They watched as Tom and Ginger were assimilated into the crowd of young people on the beach then in the water. Tom told Carol the abbreviated story of...his life and learned that Carol owned her own investment firm in Sacramento, she had been married once when she was very young, she now felt that she was too independent to submit to another marriage but was always in need of male companionship. Dan admitted that he too was always looking for companionship to help him thru the long days now that. It seemed to last for hours though I know that cannot be. At some point I lost myself, lost conscience." "When next I was aware I was alone, lying on my back in the glade, the sun shining down upon me. I looked around and saw her walking toward the woods, her buttocks swaying in a most provocative fashion. The next thing I saw was her shape shimmer, seem to fade for a moment. Her form became that of a deer, a tawny doe. The white fur shone like snow between her hind legs, like fresh buttermilk. The corner of her lips cracked again and warm blood ran down her chin. A terrible rage gripped her and she jumped again.-I'm not a monkey, you ugly dumb pig! she shouted at Skeleton.-You are monkeys, ugly frog mutts like that! Let me go or you will be sad that you were born, you motherfucker!"Grab that nasty whore," Skeleton ordered. Psychara immediately rushed to her and twisted her arms behind her back. The fat man clamped his mouth over his paw and told Simo to hand over the handcuffs. tied. There are others with more ... sinister abilities."We turned the corner at the end, continuing down another hall that wasalmost identical to the previous. With the exception of perhaps a fewless paintings and doors."Such as?" I asked."Let's see," he said, pausing as if in thought. "There are ones we call'Drainers'. Rather than take others' bodies, they steal their vitality.Their years. For example, while I'm sure you've not found it fun beingstuck as a fifteen-year-old girl, try to imagine.