Descending Road - IT NEVER STOPS by Dana W. Paxson

IT NEVER STOPS

1563 4D

He awoke feeling young, with energy coursing through him. Turiosten said, I’m done. I was careful. And I gave you a little energy lift. Oh, that was good, I needed it so—

“Shut up.” Andrew looked down. The body lay fully clothed on its belly. The uniform bore no signs of blood or other leakage. His stomach, torn with hunger and stress for so long, now lay calm and contented.

See? I dressed it again. Maybe they won’t notice right away.

“Very good. Like I said, shut up about it. May I have my body back again?”

It’s been all yours since I woke you. But I’ve got a question to ask you. Why do you carry the signs of a kharshfainh?

Ignoring the alien, Andrew walked around the tank to Leil. She sat huddled in a ball on the grillwork, her back to another tank. Three smaller andro females pressed against the tank wall above her, their shrouded heads nodding as if in conversation, looking blindly down at her. As Andrew approached Leil, they drifted backward, propelling themselves with lazy hand and foot strokes, their full breasts bobbing up and down with each movement. Probably destined to be nurses for the upcity folks. How pleasant.

“Leil? It’s all over. I’m okay.” He knelt beside her and put a hand on one of hers.

She looked up with darkened eyes. “Yeah, it’s all over, it keeps being all over, all the time, all this terrible time, and it never stops.” Pulling her hand away, she put her clenched fist to her mouth and bit on it, her brows twisting into a knot that hid her eyes.

“Leil! Don’t!” He embraced her and rocked her, feeling her stiffen at first, then slowly relax until she cuddled against him like a baby seeking warmth. A warmth grew on his thigh: the blood from her bitten hand.

Story List	SURPRISE ME	Author Page
USER SURVEY	PUZZLE ME	MAKE ELM MARK

HOVER Lucida Bright BARE	HOVER Lucida Bright FULL	HOVER Palatino Linotype BARE
HOVER Palatino Linotype FULL	HOVER Times New Roman BARE	HOVER Times New Roman FULL
PAD Arial BARE	PAD Arial FULL	PAD Lucida Bright BARE
PAD Lucida Bright FULL	PAD Times New Roman BARE	PAD Times New Roman FULL


	IT NEVER STOPS 1563 4D He awoke feeling young, with energy coursing through him. Turiosten said, I’m done. I was careful. And I gave you a little energy lift. Oh, that was good, I needed it so— “Shut up.” Andrew looked down. The body lay fully clothed on its belly. The uniform bore no signs of blood or other leakage. His stomach, torn with hunger and stress for so long, now lay calm and contented. See? I dressed it again. Maybe they won’t notice right away. “Very good. Like I said, shut up about it. May I have my body back again?” It’s been all yours since I woke you. But I’ve got a question to ask you. Why do you carry the signs of a kharshfainh? Ignoring the alien, Andrew walked around the tank to Leil. She sat huddled in a ball on the grillwork, her back to another tank. Three smaller andro females pressed against the tank wall above her, their shrouded heads nodding as if in conversation, looking blindly down at her. As Andrew approached Leil, they drifted backward, propelling themselves with lazy hand and foot strokes, their full breasts bobbing up and down with each movement. Probably destined to be nurses for the upcity folks. How pleasant. “Leil? It’s all over. I’m okay.” He knelt beside her and put a hand on one of hers. She looked up with darkened eyes. “Yeah, it’s all over, it keeps being all over, all the time, all this terrible time, and it never stops.” Pulling her hand away, she put her clenched fist to her mouth and bit on it, her brows twisting into a knot that hid her eyes. “Leil! Don’t!” He embraced her and rocked her, feeling her stiffen at first, then slowly relax until she cuddled against him like a baby seeking warmth. A warmth grew on his thigh: the blood from her bitten hand.