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o waste with the blinded thing。 She needed to take Kreiger somewhere he had a hope of resurrection。
Out into the desert。 Out to find Agonistes。
She lifted her lover's body up over her shoulders （he was lighter than she'd expected； troublingly so； as though the mass of his life had gone from him and would never be returned； even by a miracle）。 She would not let such pessimism linger in her mind however。 Leaving the blind trespasser to rage amongst the roses； she headed to the forecourt of the house。 She gently laid the corpse in the back of the car； and then drove out of the city； in search of a sandstorm。
III
Talisac looked down at the creature that had spilled from his body： his Mongroid。 He'd seen prettier things； but then he'd seen uglier too。 It had more self…reliance than any creature five minutes old should reasonably have； it walked； crab…like； on four hands； it made rudimentary attempts to express itself。
He called it to him； as he might a dog； but it wouldn't e。 It was too interested in the bodies that lay everywhere about the chamber； examining them with its inverted head； sniffing at the ranker examples。 It seemed to have a well…formed head； as far as Talisac could make out。 There was some family resemblance there； he thought。
He had given up trying to draw its attention； but now…paradoxically…its eyes came to rest on him； and with its ungainly； sideways gait it approached him。 It cast a glance around the charnel house as it did so； and its thought processes were perfectly clear。 It was making the first distinction of its young life： between the living and the dead。
〃That's right。。。〃 Talisac said； attempting an encouraging tone； 〃。。。they're dead。 They're no use to you。 I'm the one you have to help。 I'm your father。〃
How much of this…if any…the Mongroid understood； Talisac had no idea。 Very little； he guessed。 But they had to begin somewhere。 It would be a long； weary business； rearing this thing。 He had hoped to give birth to something more praiseworthy； something he could show Montefalco； and thus be funded for further； more ambitious researches。
Now； he would have to do some fast…talking to get the General to see his vision of things。 The crab homunculus produced from his sac of semen and sea…water was very far from the perfect； vicious child he'd hoped to produce： a hymn to the glories of testosterone。
But never mind； there would be others。 In time he'd subdue this one； and vivisect it to see if he could work out where the errors lay。 Then he'd try again。
The creature had e to a halt a few yards away from him； and was studying the sac from in which it had been contained for seventeen weeks。 Blood still dripped from it； onto the dirt floor。 It scuttled over and put its tongue to the pool； tasting the fluid。
〃No；〃 Talisac said； faintly revolted by its display。 〃Don't do that。〃
He didn't want it getting some unnatural appetite； for blood； or flesh； or whatever other juices ran from him freely as he hung there。 He was altogether too vulnerable in his present state。
〃Bad。〃 he said； effecting a tone of disgust。 〃Bad。〃
But the creature wasn't interested in being forbidden anything。 It was a creature of instinct； and its instinct told it that there was a meal to be had here。 It traced the source of the pool to the hanging corpse of flesh that had been its makeshift womb。
He didn't like the look in the creature's eyes at all。 Nor did he like the way its belly was distending； as though its aroused appetite was awaking a change in its anatomy。
The Mongroid was pulling on the loose bloody tatters of his flesh now； its belly skin still swelling obscenely。
〃Camille！〃 Talisac yelled； forgetting in his fear that the dwarf had left in the pany of General Montefalco。 He was alone。
And now； as he swung there； helpless； the belly of his offspring split open； revealing a vast mouth； pletely arrayed with glistening teeth。
〃Jesus！ Oh Jesus！〃
They were the last words Talisac uttered。
Using it's four hands to spring up towards the womb from which he had so recently been delivered； the thing closed its gaping jaws on the groin of its parent； its teeth digging deep into Talisac's flesh。 The cries to Jesus became a solid shriek。 The Mongroid took a healthy mouthful of gut and manhood and womb； and dropped down to the ground again to devour what it had bitten off。
Talisac's innards； with their lower half removed； simply fell out of his body： uncoiling innards followed by liver and kidneys and spleen。
The genius of the Hospice of the Sacred Heart stopped screaming。
IV
Thus in one night Primordium lost two of the monsters that had haunted its streets； and gained two new ones。
Venal Anatomica…or The Blind One； as he became known； was； in truth； something of a joke。 Despite his bulk； and his phenomenal strength； he never developed the pensating skills that often e after a blinding。 He lived always as though he had just been blinded。 Always flailing； always raging； always violent。
Montefalco took care of him； however； out of a bizarre sense of loyalty。 He ordered that anyone found taunting the once mighty Venal Anatomica be summarily shot。 After a dozen such casual executions； the message made it out to those who liked to torment the creature。 The Blind One was left alone to haunt the city's graveyards； often digging up and eating the recently dead。
V
Lucidique never found Agonistes。 Though she drove for several days； looking for the sandstorms where he hid himself； the desert was preternaturally still。 Not a breeze to move so much as a grain of sand； much less a storm。
After a week； when The Scythe…Meister's body was beginning to smell； she dug a hole with her bare hands； and put him in it。 Even as she sat there beside the mound； keening； she thought she heard Agonistes calling her name； and got up； ready at a moment's notice to reclaim Kreiger from his dry bed； and let the genius of Eden work his Lazarene magic on her lover。
But it was not the Resurrection she had heard。 It was just a trick of the wind。 Indeed； not once in the next forty…one years； during which time Lucidique seldom strayed more than a quarter of a mile from the place where Zarles Kreiger was laid； did Agonistes appear。
VI
Then one day； waking to the same bright sky she'd woken to for over four decades…she was seized by a desire to see Primordium。
The house her father had built was still standing； she was surprised to find； left by authorities too superstitious to knock it down。 She occupied it again； and after a few nights of sleeping on the bare boards overcame her fear of memories that would unknit her sanity； and moved up into the stained； ancient bed where she and Kreiger had made love all those years before。
There were no nightmares。 He was with her； here； more than he'd ever been in the desert。 He held her； in her dreams； and he whispered mischiefs to her； that sometimes she acted upon； for old time's sake。 Blood she let freely； when it pleased her to do so。 Nobody was safe from her。 She would have happily murdered a saint if he'd looked at her in some fashion that irritated her