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y in the quickest possible time。
I managed to sit up。 Both girls were trying to rouse Babette。 The room was emptying out。 I saw Heinrich staring down at me； an enigmatic grin on his face。 The amplified voice said： 〃Wind change； wind change。 Cloud has changed direction。 Toxic； toxic； heading here。〃。
Babette turned over on the mattress； sighing contentedly。 〃Five more minutes； 〃she said。 The girls rained blows on her head and arms。
I got to my feet； looked around for a men's room。 Wilder was dressed； eating a cookie while he waited。 Again the voice spoke； like singsong patter on a department…store loudspeaker； amid the perfumed counters and chiming bells： 〃Toxic； toxic。 Proceed to your vehicle； proceed to your vehicle。〃
Denise； who was clutching her mother by the wrist； flung the entire arm down on the mattress。 〃Why does he have to say everything twice？ We get it the first time。 He just wants to hear himself talk。〃
They got Babette up on all fours。 I hurried off to the toilet。 I had my toothpaste but couldn't find the brush。 I spread some paste on my index finger and ran the finger across my teeth。 When I got back； they were dressed and ready； heading for the exit。 A woman with an armband handed out masks at the door； gauzy white surgical masks that covered the nose and mouth。 We took six and went outside。
It was still dark。 A heavy rain fell。 Before us lay a scene of panoramic disorder。 Cars trapped in mud； cars stalled； cars crawling along the one…lane escape route； cars taking shortcuts through the woods； cars hemmed in by trees； boulders； other cars。 Sirens called and faded； horns blared in desperation and protest。 There were running men； tents wind…blown into trees； whole families abandoning their vehicles to head on foot for the parkway。 From deep in the woods we heard motorcycles revving； voices raising incoherent cries。 It was like the fall of a colonial capital to dedicated rebels。 A great surging drama with elements of humiliation and guilt。
We put on our masks and ran through the downpour to our car。 Not ten yards away a group of men proceeded calmly to a Land…Rover。 They resembled instructors in jungle warfare； men with lean frames and long boxy heads。 They drove straight into dense underbrush； not only away from the dirt road but away from all the other cars attempting shortcuts。 Their bumper sticker read GUN CONTROL IS MIND CONTROL。 In situations like this； you want to stick close to people in right…wing fringe groups。 They've practiced staying alive。 I followed with some difficulty； our smallish wagon jouncing badly in brush tangles； up inclines； over hidden stones。 Inside five minutes the Land…Rover was out of sight。
Rain turned to sleet； sleet to snow。
I saw a line of headlights far to the right and drove fifty yards through a gulley in that direction； the car heeled like a toboggan。 We did not seem to be getting closer to the lights。 Babette turned on the radio and we were told that the Boy Scout camp evacuees were to head for Iron City； where arrangements were being made to provide food and shelter。 We heard horns blowing and thought it was a reaction to the radio announcement but they continued in a rapid and urgent cadence； conveying through the stormy night a sense of animal fear and warning。
Then we heard the rotors。 Through the stark trees we saw it； the immense toxic cloud； lighted now by eighteen choppers— immense almost beyond prehension； beyond legend and rumor； a roiling bloated slug…shaped mass。 It seemed to be generating its own inner storms。 There were cracklings and sputterings； flashes of light； long looping streaks of chemical flame。 The car horns blared and moaned。 The helicopters throbbed like giant appliances。 We sat in the car； in the snowy woods； saying nothing。 The great cloud； beyond its turbulent core； was silver…tipped in the spotlights。 It moved horribly and sluglike through the night； the choppers seeming to putter ineffectually around its edges。 In its tremendous size； its dark and bulky menace； its escorting aircraft； the cloud resembled a national promotion for death； a multimillion…dollar campaign backed by radio spots； heavy print and billboard； TV saturation。 There was a high…tension discharge of vivid light。 The horn…blowing increased in volume。
I recalled with a shock that I was technically dead。 The interview with the SIMUVAC technician came back to me in terrible detail。 I felt sick on several levels。
There was nothing to do but try to get the family to safety。 I kept pushing toward the headlights； the sound of blowing horns。 Wilder was asleep； planing in uniform spaces。 I hit the accelerator； jerked the wheel； arm…wrestled the car through a stand of white pine。
Through his mask Heinrich said； 〃Did you ever really look at your eye？〃
〃What do you mean？〃 Denise said； showing immediate interest； as though we were lazing away a midsummer day on the front porch。
〃Your own eye。 Do you know which part is which？〃
〃You mean like the iris； the pupil？〃
〃Those are the publicized parts。 What about the vitreous body？ What about the lens？ The lens is tricky。 How many people even know they have a lens？ They think 'lens' must be 'camera。'〃
〃What about the ear？〃 Denise said in a muffled voice。
〃If the eye is a mystery； totally forget the ear。 Just say 'cochlea' to somebody； they look at you like； 'Who's this guy？' There's this whole world right inside our own body。〃
〃Nobody even cares；〃 she said。
〃How can people live their whole lives without knowing the names of their own parts of the body？〃
〃What about the glands？〃 she said。
〃Animal glands you can eat。 The Arabs eat glands。〃
〃The French eat glands；〃 Babette said through gauze。 'The Arabs eat eyes； speaking of eyes。〃
〃What parts？〃 Denise said。
'The whole eye。 The sheep eye。〃
'They don't eat the lashes；〃 Heinrich said。
〃Do sheep have lashes？〃 Steffie said。
〃Ask your father；〃 Babette said。
The car forded a creek which I didn't know was there until we were in it。 I struggled to get us over the opposite bank。 Snow fell thickly through the high beams。 The muffled dialogue went on。 I reflected tha