Read Eye in the Sky (1957) for Free Online Page B

heap.
Soon, she’d be awake. Outside, Ninny
Numbcat plucked fretfully at the screen door and wondered why it was still locked.
    “Consider
what she said,” Hamilton continued, choos ing his words with care. “It’s attitudes like hers that lead to
extermination camps. She’s rigid, a compulsive per sonality type. Anti-cat is one jump away from anti-Semi tism.”
    There was no response. Did he expect
any? What, exactly, did he expect? He wasn’t sure. Something, at least. Some sign.
    Maybe he wasn’t getting over. The
last time he had dipped into religion of any variety was in his eighth year, in a vague Sunday School class. The labored
read ing of the night before had brought up nothing specific, only the
abstract realization that there was a great deal on the subject. Proper forms,
protocol … it was going to be worse
than arranging a discussion with Colonel T.
E. Edwards.
    But
somewhat the same thing.
    He
was still in a posture of supplication when a sound came from behind
him. Turning his head quickly, he observed a shape walking gingerly through the
living room. A man, dressed in sweater and slacks; a young Negro.
    “Are
you my sign?” Hamilton asked caustically.
    The Negro’s face was drawn with
fatigue. “You remember who I am. I’m the guide who led you people out on
that platform. I’ve been thinking about it for fifteen hours straight.”
    “It
wasn’t your fault,” Hamilton said. “You went down with the
rest of us.” Getting stiffly to his feet, he came out of the bathroom and
into the hall. “Have you eaten breakfast?”
    “I’ m not hungry.” The Negro studied him intently. “What were you doing? Praying?’
    “I
was,” Hamilton admitted.
    “Is
that customary with you?”
    “No.” He hesitated.
“I haven’t prayed since I was eight.”
    The
Negro digested the information. “My name is Bill Laws.” They shook hands. “You’ve
figured it out, appar ently. When did
you figure it out?”
    “Some
time between last night and this morning.”
    “Anything
special happen?”
    Hamilton
told him about the rain of locusts and the bee. “It wasn’t hard to see the
causal hookup. I lied— so I got
punished. And before that, I blasphemed—and I got punished. Cause and
effect.”
    “You’re
wasting your time praying,” Laws told him curtly. “I tried that. No dice.”
    “What
did you pray for?”
    Ironically,
Laws indicated the black surface of skin starting at his collar. “One guess. Things aren’t quite that simple … they never were and they never will
be.”
    “You
sound pretty bitter,” Hamilton said cautiously.
    “This
was quite a shock.” Laws wandered around the living room. “Sorry to
break right in. But the front door was unlocked, so I assumed you were
up. You’re an electronics research
worker?”
    That’s right.”
    Grimacing,
Laws said, “Greetings, brother. I’m a grad uate student in advanced physics. That’s how I got the job as
guide. A lot of competition in the field, these days.” He added, “So they say.”
    “How
did you find out?”
    “This
business?” Laws shrugged his shoulders. “It wasn’t so tough.”
From his pocket he got a wad of cloth- like material; unwrapping it, he
produced a small sliver of metal. “This is something my sister got me to
carry, years ago. Now it’s a habit.” He tossed the charm to Hamilton.
Inscribed on it were pious words of faith and hope, worn smooth by years of
handling.
    “Go
on,” Laws said. “Use it.”
    “Use it?” Hamilton didn’t
understand. “Frankly, all this is out of my line.”
    “Your arm.” Laws gestured
impatiently. “It works, now. Put it on your gash. Better take off the
bandage first; works better if there’s
actual physical contact. Con tiguity, they call it. That’s
how I fixed up my various aches and
breaks.”
    Skeptically, and with great care,
Hamilton peeled away a section of the bandage; the livid, moist flesh glowed
bloodily in the morning sunlight. After a moment’s