciousness2 A hundred years2 A thousand2 A million2 A thousand million2 Ho! lon& is immersed in his o!n thou&hts in an infinite !hite field 2 And then, after a %illion eternities, the incredi%le return of li&ht , shape and %ody$ *s it not to &o cra4y2 ( 3ic#y $$$ /tammered, %ut the assistants had arrived$

( Are you ready2 As#ed one of them$ ,ar# nodded$ )1ad , * have fear !hispered Patty , in a thin voice$ 1oes it hurt2 ( o, honey$ *t does no harm, )said ,ar#, his voice firm and secure , %ut the heart seemed to &et out chest , as ever , despite havin& &one throu&h that experience more than t!enty times $ *)ll first$ "ou)ll see ho! easy it is$ The auxiliary !aitin& indication$ ,ar# shoo# his head and smiled$ ,as# !as placed !ith his o!n hands and too# a deep %reath that dar#ness$ The first thin& he sa! !as the %lac# s#y of ,ars throu&h the dome that covered +hitehead 7ity$ At ni&ht, the stars spar#led !ith sava&e &lare on Earth ever dreamed$ Then he reali4ed that somethin& stran&e !as happenin& in the arrival hall$ ,urmurs, then screams, at last, a horri%le scream$ 6 ,y >od= He thou&ht$ *t ,arilys = 6 /he tried to sit in his chair , stru&&lin& to overcome the verti&o$ Then there !as a second scream and sa! several auxiliary runnin& to!ard them$ ,arilys approached him, s!ayin& and pointin& somethin& !ith his hand$ Amid another piercin& scream, collapsed, dra&&in& do!n a side!al# , !hich !ent rollin& do!n the hall$ ,ar# loo#ed in the direction he had indicated ,arilys$ * #ne! it$ *t !as not fear !hat he had seen in the eyes of his son, %ut curiosity$ /hould have reali4ed %efore$ * #ne! 3ic#y, 3ic#y, !ho had %ro#en his arm fallin& from the hi&hest %ranch of a tree in /chenectady, seven years$ 3ic#y, !ho dared to s#ate until further and faster than any other #id on the %loc#$ 3ic#y, al!ays the first to ta#e the ris#$ 3ic#y did not #no! !hat fear !as$ @ntil no!$ Patty slept peacefully$ But at his side, !hich had %een his son, !rithin& on the chair li#e a sna#e$ A t!elve year old %oy !ith sno! !hite hair and sic#ly yello! eyes$ He !as a older than time itself, in the &uise of a teena&er, !hich horri%ly convulsed !ith 0oy o%scene &rins $ The auxiliary retreated, terrified %y his lau&hter,T!o or three fled, for&ettin& everythin& they had %een tau&ht to deal !ith contin&encies$ 3ic#y )s le&s , and eternal youth !hile !rithin& on the chair$ The hands, cla!s almost, fluttered into the void , tryin& to &ra% somethin& invisi%le$ @nexpectedly, those cla!s fell on the face of it !as a %oy and du& into it !ith a ven&eance$ (*t is much lon&er than you thin#, 1ad= (,ar# could %arely understand his !ords in the middle of those dreadful lau&hter$ Lon&er than you thin#= * held my %reath !hen * put the mas#$ * !anted to see= And *)ve seen= *)ve seen= *t is much lon&er than you thin#= Amon& sinister and inhuman screams loudly, to %e lyin& on the chaise tore his eyes$ Blood &ushed$ The arrival hall !as filled !ith ho!lin&, li#e a %ox$ (Lon&er than you thin#, 1ad= *)ve seen= *)ve seen= *t !as a leap everlastin& -ather, eternal= He said many other thin&s %efore finally support staff react and ta#e him to the room !hile still ho!lin& and di&&in& his fin&ers into the river !here they !ere no lon&er the eyes that had seen once invisi%le forever$ Ho!led still many other thin&s, %ut ,ar# .ates did not hear %ecause his o!n screams stopped him$