17

           Ittakestheaveragehumansevenminutestogotosleep,butaccordingtoHand’sHumanPhysiology,ittakesthesameaveragehumanfifteentotwentyminutestowakeup.Itisasifsleepisapoolfromwhichemergingismoredifficultthanentering.Whenthesleeperwakes,heorshecomesupbydegrees,fromdeepsleeptolightsleeptowhatissometimescalled"wakingsleep,"astateinwhichthesleepercanhearsoundsandwillevenrespondtoquestionswithoutbeingawareofitlater...exceptperhapsasfragmentsofdream.

           Louisheardtheclickandrattleofbones,butgraduallythissoundbecamesharper,moremetallic.Therewasabang.Ayell.Moremetallicsounds...somethingrolling?Sure,hisdriftingmindagreed.Rolldembones.

           Heheardhisdaughtercalling"Getit,Gage!Gogetit!"

           ThiswasfollowedbyGage’scrowofdelight,thesoundtowhichLouisopenedhiseyesandsawtheceilingofhisownbedroom.

           Heheldhimselfperfectlystill,waitingforthereality,thegoodreality,theblessedreality,tocomehomealltheway.

           Alladream.Nomatterhowterrible,howreal,ithadallbeenadream.Onlyafossilinthemindunderhismind.

           Themetallicsoundcameagain.ItwasoneofGage’stoycarsbeingrolledalongtheupstairshall.

           "Getit,Gage!"

           "Getit!"Gageyelled."Getit-getit-getit!"

           Thumpa-thumpa-thumpa.Gage’ssmallbarefeetthunderingalongthehallwayrunner.