Are―you dying?" she asked.
"Just can't breathe. This air."
"Poor, poor―good lord. I've forgotten your name."
"Hell of a thing."
"Barney!"
He clutched her.
"No! Don't stop!" She arched her back. Her teeth chattered.
"I wasn't going to," he said. "Oooaugh!"
He laughed.
"Don't please laugh at me."
"Not meant unkindly."
A long silence, then. Then, "Oof.
"Just can't breathe. This air."
"Poor, poor―good lord. I've forgotten your name."
"Hell of a thing."
"Barney!"
He clutched her.
"No! Don't stop!" She arched her back. Her teeth chattered.
"I wasn't going to," he said. "Oooaugh!"
He laughed.
"Don't please laugh at me."
"Not meant unkindly."
A long silence, then. Then, "Oof.
( Philip K. Dick )
[ The Three Stigmata of Palmer ]
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