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〃Tourists？〃 the man grunted。 〃There is no such thing anymore。 No more dilettantes。 No more voyeurs。 Now one must live real life。 Or die。〃 He seemed pleased。 Nathan Lee's father could have spoken those very words。 Life was risk； death a bitch。
〃You really don't understand； do you？〃 Monique said to Nathan Lee。 〃The whole world is like this。〃 She swam her fingers through the flame's aureole。 〃And soon it will be like this。〃 She pinched the wick； plunging their tabletop into gloom。
After a minute； Nathan Lee's eyes adjusted and he could see his plate of food again。 He applied his spoon to it。
〃We came ahead of themaladie；〃 she continued。 〃We were in India when it broke out in Europe and Africa。 That was eleven months ago。 Now it is ing across central Asia。 We have e here to wait for our destiny。〃
〃There were signs。 Omens；〃 said her lover。 〃Earthquakes。 Great avalanches in the Alps。 Windstorms that flattened parts of the continent。 Drought in Africa。 Wildfires in Russia。 Swarms of locusts。 Deformed frogs。 I have a friend who saw rivers turn to blood in Kosovo。〃 He paused to see the American's reaction。
Nathan Lee didn't dare speak his mind； not before his meal was finished。 There was no telling when he would eat again。 Things were getting buggy with this French pair。 This was what they meant by a plague？ The litany of disasters was feeble。 Since when had therenot been earthquakes and avalanches and wildfires and locusts？ They fell under the heading Mother Nature。 As for deformed frogs； blame Dow Chemical。 And bloody rivers？ The cutthroats of Serbia。 〃Sounds like Moses all over again；〃 he said between bites。
〃Yes；〃 said the Frenchman。 〃But this time God is erasing His own book of Genesis。〃 He went on to list more adversities： crop failures； heat spells； lightning storms； a full eclipse； and an Arctic winter。。。in Rome and Miami！
〃And now some kind of flu；〃 Nathan Lee helpfully added。
〃No； not flu；〃 said Monique。 〃It is a disease like man has never known。 You bee infected and soon grow blind。 That is the first phase。 The color leaves your eyes。〃
That was why she had wanted to see his eyes。
〃Later； your skin bees transparent。 You grow into an apparition。 The effect is quite beautiful；〃 she said。 〃In the final hours； the human heart is bared for all to see。〃
〃You've seen this yourself？〃 asked Nathan Lee。
〃Only pictures in magazines。 Now there are no more magazines。〃
Nathan Lee couldn't help himself。 〃People are dying of invisibility？〃
〃Not at all。 That is a symptom； nothing more。 As the pigment dissolves； your mind begins to die。 Soon you forget everything。 Everything。 Soldiers at war； they drop their weapons。 That is good。 But also； farmers leave their fields。 Mothers forget their babies。 The social contract falls to pieces。 The entire population slowly starves。 One by one； the nations are dying。 There is no cure。 No hope。〃
〃This is in Europe； you say？〃
〃There is no Europe anymore。〃
〃There must be survivors；〃 said Nathan Lee。
〃None。〃
Nathan Lee didn't believe a word of it。 They had to be exaggerating about some pocket of disease。 No disease could have a hundred percent attrition； or it would end up wiping itself out。 It occurred to him that they were part of some doomsday cult。 Theirguru orrinpoche had hooked a pair with these two。
〃You don't believe me？〃 the Frenchman seethed。 〃My whole family。 My country。 Gone。〃
〃It just seems so fantastic；〃 he said。 〃How can a disease that kills everyone。。。。〃
Monique interrupted him。 〃The disease is not the killer。 They forget themselves。 It is a state of peace； not death。 The people are dying because they no longer remember to eat or they wander into the cold with no clothing。 They fall from bridges and drown。 They walk into the sea。〃
This was getting more farfetched by the word。 〃Where are the doctors？ Where are the relief agencies？〃
〃They tried；〃 Monique somberly declared。 〃It is what they call a doctors' disease。 The doctors rushed in； only to be killed very quickly。 Rescue groups learned not to send workers because they became infected； too。 Then the airdrops of food were suspended； too； because it was decided food only prolonged the suffering。 My mother。。。。〃 She stopped。
My daughter。Her face flashed in Nathan Lee's mind。 For a moment he imagined her as part of this wild French fantasy。 Immediately he rejected the notion。 It was very simple。 In his heart he could never accept such a thing。 His daughter had sustained him through his hell。 He would sustain her。
A tear trickled down Monique's face。 The man reached to hold her hand。 〃Our loved ones are freed of suffering；〃 he said。 〃They are cleansed。 They have entered the stream。〃
Nathan Lee listened to the man's twaddle； and a switch flipped inside him。 He felt anger。 They were feeding him； but he didn't owe them his gullibility。 They were deluded。 Their story was self…fulfilling。 They had gone on a pilgrimage to destroy the self and be reborn； and so their whole world was doing it with them。
〃And so the plague is ing？〃 Nathan Lee said。
〃From the south。 No one knows when it will arrive。 Weeks。 Months。〃
〃But why are people walking around like nothing's happening？ Hasn't anyone told them？〃
〃They know。 It was all foretold。 But where would they go？〃
Outside； a temple bell chimed。 A cart rumbled by。 Nathan Lee finished wolfing down his rice。 He felt clarified by the food and caffeine。 A plan was ing together in his mind。
〃What about you？〃 he asked them。
Monique regained her posure。 〃The Lord Buddha teaches us to have a clear mind。 Our place is here；〃 she said。 〃The present era is over。 A higher species will evolve。 Gods and godesses will repopulate the mountaintops。 The wheel of life is turning。〃
Nathan Lee thanked them for the meal。 He wished them well。
〃Namaste；〃Monique said to him。 I bow to the divine in you。
Outside the restaurant； Nathan Lee straddled the Frenchman's mountain bike and rode off。 A moan of joy escaped his lips。 He was free。 He was going to see his daughter。
7
The Bone Lab
LOSALAMOS
NOVEMBER； ONEWEEKLATER
She found Miranda alone among the bones； singing。 The world was going to pieces。 The borders were sealed。 The plague was ing。 And here she sang。 Golding paused in the doorway。 It was some soft sort of ballad； maybe very old； maybe the latest tune； and Miranda could have been serenading the clutter of skulls and femurs and ribs。
Golding felt her heart reach out。 The girl looked so solitary among the dead； but she sounded so happy。 She didn't belong here。 And yet so much depended on her being right where she was。 Miranda was finally letting her hair grow out。 Pale red strands traced across the mahogany bones。
〃Knock； knock；〃 she said。
Miranda's head lifted。 〃Elise？〃 A smile lit her face； no pretence； no ulterior motive。 Golding had not felt so wele in a long time。 They hugged； and Miranda held onto her the extra； golden second。
〃Am I interfering？〃
〃I was just getting some of the guys pieced together。 e in。 You can help； if you want。〃
Golding walked among the tables； and every bone carried a small bar…code decal。 Some lay in little heaps on plastic or aluminum trays。 Some had been partia