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Leadem, Christopher

"The Mantooth"

But she had died at least a
thousand years before, and all that the sealed cask had done was to act
as a mummy's wrap, slowing, but not eliminating her body's natural
decomposition. He rose to find his only love, a half-rotted corpse.
McIntyre and Jennings had heard the anguished cries, as they searched
through the underground vaults and passageways for the faint life-signs
they had detected, and entered the laboratory to find him lying face
down on the floor. Screaming. He offered no resistance as the doctor
injected a sedative, and the two brought him out into the cruel light of
day.
His true love was buried, along with all his hopes, and he never spoke
of her again.

*

Sylviana knew nothing of this tragedy, or of the menace to himself and
others that he had since become. She saw only the obvious way that he
looked at her, and the effect it had on Kalus. The man-child rose
instinctively, as if she were in danger, and would have strode down the
hill sword in hand to confront him. But Smith, who had seen the sudden
brush-fire of his eyes, seized hold of his arm protectively.
'Easy, Kalus. That's William. We'll go down together.'
There in the depression, stiff introductions were made. Kalus, with the
help of Smith beside him, managed to restrain his emotions, though
making no attempt to conceal them.


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