CHAPTER 27
What is that sound? Screaming? Far away. Under the ocean? In the sky? A raptor? A puma? A howler monkey in South America. Am I in Brazil? It’s a woman. Screaming. Under water. How can I hear a woman screaming under water? Not under water. Why is she screaming? My ears are filled with something. Cotton? Water? Yes. No. Blood. My blood. Blood. How can this be? I can’t hear. Hurts. It hurts. Who is screaming? Stop. Stop screaming.
By all that is holy, stop.
***
“Wake up, Chaco. Wake up.” Someone shook him by the shoulders. Hard. The shaking hurt his head. He opened his eyes but could see only a monster, the fuzzy image of a monster. A giant, no, an ant, a big ant on the bridge of his nose peering into his half-opened eyes. Chaco reached with one hand to swat it from his face, b
