Alt.univ Part 4
by Marknew  marknew742@aol.com 
The conclusion to Tom's travels


20

I was sitting on a dirt floor, hungry. Smoke filled the room. No, it wasn't a
room. It was a hut. I had been sleeping but there had been a clanging of a
bell and I was slowly coming awake. There were other people in the room, all
men and boys. We were all dirty, smelly, and my skin itched. A pot had been
dropped near the entrance and the sleepers were moving toward it, reaching
into it with their hands to grab some food. I did the same. It was sticky and
cold, but I was so hungry I put it in my mouth. It was foul, yet I ate it
ravenously. "Where am I?" I said, but my words sounded almost unintelligible
to my ears. The others stopped eating and stared at me for a moment, then went
on, eagerly grabbing the last morsels. I backed away and went toward the door.
One of them grabbed me and tried to pull me back but I pushed him off and went
outside. My eyes blinked from the light. One hundred yards away I saw a large
house and I started walking towards it. A large dog barked at me and started
running at me. I ran. It was a collie, with a beautiful coat. She leapt at me.
I batted her away and kept running. She was biting at my bare feet. I
stumbled, but with my feet bloody I kept going toward the house.

A woman's voice cried "stay!" I looked up. It was Debbie, standing tall and
proud at the front door, dressed in a purple robe. I made a beeline for her.
She looked at me and sniffed and a wave of disgust went through her face.
"Tom?" The dog started running again and she repeated "Stay!" The dog stopped.
I had reached her. I could hardly stand straight, and in my hunched stance I
was barely as tall as her stomach.

I tried to say Debbie but it came out "Duuurrrm."

"Oh no! Oh Tom! Tom, I'm so sorry!" I stared at her. "Mrumbi crah een."

I was in the dirt again, grabbing at some rotten meat with my teeth. My body
was covered with sores, my stomach distended. I could see out of one eye only,
and I tried to stand up but my legs didn't work. From a distance I saw a fire,
with giant figures laughing over a stew. I was so hungry. I crawled toward the
light. A large person, dressed in a fir stood above me. "Oh no!" she cried.
"Not again! Mrumbi crah een!"

I was running through a forest, the sounds of high pitched yells not far away,
coming closer. I ran away but they were coming too quickly. I was flattened by
a blow. I awoke in a tent, tied to a stake with a rope. Janice stood nearby,
nearly two feet taller than me. "Janice, let me go! Janice!"

She turned her head, surprised, then smiled and walked closer. "Let you go?
I've just caught you, little one! She will not get you back! You will serve
me, or you will die." She pulled my head to her crotch. "Begin now."

"Mrumbi crah een!" I said. Nothing changed, except Janice stood still taller,
her muscles still larger. "NOW, I said!"

"Mrumbi crah een!" I repeated. I was now flat on my back, held down by one of
Janice's huge hands, while her other was doing the same to another man. It was
my friend from the office where I worked in the last world. "You DARED to run
away? I'll crush your puny man-bones unless you tell me WHO helped you and
WHERE she is!"

"Mrumbi crah een!" I said yet again.

I was naked, trapped against a rock, a large woman pushing against me, raping
me. My back roared with pain as the jagged edges of the boulder tore into my
skin. "Don't you dare stop, you!" she shouted. "Give it to me! Give it to me
now!"

I was helpless as a fly against her strength. "Mru --

"Quiet!" She slapped her hand over my mouth and nose while her other roughly
pushed our bodies closer. I felt the tension building in my groin. "Yes! Yes!"
she cried as I came. She lay down on her back, holding me on top of her as I
continued to come inside her. "I've GOT it! I will have the CHILD. I will be
the mother!"

I heard the sound of more steps. It was Annie. She took one look at us and her
eyes went wide. "You EVIL one. He was MINE!" she screamed. She took a thick
log and lifted it effortlessly and threw it toward us, but the woman blocked
it with one arm and knocked it spinning away. Released. I started running.

"Tom! Wait!" Annie cried.

"Mrumbi crah een!" I said.

I was tied up, half of my right leg missing. Two women were cooking. Ten feet
away Debbie's bleeding and broken corpse rested on a log, about to be fed to a
fire. I started to cry. The women looked up and smiled and went back to their
work. I couldn't bear any more of this. "Mrumbi crah theen!"

I staggered, disoriented again, and tried to get my bearings. I stood in a
great hall, lit by torches. Its grand scale made me think I was in a castle, a
medieval castle. I touched my body. It was whole again, even a little chubby,
and my muscles felt a bit soft, but my health seemed restored. I tested my
limbs. I could walk normally. It was quiet and warm. I was dressed in a soft,
handmade cloth, partially fur. I was well enough to notice that my great need
for Chloe -- Great Chloe -- was gone. And I felt ... empty.

A large table of food was set across the hall. I was hungry again and walked
across the hall to the table and tentatively reached out for some meat, then I
heard heavy footsteps and pulled back. There was far too much for me to eat.
It must be for the women here, who were probably nine foot giantesses. It had
been a "theen" jump, after all, and not just one. What was I supposed to be
doing? I must be their servant. I would eat the scraps later, no doubt, but at
least there was food for me, real food. I stepped back and waited for a clue
what to do.

"Tom? Are you in here?"

It was Debbie's voice. A deeper, richer voice than I had last heard from her,
but clearly recognizable. What would she look like? We had travelled a long,
long way.

"Yes," I said, evenly. "I'm here."

She turned a corner and emerged from the darkness. I stared upwards at her.
She was at least three feet taller than I was, probably more. Her arms were
thicker than my legs with even larger bulges at her biceps and forearms. She
looked proportionally more muscular than any picture I had seen of a male
bodybuilder, and then it struck me -- sure, the proportions were amazing, but
then she was also at least half again as tall as any male bodybuilder, which
meant her muscles were even larger. And how dense or hard were they? I
shuddered to think how powerful she was in this world. She looked down at me,
past a chest that was broad as a barrel, even without taking account of her
enormous breasts which rested freely on top of a tunic she wore from the area
just beneath her chest to just past her hips. "Tom! You're so small."

"You're big," I said, keeping my distance. It was clear why there was so much
food. She would have to eat seven meals a day to feed that body.

She looked down at herself, slightly embarrassed. "I know, but I feel so light
on my feet. My muscles here must be extraordinarily strong." She flexed her
biceps experimentally. I couldn't help but stare. Even in that gloomy light I
could see them instantly expand in a way that left me speechless. She saw the
look on my face and looked away, embarrassed, and she changed the subject.
"Tom -- those last worlds -- they were so horrible. All of them."

"I know. It's like, we were all savages, except for the first one."

"Until I saw you there, I hadn't realized --"

"Realized what?"

"How well we lived, the women, compared with men. It was lovely -- I mean, it
started out that way. It was my dream house, furnished just the way I'd always
wanted it. And we had beautiful grounds and plenty of money. It was all in my
name, of course, but I was thinking, in my own mind, that it was ours. I was
determined I would share everything with you. But the men. They were kept like
animals, uneducated, uncivilized. I hadn't realized that ... even you ... my
husband ... would be so degraded. Used as an object."

"I couldn't even talk."

"Men weren't taught anything. They were considered incapable of civilized
behavior. That world's Janice was visiting me. She owned a large house down
the road, with twenty slaves and three husbands."

"Were we your slaves -- the ones with me in the hut?"

Debbie nodded. "Even though you were my husband it didn't matter; husbands
lived with the slaves. They would come only when the wife called for them, to
serve them. Janice was complaining her husbands weren't washing when she
called so she was looking for new ones. In a catalogue." She sniffled. "I
didn't know it was you in that dirty hut. I didn't know where you would be. Oh
Tom! After that, we were like cave men and women. I never imagined so many
awful possibilities. This is turning into such a horrible nightmare. It would
have been better if you'd let me die. Every world we go just gets worse."

"The balance between the sexes seems completely lost, and without that, the
world has become an awful place."

"We can't live like that! With each jump I get more and more powerful compared
with you, but what good does it do me? I don't want power over you!" She took
my hands. Her hand was large enough to hold both of mine. "Look at this. Isn't
it ridiculous?!! All we wanted was each other, and look what's happened. It
was supposed to be you and I together, husband and wife, both of us being
successful in our lives, in our careers. And where are we now?" I shrugged.
"Tom, please, whatever happens, we have to be for each other. Nothing else
matters. If only I hadn't gotten so angry before. That other world, with those
stupid "thank-yous" -- we could have lived there happily, I'm sure. I realize
that now." She closed her eyes and breathed a deep, sad sigh, her huge chest
expanding toward me and then settling. "I don't know if I can forgive myself
for taking us away from there. Can you forgive me?"

She squeezed my hand and I screamed in pain. "Oh Tom. I've hurt you! Are you
all right? Talk to me!"

I opened and closed my hand. I nodded. Did it really matter anymore? How could
I ever be an equal with this giantess, who could probably crush me against the
wall merely by taking a deep breath and expanding her chest? And besides ...
did I even care? My life, as I'd known it, was over. "Don't worry about it. I
don't think anything's broken. Yes. Fine. Of course I do."

"Tom!"

I looked around. "So, how is it here? Am I your slave here too?" I said
listlessly.

"Tom, it doesn't matter. However everyone else sees things in this world, we
can be different. I'll take care of you. I'll protect you against the whole
world if that's what it takes." She was pleading with me, but something in me
felt cold to her. I couldn't help it.

"What do you know about our lives here? You're always so good at finding out
about everything."

She frowned at me. The tone in my voice was unmistakeable, and I couldn't
control it. "I've had more resources than you, I know. I'm so sorry Tom. This
is so hard for you, I know, to be so small and weak compared to me." She spoke
slowly, trying to overcome my resistance. But to me it just sounded as if she
was reciting a speech she'd prepared, something she'd been telling herself.
Her voice just didn't do for me what ... Hers ... had. "Tom, I know I threw
you out, abandoned you, but I was hurt. You have to believe me. Our marriage
is what I want. I want to find a way for us to come back to each other. I know
it won't be easy, but I'm willing to try. I promise. Whatever our stations in
life might be, in whatever world. I will dedicate myself to you, but Tom, you
must dedicate yourself to me too."

"Yes, of course. I already have, you know."

She was searching my face. "Oh Tom, what's happened to you? You sound so cold.
I felt so guilty when I realized what I'd done. Abandoning you to that girl! I
didn't understand about the bonding, Tom. You have to believe me. I had no
idea what she could do to you just by kissing you. And then the extressence
thing --

"What extressence thing?" I asked quickly.

"You know -- what happened to Chloe. In that world it's a one in a million
thing, but when it happens to a girl her pheromones become so powerful that
she becomes like a Queen Bee. It must have been a unique genetic reaction
between the two of you. If a woman gets extressence, it creates a change in
her hormones, and then her scent alone will make any man her slave. Even women
defer to her. And if a man -- like you -- is unlucky enough to kiss her, he
wants nothing else but her. He loses his appetite, his motor function, his
very will to do anything but get high on her. That's what was happening to you
Tom. Oh, but Tom, it wasn't real. It was just a chemical thing. And here
you're over it. We can move on."

"I see," I said, looking into the distant gloom of the hallway. I could see
nothing. And compared with what I'd felt, I could feel nothing. I was small
and weak. I was insignificant. There was nothing I could do, no way I could
change things back. I could only get worse.

"Tom, I know NOTHING about this world. I'm in the SAME position as you. I was
in a hallway when we landed after the jump, then I started wandering around,
walking toward some light, when I found you.

I didn't care enough to argue with her any more. "Have you seen anyone else
here?" I asked.

"No. I hear voices and movement but I don't know from where. It's quieter here
but I still hear them." We were silent for a minute. I couldn't hear a thing.
I looked around me, then at Debbie. What could she hear? Why couldn't I hear
it? Was she some kind of super-Debbie now? At least compared with me, even
compared with -- no, I tried to put Her out of my mind. Did She even exist?

Debbie had grabbed a handful of food. "Forgive me, I'm so hungry. I can't
believe there's just one plate. Do you mind if --

"No, you take it," I said, watching her load it with meat, bread and potatoes.
There were no vegetables. She ate a leg of something in about fifteen seconds.
She stopped, suddenly self-conscious. I took a slice of meat in my hand.

"You don't want to, do you?" she asked, looking at me sharply.

"Don't want to what?" I said, chewing carefully. It had a rich flavor. I
wished I could see it better to know what I was eating.

"You don't want me."

"Of course I do."

"Not really. What is it? Are you still angry at me for throwing you out? Or
for making you do this?"

"No."

"You know what I mean. Was it out of obligation or love?"

"Debbie!"

"I know you wanted to talk before. But I just couldn't, you know. I couldn't
believe you would be with anyone else. I just wanted to wring your neck, to
make you see how you'd made me feel. But I accept it now, Tom, really, if
you'll just tell me you love me. I've thought a lot about it. I understand you
were under a lot of stress, that you weren't being yourself. I can move ahead
... if you promise that was the last time. It was just ... you have to
understand from my side ... it seemed like ... it didn't take you long to have
sex with other women once our lives were shaken up. It made me think that's
what you really wanted to do all along."

She looked at me, her big eyes searching my face. I felt they were drinking
me. I struggled to counter her. She was so large, so powerful. She'd always
been so good at arguing. What was I against her? What could I ever be now? I
started, "Debbie, you know that's not true."

"Well, maybe I just need to hear you tell me what IS true. Let's get it out
now. And then I promise, I'll never raise it again. We'll go on, the two of
us, like before. I just need to know -- for my own sake, you have to
understand -- what was going on inside your head, what you were thinking. What
were you thinking? Don't you think you owe me that?"

I tried to think back that far. It was hard to get past ... Her.

"Tom! What IS it? Isn't what I'm asking fair?"

"Yes, of course. I just ... I'm not ready to talk about it."

She was looking down at me. I felt so small. Sure she was saying now we would
go on as before. But how could we? How could I? It was so different from the
way it had been in our world. And now I was a different person too.

"I'm trying, Debbie. But I don't really know what to say. It felt ... the
rules were different ... and I --

"I KNOW all that Tom. But what did you FEEL? What are you feeling now?"

I stared at her. Why was she DOING this? Why was she insisting on my baring my
soul to her? When there were so many things that she wouldn't want to know.
Did she want me to lie? Did she really want the truth?

"Tom! Why don't you SAY something!" she said, her voice full of anguish and
emotion. She started sobbing.

"Debbie! Please don't cry! I ... I

I could hear voices too now. They were getting closer. I could hear heavy
footsteps, running. "STOP!" a strong voice ordered. "Stop right now!"

We both froze. The hallway was filled with tall powerful women. The voice
seemed familiar and I strained to see them, but Debbie called out --

"Janice? Melissa? Annie? What are all of YOU doing here?"

I could barely distinguish their faces in the dim light. How could Debbie see
them so well? She could never see in the dark.

The one with Janice's voice stepped forward and took Debbie's arm roughly.
Janice stood more than a head taller than Debbie, my head didn't even reach
the lower part of her large round bosom. "That was VERY foolish. We would have
never thought you would try such a thing at your Feast!"

The other women surrounded me. What were they going to do to us? What had we
done?

"CRYING in front of a man?!! ASKING him about his PRIVATE feelings?!!" There
were murmurs of amazement among the women, gasps of outrage.

"Such jealousy! She wants him for HERSELF!"

"Such possessiveness from a SISTER! Can you IMAGINE!"

"... DOMINATING him."

"THIS was how she used her TIME at the Feast!?"

"She INTERRUPTED him!"

"So IMPATIENT!"

"It was BULLYING! Definitely!"

"We will convene a Council meeting right away," Janice said angrily.

I was trembling. What would they do to us?

"Janice! Sshh."

"What is it Melissa?"

"You're frightening him. I can feel him shake."

There was a gasp from the group of women. I felt more than a dozen hands
touching me softly, their warm bodies surrounding and sheltering me, their
voices murmuring softly all at once.

"Tom."

"Poor Tom."

"We're here now."

"We're here for you."

"It's all right now."

"There, there."

"Are you hungry?"

"Do you need to drink something?"

"Were you frightened?"

"Did she scare you?"

"Do you want my breast?"

"My lips?"

"Can I hold you?"

"Can I feed you?"

"She ate the leg!"

"His favorite!"

"I'll get more."

"That witch!"

"Poor Tom."

"What's wrong with her?"

"He's soft. He's never soft!"

"He's scared."

"What can we get you?"

"What do you need?"

"Should we leave?"

"Should we stay?"

"Would you like music?"

"Would you like quiet?"

"Do you want to be alone?"

"Do you want one of us?"

"Or two? Or three?"

"He's calmer."

"He's not as soft."

"He must be better then."

They quieted down, their hands slowed but still caressed me, slowly, very
softly, reminding me of their presence, their attention, but ever so sensitive
to my wants, searching my face and my body for a reaction to them. I looked
over at Debbie who stared at the scene mutely, trying to understand, not
resisting Janice's firm hold.

"I ... I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking," she said cautiously.

There was a collective hiss that rose from the women, then quieted as quickly
with anxious looks at me. Only Janice spoke up, quietly but very firmly. "It
would be best if you did not use your voice while he can hear. You have done
enough to him already."

"But I -- oww!"

Janice had tightened her grip, her fury controlled only by the anxious sounds
of the other women.

"No --

" -- upset him --

"'til we find out --

" -- the nerve --

"wait until he --

"what could she be --

I cleared my throat and they quieted immediately and looked at me. "Please,
don't hurt her," I said.

"She made emotional demands of you. Was that your wish?" Janice asked.

"No ... but please wait. She is still my wife, after all."

Janice looked shocked but quickly recovered.

"Tom, we did not know. That is ... a great surprise for us."

In the background I heard amazed chatter.

"His WIFE!"

"It was NEVER agreed."

"Sisters!" Janice said. "Womantalk, please!"

I heard a buzzing around me, too quiet and rapid for me to understand. Debbie
looked shocked. She looked at me and then looked away.

"Of course, we will do as you ask, once we are sure it is truly your will"
Janice replied. "If you choose her as your wife, then we must withdraw. But
Tom, it is not the way of the New Order to have a wife. In the old days, yes.
But in these days, a wife will not live long. You have asked us not to hurt
her and as we have been your chosen women we would comply, but once we leave
others will not do as we do. Is it your wish that others hurt her and seize
you for themselves?"

"N-n-no. Of course not."

"I am sorry to burden you with these questions, but we must know your will."

"I -- it --

"It was an error, my error," Debbie said. "There is no need for a meeting. He
is not to blame."

"No," I said. "It was OUR mistake."

A chorus erupted.

"No Tom!"

"It was like the accident! She is too bold!"

"He could have died!"

"You mustn't think --

"It must be HER influence! He cannot admit a mistake!"

"Is this his end?

"What will we do?"

Poor Tom!"

"He is still frightened."

"No. His body is calm."

"He is half-hard."

"Do you speak your will?"

"We must learn his will."

Janice took a breath and spoke slowly, tentatively. "Her crime is grave but
perhaps she was confused when you asked her to be your wife. I believe you
wish us to deal with her in a kind way. To instruct her. But is she still to
be within the House, as a member of your women and not as a wife? Is that your
will?"

I looked around them, and at Debbie, who was struggling to stay calm, to keep
from speaking, and to mask her feelings. That much I could see in the dim
light. I knew what I had to say. To save her.

"Yes."

"It was not your mistake," Janice said to me, gently, reassuringly.

"She misbehaved. It was wrong to frighten you."

"We will never frighten you. We give you love."

"We will remind her, teach her."

"If you desire her, then she is with us."

"We are your House."

"Your will is ours."

"Your will is right."

"Your will is good."

"We are your strength."

"You are our life."

"Your seed is the future."

I'd never imagined anything like it. I seemed almost like a god or a king to
them, but they were many times more powerful than I was. What had Debbie
heard? What would they do if I lost their favor, their trust? I had to be
careful. I had no idea how this world worked. Looking around the room lit by
torches, I doubted that the internet would be of any help. I nodded. If they
instructed Debbie, then she could instruct me, so we both would understand
this world. As strange as this world was, it seemed like an island of calm
within worlds that were much more horrible. I had no desire to make more
jumps, and I hope neither did Debbie. In the meantime, I had to find a way to
learn about this world too.

"Thank you," I said.

"Your will is ours," they all replied, even Debbie, slightly out of step.

I was still cocooned amidst the warm bodies of my "chosen women."

"Oh Tom!"

"Tom."

"Sweet Tom."

"Dear Tom."

"Are you happy, Tom?"

"Can I feed you?"

"Can I hold you?"

"Are you cold?"

"Are you hot?"

"I'm fine, thanks." I turned my head around. There was Debbie, watching me
closely, her arms crossed in front of her chest, Janice still holding her
tightly. Janice looked at me. She mouthed a quick command, unintelligible to
me, and after a little hesitation three of the women, took Debbie's arms. What
would they do to her?

"Do not be alarmed. We will not hurt her Tom. I promise," Janice said. I
looked at Debbie to reassure her, but she was looking away and then she left,
propelled away by the other three women. I watched her leave then turned to
Janice. "Um, thank you. I, uh, feel like reading. Yes, I would like to read."
Perhaps they would take me to a library and I could find out what I was up
against.

"What would you like to read?"

Janice stepped forward. "The tales of the latest tournament? We did not yet
finish that."

"The accounts of the estate?" suggested Annie.

"A book of science?" asked Melissa. "We have several that I could explain to
you."

"Some history?" I asked.

Janice thought. "We have a history of our county. Whom would you like to read
to you?"

The county? Was that all? "Um, I might like to read it myself."

There was a shocked silence. The women looked uncomfortable and looked to
Janice.

"Just when did you learn to read, Tom?" Janice said, her face tense.

I looked around at their concerned faces. They murmured to each other,
speaking so quickly I could hardly hear. I quickly said, "It was a joke. Just
a joke." There was a relieved titter. "Uh, Janice, would you read to me?"

"We have not read together for a long time. I'm very pleased you chose me,"
she said, apparently putting the incident with Debbie behind us. She ran her
hand down the front of my body, pausing at my crotch, arousing me. She spoke
in that quick unintelligible tone again and the other women all smiled and
relaxed. Two of the women laughed. They started buzzing again to each other.
Janice turned to Annie and whispered to her, indicating another woman in the
group. Annie nodded and touched her, then kissed her cheek. The two of them
were taking evident pleasure and I couldn't help but watch. Seeing they had my
attention more of the women joined them, standing together, hands around their
shoulders initially but then moving down, exploring, enjoying each other.
Janice lifted me and carried me to a room, her hand beneath my ass, gently
caressing me, her fingers dancing across my skin in a way that both soothed
and stimulated me.

We reached a room with several shelves of old books, mostly leather-bound,
some cloth. She reached high and took a moldy volume from the shelf. "The
history is old. I don't think it has been read for many years. If it does not
entertain you I can find out which others in the country we can borrow." Her
hand was very stimulating. "You are so good at making us laugh, Tom. Such a
funny idea, that you can read, or would even want to, when we are here to read
to you whenever you wish! For a man who brings the magic of life within him to
do such a menial act as reading!" She laughed again, although it sounded false
to me. She sat on a chair and then lifted me onto her lap. The light was so
dim that I could only read "BOOK ONE" in large, handwritten script at the top
of the first page, but she began straight off. The senses of the women here,
both in vision and hearing far outstripped my own. "This is the record of the
affairs of the Middle County of the State of Hudson, beginning in the
forty-ninth year of the New Order, written by Sarah of the House of Gerald.
Hmm, it starts nearly 70 years ago. Should I continue at the beginning?"

"Yes, please."

"You are so different today, so polite," she said, looking worried. She pulled
me closer so that my head was just inches from her breasts. "It isn't my time
you know, but Karen will soon be ready, if you feel yourself becoming inclined
to her. She will not be like Debbie was. I promise you. She will give you
pleasure and you will give her life."

"Uh, not now. Can you --

"Of course Tom. I will continue. It goes on to say we have over twenty men in
the county, almost 8,000 menwos and 50,000 women. This is great progress since
the New Order began, and we are hopeful of even more rapid growth in our
numbers. The Indian raiders have been pushed back as far as the Delaware in
the West and the mountains in the North. Our men are happy and safe and have
many years of life still, and thus so do we all."

"I am one of thirty-seven whom Gerald has chosen and in fifteen years of
service I delivered four women, three menwo, but alas, like my sisters of the
House of Gerald, no men. We are still hopeful though. Our Gerald is strong and
fertile and usually, um," she paused a moment, "inclines himself to bless us
at the time appointed by our goddess. We have sufficient menwo to work the
fields and keep the House in order, and our young women are eagerly sought by
other Houses. We have acquired fine women in trade for them and maintain our
hope to continue this House with a man born here. I pray that the goddess will
permit me to see that joyful day."

"In the past year, three men have been born elsewhere in the County. Sadly,
one was born at the House of Robert, where the sisters reject modern knowledge
of health and protection. The will of the goddess, who has given several men
to that House, only to see them weaken and die before the days of seed, are
difficult for us to accept. The two other men are at strong Houses. They are
well cared for and may survive their first year. There are also four men of
young age, three at strong Houses."

"Our wise sister Emily returned from her travel to the great town and met with
other wise sisters. It was her third Menwo Conference in ten years, but sadly
she has met no one whose practices bring any greater success to this House. I
defend her to our more backward sisters, who believe the menwo are part of the
natural order. Emily has taught me that there are only two sexes and that it
is the pollution of the womb with the woman's essence that turns a healthy man
within the woman into a detested and useless menwo. I pray that her efforts
succeed and bring us the riches, glory and immortality we would enjoy if all
our menwo could be men."

"Janice," I asked. "What are the menwo?"

"I am not skilled in that area, Tom. Melissa has studied the menwo for years.
Shall I bring her?" I shook my head. "I do not wish to displease or worry
you," she said, looking worried herself by my question. She searched her
thoughts. "We have one hundred twenty-five menwo here. We keep them far from
you, of course, since they are far stronger than you and are aggressive and
dangerous due to their jealousy and their lack of seed. Fortunately they are
weak compared to your chosen women and would not dare attack you or your
House."

"Has anything more been learned about them since this history was written?"

"You are so curious today Tom. You know that if you overwork your mind, the
seed within you does not grow as it should. Won't you tell me what Debbie has
told you to upset you so?" She pulled me against her breast and lightly
caressed me, trying to distract me. "You know how happy it makes you and all
of us when your seed grows and your little Tom hardens and sows them within
us. If you like, Karen can tell you stories about the menwo she has overseen
and how we handle them. I know you would enjoy that. They are very exciting.
Shall I call her now?" Janice was teasing my nipples and I felt myself
becoming a little aroused but I resisted it. She noticed and slowed her
attack. "But if that is not your wish --

"Later," I replied.

Janice held me to her. "May the goddess bless your seed and our wombs. You
wish to hear more before I bring Karen to you?"

"Yes, about the menwo. Tell me about them."

"The words reported of Sister Emily in the history are what we believe. The
menwo begin as men, bless them, but if the woman carrying him does not temper
her emotion and forgets to follow the ways of the New Order, her femaleness
infects the man, he loses his divine essence and becomes partially female,
growing larger and stronger than a man. The worse the infection the more
female he becomes, of no use to anyone but as a simple laborer."

"So, you are saying that somehow the female hormones of his mother affect his
development, feminizing him, even though he is genetically a male?"

Janice looked even more concerned. "What are these words: 'hormone',
'genetically'? These are the words pronounced by Debbie! Why has she taught
you to speak words of no sense?" She closed her eyes and breathed deeply.
"Forgive me, Tom. I did not mean to speak sharply to you."

"That's all right. I'm fine."

"Yes ... of course you are. Oh look, it's Karen! She's come to sit with us.
She is so beautiful Tom. Do you remember when you chose her, three summers
ago, when she was newly a full woman? Her breasts have become so lovely and
large and I have heard you say that she has the sweetest smell of any woman.
Come here with us here, Karen."

Karen was here, and so was the table full of food, now freshened. Karen's odor
was pleasant and she had an amazing body, outrageously muscular, of course,
like all these women, but also full of soft curves. I could see why this "Tom"
chose her. But I felt unimpressed, almost restless and then alarmed as Janice
handed me up to Karen, who held me against her breast, rubbing it on my face.
I turned my head and saw Janice's worried expression.

"What is wrong Tom? Will you tell us your will?"

"I, uh ...

"You are still upset. We heard Debbie tell you that now you were to be for her
only? You have chosen all of us, and we are all here for your happiness and
your pleasure. You do not have to fear her. We are ALL here for you. All of us
together. Are you afraid, Tom?"

"No!" I said, too quickly. I could see Janice and Karen exchange a quick look.
Janice moved her lips quickly but spoke too quietly for me to hear. Then she
left the room.

"Where is she going?" I called out, frightened of what she would do.

She reappeared. "Tom. It's nothing for you to worry about. I must speak with
Debbie, that's all. It is only womantalk."

"You won't hurt her, will you?" I said, looking at Janice's immense physique.

"If she is one of your chosen, she is a sister to us all," she replied.

"I want to see her."

Janice stared at me, shocked. "Your will is ours," she said, and left.

I looked up at Karen. In the dim light it was hard to distinguish her
features, but it was hard to believe she was much older than seventeen. Yet in
her arms I felt like a small child. She held me lightly, as I would hold a
fragile bowl. "Do I displease you, Tom?" she asked softly.

"No, I --

"It is my special time, you know. It is my chance to continue the House of
Tom. Would that not bring you the greatest joy? That the House of Tom continue
through your issue?"

"Why are there menwo, Karen?"

Her brow furrowed with disappointment. "Why do you -- they just are failed
men, Tom. But they should not concern YOU! It is OUR fault, that our essence
is too strong. A man is precious, like gold or silver. You are our treasure.
You have chosen us, and we live to serve you, to help the fire within you burn
bright, so that your fire can bring life within us. The menwo do not serve and
they are not served. They do not light and they cannot be lit. They live only
to toil." She looked at me insistently and began licking me, desperately, her
strong tongue ranging down my neck and under my ears, touching me in places I
had never thought as arousing, but I could feel my erection growing. But
something was missing, and my interest flagged again. She stopped. I did not
want to make her unhappy, but I did not want to betray Debbie again. And
beneath it all, the truth was I felt no real desire for her. "Tom, you must
need strength. Let us first eat the foods of life. I will feed you and you
will bring life to me."

I looked at the table, which groaned with food. "Perhaps later, Karen. I ... I
need to speak with Debbie first. Will you take me to her?"

"She is with her sisters. They are talking womantalk."

"Isn't my will your will?" I asked, hoping to use my privileged status to my
advantage.

She looked at me, confused. "Your will is ours; your will is not our will. You
are our life, and your seed is our future." She trembled and a tear rolled
down her cheek, which she was trying mightily to blink away. "I ... I do not
know your will. Will you not -- no, you will not." She spoke quickly in that
odd whisper I could not understand and another woman quickly appeared at the
door. They exchanged more whispers. "We will bring her to you. Will you ...
make your will understood to us, so that we may learn it?"

"Yes, but first I must speak with Debbie."

Both women looked frightened. They spoke again beyond my comprehension. After
several minutes I heard footsteps. Debbie was there with Janice.

"I want to speak with her alone."

Karen and the other woman looked concerned. Janice pursed her lips, but
nodded, leaving Debbie with me.

"What is going on?" I said, in a whisper.

"You may as well speak normally," Debbie replied. "They can hear everything
you say anyway."

"But --

"My senses are so keen that I can hear every conversation within a hundred
yards of us. So can they. Tom, you must ... make love to Karen. It is best."

"What!? But you just said --

"Tom! Will you trust me?" She was crying. "I can't explain. You can survive
here, in this castle. You're safe with them, but it is not what you think."

"What about you?"

"Don't worry about me. I will do what I have to do. I beg you, treat me like
my sisters." She started to cry and then ran out of the room. I started to
follow her, but in the dim light I couldn't see where she had gone, and Karen
and Janice were outside, waiting.

"She has upset you," Janice said. "Again. You are unwell. She has made you
confused."

"No, she --

Janice took hold of me. "You have chosen us to be your house. We are your
strength. Your will is not yours. Your will is ours. We must learn your will."
She pushed me down onto a flat hard cushion, like a futon, and then lifted it
in the air at a slant with one hand while she held me onto it with another.
The other women entered, shedding their wraps as they came in and began to
chant and dance, naked, around me. The room brightened with new torches. "We
are your strength. Your will is ours. Your will must be right. We will make
your will right again. Your will must be good. We will make your will good
again. You are our life. Your seed is the future." They repeated this refrain
again and again.

"What do you mean my will is not mine?" I shouted, trying to be heard over the
din, trying to get up but unable to move at all. I was high in the air, at the
same level as the faces of the women.

They chanted, "You are a man. Where is your strength? We are your strength.
You have no strength without us." The dancing intensified, the women were
writhing, flexing, bending, their skin glistening, their muscles rising,
bulging, and shining in the hot light as they repeated their chant.

"You are a man. Where is your will? Your will is ours. We must learn your
will. You are a man. Where is your strength? We are your strength. You have no
strength without us. We have no life without you."

Each bent over me in turn, her breasts resting on my face and chest, until the
last one, Karen, took the futon and pulled me to her. The display was by far
the most erotic thing I'd ever seen and I entered her easily. She turned and
now leaned on the futon herself, supported by Janice and Annie and wrapped her
legs around me.

"You are our life. Your seed is the future. Let the man's fire burn, and the
goddess will bring life within us." They chanted this over and over, writhing
and dancing around me, while Karen moved on top of me, her breasts on my face,
her thick powerful legs like another woman on each side of me and then I
surrendered into her, my arms pressing this goddess of muscle to me as my
semen flowed.

"He comes!" she shouted. "He comes." Still clutching me to her, they rotated
us so that I was now on top as I continued to ejaculate and they placed us on
a large sofa in the room. The chanting grew quieter, the dancing more flowing,
and then they left, one by one, while Karen enfolded me in her arms and legs
until I slowly slipped out of her body.

"Thank you," she said softly. "Thank you."

I lay my head on her breast, exhausted, spent, and wretched. I thought I was
the king, but it was only another form of slavery. All they wanted from me was
my sperm. They weren't my harem. I was theirs. I started to cry, then sob.
What had I done?

"Tom? Tom. What is wrong?" Karen said. "You were wonderful. Your fire has lit
me. I will have a child, I am sure!"

"I am nothing," I cried.

"You are a man. You are the precious one. We all live to please you."

"Yes, to please me, so that I will make you pregnant!"

"Is there nothing higher than that? To continue your House? To fill this world
with the children of civilized women? How can there be any greater purpose to
life?"

"I live in a world where I am weak and pathetic."

"You are the man. You are our adored one. What more do you want?"

"I want Chl- Great Chloe!" I felt a shock run through me. Had I really said
that?

"Who Tom? Who is Chloe?"

"No one. Never mind."

She looked at me. "We know of no Chloe. Has Debbie spoken to you of a Chloe?"
I shook my head. "If you have a want, we must know. We must learn your will."
She made that odd talking sound that I couldn't understand and in moments
Janice appeared, followed by Melissa and others. "The goddess has restored his
will. He desires Chloe. A woman named Great Chloe."

"Who is Chloe?" Janice said. "We do not know any Chloe."

They started talking among themselves and then became quiet. "Debbie knows of
Chloe. Bring her."

In several minutes Debbie came in. She was dressed differently now from the
others. She wore a heavier garment and shoes. She stared at me. "You want
Chloe? After all that? I thought I took you away from that."

"It was a mistake. I want nothing," I said, turning from her.

"Who is Chloe?"

"He must have her."

"It is his will, I am sure!"

"It is our will."

Janice approached Debbie. "Who is Chloe?"

Debbie glared at Janice, then at me. "Chloe is my niece, my brother's
daughter."

"You have no brother, Debbie," Janice said sharply. "Why do you confuse Tom
with your strange stories and words? Why do you seek to destroy the House of
Tom?"

She stood, arms crossed. "I wish you no ill will, and I love Tom. But I must
go. I must leave this House."

Janice stepped back. "What! You will leave us? How could you do this?"

"I cannot live like this, together with you and him. I will not be an outcast.
I cannot be your sister." She turned to me. "There is just one thing for me to
do. I'm going to find Larry. He's the only one who can end this."

"Larry?" I said.

"You seek to join the House of Larry?!" Janice said scornfully. "You are not
fit for such a House. You must have breasts like pillows. He will never desire
YOU, and if he does not kill you before the child, he will destroy it!"

Debbie perked up at Janice's words, ignoring her warning. "So he IS here! Of
course! He must be. Well, I will give him something else he desires. Even if
he doesn't know it yet."

"You will never reach the House of Larry. It is in the North, by the savage
tribes."

"It is not a House of friendship. They do not observe the New Order. They
commune with the tribes."

"The sisters know no discipline. They do not know their place."

"He will never accept you."

"You could never be happy there."

The firestorm of words followed Debbie out of the room.

"Debbie!" I called. "Debbie!"

"He wants her!"

"Stop her! Stop her!" The women cried. Six of them hurried ahead and brought
Debbie back. She resisted but not seriously and looked at me.

The annoyance showed in her face, and had I not had so many other woman
guarding me, the prospect of an nine foot tall, angry Debbie, each of her arms
strong enough to beat a gorilla into submission, would have sent me running in
terror. But I stayed, the hands of a dozen women comforting and protecting me.
I cleared my throat. "Tell him ... tell him I'd like to see him ... some
time."

A shocked gasp rippled through the women. They turned to me in horror, and
then began buzzing to each other. Janice was stricken and nearly fainted.
Debbie looked at me, her face determined and cold. "That is all you have to
say to me? Well, I will bring him, when it's time." She looked around her.
"May I go now, Tom?", a touch of sarcasm in her voice.

"Yes," I said, looking at Janice. She shook her head, but made a sign and the
women released Debbie. She took one last look at me, blinked a tear away, and
left.

21

With Debbie gone, the days fell into a kind of routine. Almost every day, one
of the women was "ready" and at one time or another, no doubt based on their
own primitive science, the women fell into their ritualistic dance to prepare
me for sex. I never wanted it myself, and their dance never failed to excite
me, although some days it took longer than others. I never went outside. One
day I asked Janice what I could do for exercise. She looked at me blankly.

"But you are not a woman. It would be dangerous for you."

"I need to keep my body in shape. Otherwise I won't live as long."

"You are a man. Your heart is not strong like ours. You must not tire
yourself."

"I'm getting fat, my muscles are getting soft."

She felt my arm and stomach. "Perhaps we should adjust your diet. Your desire
has been weak too. I will speak to Melissa about it."

"At least I would like to go out for a walk in the fresh air and sun!" I
complained.

"It is not safe! We would have to protect you from the menwo, and then the
work of the House would not get done! The last time you went out Debbie took
you and let you drive the chariot. You weren't strong enough and practically
drove into the river. If Debbie hadn't saved you, you would have died. As it
was, she was stricken stiff for hours."

I stared at her. So, the connecting event happened even here. Not wanting to
betray my reaction I insisted loudly, "I want to go outside!" I knew I sounded
like a child.

She took a deep breath. "If that is your will, then you shall! We will clear
the menwo from the rear of the estate. They can work the headlands today." She
left me and returned with six other women who escorted me. Two of them
stretched a cloth over my head to protect me from sunburn. The other four
formed a guard around me. We walked one hundred feet away from the house and
then back. Other than the smell of manure, the air was fresh and the land was
very green. There were no airplanes, no signs of technology. Occasionally a
woman on horseback rode to a guard house perhaps half a mile away and then
rode away. In the distance I could see small figures working in the fields.
They would look at us, shout and start to run towards us, but then larger
figures would catch them, throw them to the ground and force them back to
work. Were they the menwo?

I made them take me back and forth three times, but by the last time I was out
of breath and my legs were weak. Even with the sun shielded the bright sky
hurt my eyes, and there were other difficulties. The flies seemed very
aggressive, and despite the efforts of the women to shoo them away, several
mosquitoes the size of house flies bit my arms and legs. In seconds, large
itchy welts grew. A bird looking much like a robin, but twice the size of any
I'd ever seen, flew at my head twice and then, spotting a small, brighter
bird, flew off at great speed, knocked it out of the air, and lay on top of
it, singing loudly. Two of the women pointed and laughed, saying, "Obviously
she hasn't accepted the discipline of the New Order, has she?" and I realized
I'd seen a female robin raping a male.

"I think I need to go back," I said.

"Of course, Tom." She picked me up and carried me, setting me down in my usual
chair and within minutes I had fallen asleep.

That was my last attempt at any kind of rebellion. I was settling into a slow
decline. One day even the ritual wasn't enough to arouse me. The next day it
worked again but soon I was able to perform only every other day. Melissa
brewed potions for me to drink with my meals. That too gave me a temporary
boost but the decline set in again. I heard the odd buzzing tone more and
more. Women started leaving, including Annie. They preferred the hard life
outside to the tenuous existence in a dying House. Even though four of the
House women were pregnant, the loss of my "life force," the force that gave
them their future, discouraged the others. The numbers of the house dropped,
leaving the rest more exposed to attack, more anxious. I sensed the changes
and knew that they were my fault. But there was nothing I could do. I kept
more and more to myself, and I could feel the other women start to avoid me.
Except for Janice who was always there to defend me.

One day, a week after I had stopped getting out of bed, Janice came into my
room and closed the door, then stopped it up with a wax. She came over next to
me and bent her head to my ear speaking so softly I could barely hear her. But
I guessed she had to do that so that what she said was just between us.

"There is a challenge to your House, Tom, and I must ask you to tell me,
honestly, if you have the will to resist. Debbie has written that she will
return here with the entire House of Larry. She has heard of our difficulties
and is seeking to take advantage."

"Is that what she says?"

"No. She writes that she will come to help us. That she can restore your will
and wishes to combine the two Houses to live together as an even stronger
unit. But we are weak now, Tom. If it is a trick, and it must be, we cannot
resist. Debbie is very clever. She knows her advantage. If Larry's will is
strong then all the women here will give him their allegiance. Except the
pregnant ones of course, who will be slaughtered. No man will allow the child
of another in his House. Tom, I am strong for you, but I cannot fight alone
against another House." She sighed. "I know you are the man and I am a woman.
We are different kinds, but we have been together for many years. I was your
first and have been the leader of your House. If your House will be no more
... then I should go now, for I will bear your memory for many years, if not
your child. But if you would have me with you ... then I would do not wish to
leave you to die alone. If they are to kill you, then I will die with you."

I looked up at her. So, she loved me. Even here. I was very moved, almost to
tears, thinking how I'd kept her away all these years. And yet as beautiful as
she was, as passionate, steadfast and strong, I had never chosen her. "I will
try, Janice. Thank you."

She looked into my eyes. "You are different Tom. And because it is so I will
speak honestly to you. I have sensed it ever since Debbie and you shared the
Feast of Pregnancy. Have you had a vision? Is there something you know that
you've kept from me? Do you believe Debbie will have a son? Is that why you
said you would make her your wife?"

What? Debbie was pregnant??! We were finally having a child together, as I had
always wanted. But that was another world. I searched my heart but my feelings
were a mystery to me. Too much had changed for us. Besides, she had left me,
and what things would be like when she returned were beyond my comprehension.

And at that moment I decided. It had all been a mistake, an awful mistake. I
had tried to cheat fate. I should have accepted Debbie's death and moved on.
But now I was here, and I had to accept THIS fate and LIVE here. Not in my
world or any of the others I had passed through. And not in others where I
could move myself and Debbie. Here I would stay.

"No, I ...." I took a deep breath and got out of bed. Janice stood back,
letting me do it myself. My legs felt like jelly after my idleness and I took
halting steps forward. "You have always looked after me, Janice, and I have
never given you what you deserved, have I?"

Tears came to her eyes and she quickly brushed them away. "That is not your
duty, Tom. Your duty is to live, not to love. I know that. It is my fate to
love you, and my duty to lead your House, so that you may father children and
we may live on."

I looked up into her eyes. "But isn't that sad, Janice?"

"It can be no other way. That is the new order. We must share our men, to
preserve civilization. There are too few of you, and you are so fragile. We
cannot live as we did before the Great Sickness. We must live in common now,
as the Indians do. Otherwise we will perish."

"The Great Sickness?"

"It is not our way to speak of history to the men. They would dream only of
their loss, but I will tell you. It first struck hundreds of years ago, when
our ancestors first reached America. The Indians had lived with it for
centuries and resisted it, but we had not. The first arrivals all got sick. Of
course we women recovered, but most of our men died, some from the disease.
Others recovered, but then got the Swelling. It was said that the disease
changed the blood of the women, and that our men caught the Swelling from the
kiss of their women. Many panicked and fled back to Europe but then the
disease spread throughout our homeland and even down to Africa. Now the only
Europeans that survive are the few that live in this part of the American
continent. Our legends say that the Chinese have populated the rest of the
world, and if they ever build ships, they may conquer this one too but it has
been many years since we have had any word from across the ocean. We are the
remnant, and we struggle to keep our light alive any way we can. One hundred
years ago we adopted the New Order, and it has spread to nearly all of us. We
have accomplished much. We are growing again in numbers and power, but our
settled ways are still an easy target for the savages. And compared to them
our numbers are so few. Every man is precious."

"And Larry?"

"He is an apostate! He may as well BE an Indian!" Her voice softened. "You
told Debbie you wished to see him -- as though you knew him. Yet you have
never met. I am sure of it."

"You never did like each other," I said softly to myself, but of course she
heard.

She burst out weeping. "No, Tom! This is your imagination, a false vision! Do
not let your mind leave us. Do not lose your senses! You cannot die yet! It is
too soon!" She cut off her emotional outburst with a tremendous effort and
turned away from me. "Forgive me," she said.

I reached up and put my arms on the waist of this loving giantess, who was so
large I could hardly reach around her, much less fold her in my arms, as a
man's arms should do for a woman. "I will not die. I promise you."

22

Several months passed. Spring came and went and Summer began. My feelings had
not changed, but I recognized my duty and I did it. I began a careful exercise
program and to the surprise of my women my health, and more importantly to
them, my libido, began to improve. Of course they were amused by the miniscule
physical efforts I could make compared with theirs, but they recognized the
increase in my stamina, and Melissa took notes of my progress and shared her
conclusions with others in the New Order. Some dismissed it as the adoption of
an Indian practice but other Houses were more pragmatic. I was soon "mating"
with women every other day again and there were two new pregnancies. That news
traveled quickly. Some of the women who had left wrote Janice to ask if they
might be allowed to show themselves to me to seek readmission to my House.
Invariably I agreed with Janice's decisions. Soon we were nearly at full
strength again. I sensed that my women were happier, proud again to be part of
my House, and that knowledge gave me a kind of satisfaction. It was not what I
had known before, but in this world it was all I could hope for.

One day I sensed a tension in the House. I asked for Janice but she had left
the House on an urgent errand. She and I had become closer, and I knew to save
my questions for her return. The others would be suspicious of any serious
interest of mine beyond sex. I attended to my obligations, and late in the day
Janice entered my room. She dismissed the other women and closed and sealed
the door so we could speak confidentially.

"They are coming, Tom."

"Who?"

"Larry's House, and Debbie, accompanied by Indians in the hundreds. We have
never seen such an army. We tried to resist them but they have new weapons.
They want to come here and rather than see the destruction of many Houses the
leaders of the County agreed a treaty of passage to your House. They will be
here in hours."

"What do they want?"

"To save you, they say. I sent messages that you were better, that you do not
need to be 'saved' but they will not retreat. I told you it was a ruse and
this proves it, but we can do nothing. The leaders of our County said if we do
not agree to let them come it will mean the end of our civilization now."

I looked up into her eyes. "All right. I will see them."

"You do not have to agree. Your House is your castle. We are stronger again.
We can fight them if that is your will. Your women will protect you to the
end. We carry your life."

I shook my head. "I don't want you or my women to die for me."

A tear rolled down her cheek. "You have been given the heart of a woman. I do
not know how to thank the goddess for this miracle of a woman's heart with the
seed of a man."

I knew, but it was not the time to explain. She left to warn the others. The
house prepared for the onslaught, hiding its few treasures while cleaning and
airing rooms and preparing food for welcome. I heard the sounds of the
activity and then the tone shifted. I went to one of the few windows low
enough for me to look outside. I saw nothing but haze, but it grew more
distinct until I could distinguish movement, then banners, and then women on
horseback and a tent moving. That must be Larry. I heard cries of surprise and
I walked down toward the front hall. "What is it?" I said.

Melissa was staring at a distant figure on a horse. "She still has the child!"
she said in amazement. "Living in the House of Larry for so long and yet she
carries your child!" And now I saw too, in front of the tent riding a white
horse side-saddle was Debbie, hugely pregnant.

"How do you know it is mine?" I asked.

The women around me giggled.

"He asks such questions!"

"He cannot see the signs!"

"A woman's curiosity but not a woman's sight!"

They bent over me and caressed me gently but then grew serious again as the
army approached and they formed a knot around me. It was for reassurance, not
protection. They knew they were no match for the approaching army. They slowed
and Debbie rode ahead with one other woman with enormous breasts, which
bounced as she rode. When they were fifty feet away they stopped and the other
woman dismounted and helped Debbie down and then walked back toward the rest
of her group. There was no warmth between them.

"You have brought the enemy into your own House," Janice said as Debbie
approached. "There can be no greater shame for a woman."

"I am here to help my hus- to help Tom. They will not harm you or anyone here
if you let me talk to him."

"It is his will and ours." She looked at me and I nodded. "You may go with
him. We have food for your House and," she grimaced, "for them."

"Thank you. The Indians have brought their own food. They believe ours is
unhealthy." She smiled. "Of course they are right." The tent neared us and at
a signal from Debbie two other large-breasted women appeared at the flap and
lifted someone down.

It was Larry! He blinked at the light and looked around fearfully. Then,
seeing that no one was arrayed to attack him he walked up to Debbie. He looked
at me uncertainly and around at the women of my House in front of him.
"Amazing!" he said. He peered at me. "So then, it IS true!"

"We should wait until we're alone," Debbie said.

"Yes, yes, we should. Well then, let's go!"

Janice and I walked in front and Debbie and Larry followed us through the
doors of my castle into a large room, our library. Janice stayed next to me,
watching Debbie and Larry suspiciously.

"Tom, it would be best if she left us," Debbie said firmly.

Janice's face grew red. "It is TOO MUCH to ask!"

I was torn. This was Debbie's plan, and I did not know how much I wanted
Janice to know, yet. "Please Janice. I will be fine. We will talk later."

She turned angrily and left. Debbie closed the door and applied the sound
sealant.

Larry's eyes were wide open. "This is incredible. I never dreamed I would see
another House! And to be let in, just like that!" He walked around the room.
keeping at least fifteen feet distance from me at all times. "How strange! I
have lived in just one House for my entire life! This is simply incredible!
And you, Tom." He turned to face me, inspecting me. "You know me, don't you?
Although of course I don't know you, except through Debbie. What an amazing
experience. To talk to another man! Of course, you've said nothing at all to
me, yet. But Debbie tells me you know of me as your friend. Your friend! This
is simply marvelous!" he said, still keeping his distance.

Debbie sat down and smiled, regarding the two of us with some pleasure.

"How much does he know?" I asked her.

"Everything," she said. "We've been working together for months, and he is, as
you would expect, a very eager student and grasped the situation right away.
He's just like our Larry, although of course he's had a very different life."

"Yes. I noticed the women," I replied to her, putting my hands on my chest and
making the shape of a woman's breasts.

"They ARE a wonder! I don't see how they manage to walk with such breasts but
it doesn't matter what I think. They manage very well."

"I had never imagined a man and a women speaking to each other like this! But
then, I have been talking with Debbie for months. She is an extraordinary
woman."

I smiled. "It's good to see you Larry. Even if you've never seen me before. It
almost makes me feel like I'm home." I went up to him, but he backed away
automatically, looking around for protection and then at Debbie, then caught
himself and cautiously approached me.

"In your world, it would not be unusual for us to, uh, shake hands or even,
uh, hug now, would it? Amazing." He held out his hand tentatively and I
grasped it, guiding him to move his hand up and down. "So THAT's a handshake?
When I was a child I was taught that two men could not be in the same room
without fighting, or without their women fighting for them. Of course, there
are so few of us no one ever would ever take such a chance, so I've never
actually seen another man before, except my father, when he was weakening and
I snuffed him and succeeded to his house. I take it that would not be allowed
in your world -- killing your father. But if I hadn't, he would have killed
me." He peered at me, searching for my reaction, which I tried to hide.
"Bothers you, doesn't it? Ha-ha! What an experience this has been, like
traveling to whole new worlds! It's hard for me to remember, but Debbie has
opened my mind to so many new ideas. She's changed my life, you know. Who
would imagine that a small, flat-chested woman like her could be of any
importance to me!" I looked up at Debbie, almost nine feet tall, with a chest
that exceeded 80 inches. She was suppressing a smile.

"Well, yes, and to me," I said immediately. They both looked at me, then at
each other.

"Uh, Tom. We came here for a reason," Debbie interrupted. "We've figured out a
way to send you back. Back to our original world."

"What? But Larry said --

Larry cleared his throat. "Yes. Your Larry didn't know how to enable you to
return. And from his vantage point he is correct. The two of you being in the
same universe, he was able to send you away but, being here, separated from
him, he could not bring you back, nor could he easily teach you how to return.
And now you're here, in the same universe with me, and I've discovered how to
send you back to there."

"But Debbie! If I return, you will have to come with me, and in that universe
you will be in a coma, or even dead already. I can't ask you to do that.

Larry shook his head. "Such concern and love for a woman. When there are so
many."

"Larry!" Debbie said, disapproving. She went to me and picked me up and held
me. "Tom, trust me. It's for the best. Please don't worry. This is what I
want. I know what I'm doing."

"But how do you know it will work? Have the two of you been traveling? Larry,
our Larry, had been doing it for years."

Larry laughed. "Funny thing. Your Larry had done some very interesting things
with the fabric of the universe. To answer your question, no. I haven't
traveled. I haven't because I can't. And I can't because of your Larry. No one
here can."

Debbie spoke up. "Tom, we've discovered that somehow all the doors of
inter-universe transfer are locked except for ours, and for people from our
universe. We're not sure why, but we think that Larry may have done it himself
as a sort of self-protection. Remember you had told me that Larry said he
didn't know what happens to the Larrys, or any other people he becomes, when
he travels?"

"Yes."

"Well, we think he wasn't being completely honest with you. Did you ever
wonder what happened to the Tom that was here before you arrived?"

I looked at Debbie and then at Larry. "Uh, no. I never really thought about
it. Larry said, I think, that that maybe they never existed -- that a new
universe is created freshly when he travels there."

"Isn't that a convenient theory," Larry said, annoyed. "I can tell you what
happens. The person here is invaded, loses control of his body. He sees
everything, hears everything, senses every thought, but is completely helpless
to do anything about it. Can you imagine living but having someone else
controlling everything you do? Doing things you would never do, things you
have to live with? Or perhaps die from?"

"That happened to you? When?"

"About 18 months ago. I thought I was bewitched. I almost lost my House, but
he left after three days of turning everything into complete chaos. Only now
do I understand what happened."

"You mean, there is another Tom? Right here with me? I can't sense him at
all." I looked at Debbie. "Do you sense anything?"

"No," she replied. "I didn't give it much thought either -- until Larry --
this Larry -- told me about what had happened to him. But it makes sense,
doesn't it? How would he have been able to lay out this path for you if he
hadn't been to the worlds here?"

"I don't know. I don't have the slightest idea how this works, and I'm amazed
you've been able to figure this out." I looked at them carefully. "Larry
didn't tell me he had been to any of the worlds he was sending me to. But he
did say that I would like at least one of them, and I wouldn't like some
others. Maybe you're right and this is how he knew, and he thought I would
adapt better if I didn't know too much. But I had the sense he wasn't sure. He
certainly didn't warn me about how much things would change." Thinking out
loud I went on. "Of course maybe he just thought I would have stopped
travelling long before I reached this world." I realized with dismay what
Debbie would think of that and shot a quick glance at her. She hadn't missed
it, and the expression on her face seemed to grow even colder.

I quickly added, "But Debbie! What about you? Going back would mean ... you'd
be dead! We can't do that!"

"I'm ready to do what's necessary," she said, emotionlessly.

"What? That's crazy!"

"I won't stay here with the Debbie who belongs here imprisoned helpless within
this body. With some other person watching everything I do, knowing everything
I know, and hating me for taking over her life. I've had my chance to live,
Tom. Maybe it was unfair that it ended too early, but it was my chance. If
this is the only way there is for me to live then I don't want it."

I felt a wave of emotion wash through me. Fortunately I was near a chair, and
I sat down. "Y-you're saying you'd rather die than live this way?"

"Yes," she said, stonily.

I stood up and went to hold her, my head resting against her enormous bust.
"Debbie!" I sobbed. "Debbie!" I went on for twenty seconds or so before I
realized she was just standing there, her hand resting only lightly against my
back. "What's the matter? Don't you feel ANYTHING?"

She took me by the shoulders and pulled me away to hold me at arm's length.
She looked down into my eyes. "Of course I do. You know, I'm a little
surprised at your feelings." I looked at her blankly, in surprise. "Well, Tom.
Things haven't turned out exactly as I would have expected, you know." I
looked down. Why did she have to bring that up now? "It's not just Janice,
Tom. Or Chloe -- the first time, I mean. I don't blame you for what happened
with her last time. That was my fault. But what about the last few months? You
knew I was pregnant, didn't you? With our child?" I shook my head. "What men
don't know! Well, did you even ASK about me? Make ANY effort to send me a
message? What were your last words to me when I left? That you wanted to see
LARRY?!"

"But Debbie --" I stopped. She had thought about this a long time. There was
no way I would ever persuade her. And now, if I did as she asked she was going
to die. The only way to stop her was to refuse to participate. But the truth
was, what Larry told me made me uneasy too. What was my choice? To stay here
in this universe, with Debbie's cold indifference? Or worse? With Larry, a man
who had killed his own father? Could he be a friend here? Or would he and his
"Indians" take my house and kill me too if I refused to cooperate? And end up
killing not only me, but also the Tom who belonged here, and Janice and all of
my "chosen women."

I sighed. "What do you want me to do?"

"Larry will have to make such adjustments to the 'bonding,' and then you will
have to recite an incantation. It will all be different from what our Larry
did. We'll return to the moment when you first made the jump, in the hospital
room, one week or so after the accident. Otherwise we couldn't do the jump,
because in all probability I would be dead. That's it. He'll start now, if you
agree."

"I don't see that I have much choice. You don't give me much reason to stay
here."

Debbie didn't say anything. I wanted to know what she was thinking. All she
seemed to want to do now was to die -- and get away from me. It didn't make
sense. Debbie was never one to quit. But she was completely closed off to me.
And I knew she had a strong ethical sense. For her, our marriage, and it
seemed, her life, was over. She just wanted to get on with it. Perhaps I owed
her that. I'd given up everything I had to save her. Perhaps what I need to do
was to give her up completely.

"You've always been the only one I've loved, Debbie. I will do what you want
-- out of love."

Her eyes watered. For once, I'd said the right thing. I thought I saw her lips
tremble, and she looked toward Larry, but he was looking at a book, flipping
quickly through the pages, so instead she closed her eyes.

"Larry. Larry! Can we get ON with it?" she said impatiently. She turned to me
and lifted me in her arms. "Thank you, Tom. For all you've done for me. I will
never forget you. I ... forgive you. I just can't ...."

"It's all right, Debbie. It's all right." I felt silly comforting this
giantess who held me in one hand, like I was the baby she carried. Life was
crazy. Perhaps it would be a sort of comfort that in this universe our child
would live, even though Debbie would be dead where I was. Perhaps. But I
doubted it. I never went in for that sort of symbolism. I wanted the real
Debbie, with our real baby. And now I would never have that.

She put me down. "I just need a few moments, OK?" I nodded.

I walked toward Larry. "Are these books different from yours?" I asked.

"I have no idea! I can't read a word!"

"You -- of course! Men don't read here."

"You do?" I nodded. "Amazing. It seems like such a waste of time -- although
Debbie tells me you can learn some interesting things that way. Your Larry
did, apparently. But I'd rather be read to."

"But ... if you don't read, how did you learn to travel? My Larry must have
studied for ages."

Larry clapped his hands together. "Well, as you know, I have a different way
of looking at things than other Europeans. Perhaps because our House was
closest to Indian territory we've always had some interchanges with them, and
I've always found them interesting. The Indians have ancient stories about
traveling through different dimensions and having types of spiritual
experiences that the Europeans reject as irrational or heretical. They say
this has been impossible in recent times -- due to your Larry I assume -- but
they still have taught me much about the spirit universe, although I had never
taken their theories to the practical end that your Larry had. Of course, uh,
when your Larry invaded me, I learned a lot from his thoughts. And Debbie was
a big help. Just the fact of her own experience and what she relayed to me
from what you told me helped me connect the dots. She's very smart, you know."

"Yes, I know."

"And of course the whole issue of travelling suggests some very --

I noticed Debbie watching us. She hurried over. "I think we should get on with
it," she said, walking up to us and interrupting Larry. She took my hand.
Larry looked at her, shrugged, rubbed his hands, put one hand on hers and,
with some hesitation, the other on mine. He recited some words that sounded
like an ancient language. I looked at Debbie and she glanced at me, then
looked away. She was crying again. It took a long time, three times as long as
my Larry had taken, but I attributed that to my Larry's greater knowledge and
experience. Then he and Debbie taught me certain words and movements that took
almost an hour for me to learn. I was exhausted by the time we were all
confident that I had learned it exactly. I would only have to do it once.
Larry explained that what he taught me would work only to move me from this
universe back to mine.

"OK. Our part's done. Your turn, Tom." He looked me up and down. "I just can't
get over it. Standing here, talking to another man! Wow!" He gripped my right
hand in his. "Can we shake once more? I just want to do it, one last time."

"Larry!" Debbie said sharply.

I shook hands with him, but it put me on edge. It was strange. Soon I'd be
going home to the real Larry. He was so different from this Larry. The same
playfulness, but deeper somehow, and kinder. At least I thought he was. The
reference to the invasion of other people disturbed me. How could Larry do
that? Was he really the person I thought he was? And as I thought about it,
other things bothered me. "So Larry, what about the Tom who belongs here?
Won't you be shaking hands with him? Or maybe you'll have to teach him to ...
wait. What ARE you going to do to him?"

"Wh-what do you mean, Tom?"

"You're going to kill him, aren't you?"

"Tom! How can you say that!"

"You killed your own father. You've only just met me. You'll kill him, and
everyone else in this House, so you can take it over. That's what Janice said.
And she's right, isn't she?"

"Debbie wouldn't let me do that now Tom, would she?"

"Debbie? Which Debbie? My Debbie won't be there. She'll be with me, dying.
What will the Debbie here do? No one knows. Unless you've arranged that with
your own women, to storm this place as soon as the switch is made."

Debbie put her hand on my arm. "Tom, this really isn't our business --

"Just wait a minute. There's no rush. But isn't this risky for you, Larry?
You'll be in here with the Tom who belongs here. Who doesn't like other men.
Who's liable to kill them. And you'll be here with that Tom's Debbie, who
bears you no love or loyalty. Unless you're counting on her to feel
differently, because she's been invaded for the last four months by my Debbie
and you'll have released her. My Debbie has become close to you. Maybe you're
hoping that the Debbie from this world will feel the same about you, knowing
that your army is right outside. But you can't KNOW that, can you? I can't
sense the other Tom, so I have to believe Debbie can't sense the other Debbie.
You'd be taking a huge risk. Why? This doesn't make sense."

Larry looked at me crossly. "This is none of your business. This isn't your
world, you know. I see why our culture keeps men away from each other. Listen,
there's a lot going on around you that you don't understand, Tom. Hasn't that
always been the case?"

"No! Absolutely not! Debbie? What is he saying? What is he talking about?"

Debbie glared at Larry. "He is saying FAR too much about things he knows
nothing about, and none of it matters one whit! Tom, your being here has
changed things. You've weakened this Tom's house and set in motion things you
can't stop. I've done the same. Shouldn't we get on with it before ..." she
stopped herself and sat down heavily "... before I have to eat lunch."

"If too much time goes by I'll have to adjust the time shift parameters again,
and it will take another hour for you to relearn the movements." Larry said.

"I can't believe we're rushing into your death, Debbie. Isn't there anything
you want to tell me, any message for me, or anyone you want me to take back?"

Debbie looked at me impatiently, then tenderly. "You don't want to leave me,
do you Tom?" She at Larry, then sighed. "But it's time. It was time months
ago. I've thought this through over and over. I'm sure this is what I want --
I mean, what's best for both of us. Please, Tom. For me."

I looked up at her. Even sitting she was taller than I was. She sat so still,
her big eyes looking at me. Waiting. I had taken her here. It had been my
decision alone. But now she was telling me it was a mistake. I should have
left it alone. I knew I didn't belong here. No matter what I'd accomplished in
the last few months, did it really matter to me? My reality was the world I
was in originally. Debbie must feel it too. How could I say no to what would
be her last request? "For you, then, Debbie." She leaned down to kiss me, and
then I stood back. "All right. All right. Are you ready?"

"Let's get it over with," she replied, looking at me and then at Larry. I
closed my eyes and started doing the five minute dance I had just learned,
chanting mrumbi krah neek at certain moments. At the climax I opened my eyes,
wanting to say one more goodbye to Debbie, but the world had already dissolved
into nothingness. I was travelling. Travelling back.

It was rough this time. I felt as though I was moving physically through
turbulence and felt slightly queasy. I saw the hospital room appear around me,
but it took awhile before it snapped fully into focus, and during the interim
I had strange sensations, perceptions that I couldn't understand, almost as
though I was squeezing through a hole that was closing around me. I could see
Debbie hooked up to monitors and tubes. The readings seemed to fluctuate and I
thought I saw Debbie's eyelids flicker. Then I was there, fully there, my
newspaper sitting on Debbie's table, the familiar headline of Serena's 6-4,
7-5 victory over Venus. It had to be Fall again. I was home.

Once I got my bearings I moved to stand over Debbie. She was so still, so
passive. To think that the soul of the powerful woman who just moments before
had held me in one hand was now trapped, unconscious, in that wrecked body. I
felt a spasm of emotion and let out a cry. It WAS the end now. I'd had a
chance to get her back and I'd lost it. I bent over and kissed her forehead.
It was her scent, her skin. And soon that scent would be gone. She would be
dead.

I don't know how long I lingered, breathing her in, when there was a knock on
the door and Becky Mills entered. Not wanting to intrude she moved quickly to
the monitors, keeping her back turned to me to allow me my time with Debbie.
She paused over the readings for a while and then checked them again. I found
myself very conscious of her and stood up to face her. Even from behind I
could see she was "my" Becky again. An athlete, but not the all-star home run
hitter for the New York Yankees.

"Is something wrong, Becky?"

She looked back at me quickly. "Uh, no. It's ... let me just talk to the
doctor, ok?" She backed out of the room awkwardly. She must be embarrassed
that the end was coming so soon, and didn't want to be the one to tell me.
Still, I didn't notice any signs of distress. I could see the "DNR" order
prominent on the chart at the end of the her bed. All it would take was one
seizure, a few difficult breaths and that would be it. I pulled up the chair
sat by her bed and held her hand, waiting for Becky to return.

Becky returned with the floor doctor. He looked at the monitors, then at her
chart.

"What is it, doctor?" I asked.

"No ... just some more, uh, activity than I expected. Please, don't get your
hopes up. But ... well, I think I should take the DNR order off. It's very
unusual to see ANY improvement at a time like this. I wonder if we should give
her a little more support. She's fighting. I'm going to call your regular
doctor, to let him examine her." He looked at the monitor. "You live nearby,
don't you? Why don't you go home. Becky will phone you if there is any change
for the worse, but I think you'd do better to sleep at home tonight. There may
be more decisions to make tomorrow and you'd be better off if you're well
rested." I nodded. "So, just to make sure everything's understood. I will take
the order off. We'll monitor her more closely these evening, and you should
see Dr. Arnold tomorrow. His rounds are in the morning, so you should come in
just before lunchtime."

"OK. Thank you, and thank you too, Becky, for everything."

She smiled. "Anything I can do, Mr. Beams."

I was seeing her as the star home run hitter, and suddenly it felt silly that
she called me by that name. "Tom. Please."

She blushed. "All right. Good night, Tom."

They left. I went over to the bed. "Are you still there, Debbie? Because, if
you are, if there is any chance you can come out of this, please, I promise
you, for the rest of our lives, that our marriage will be everything you've
wanted, and everything you always thought you would have." I started crying.
"You have to believe me. I've always loved you. So much." I couldn't go on. I
wanted to throw myself on her breast, but I didn't dare disturb the tubes and
equipment so I bent down and kissed a part of her arm, holding it gently. I
rested there for several minutes then gathered my emotions and left the room.

The feeling of disorientation was overpowering. To be back in the familiar
world I thought I had left forever. To see women smaller than I was, smiling
sweetly. To walk freely around.

It was fortunate that the hospital parking area was small -- I would never
have remembered nearly 8 months later where I had put it. I drove slowly,
getting used to the car and trying not to be distracted by the jolts of
pleasure that each familiar site brought me. I almost cried again when I
turned onto our block, when I waved to one neighbor and when the garage door
opened for me. In the garage I sat in the car for several minutes before I had
the strength to go inside. And then I felt in my jacket pocket and realized I
had forgotten to switch on my cell phone. I turned it on as I entered the
house, and it beeped immediately with a message. There were two messages on my
answer machine too. Could it be the hospital already? Had something happened?
I hit the button on the answer machine first.

The first message was from Janice, checking in and wanting to know if I needed
anything. I jumped when I heard the voice. The timbre was not the same as that
of the Janice I had just left, but it awakened the feelings of tenderness I
had learned for her in the last world. What had happened to her? Did she
survive the return of the Tom and the Debbie who belonged to that world. I
would never know. And then the next message, from Larry.

"Tom! Something has gone wrong, terribly wrong! If it's not too late, do NOT
use the phrase I gave you to travel. Call me as soon as you get this message!"
There were a couple of seconds of mumbling, which I could not understand, and
then he hung up.

I punched out my voice mailbox on my mobile phone. It was another message from
Larry. It sounded even more anguished. "I ... I don't know what's happened.
It's probably too late." There was some silence. "Call me, as soon as you get
this." More silence. "I'll try you at home."

What had happened? I clumsily dialed Larry's number, hit the wrong buttons,
hung up, tried again, misdialed again, and then finally got it right the third
time. He picked up after three rings.

"Hello?"

It was him, but he sounded very tense, tight. "Larry, it's me."

"Tom! I've got you in time!"

I paused. "Uh, no. I'm, uh ... back."

Now he paused. A long pause. "You're BACK!? Oh god!" He waited a moment. "Are
you -- I mean -- from where --

I had never heard him sound so upset. "I'm the Tom from this universe, Larry.
At least I think I am." I took a deep breath. "We really need to see each
other, I think. I have a lot to tell you."

He was breathing heavily. "Yeah, I ... I don't know if ... I can't drive right
now. I've been driving all day. Can you -- no, you'd better not. I'll come
back tomorrow. I can be there by lunch time."

"I'll be going to the hospital then. They're running some tests on Debbie.
They wouldn't tell me very much, but I think she's improving all of a sudden."

"They said -- Tom, what exactly did they say? What did they notice?"

"They were just studying the monitors. Heart, I think. And oxygen in the
blood. I'm not sure. They didn't want to give me any false hope."

"Tom, which world were you in? How many jumps had you made?"

Now it was my turn to breathe deeply. "A lot, Larry. More than I was supposed
to, I think. Things changed too much, Larry. And then, they sent me back. You
sent me back."

"I did?"

"I mean, the Larry of that world. With Debbie's help. And yours, I think. He
said you had traveled there, eighteen months ago by his time -- maybe nine
months ago here. I don't really know what that means." I'd just realized. If
Larry could travel through time, how long had HE lived? My friend could be
hundreds of thousands of years old. "Um, well, he said he'd experienced it.
Your thoughts. That you took control of his body and his life while he was
there. That he could sense you. Oh, and he had the Indians' help too."

"Indians? Was this a world with nine foot tall women? You were in THAT world?
You NEVER should have gone that far!"

"I know that! I didn't want to. It wasn't MY plan."

"How did -- sorry. You have no idea what's happened. But you're right. We need
to talk about it in person. I'll see you tomorrow. I'll try you at the office
I get nearby. If you've left already I'll head for the hospital."

We said our goodbyes. Now I was worried. I thought about calling Janice back,
then decided against it. I was too unsure to trust myself with her. I'd seen
her too many different ways. And then there had been Larry's old warning about
her. No, I needed to focus. Whatever the doctor had seen, I couldn't let
myself hope that Debbie would survive. I had to get used to the idea of life
here, without Debbie, before I would even start to think about anything or
anyone else.

I walked around the house, reacquainting myself with being home. I leafed
through the Saturday's Times, having left Sunday's at the hospital, and then
paged through the few work files I had at home. It seemed so far away, a life
I had left forever, and now, tomorrow, I would be running my business again,
seeing Dave and Annie. Would I treat her differently? Would I see Annie? Or
would I see the Ann who was my partner, the Mistress Olsen who had given me
'thank yous', or the Mistress Olsdottir who had ordered me around like her
plaything? I poured myself a scotch and sat down, trying to sort out my
thoughts, when there was a short knock at the door.

"He won't be home," a brusk, imperious voice said. "Let's go."

"We've just all the way come back to see my sister, and we do have things to
discuss with Tom. We should at least try to see him."

I got up. "One minute," I said, and opened it. There were Debbie's brother
Jon, his tall wife, Elaine, and ... Chloe. I backed away and stood rigidly.

"I told you we shouldn't have come," Elaine said.

"Would you, uh, like a drink?" I asked, trying to keep my cool. I stole a look
over at Chloe. As usual, she was dressed provocatively, with a tight t-shirt
and shorts. She noticed me and gave a little smile, then a bigger one, as I
looked away. She'd caught me looking.

"I would! I'm thirsty!" she proclaimed loudly and stepped inside. Her voice
cut right through me.

"Well, I wouldn't mind one of what you're having Tom. It's single malt,
right?" I nodded. "Right. I'm sure you wouldn't drink anything but. A man's
drink," he added, turning to Elaine.

"I KNOW what single malt scotch is, Jon. Sparkling water for me, I guess." She
stepped inside and looked around. "Your cleaner needs more supervision, Tom.
How much are you paying her? You should use the agency we use, Elite Cleaners.
They're expensive, but at least you know what you're getting. You can SEE the
stains here everywhere, can't you?"

"I don't see anything dear," Jon said, trying to take my side.

"Men never do. The agency takes care of the taxes -- I assume you're careful
about those things, at least in your personal life. And they're fully bonded."
She looked down at the sofa and the chair then with a frown sat down on the
chair. She took off her glasses, looked around, put them on and then took them
off again and put them away.

I looked at them. "I'll get your water, Elaine. The scotch is in the cabinet
Jon. And, uh, Chloe," I added, not looking at her, "you'll have some --

"I'll see what you have in there," she said brightly, walking to the kitchen.
I had no choice but to follow. She stood between the fridge and me. She pulled
her t-shirt taut and put her hands on her hips.

"I think there's some Coke," I said, keeping my distance. I could smell her
from across the room.

"Regular or diet? I have to watch my figure," she replied, pulling her shirt
down again at the waist and tucking it into her shorts, which stretched it
even more tightly across her bust. She opened the door of the refrigerator and
leaned over, pushing her delectable bottom out in my direction. "Hmmmp! No
Diet! You KNOW that's what I like! What if I were staying here? I CAN'T drink
regular!"

I had heard that before, in another world. Then I was annoyed. Now, I just
wanted to hear more. I stood transfixed by her voice.

"What's WRONG with you? Weren't you going to get my Mom some water or
something? Are you STUCK in some other WORLD or something?"

I didn't dare step any closer. Although my physical dependence on her ended
when I shifted worlds, the memory of my complete enthrallment to her,
associated with her scent, her voice, her figure, even the pose of her body,
was still with me. And she had an energy about her, a power, even here, that
seemed to drain the very will from me.

"The ... water," I rasped. "Could you --

"Oh yeah." She pulled at the door of the refrigerator again. It stuck -- it
often did. She wrinkled her nose and pulled again. The refrigerator rocked
toward her slightly and then the door opened. I couldn't help notice the jump
in her biceps. "Whoa! Did you see that?"

"See what?" I asked, not wanting to admit how closely I was watching her.

She looked at the refrigerator and then down at her arm and shrugged. "Never
mind." She pulled her sleeve down, a little self-consciously. "I think Mom's
thirsty. I better bring this to her."

I nodded eagerly in agreement. I held the door and she walked through it, past
me, slowing slightly as she walked by and swiveling her hips so that they
grazed me. Even with my brother and sister in law watching it took all my
self-control not to jump her.

"Here, Mom," she sang out, handing her the drink and then draping herself
across the easy chair I had been using.

Elaine looked at Jon, who cleared his throat. "Um, Tom. As you know, we
changed our vacation plans after the accident, taking Chloe with us, instead
of leaving her here with Debbie and you. For obvious reasons. And, of course,
once we found out how serious it was we decided we should come home early,
once Elaine and I had finished our business in Cannes. We wanted to visit
Debbie once we got home, but, since she's in a coma, there really wasn't much
point, was there? Tragic. Really and truly tragic."

I nodded. What was he getting at? Elaine looked at him impatiently.

"You know, of course, that our firm has always handled the family estate
arrangements. You and Debbie engaged us to draw up your wills earlier this
year, but you've never come in to execute them. So the will in effect --
Debbie's only will -- is still the one she signed when she attained her
majority. Naturally that was before she met you, so that all of her assets
devolve to our parents. As you no doubt know, these assets include the
financing she provided to your business, structured as demand loans secured by
the equity in your firm's assets. Since I must keep the best interests of my
parents in mind when advising them, I thought I should warn you that I would
not see investment in your business as suitable for them."

I couldn't believe what he was saying. "Are you telling me, with my wife dying
in the hospital, that you're going to pull my financing the day after she dies
and drive me into bankruptcy?!" I said, incredulous.

"Oh, no! Of course not! That would hardly be in anyone's interest. In any
case, it would take some time to get the will probated. And, if you were to
waive certain rights you have in respect of your spousal share, we might be
able to work out a longer time frame for restructuring the arrangements.
Otherwise, I'm sure that with a healthy, growing business like yours, you
should have no trouble finding alternative banking arrangements." He took a
folded piece of paper out of his jacket pocket. "You should review this waiver
with your lawyer, of course, before signing it."

"My lawyer is in a coma! She's dying, in case you forgot!" I shouted at him.

Elaine stood up. "Let's go now Jon. We won't get any further with this now."

Jon looked at me, then stood up too. He yawned and started to hand me the
paper, then put it down on the coffee table. "I'll just leave the waiver for
you here. We'll talk soon. Chloe! Let's go. You must be tired after our trip
today. We've been up almost 24 hours."

She stretched lazily and stood up. "Daddy! I'm really not tired! I want to see
Sandee. Hey Daddy, are you really going to take Uncle Tom's business away?
Grammy and Poppy are rich. They don't need --"

"Chloe!"

She turned and walked over to me. "I think sometimes Daddy can be so mean!"
She put her arm around my back and gave me a strong, supportive hug while
kissing my cheek. I almost fell into her, but she moved quickly away,
suppressing a smile. I didn't trust myself to go with them to the door: the
twin temptations of clutching at Chloe and killing her parents would have been
far to much to resist at closer range. As soon as they left I poured myself a
much larger glass of scotch, my shaking hands spilling much of it, and I
downed it quickly. Very soon I was in no shape to do or think about anything.
And that was exactly what I wanted.

23

Between the alcohol and the comfort of my own bed, and the fact that after
months of living in a pre-modern world I'd forgotten to set the alarm clock, I
slept late the next morning and had no time for the news. I rushed through my
shower, wanting to get to work for an hour before seeing Charles at the
hospital. The hospital hadn't seen the need to phone me. If there was no
change for the worse there was still hope. I allowed myself a moment to
daydream about seeing Debbie wake up in THIS universe. The idea that returning
here was the right thing all along, that the whole journey was unnecessary
made me giddy. Then I forced myself to stop. Charles had told me there was no
hope. This had to be just an odd blip. I had to keep my expectations under
control.

I drove to work, the trip taking extra long because of traffic congestion in
town. A mob of people seemed to be shopping early, probably a sale. I finally
got to work. Dave was there, working on some projections for the Kollmer
project. I waved to him, happy to see him at his old job again. He nodded,
restrained and unemotional as usual. Then he stood up and came over to me.

"Annie called in. Said she had some kind of problem and had to make a stop in
town, so she'll be a little late."

"Right. OK. Well, if she gets stuck in the traffic I was in, it'll take
awhile. Ha! She's probably at that big sale. Main Street was really hopping
when I came through."

"I didn't notice anything, but then I came in early. Hey, did you see the news
about the LPGA tournament last night? The one in Palm Springs?" I shook my
head. "Craziest thing. Sorrenstram was behind, but she shot a great round,
like six under, so she took a three stroke lead and just had to wait for Park,
Daniel and a few others to finish the back nine. Anyway, all of a sudden these
girls started hitting these incredible drives. I've never seen anything like
it, and they looked surprised as heck too! I mean, accurate as could be, and
not bad on distance either. But Daniel, who was leading at the beginning of
the day and was, I don't now, like even par for the day after eleven holes?
She started getting birdies and eagles on every hole. She even had a hole in
one on 15, eagled the 16th, birdied the 17th and double-eagled the 18th. It
was unreal. Anyway, she ended up shooting a 59, twelve under, and won by six
strokes."

"You're kidding. That's an unbelievable hot streak."

"But the crazy thing is that it wasn't just her. All the women suddenly
started doing the same thing. Like they'd all just become super-players. The
way THEY were playing, any one of them would do just fine on the men's tour."

"Give me a break. It must have been the wind."

Dave shook his head. "I'm telling you --

We heard Annie come through the door. She was carrying some shopping bags.
"I'm really sorry. I couldn't help it." She bent over and put them in the
closet. "I'll put up some coffee, ok?"

"I made some," Dave said.

"Oh, THAT's what I smell!" she said, wrinkling her nose. "I could smell it as
soon as I got inside the building! I'll just dump it and make some coffee Tom
and I can drink," she laughed. "And did the computer guy call yet? What are
you doing about the offsite storage contract? Did you want me to get another
quote?"

The morning banter warmed me. Dave always made the worst coffee. He always
wanted to talk about some sports show I hadn't seen. Annie always came in
doing three things at once. I almost felt bad that being home again felt so
good. But no, it felt great. "I'll just be in for a little while this morning,
Annie. The doctor wants to see me late morning. Today might be a key day."

"You mean, you think there's some hope?" she said, excited. "That's the first
good news since --

I held my hands up. "I know. I'm trying not to think about it."

She looked at me, then went around the back way to make the coffee. It was so
good to see her, the Annie I knew. I would happily forego the "thank-you's"
for the familiarity and friendliness of the world I knew.

Dave motioned to me to come over. "Did you notice anything funny?" he said
softly. I leaned over his desk and shook my head. "Don't you think Annie looks
a little different?"

"What do you mean? New haircut? New dress?"

"Yeah, maybe. I just thought. No, never mind. It's just -- forget it."

"Dave!"

"It was just the angle from where I'm sitting, I'm sure. But don't you think
Annie looked kind of tall?"

The truth was, all women the women here looked short to me now. My frame of
reference was all wrong. "I don't know. She and I are just about the same
height. She's taller when she wears heels." I shrugged.

"Well, I always notice what she's wearing and she's not wearing heels today.
Being 5'9" you tend to pay attention to that sort of thing."

"Well, she's a little old to have a growth spurt, isn't she? And even if she
weren't, you just saw her a couple of days ago."

"I know. Sshh! She's coming."

Annie came in and looked at us. Her mouth was set firmly and she gave us an
odd look. She went to her desk, then turned around and came over to us. I
looked down at her feet. She was wearing sandals. "I heard what you said,
Dave."

He looked embarrassed. I stood up. "Annie, he --" I stopped short. She was
slightly taller than I was. She was wearing sandals, I was wearing shoes. I
was normally half an inch taller than she was. And now she was looking down at
me. "Annie? What's happened to you?"

"You don't have to gossip about me, guys. Yeah, I've gotten a little taller.
So what? I read in Cosmo that lots of people still grow a little in their
twenties. I'm not so old! But nothing fit right this morning, so I just
decided to get a few new things."

"Oh, so you were shopping too. There was a really big traffic jam in town."

"I guess. I never go that way." She shrugged. "When I saw all the people I
just assumed that a lot of other girls get their shopping in before work but
with that kind of crowd I'll go back to lunchtime shopping. Listen, I was
wondering if you were going to cancel the Kollmer dinner tomorrow. I mean,
with Debbie still, you know, in the hospital."

"When is it?"

"Tomorrow night. He'll understand, won't he?"

"Yeah. But I need that job." I was trying to remember the details. "See how
long he'll be in town. Maybe I can catch him later in the week."

"Sure." She grinned and bit her lip. "I know just the thing. I'll find out how
long he'll be around and then invite him in to show him the plans myself,
before you take him to dinner. That'll keep him interested."

"Thanks, Annie. That would be great."

She sat down at her desk and frowned. She reached down and adjusted her chair
then nodded, satisfied. She looked at me and then at Dave. "What are you
staring at?"

He held his hands up. "Nothing, Annie, nothing!" and headed back to his
office, muttering. I smiled and went into mine.

I had taken about an hour to read through my current work projects when Annie
buzzed me. "It's your friend Larry. He says he's about 10 minutes away. He
sounds pretty upset. Do you want to see him here?"

"No I ... tell him I'll meet him downstairs. I have to go to the hospital
anyway. He can drive me there. I'll take my cell and you can ring me if the
hospital calls. Hold my other calls, OK?"

"Sure, boss." She smiled. "I hope everything's ok with your friend."

I packed up a few files and then went downstairs. A few minutes later Larry
drove up and I hopped in. I stared at him and almost started to cry but
blinked away the tears. "I'm ... very glad to see you Larry. You, uh, look a
lot better to me than the other Larry. He was ... nothing like you. Did you
know he killed his own father?"

Larry stared at me. "Yes, well, of course. I did too, you know."

"What!"

"He was very ill. Cancer. He asked me to do it. How could I say no?" He sighed
and pulled out into traffic. "There are a lot of things that sound like
strange coincidences between worlds, Tom. But remember, I chose that path for
you because of the similarities. There's a higher logic at work here."

I opened my mouth to speak and then closed it. We drove in silence for a few
minutes and then I indicated to him where to park. He stopped the car and we
walked around the grounds of the hospital.

"Tom, a terrible thing has happened. I don't know how to explain this. When
the other Larry sent you back, he had you do something that has changed the
entire fabric of creation. I ... I can no longer move between worlds. I'm
trapped here now. There's nothing I can do about it." His voice was choked.

"Larry. I ... I didn't know. I'm so sorry."

"Of course you are. But how could you have known? I made a colossal mistake,
sending you out without adequate preparation. I let my heart guide me, instead
of my head. And now ...."

"Now you're stuck here."

"You're probably thinking how bad could that be? It's the way the rest of us
live. But Tom, I haven't had to live like that for ... for a long, long time.
As you may have guessed, from the fact Larry sent you back through time, I've
been, effectively, immortal. I could live any way I've wanted, as long as I'd
wanted. And now .... I thought you could tell me what you did, show me the
exercises he taught you. There's a chance I could reverse it. But, you see,
now the other Larry, he sits at the center. He can invade us, or any other
universe, as I once did. And if he teaches these techniques to others there
would be no stopping them. We would lose control of our own lives -- if they
all wanted to come to our world."

I shook my head. "I don't think that would happen. He's not like you, Larry.
Not curious. And why would he want to come here? I think the women in his
world are more to his liking."

"Yes, true. Or other worlds where they're bigger." He sighed. "But you're
wrong about something. He's exactly like me. I'll find out how much so in
eight months. That's how far he sent you back. I can tell."

"I've done a terrible thing to you. What a way to repay a friend."

"I don't blame you Tom. I blame him -- and myself. But, you have to know, it's
not just my problem. It's yours too. All of ours here."

"You mean, the invasion. You didn't tell me that --

"I know. I wondered if I should have. If I had you might never have agreed to
go, and perhaps that would have been for the best. I don't know. I'm not God.
Was I playing God? Or has God been playing me? We'll find out, Tom. But no, I
don't mean the invasion. The odds that anyone but me will be affected are
truly infinitesimal. You're right about that." He closed his eyes and sighed.
"But that's not the real problem. Tom, our own world -- it's not right.
There's something he sent back with you. Something from his world. I need you
to explain to me everything you did before the jump back."

I went through the process as best as I remembered it. Larry laughed when I
showed him the movements -- he knew them better than I. But he shook his head
in confusion and said he still didn't understand what had happened. He excused
himself for a few minutes and sat in meditation.

I walked across the street. It was an early recess at Valhalla Middle School.
Mostly the boys were playing sports -- football, handball -- the girls were
clustered in knots, talking. A few boys were talking to girls, being awkward
as thirteen year olds will be. Poor fellows. At that age they're so much
shorter than the girls and so much less mature. One of the other boys darted
into one of the knots and grabbed something from one of the girls, a diary I
think. She screamed and started chasing him. He had a head start, but her long
legs were eating up the distance between them. It was obvious she was going to
catch up, but I wondered what she would do when she did. Seconds later I found
out. She reached out and grabbed his arm and pulled him. I thought he'd just
push her away, but instead he jerked forward and crashed into her and then
bounced off, seemingly dazed. She seemed startled, but then snatched the book
back. Still angry she slapped his face and knocked him out cold. She seemed
shocked again and just stood there, looking down at him. It wasn't just her.
All the activity around them seemed to have come to a halt. The boys were
looking at them. The girls were pointing and jabbering away. She bent down and
said a few words and he shook his head and pushed her hand away, not wanting
her help to stand up. He backed away from her. He looked back at his friends,
who were pointing at him and laughing, while she was saying something,
probably sorry.

Just then Larry called me over.

"It's Debbie! I mean, it's not Debbie." I stared at him. "It's unbalanced,
don't you see?"

"What are you talking about?"

"That's not your Debbie. It's the other one! He unbound you and Debbie. He
switched it. That's not the Debbie you know. It's the Debbie from the other
world. Debbie stayed behind."

"She WHAT?!"

"And it's ... it's changing everything. It's like a pollutant."

"I don't get it. You took your soul all over the place. Did you go around
polluting the worlds you visited?"

"No, but you see, there was a balance. I was there, in one body, as the other
Larry said, cohabiting with the soul that belonged there. We canceled each
other out completely. But this Debbie -- she's the only one."

"But she's one person out of 6 billion! Out of a whole universe. What
difference could that make?"

"It's not her, Tom. There's a one-way door into our world. The radiation from
her world is pouring through it, through her, into ours."

"So, what does it mean?"

"It means that unless you want to live in a universe that with each passing
second becomes more and more like the one you just left -- it means that
Debbie has to die!"

I stared at him. "I traveled through countless universes to save her, and now
you say I should kill her? How could I do that?"

"It's not her, Tom, it's not your Debbie. She doesn't think like your Debbie,
she hasn't lived like your Debbie, and in no time at all she won't look like
your Debbie. She's not human, she's an alien, from another world."

"Is that how you see these creatures from other universes?" I thought. Of
course, Larry has just used these "people" for years, maybe for centuries.
Invading them, playing with them. But if he was right, then the whole world
was at stake, the world I had just come back to, with so much joy and relief.
Either way, I'd lost my Debbie. Should I sacrifice the whole world for to
preserve the life of this ... alien?

Larry was fingering his Swiss Army Knife. "We don't have much time. She'll
start to heal very quickly, and once she recovers there's no way a hundred of
us would be able to take her. You have to decide now. Are you in or out?"

I took a deep breath. "I'm in."

At that moment, in a hospital room, a woman's eyes snapped open. She looked
around in panic. "What IS this place?" she cried out. She pulled frantically
at the tube in her arms, bleeding for a moment, but healing quickly, then
snapped off the probes on her chest and forehead. She stared uncomprehendingly
at the monitors, now flatlining. What were they? What did this all mean?

She tried to get out of bed, but at the smallest movement her back exploded in
a torrent of pain and she collapsed backwards. Her eyes watered, but she
resisted the desire to cry. She pursed her lips to hold back the tears and
steeled herself for the pain. Had they really done this to her? She closed her
eyes, resting, concentrating. It was so quiet. What were those beeps? Why
couldn't she hear more voices? She calmed herself. There were voices. They
were getting louder. And she was seeing better too. But she was so weak! Her
arms -- they were so thin and weak, like a man's! The SHAME of it. How could
they have SENT her here! The other Debbie! That BITCH!! Switching places with
her. Sending her to this prison world, where she was weak and helpless. That
apostate Larry!! If she ever could get her hands on either of them .... But
she knew she couldn't. If they had done what they planned to do she could
never get back to where she belonged.

She lifted her upper body slowly. She could move her legs too. That was
better. She was healing. But so slowly. She heard footsteps running down the
hall and a woman burst in.

"Debbie! Ms. Wachsen! You're awake! When the monitors said -- I thought you
were dead!"

She stared at the woman. So small, so pathetic, hardly a woman. "You ... know
me? Are you my sister?"

Becky tried to be gentle and reassuring. "Of course I know you. But no, I'm
not your sister. And the nurses aren't called sisters here. This isn't a
Catholic hospital. But I guess I'm like a sister."

Debbie held out her hand. "I do not understand these words. But ... you'll
help me?"

Becky took it. "Of course I will, Debbie! That's why I'm here. And I'm so glad
you're back with us! I ... had almost given up." Becky looked down,
embarrassed at the admission. "You know ... I'm not supposed to say this ...
but it really is a miracle!"

"That I'm here?" Debbie frowned. "Maybe that's how it seems to you."

"Oh it is! And even the doctors can't explain it! It's not just you. Almost
whatever ailed them, except maybe old age, EVERY woman seems to be getting
better. Just like that! And," she added quietly, "all of us ... women ... our
bodies ... are changing."

"But ... my body ... I feel so --

"Ssshh. I know. It's happening to me too. Look." Becky tensed her arm and her
biceps exploded, ripping through her sleeve. "Ohmygod! It wasn't THAT big LAST
time!"

Debbie laughed bitterly. "Such small muscles. How can you stand to be so
weak?" She pushed the sheets off her, swung her legs slowly off the bed and
tried to stand. "I'm healing so slowly."

"What are you talking about? I can't believe you're getting up! Don't you
realize -- just hours ago you were paralyzed. In a coma."

Debbie shook her head slowly. "Was I? What is it, two weeks after the
accident?" Becky nodded. "But in my world ... before ... I healed in two
hours. To have to heal again ... here ... so slowly. And to be so weak. And
where am I? What kind of a place is this?"

"Ms. Wachsen ... Debbie. You're a little disoriented. You should lie down,
stay calm. I'll get your doctor. Please, just stay where you are. I'll be back
as soon as I can!"

We ran to the hospital, getting past security as quickly as we could and
vaulting the stairs three at a time to Debbie's floor, the intensive care
floor, then, out of breath, walked as quickly as we could to her room without
drawing attention to ourselves. Larry held his Swiss Army Knife switchblade in
his fist, tucked inside his jacket. All around us, muscular six foot nurses in
skin tight uniforms surreptitiously flexed their muscles in wonder and
whispered to each other, female patients in gowns walked up and down the hall,
some skipping, some jumping. Were these intensive care patients? Was it
already too late. We came up to her room and I thought: could I really kill
Debbie, ANY version of Debbie, even knowing what depended on it? After all, it
was DEBBIE. Or was it? I looked back at Larry's grim expression and tensed my
hands, readying myself to hold her down for him to execute the fatal thrust.

I would only know when I saw her. I threw open the door and burst inside,
Larry a couple of feet behind me, his blade now out and ready. The bed was
empty. I held out my hands and whirled around.

"No you don't!" Debbie shouted. She pushed me out of the way and moved so
quickly I could barely see her fist crash through the front of Larry's face.
Larry's knees buckled and he fell backwards onto the floor, his body limp,
twisted and very, very dead. The knife fell from his hands. Debbie used her
gown, which hung from her waist, to wipe the blood and bits of bone and flesh
from her hand, the cuts healing before my eyes.

She looked at me with relief. "So, Tom, our worlds aren't as different as you
and Debbie had pretended, are they? It's a good thing you found me before
Larry stabbed you." I turned around, looking at the shattered head of my
friend. "Don't look, Tom. It will only upset you." She picked me up, caressing
me, comforting me. Even as she held me I could see she was still growing. I
could feel her muscles expanding, hardening as they pressed against me. "I'm
almost feeling like myself again. It's all becoming right, normal. I can't
believe how weak I was at first. And all of these magical things here. These
glowing boxes. What ARE they? Why did they attach me to them?" She put her
hand on the metal frame of the bed, touching the strange material. She pulled
on it, bending it and then tearing it loose. "Such fragile furniture.
Obviously not meant for a woman. Not at all durable like our heavy stone." She
checked herself. "But you don't want to talk about such things, do you? It's
the kind of thing I'd talk about with my sisters." She held me closer. "Why
are you trembling, Tom? You don't like being back in this place either?"

"Larry! What about Larry? You've killed him!"

"There, there, I know. He can't hurt you now."

"You can't just kill people!"

"Don't you worry, Tom! I would never 'just kill' anyone. He was coming at you
with a knife! Isn't that justification in your world? Don't you have laws of
protection and defense like in ours?"

Was this Debbie some kind of lawyer too?! "Yes, of course there are, Debbie.
But he--" I'd almost admitted we were trying to kill her but I stopped myself.

"Well, then, it's obvious what happened, with Larry down there, the knife next
to him, having just chased you to my room. There'll be no problem." She
pressed me closer. "Don't be frightened darling. Debbie's here." She spoke
soothingly. "You'll have to tell who my sisters are here. They'll explain your
world to me, so I needn't trouble you."

"You don't have any -- Debbie, men have just one woman here. We only marry one
person."

"Really?!"

"Debbie, just one. Just you."

"But ... excuse me for asking you these questions. Perhaps these are things
you, as a man, just don't understand, but how then do you run a House? How do
you defend yourselves? What do all the other women without men do?"

"It's not like that! We're civilized. We have police to keep order. We don't
need castles and guards. And there are just as many men as women. We live as
equals."

"I don't see how that can be right, Tom. I know the differences between men
and women. Do you? Just look at us, at our bodies." Shifting me to one arm,
she displayed her other arm in front of me, flexing her massive biceps. "Can a
man -- can twenty men -- ever match the strength of a single woman? Can you
see clearly in the great hall lit by a single candle? Can you hear beavers dam
the stream an hour's walk away? Can you feel the approach of tomorrow's storm?
Do your bones mend a day after they break? How could you and I live as equals
when we're obviously not?"

"But this is not how we live. You're being here has changed everything. Men
were stronger than women -- until just now!"

She took a deep breath and looked at me carefully. "Well then, what you know
about your world no longer matters. And in a world where women are all like
me, I guess I'm more prepared than anyone else. I can hear them coming now,
Tom -- Becky and someone small, a man. Before they get here -- Tom, we're
going to need to build a House, like in my world. That's the important thing,
isn't it? To keep you safe, with those who will love you and care for you.
Tell me, whom do you want, my darling? That Becky -- she would be an excellent
addition to your House here, wouldn't she? She's kind and strong, and I think
she'll be very brave. She spoke quickly -- it was that womantalk! Yes, she
says she would. Just tell me, Tom, and I'll arrange everything. It will be as
it should be. Is Janice here in this world too? And Annie, and Melissa? Do you
want them for your House? What is your will, Tom? Tell me your will. Your will
will be mine, and I will be your strength."

The End (for now)