human
You look wonderful, Zen muttered, remembering what John had hinted.
gpt
Did you have a good night's sleep?
human
A couple of hours.
gpt
No more than that?
human
I needed no more.
gpt
Mm? Zen said. He started to add another word,
human
Alone? but managed to catch the question before it was out of his mouth. He examined her thoughtfully.
gpt
You look very contented,
human
Why shouldn't I look contented? After spending so much time in the wilderness, I'm back on the stairway to heaven.
gpt
What's the wilderness?
human
The world down below.
gpt
Ah, yes, he yawned himself to wakefulness.
human
I was reading the most fascinating book before I dropped off to sleep. Here. I'll show you.
gpt
Hey, it's gone, he said. His eyes went around the room. He discovered other things that were missing.
human
The lieutenant's gun! And my pack!
gpt
Perhaps you just dreamed you had been reading a book.
human
I didn't dream the gun and the pack. I carried both of them in here.
gpt
I can explain about them. They were taken.
human
Hunh? Why?
gpt
Weapons are not permitted here. Your gun and your pack were both taken for this reason.
human
Hunh? A growl came unbidden into his voice. He put these items out of his mind with the resolve to speak to someone about them at a later time. Something more important had happened. What was it? A memory of his dream flicked through his mind but was gone before he could grasp it. A frown on his face, he said,
gpt
I know--
human
You know what?
gpt
Everything.
human
This is a great deal for one man to know. Are you sure?
gpt
Yes.
human
Positive?
gpt
Hell, yes!
human
Well, in that case, tell me things.
gpt
I would, except I can't remember 'em.
human
What you need is some breakfast. Your blood sugar levels are too low. Breakfast will take care of that.
gpt
That's one thing I need, Zen said, his voice equally firm.
human
But there is one thing I don't need--an examination by a head shrinker.
gpt
A what?
human
A psycho, he explained.
gpt
I call 'em head shrinkers because that is what they do. Oh, maybe I need such an examination but I have no intention of submitting to it.
human
I'm hungry right down to the marrow of my bones, he said.
gpt
Where does all this grub come from?
human
We get it,
gpt
What do you do, raid the low country for supplies, like Cuso's men?
human
No, colonel, hardly that. We are not thieves.
gpt
Well, where do you get it? I don't know how many of you are here, but if you have as many as a hundred, keeping this place supplied calls for some doing.
human
Actually, very little food is needed.
gpt
How come, don't they eat?
human
Are you reading my mind? the girl demanded.
gpt
If so, you might as well learn right now that this is not considered good manners here! Momentarily, she was angry.
human
And besides, if you do it again, I'll close off my thoughts to you.