Descending Road - ONE LONG SOBBING BREATH by Dana W. Paxson

ONE LONG SOBBING BREATH

1563 4D

Ezzar waited. Rennie should have fired by now. She dropped down the ladder to the floor. He lay immobile, in firing position, two pseudopods snaking over his shoulders to his neck as he lay. She jumped over them and tore his heavy gun from his hands; without bracing herself, uncaring, she fired into the mass bulking through the doorway.

A flash, but no blast came; the formless flesh withdrew, smoking and bubbling, from the opening. The doorway cleared with a rumble. Rennie picked up his head and looked around, with a dazed expression. She smiled at him.

“You’re all right,” she said in wonder. “I thought you had died. What was that thing?”

“I don’t know,” he answered. “It got into innerspace with me. That can’t be. It ate me there. Then it went away and—“

“I shot it. It was about to…" Ezzar choked and put her arms around his middle, feeling his solid sheaves of muscle and his warmth. His big hands cradled her back; she drew one long sobbing breath and let it out in relief. His words registered. “You went to innerspace? And it was there?” Rennie had avoided innerspace since they had first met. Ezzar let go of him, went to the corridor’s edge, and held up the torch. Nothing visible except a wet trail of condensation. Wind sucked at her.

“It was like I was being held with a paralytic. I couldn’t move and it was on me. I had to try something.”

“Can you get up?” Ezzar came and stood over him.

“I think so.” Rennie struggled to his feet. Ezzar hefted the large beam gun back to him. He cradled it. “We can’t stay here. It’ll come back. I think it wanted me.”

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


	ONE LONG SOBBING BREATH 1563 4D Ezzar waited. Rennie should have fired by now. She dropped down the ladder to the floor. He lay immobile, in firing position, two pseudopods snaking over his shoulders to his neck as he lay. She jumped over them and tore his heavy gun from his hands; without bracing herself, uncaring, she fired into the mass bulking through the doorway. A flash, but no blast came; the formless flesh withdrew, smoking and bubbling, from the opening. The doorway cleared with a rumble. Rennie picked up his head and looked around, with a dazed expression. She smiled at him. “You’re all right,” she said in wonder. “I thought you had died. What was that thing?” “I don’t know,” he answered. “It got into innerspace with me. That can’t be. It ate me there. Then it went away and—“ “I shot it. It was about to…" Ezzar choked and put her arms around his middle, feeling his solid sheaves of muscle and his warmth. His big hands cradled her back; she drew one long sobbing breath and let it out in relief. His words registered. “You went to innerspace? And it was there?” Rennie had avoided innerspace since they had first met. Ezzar let go of him, went to the corridor’s edge, and held up the torch. Nothing visible except a wet trail of condensation. Wind sucked at her. “It was like I was being held with a paralytic. I couldn’t move and it was on me. I had to try something.” “Can you get up?” Ezzar came and stood over him. “I think so.” Rennie struggled to his feet. Ezzar hefted the large beam gun back to him. He cradled it. “We can’t stay here. It’ll come back. I think it wanted me.”