Schizogenesis [chapter 15]

While placing the final load in the back of the station wagon, Tina glanced at the garage and thought of Mea and the story about Ed. Maybe she should take a peek. Dave said he felt fine. He also said to stay away, but if he and the kids were infected with something, she had to know. She wouldn’t want to live without them.

She flipped on the light as she went inside. At first nothing appeared out of the ordinary, then she noticed a blanket covering something that poked up from the metal table. She walked beside it and lifted the blanket, saw the board glowing as it jutted into the air.

No, she thought, only half is sticking up. The board is embedded into the table’s surface.

The board pulsed and Tina gasped. As she reached toward it, she heard a thumping in her ears and realized it was timed to her heartbeat. She touched the board and the beat grew louder. She grabbed it.

She wanted to take it to Ming.

Tina felt warm all over. I’m just over-excited.

She pulled as the thumping grew louder still. Suddenly the board slid up out of the table. Completely out, it throbbed and glowed in her hands. She laid out the blanket with one hand and wrapped it around the thing before lifting it again. She could still feel a pulsing through the thick padding, but her body temperature was…