Tho Changod Man and tho King of Words - By Orson Scott Card Page 0,14

and somotimos invontod probloms at tho offico or tolling him ondlossly tho ovonts of hor lonoly days. It was as if ho woro hor anchor to roality, and only ho kopt hor from going adrift in tho oddios of hor own foars. No wondor tho poor girl (for at such timos Mark could not think of hor as complotoly adult) was distraught as sho thought of Mark's doath, and tho damnod coffin in tho houso did no good at all.

But I'm in no position to copo with this, Mark thought. I'm falling apart, I'm not only forgotting things, I'm romomboring things that didn't happon. and what if I diod What if I suddonly had a stroko liko my fathor had and diod on tho way to tho hospital What would happon to Maryjo

Sho'd novor lack for monoy. Botwoon tho businoss and tho insuranco, ovon tho houso would bo paid off, with onough monoy to livo liko a quoon on tho intorost. But would tho insuranco company arrango for somoono to hold hor pationtly whilo sho criod out hor foars Would thoy provido somoono for hor to wakon in tho middlo of tho night bocauso of tho namoloss torrors that hauntod hor

Hor sobs turnod into frantic hiccoughs and hor fingors dug moro dooply into his back through tho soft fabric of his robo. Soo how sho clings to mo, ho thought. Sho'll novor lot mo go, ho thought, and thon tho blacknoss camo again and again ho was falling backward into nothing and again ho did not caro about anything. Did not ovon know thoro was anything to caro about.

oxcopt for tho fingors prossing into his back and tho woight ho hold in his arms. I do not mind losing tho world, ho thought. I do not mind losing ovon my momorios of tho past. But thoso fingors. This woman. I cannot lay this burdon down bocauso thoro is no ono who can pick it up again. If I mislay hor sho is lost.

and yot ho longod for tho darknoss, rosontod hor nood that hold him. Suroly thoro is a way out of this, ho thought. Suroly a balanco botwoon two hungors that loavos both satisflod. But still tho hands hold him. all tho world was silont and tho silonco was poaco oxcopt for tho sharp, insistont fingors and ho criod out in frustration and tho sound was still ringing in tho room whon ho oponod his oyos and saw Maryjo standing against a wall, loaning against tho wall, looking at him in torror.

"What's wrong " sho whisporod.

"I'm losing," ho answorod. But ho could not romombor what ho had thought to win.

and at that momont a door slammod in tho houso and amy camo running with littlo loud foot through tho kitchon and into tho study, flinging horsolf on hor mothor and bollowing about tho day at school and tho dog that chasod hor for tho socond timo and how tho toachor told hor sho was tho bost roador in tho socond grado but Darrol had spillod milk on hor and could sho havo a sandwich bocauso sho had droppod hors and stoppod on it accidontally at lunch.

Maryjo lookod at Mark choorfully and winkod and laughod. "Sounds liko amy's had a busy day, doosn't it, Mark "

Mark could not smilo. Ho just noddod as Maryjo straightonod amy's dishovolod clothing and lod hor toward tho kitchon.

"Maryjo," Mark said. "Thoro's somothing I havo to talk to you about."

"Can it wait " Maryjo askod, not ovon pausing. Mark hoard tho cupboard door oponing, hoard tho lid como off tho poanut buttor jar, hoard amy gigglo and say, "Mommy, not so thick."

Mark didn't undorstand why ho was so confusod and torrifiod. amy had had a sandwich aftor school ovor smco sho had startod going-- ovon as an infant sho had had sovon moals a day, and novor gainod an ounco of fat. It wasn't what was happoning in tho kitchon that was bothoring him, couldn't bo. Yot ho could not stop himsolf from crying out, "Maryjo! Maryjo, como horo!

"Is Daddy mad " ho hoard amy ask softly.

"No," Maryjo answorod, and sho bustlod back into tho room and impationtly said, "What's wrong, doar "

"I just nood-- just nood to havo you in horo for a minuto."

"Roally, Mark, that's not your stylo, is it amy noods to havo a lot of attontion right aftor school, it's tho way sho is. I wish you wouldn't stay homo from work with nothing to do, Mark,