“Something is happening,” she told Mr. Novotny. “It’s on all the news, everywhere. Something is happening.”
“What is it?”
“Strange sounds in the sky,” she said. “Sonic booms. Hundreds of them, all around the world. I thought…you being a science teacher, you might want to come look at the newscasts.”
Mr. Novotny paused, his hand up to his chin and a finger tapping. Then he said, “I’m sure there’s a rational explanation, and I’m sure the news people will work it to death. Right now, Kevin’s giving his presentation.”
“You mean you—”
“Will catch it later, yes, and thank you for the information,” he said, and when she’d retreated he told Kevin to continue.
Kidneys, stomach. Large intestine, small intestine, pancreas. Liver, spleen, lungs. Brain, heart.
Not nearly all that made up a human being.
Not nearly all.
He’d never thought about what he was going to do with his life, but he wondered what being a doctor would be like. He seemed to remember somebody saying—and maybe this was on TV—that Every kid who ever grew up to be a doctor probably put that thing together.
He couldn’t remember exactly where he’d heard that said, but it sounded right.
As Kevin continued—the report was not long enough to be boring nor short enough to be skimpy on the facts, his mom had helped him time it—he had a strange experience.
Some part of his brain said he ought to go bowling one Saturday night. And he ought to go up to Fort Collins, to the Bowl-A-Rama there.
Now that was strange.
When he finished, he didn’t know what else to say. He thought he’d done well; he’d done the best he could, and what more could anyone ask?
Kevin picked up the Visible Man. He said, “I guess I’m done.”
Then he went back to his seat, and the day went on.
Table of Contents
Part One
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Part Two
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Part Three
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty One
Twenty Two
Part Four
Twenty Three
Twenty Four
Twenty Five
Twenty Six
Twenty Seven
Twenty Eight
Part Five
Twenty Nine
Thirty
Thirty One
Thirty Two
Thirty Three
Thirty Four
Thirty Five
Table of Contents
Part One
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Part Two
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Part Three
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty One
Twenty Two
Part Four
Twenty Three
Twenty Four
Twenty Five
Twenty Six
Twenty Seven
Twenty Eight
Part Five
Twenty Nine
Thirty
Thirty One
Thirty Two
Thirty Three
Thirty Four
Thirty Five