Read Last Days for Free Online Page B

fingers and thumb and pulled it forward until it was only inches from his face, his eyes dilating.
    "Yes, nicely done," said Borchert. "Quite professional. But I'd thought you were a self-cauterizer?"
    "I was," said Kline. "It was redone afterwards."
    "What a shame," said Borchert, smiling thinly. "Still, a good start nonetheless." He let go of Kline's hand, readjusted himself in his chair. "You're welcome to sit down," he said. "Unfortunately I'm in the only chair. Do feel free to help yourself to the floor."
    Kline looked about him, finally settling to the floor, posting his stump against it and bringing the rest of his body down.
    "There," said Borchert. "That's better now, isn't it. I suppose you're wondering why you're here."
    "The investigation," said Kline.
    "The investigation," said Borchert. "That's right. You want the details."
    "No," said Kline.
    "No?"
    "I'm wondering how I can arrange to leave."
    "Leave me?" said Borchert. "You find me offensive somehow?"
    "Leave this whole place."
    "But why, Mr. Kline?" said Borchert, smiling. "This is paradise."
    Kline did not say anything.
    Borchert let his smile fade slowly, artificially. "I was against bringing you," he said. "I don't mind telling you. No outsiders has always been my policy, and no recruiting. But some of the others were impressed by this story of self-cauterization. Perhaps it's nothing more than a story, Mr. Kline?"
    "No," said Kline. "It's true."
    "But why, Mr. Kline? Surely you could have easily applied a tourniquet and called a doctor?"
    "Then I wouldn't have been able to kill the man who cut my hand off."
    "The so-called gentleman with the cleaver," said Borchert, nodding. "But surely you could have killed the fellow later?"
    "No," said Kline. "It was either him or me, right then. I cauterized the arm to distract him. He couldn't quite take in what I was doing, which gave me a certain advantage. Otherwise, he would have shot me."
    "Yet you could take it in, Mr. Kline, even though it was your own arm. And afterwards your remaining hand was steady enough to shoot him through the eye. You were God for a moment, even if you didn't realize it. I suspect you tapped into something without knowing it, Mr. Kline. An ecstasy. I almost begin to suspect we have something to learn from you."
    "I wouldn't think so," said Kline.
    "Modest, too," said Borchert. "You know what you've done to our community? You've started something, Mr. Kline. Everybody is talking about self-cauterization. The creed is threatening to transform. Schism. No selfcauterizers yet, but it's only a matter of time, and then smoothly cut surfaces," he said, gesturing at his missing arm and leg, "are likely to give way to hard-puckered and rippled stumps, ugly and dappled. A little bit rough trade, no? I can't say it's to my taste, Mr. Kline, but perhaps I'm becoming antiquated."
    "Perhaps," said Kline.
    Borchert looked at him sharply. "I doubt it," he said. "In any case, Mr. Kline, despite my personal objections to you, now that you are here, I can't afford to let you go. Too much is at stake. I send you out of here without an investigation and we'll have a schism."
    "I'm not staying," said Kline.
    "You leave and I'll have to kill you," said Borchert. "For the good of the faith. Nothing personal."
    Kline looked at his hand, then looked at Borchert.
    "Wouldn't you like to at least hear about it, Mr. Kline? Before deciding if it's worth dying for?"
    "All right," said Kline. "Why not?"

    "A crime has been committed. You are not to discuss the specific details of this crime with anyone with fewer than ten amputations. Do I make myself clear?"
    "Yes," said Kline.
    "And in any case, Mr. Kline, I expect you to be discreet. This is a somewhat precarious society. The only one who knows the full extent of this crime is myself and, in a moment, yourself."
    Kline just nodded.
    "In short, we've had a murder," said Borchert.
    "A murder," said Kline. "Murder's not exactly my specialty."
    "No," said Borchert. "But