“But he is a child. Yes! That is why he does not notice that you⁠ ⁠… that it is only in order.⁠ ⁠… That all this is only a foul game! Yes! And it is my duty.⁠ ⁠…”

For a second (in the mirror) the broken, trembling line of brows. I leaped, controlling with difficulty the other self within me, the one with the hairy fists; with difficulty, pushing every word through my teeth, I cried straight into her face, into her very gills:

“Get out of here at once! Out! At once!”

The gills swelled at first into brick-red lumps, then fell and became gray. She opened her mouth to say something but without a word she slammed it shut and went out.

I threw myself towards I-330 .