The best of Isaac Asimov by Isaac Asimov

Author:Isaac Asimov [Asimov, Isaac]
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Science fiction, General, Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Short stories, Science fiction, American
ISBN: 9780385050784
Publisher: Doubleday
Published: 2010-01-21T16:11:57+00:00

5

Laura awoke with a sudden start. What happened? She felt as though she had been jabbed with a pin.

The afternoon sun was shining in her face and its dazzle made her blink. She lowered the shade and simultaneously bent to look at Walter.

She was a little surprised to find his eyes open. This wasn’t one of his waking periods. She looked at her wrist watch. No, it wasn’t. And it was a good hour before feeding time, too. She followed the demand--feeding system or the “if-you-want-it-holler-and-you’ll-get it” routine, but ordinarily Walter followed the clock quite conscientiously.

She wrinkled her nose at him. “Hungry, duckier’

Walter did not respond at all and Laura was disappointed. She would have liked to have him smile. Actually, she wanted him to laugh and throw his pudgy arms about her neck and nuzzle her and say, “Mommie,” but she knew he couldn’t do any of that. But he could smile.

She put a light finger to his chin and tapped it a bit. “Goo-goo-goo-goo.” He always smiled when you did that.

But he only blinked at her.

She said, “I hope he isn’t sick.” She looked at Mrs. Ellis in distress.

Mrs. Ellis put down a magazine. ~’Is anything wrong, my dear?”

“I don’t know. Walter just lies there.”

“Poor little thing. He’s tired, probably.”

“Shouldn’t he be sleeping, then?”

“He’s in strange surroundings. He’s probably wondering what it’s all about.”

She rose, stepped across the aisle, and leaned across Laura to bring her own face close to Walter’s. “You’re wondering what’s going on, you tiny little snookums. Yes, you are. You’re saying, “Where’s my nice little crib and all my nice little funnies on the wall paper?”

Then she made little squeaking sounds at him.

Walter turned his eyes away from his mother and watched Mrs. Ellis somberly.

Mrs. Ellis straightened suddenly and looked pained. She put a hand to her head for a moment and murmured, “Goodness! The queerest pain.”

“Do you think he’s hungry?” asked Laura.

“Lord,” said Mrs. Ellis, the trouble in her face fading, “they let you know when they’re hungry soon enough. There’s nothing wrong with him. I’ve had three children, my dear. I know.”

“I think I’ll ask the stewardess to warm up another bottle.”

“Well, if it will make you feel better...”

The stewardess brought the bottle and Laura lifted Walter out of his bassinet. She said, “You have your bottle and then I’ll change you and then--”

She adjusted his head in the crook of her elbow, leaned over to peck him quickly on the cheek, then cradled him close to her body as she brought the bottle to his lips--

Walter screamed!

His mouth yawned open, his arms pushed before him with his fingers spread wide, his whole body as stiff and hard as though in tetany, and he screamed. It rang through the whole compartment.

Laura screamed too. She dropped the bottle and it smashed whitely.

Mrs. Ellis jumped up. Half a dozen others did. Mr. Ellis snapped out of a light doze.

“What’s the matter?” asked Mrs. Ellis blankly.

“I don’t know. I don’t know.” Laura was shaking Walter frantically, putting him over her shoulder, patting his back.

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