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diff --git a/30034-h/30034-h.htm b/30034-h/30034-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ee0c274 --- /dev/null +++ b/30034-h/30034-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,704 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of I'll Kill You Tomorrow, by Helen Huber + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1,h2,.hd1,.hd2 {text-align: center; font-weight: normal;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 2em auto; visibility: hidden;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .figc {margin: 0 auto; width: 600px;} + img {border: none;} + a:link,a:visited {text-decoration: none;} + p.cap:first-letter {float: left; margin-right: .05em; padding-top: .05em; font-size: 300%; line-height: .8em; width: auto;} + .dcap {text-transform: uppercase;} + .figt {float: left; clear: left; margin: 15px; padding: 0; width: 287px;} + .trn {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; min-height: 230px;} + .trn p {margin: 15px;} + .bk1 {margin: 2em auto; width: 25em;} + .hd1 {margin-bottom: 3em;} + .hd2 {margin-top: 2em;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30034 ***</div> + +<div class="figc"><img src="images/001.png" width="600" height="372" alt="" title="" /></div> + +<div class="bk1"><p><big><i>The entities were utterly, ambitiously evil; their +line of defense, apparently, was absolutely impregnable.</i></big></p></div> + +<h1>I'll Kill You Tomorrow</h1> + +<h2>By Helen Huber</h2> + +<p class="hd1">Illustrated by Kelly Freas</p> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">It was not</span> a sinister silence. +No silence is sinister until it acquires +a background of understandable +menace. Here there was only +the night quiet of Maternity, the +silence of noiseless rubber heels on +the hospital corridor floor, the +faint brush of starched white +skirts brushing through doorways +into darkened and semi-darkened +rooms.</p> + +<p>But there was something wrong +with the silence in the "basket +room" of Maternity, the glass-walled +room containing row on +row, the tiny hopes of tomorrow. +The curtain was drawn across the +window through which, during +visiting hours, peered the proud +fathers who did the hoping. The +night-light was dim.</p> + +<p>The silence should not have been +there.</p> + +<p>Lorry Kane, standing in the +doorway, looked out over the rows +of silent baskets and felt her blonde +hair tighten at the roots. The tightening +came from instinct, even before +her brain had a chance to +function, from the instincts and +training of a registered nurse.</p> + +<p>Thirty-odd babies grouped in +one room and—<i>complete silence</i>.</p> + +<p>Not a single whimper. Not one +tiny cry of protest against the annoying +phenomenon of birth.</p> + +<p>Thirty babies—<i>dead</i>? That was +the thought that flashed, unbidden, +into Lorry's pretty head. The absurdity +of it followed swiftly, and +Lorry moved on rubber soles between +a line of baskets. She bent +down and explored with practiced +fingers.</p> + +<p>A warm, living bundle in a white +basket.</p> + +<p>The feeling of relief was genuine. +Relief, even from an absurdity, +is a welcome thing. Lorry +smiled and bent closer.</p> + +<p>Staring up at Lorry from the +basket were two clear blue eyes. +Two eyes, steady and fixed in a +round baby face. An immobile, +pink baby face housing two blue +eyes that stared up into Lorry's +with a quiet concentration that +was chilling.</p> + +<p>Lorry said, "What's the matter +with you?" She spoke in a whisper +and was addressing herself. She'd +gone short on sleep lately—the only +way, really, to get a few hours with +Pete. Pete was an interne at General +Hospital, and the kind of a +homely grinning carrot-top a girl +like Lorry could put into dreams as +the center of a satisfactory future.</p> + +<p>But all this didn't justify a case +of jitters in the "basket room."</p> + +<p>Lorry said. "Hi, short stuff," and +lifted Baby Newcomb—Male, out +of his crib for a cuddling.</p> + +<p>Baby Newcomb didn't object. +The blue eyes came closer. The +week-old eyes with the hundred-year-old +look. Lorry laid the bundle +over her shoulder and smiled +into the dimness.</p> + +<p>"You want to be president, +Shorty?" Lorry felt the warmth of +a new life, felt the little body wriggle +in snug contentment. "I +wouldn't advise it. Tough job." +Baby Newcomb twisted in his blanket. +Lorry stiffened.</p> + +<p><i>Snug contentment?</i></p> + +<p>Lorry felt two tiny hands clutch +and dig into her throat. Not just +pawing baby hands. Little fingers +that reached and explored for the +windpipe.</p> + +<p>She uncuddled the soft bundle, +held it out. There were the eyes. +She chilled. No imagination here. +No spectre from lack of sleep.</p> + +<p>Ancient murder-hatred glowing +in new-born eyes.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">"Careful</span>, you fool! You'll +drop this body." A thin piping +voice. A shrill symphony in +malevolence.</p> + +<p>Fear weakened Lorry. She found +a chair and sat down. She held the +boy baby in her hands. Training +would not allow her to drop Baby +Newcomb. Even if she had fainted, +she would not have let go.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The</span> shrill voice: "It was stupid +of me. Very stupid."</p> + +<p>Lorry was cold, sick, mute.</p> + +<p>"Very stupid. These hands are +too fragile. There are no muscles in +the arms. I couldn't have killed +you."</p> + +<p>"Please—I ..."</p> + +<p>"Dreaming? No. I'm surprised +at—well, at your surprise. You +have a trained mind. You should +have learned, long ago, to trust +your senses."</p> + +<p>"I don't understand."</p> + +<p>"Don't look at the doorway. Nobody's +coming in. Look at me. Give +me a little attention and I'll explain."</p> + +<p>"Explain?" Lorry pulled her +eyes down to the cherubic little +face as she parroted dully.</p> + +<p>"I'll begin by reminding you that +there are more things in existence +than your obscene medical books +tell you about."</p> + +<p>"Who are you? What are you?"</p> + +<p>"One of those things."</p> + +<p>"You're not a baby!"</p> + +<p>"Of course not. I'm ..." The +beastly, brittle voice drifted into silence +as though halted by an intruding +thought. Then the thought +voiced—voiced with a yearning at +once pathetic and terrible: "It +would be nice to kill you. Someday +I will. Someday I'll kill you if I +can find you."</p> + +<p>"Why? Why?" Insane words in +an insane world. But life had not +stopped even though madness had +taken over. "Why?"</p> + +<p>The voice was matter-of-fact +again. No more time for pleasant +daydreams. "I'm something your +books didn't tell you about. Naturally +you're bewildered. Did you +ever hear of a bodyless entity?"</p> + +<p>Lorry shuddered in silence.</p> + +<p>"You've heard of bodyless entities, +of course—but you denied +their existence in your smug world +of precise tidy detail. I'm a bodyless +entity. I'm one of a swarm. We +come from a dimension your mind +wouldn't accept even if I explained +it, so I'll save words. We of the +swarm seek unfoldment—fulfillment—even +as you in your stupid, +blind world. Do you want to hear +more?"</p> + +<p>"I ..."</p> + +<p>"You're a fool, but I enjoy practicing +with these new vocal chords, +just as I enjoyed flexing the fingers +and muscles. That's why I revealed +myself. We are, basically of +course, parasites. In the dimension +where we exist in profusion, evolution +has provided for us. There, we +seek out and move into a dimensional +entity far more intelligent +than yourself. We destroy it in a +way you wouldn't understand, and +it is not important that you should. +In fact, I can't see what importance +there is in your existing at +all."</p> + +<p>"You plan to—kill all these +babies?"</p> + +<p>"Let me congratulate you. +You've finally managed to voice an +intelligent question. The answer is, +no. We aren't strong enough to kill +them. We dwelt in a far more delicate +dimension than this one and +all was in proportion. That was our +difficulty when we came here. We +could find no entities weak enough +to take possession of until we came +upon this roomful of infants."</p> + +<p>"Then, if you're helpless ..."</p> + +<p>"What do we plan to do? That's +quite simple. These material entities +will grow. We will remain attached—ingrained, +so to speak. +When the bodies enlarge sufficiently ..."</p> + +<p>"<i>Thirty potential assassins....</i>" +Lorry spoke again to herself, then +hurled the words back into her own +mind as her sickness deepened.</p> + +<p>The shrill chirping: "What do +you mean, potential? The word +expresses a doubt. Here there +is none." The entity's chuckle +sounded like a baby, content over +a full bottle. "Thirty certain assassins."</p> + +<p>"But why must you kill?"</p> + +<p>Lorry was sure the tiny shoulders +shrugged. "Why? I don't know. I +never thought to wonder. Why +must you join with a man and propagate +some day? Why do you feel +sorry for what you term an unfortunate? +Explain your instincts and +I'll explain mine."</p> + +<p>Lorry felt herself rising. Stiffly, +she put Baby Newcomb back into +his basket. As she did so, a ripple +of shrill, jerky laughter crackled +through the room. Lorry put her +hands to her ears. "You know I +can't say anything. You'd keep +quiet. They'd call me mad."</p> + +<p>"Precisely."</p> + +<p>Malicious laughter, like driven +sleet, cut into her ears as she fled +from the room.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Peter Larchmont</span>, M.D., +was smoking a quick cigarette by +an open fire-escape door on the +third floor. He turned as Lorry +came down the corridor, flipped +his cigarette down into the alley +and grinned. "Women shouldn't +float on rubber heels," he said. "A +man should have warning."</p> + +<p>Lorry came close. "Kiss me. Kiss +me—hard."</p> + +<p>Pete kissed her, then held her +away. "You're trembling. Anticipation, +pet?" He looked into her +face and the grin faded. "Lorry, +what is it?"</p> + +<p>"Pete—Pete. I'm crazy. I've +gone mad. Hold me."</p> + +<p>He could have laughed, but he +had looked closely into her eyes +and he was a doctor. He didn't +laugh. "Tell me. Just stand here. +I'll hang onto you and you tell +me."</p> + +<p>"The babies—they've gone mad." +She clung to him. "Not exactly +that. Something's taken them over. +Something terrible. Oh, Pete! Nobody +would believe me."</p> + +<p>"I believe the end result," he +said, quietly. "That's what I'm for, +angel. When you shake like this I'll +always believe. But I'll have to +know more. And I'll hunt for an +answer."</p> + +<p>"There isn't any answer, Pete. I +<i>know</i>."</p> + +<p>"We'll still look. Tell me more, +first."</p> + +<p>"There isn't any more." Her +eyes widened as she stared into his +with the shock of a new thought. +"Oh, Lord! One of them talked to +me, but maybe he—or it—won't +talk to you. Then you'll never +know for sure! You'll think +I'm ..."</p> + +<p>"Stop it. Quit predicting what +I'll do. Let's go to the nursery."</p> + +<p>They went to the nursery and +stayed there for three-quarters of +an hour. They left with the tinny +laughter filling their minds—and +the last words of the monstrous entity.</p> + +<p>"We'll say no more, of course. +Perhaps even this incident has been +indiscreet. But it's in the form of a +celebration. Never before has a +whole swarm gotten through. Only +a single entity on rare occasions."</p> + +<p>Pete leaned against the corridor +wall and wiped his face with the +sleeve of his jacket. "We're the +only ones who know," he said.</p> + +<p>"Or ever will know." Lorry +pushed back a lock of his curly +hair. She wanted to kiss him, but +this didn't seem to be the place or +the time.</p> + +<p>"We can never tell anyone."</p> + +<p>"We'd look foolish."</p> + +<p>"We've got a horror on our +hands and we can't pass it on."</p> + +<p>"What are we going to do?" +Lorry asked.</p> + +<p>"I don't know. Let's recap a little. +Got a cigarette?"</p> + +<p>They went to the fire door and +dragged long and deep on two +from Lorry's pack. "They'll be +quiet from now on. No more talking—just +baby squalls."</p> + +<p>"And thirty little assassins will +go into thirty homes," Lorry said. +"All dressed in soft pink and blue, +all filled with hatred. Waiting, biding +their time, growing more clever." +She shuddered.</p> + +<p>"The electric chair will get them +all, eventually."</p> + +<p>"But how many will they get in +the meantime?"</p> + +<p>Pete put his arms around her +and drew her close and whispered +into her ear. "There's nothing we +can do—nothing."</p> + +<p>"We've got to do something." +Lorry heard again the thin, brittle +laughter following her, taunting +her.</p> + +<p>"It was a bad dream. It didn't +happen. We'll just have to sleep it +off."</p> + +<p>She put her cheek against his. +The rising stubble of his beard +scratched her face. She was grateful +for the rough touch of solid +reality.</p> + +<p>Pete said, "The shock will wear +out of our minds. Time will pass. +After a while, we won't believe it +ourselves."</p> + +<p>"That's what I'm afraid of."</p> + +<p>"It's got to be that way."</p> + +<p>"We've got to do something."</p> + +<p>Pete lowered his arm wearily. +"Yeah—we've got to do something. +Where there's nothing that +can be done. What are we—miracle +workers?"</p> + +<p>"We've got to do something."</p> + +<p>"Sure—finish out the watch and +then get some sleep."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Lorry awoke</span> with the lowering +sun in her window. It was +a blood red sun. She picked up the +phone by her bedside. "Room 307 +Resident's extension."</p> + +<p>Pete answered drowsily. Lorry +said, "Tell me—did I dream, or +did it really happen."</p> + +<p>"I was going to ask you the same +thing. I guess it happened. What +are you doing?"</p> + +<p>"Lying in bed."</p> + +<p>"So am I. But two different beds. +Things are done all wrong."</p> + +<p>"Want to take a chance and +sneak over? I've got an illegal coffee +pot."</p> + +<p>"Leave the door unlocked."</p> + +<p>Lorry put on the coffee. She +showered and got into her slip. She +was brushing her hair when Pete +came in. He looked at her and extended +beckoning, clutching fingers. +"The hell with phantoms. +Come here."</p> + +<p>After a couple of minutes, Lorry +pulled away and poured the coffee. +She reached for her uniform. Pete +said, "Don't put it on yet."</p> + +<p>"Too dangerous—leaving it off."</p> + +<p>He eyed her dreamily. "I'll +dredge up will power. I'll also get +scads of fat rich clients. Then we'll +get married so I can assault you +legally."</p> + +<p>Lorry studied him. "You're not +even listening to yourself. What is +it, Pete? What have you dreamed +up?"</p> + +<p>"Okay. I've got an idea. You +said something would have to be +done."</p> + +<p>"What?"</p> + +<p>"A drastic cure for a drastic +case. With maybe disaster as the +end product."</p> + +<p>"Tell me."</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you a little, but not too +much."</p> + +<p>"Why not all?"</p> + +<p>"Because if we ever land in +court. I want you to be able to say +under oath, 'He didn't tell me what +he planned to do.'"</p> + +<p>"I don't like that."</p> + +<p>"I don't care if you like it or not. +Tell me, what's the one basic thing +that stands out in your mind about +these—entities?"</p> + +<p>"That they're ..."</p> + +<p>"Fragile?"</p> + +<p>"Yes—fragile."</p> + +<p>"Give me some more coffee."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Lorry</span> demanded to know what +was in Pete's mind. All she got +was kissed, and she did not see +Pete again until eleven o'clock that +night. He found her in the corridor +in Maternity and motioned her +toward the nursery. He carried a +tray under a white towel. He said, +"You watch the door. I'm going +inside. I'll be about a half an +hour."</p> + +<p>"What are you going to do?"</p> + +<p>"You stay out here and mind +your business. Your business will +be to steer any nosey party away. +If you can't, make noise coming +in."</p> + +<p>Doc Pete turned away and entered +the nursery. Lorry stood at +the doorway, in the silence, under +the brooding night-light, and +prayed.</p> + +<p>Twenty-five minutes later, Pete +came out. His face was white and +drawn. He looked like a man who +had lately had a preview of Hell's +inverted pleasures. His hands +trembled. The towel still covered +the tray. He said, "Watch them +close. Don't move ten steps from +here." He started away—turned +back. "All hell is scheduled to +break loose in this hospital shortly. +Let's hope God remains in charge."</p> + +<p>Lorry saw the sick dread of his +heart underneath his words.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">It could</span> have been a major +scandal. An epidemic of measles +on the maternity floor of a modern +hospital indicates the unforgivable +medical sin—carelessness. It was +hushed up as much as possible, +pending the time when the top +people could shake off the shock +and recover their wits. The ultimate +recovery of thirty babies was +a tribute to everyone concerned.</p> + +<p>Wan, done-in, Doc Pete drank +coffee in Lorry's room. Lorry gave +him three lumps of sugar and said, +"But are you sure the sickness +killed the entities?"</p> + +<p>"Quite sure. Somehow they +<i>knew</i> when I made the injections. +They screamed. They knew they +were done for."</p> + +<p>"It took courage. Tell me: why +are you so strong, so brave? Why +are you so wonderful?"</p> + +<p>"Cut it out. I was scared stiff. +If <i>one</i> baby had died, I'd have +gone through life weighing the cure +against the end. It isn't easy to risk +doing murder—however urgent +the need."</p> + +<p>She leaned across and kissed +him. "And you were all alone. You +wouldn't let me help. Was that +fair?"</p> + +<p>He grinned, then sobered. "But +I can't help remembering what +that—that invisible monster said: +'<i>Never before has a whole swarm +gotten through. Only a single entity +on rare occasions.</i>'</p> + +<p>"I can't help wondering what +happens to those single entities. I +think of the newspaper headlines +I've seen: Child Kills Parents in +Sleep. Youth Slays Father. I'll +probably always wonder—and I'll +always remember...."</p> + +<p>Lorry got up and crossed to him +and put her arms around him. +"Not always," she whispered. +"There will be times when I'll +make you forget. For a little while, +anyhow."</p> + +<p class="hd2">THE END</p> + +<div class="trn"><div class="figt"><a href="images/002-2.jpg"><img src="images/002-1.jpg" width="287" height="200" alt="" title="" /></a></div> + +<p><big><b>Transcriber's Note:</b></big></p> + +<p>This etext was produced from <i>If Worlds of Science Fiction</i> November 1953. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and +typographical errors have been corrected without note.</p></div> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30034 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/30034-h/images/001.png b/30034-h/images/001.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7daf866 --- /dev/null +++ b/30034-h/images/001.png diff --git a/30034-h/images/002-1.jpg b/30034-h/images/002-1.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b7d1fb1 --- /dev/null +++ b/30034-h/images/002-1.jpg diff --git a/30034-h/images/002-2.jpg b/30034-h/images/002-2.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9651a97 --- /dev/null +++ b/30034-h/images/002-2.jpg |
