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n the dawn came both sea and sky were plains of slate that merged at the horizon。 Only a lighter patch of gray above the turbulent ocean indicated where the sun was hanging。
The wind that had forced the clouds in from the northeast had died away just before morning； and now a grim stillness and silence lay across Coquina。
Kip hadn't slept well。 He had been awakened continually by imagined noises： something moving in the brush outside his window； a far…off crying of birds； the scratching of rats at the walls。 He had gotten out of bed and read until dawn； trying to keep his attention on the printed pages； but his mind was too full to allow him to concentrate。 He turned the pages automatically without really seeing what was there。 And now； as gray light filled the small house and Myra cooked breakfast in the kitchen； Kip sat with his hands folded before him； motionless and lost in thought。
〃We'll be ready to eat in a few minutes；〃 Myra said； looking in on him。 〃Shall I wake Mindy？〃
〃No；〃 Kip said。 〃Let her sleep a while longer。〃
The woman understood that her husband wanted to be alone； so she went back into the kitchen and began to get out the silverware。
For the past few days； he knew； he hadn't been as warm to her as he usually was。 The enemy has reached us； he thought suddenly； they have found us through the barriers of both time and death； and they will not sleep until they destroy us。 The U…boat was eating into him； obsessing his sleep； contaminating the very air he breathed。 What kind of men； Kip wondered； had made such a death machine as that？ Who drove the rivets； who hammered the iron plates； who strung the miles of wiring beneath the decks？ Who packed explosives into the torpedoes； set the equipment into place in that hellish control room； torched the water…tight bulkheads into their frames？ Every inch of the thing had been conceived and built for one purpose： destruction。 In life it had prowled the currents seeking to carry out its purpose； and in death the thing's image seemed burned into his brain。 The enemy has reached us； Kip thought； and there is no escape。
He ate his breakfast quickly； barely hearing what Myra was saying to him； she knew his way of working out problems was often to draw inside himself until he had found a solution。 He helped her with the dishes； kissed her and the still…sleeping child； and then left the house for his morning rounds。
He wondered how he was going to handle the Thornton woman。 She would never understand his reasoning； she couldn't see what he had seen or feel what he felt； and there was no use trying to talk to her。 He would have to do what he felt was right； because he was the law and he was responsible for all of them。
And he was still pondering the problem when he saw a man running wildly toward him； almost tripping over himself。 He waved his arms； calling out frantically； it was Andrew Cale； co…manager of the boatyard。 The man was almost hysterical； his eyes were sunken； glassy hollows； and tears streamed down his face。 There were marks on his bare arms where thorns had scratched him。
〃KIP！〃 he cried out； his chest heaving。 〃Oh； mon； thank God I find you！〃 He grasped the constable's arm and pulled at him。
〃What's wrong with you？〃 Kip asked。 〃What's happened？〃
〃My house。。。〃 he said； unable to catch his breath。 〃Oh God。。。 my house。。。〃
Kip's spine went rigid。 〃Get in；〃 he said； and reached over to help the man。
〃Me。。。 and Mr。 Langstree just got back。。。 from Steele Cay。。。 and my house。。。 I can't go in there。。。 I doan know。。。 I doan know。。。〃 Cale whimpered。
Kip turned on the road that would take them to the man's home。 He stopped the jeep next to the cinderblock steps leading to the door and Cale struggled out。 〃e on； Kip！〃 he said breathlessly。 〃Please； mon！〃
Kip stared at the house。 The front door had been torn off its hinges and lay against the porch railing。 Windows had been shattered； the pieces of glass speckling the yard。 Floral…printed curtains still hung in the remnants of the frames。 They had been shredded into strips。 Cale grasped at him。 〃Please。。。〃
As soon as Kip stepped across the threshold into the house he smelled it： the reek of blood and above that another smell。 Rotting flesh。
Cale pushed ahead of him and started down the hallway。 The man stopped and stood framed in a doorway staring at something。 〃NORA！〃 he called out suddenly； his voice trembling。 But he did not move； even as Kip reached him and put a hand on his shoulder。
〃There；〃 Cale said； pointing a finger。
Kip's eyes followed his finger； and he froze in horror at what he saw。
On the floor； amid shattered wood and glass； was something that at one time had been a man。
Now bare； savaged bone glistened。 The eyes were gone； as was the nose； and the teeth seemed oddly white and perfect in the remains of the head。 On the torso； arms； and legs there were innumerable sickle…shaped wounds； where hunks of flesh had been ripped away right down to the bone。 Bites； Kip thought suddenly。 Rat bites。 There was nothing left of the throat； it had been peeled and stripped away down to the spinal cord； all the veins brutally torn。 The body lay in a clotted； wine…red ooze。 Cale choked and turned away； staggering for the door but unable to keep from vomiting。 Kip used all his strength to control the wave of nausea that surged inside him； but he felt dizzy and off…balance。
When the sickness had passed he forced himself to go into the bedroom。 The window had been broken open； in one corner of the room there was a blood…matted sheet； and droplets spattered the mattress。 Kip steeled himself； bent down； groped in the corpse's rear pocket and found a wallet。 He opened it and looked for identification。
Johnny Majors。 Jesus Christ in Heaven！
〃WHERE'S MY WIFE？〃 Cale asked； wiping his mouth； his eyes swollen and heavy…lidded。 〃Where is she？〃
〃I。。。 don't know；〃 Kip said； surprised at the hollowness of his own voice。 One of the man's hands lay beside the head； it had been gnawed or broken from the wrist； exposed bones licked clean。
〃WHAT DID THIS？〃 Cale screamed suddenly。 He backed away from Kip； his hands clawing at the corridor wall。
Kip bent to the floor； swatting at flies that whirled around the body。 There were boot marks in the liquid pools。 He caught the tremble of panic that welled within him。 Covering the corpse with the sheet and struggling to control himself； he quickly made his way out of the house and supported himself against the hood of the jeep。 Cale came out on the porch； his eyes glazed and lost。 〃Where's Nora？〃 Cale said hoarsely； in a voice barely audible。 〃What happened to her？〃
But Kip hadn't heard。 He was staring off into the jungle； not really knowing what he was seeing； at last his mind cleared and he was aware that vegetation had been crushed in a path that led away from the house。 Approaching the jungle fringe； he saw the impression of a boot in the still…damp earth。 Then three others。 Cale called out again； 〃Where's my wife？〃 but then the constable was out of earshot； following the path of crushed thorns and snapped vines。
Every few feet there were drops of blood； and ahe