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He took off his glove to shake my hand。 Then he went over to the car to work out details with the woman in question。 I watched him knock on the rear door。 After a moment it opened and he squeezed into the back seat。 I walked over to one of the oil drums。 Three men and a woman stood around the fire； passing rumors back and forth。
Three of the live deer at the Kung Fu Palace were dead。 The governor was dead； his pilot and co…pilot seriously injured after a crash landing in a shopping mall。 Two of the men at the switching yard were dead； tiny acid burns visible in their Mylex suits。 Packs of German shepherds； the Nyodene…sniffing dogs； had shed their parachutes and were being set loose in the affected munities。 There was a rash of UFO sightings in the area。 There was widespread looting by men in plastic sheets。 Two' looters were dead。 Six National Guardsmen were dead； killed in a firefight that broke out after a racial incident。 There were reports of miscarriages； babies born prematurely。 There were sightings of additional billowing clouds。
The people who relayed these pieces of unverified information did so with a certain respectful dread； bouncing on their toes in the cold； arms crossed on their chests。 They were fearful that the stories might be true but at the same time impressed by the dramatic character of things。 The toxic event had released a spirit of imagination。 People spun tales； others listened spellbound。 There was a growing respect for the vivid rumor； the most chilling tale。 We were no closer to believing or disbelieving a given story than we had been earlier。 But there was a greater appreciation now。 We began to marvel at our own ability to manufacture awe。
German shepherds。 That was the reassuring news I took inside with me。 The sturdy body； dense and darkish coat； fierce head； long lapping tongue。 I pictured them prowling the empty streets； heavy…gaited； alert。 Able to hear sounds we couldn't hear； able to sense changes in the flow of information。 I saw them in our house； snouting into closets； tall ears pointed； a smell about them of heat and fur and stored power。
In the barracks almost everyone was sleeping。 I made my way along a dim wall。 The massed bodies lay in heavy rest； seeming to emit a single nasal sigh。 Figures stirred； a wide…eyed Asian child watched me step among a dozen clustered sleeping bags。 Colored lights skipped past my right ear。 I heard a toilet flush。
Babette was curled on an air mattress； covered in her coat。 My son slept sitting in a chair like some boozed muter； head rolling on his chest。 I carried a camp chair over to the cot where the younger children were。 Then I sat there； leaning forward； to watch them sleep。
A random tumble of heads and dangled limbs。 In those soft warm faces was a quality of trust so absolute and pure that I did not want to think it might be misplaced。 There must be something； somewhere； large and grand and redoubtable enough to justify this shining reliance and implicit belief。 A feeling of desperate piety swept over me。 It was cosmic in nature； full of yearnings and Teachings。 It spoke of vast distances； awesome but subtle forces。 These sleeping children were like figures in an ad for the Rosicrucians； drawing a powerful beam of light from somewhere off the page。 Steffie turned slightly； then muttered something in her sleep。 It seemed important that I know what it was。 In my current state； bearing the death impression of the Nyodene cloud； I was ready to search anywhere for signs and hints； intimations of odd fort。 I pulled my chair up closer。 Her face in pouchy sleep might have been a structure designed solely to protect the eyes； those great； large and apprehensive things； prone to color phases and a darting alertness； to a perception of distress in others。 I sat there watching her。 Moments later she spoke again。 Distinct syllables this time； not some dreamy murmur—but a language not quite of this world。 I struggled to understand。 I was convinced she was saying something； fitting together units of stable meaning。 I watched her face； waited。 Ten minutes passed。 She uttered two clearly audible words； familiar and elusive at the same time； words that seemed to have a ritual meaning； part of a verbal spell or ecstatic chant。
Toyota Celica。
A long moment passed before I realized this was the name of an automobile。 The truth only amazed me more。 The utterance was beautiful and mysterious； gold…shot with looming wonder。 It was like the name of an ancient power in the sky； tablet…carved in cuneiform。 It made me feel that something hovered。 But how could this be？ A simple brand name； an ordinary car。 How could these near…nonsense words； murmured in a child's restless sleep； make me sense a meaning； a presence？ She was only repeating some TV voice。 Toyota Corolla； Toyota Celica； Toyota Cressida。 Supranational names； puter…generated； more or less universally pronounceable。 Part of every child's brain noise； the substatic regions too deep to probe。 Whatever its source； the utterance struck me with the impact of a moment of splendid transcendence。
I depend on my children for that。
I sat a while longer； watching Denise； watching Wilder； feeling selfless and spiritually large。 There was an empty air mattress on the floor but I wanted to share Babette's and eased myself next to her body； a dreaming mound。 Her hands； feet and face were drawn under the sheltering coat； only a burst of hair remained。 I fell at once into marine oblivion； a deep…dwelling crablike consciousness； silent and dreamless。
It seemed only minutes later that I was surrounded by noise and motion。 I opened my eyes to find Denise pounding on my arms and shoulders。 When she saw I was awake； she began battering her mother。 All around us； people were dressing and packing。 The major noise issued from sirens in the ambulettes outside。 A voice was instructing us through a bullhorn。 In the distance I heard a clanging bell and then a series of automobile horns； the first of what would bee a universal bleat； a herd…panic of terrible wailing proportions as vehicles of all sizes and types tried to reach the parkway in the quickest possible time。
I managed