(This story so far resides here: https://ofourmaker.com/2023/10..../17/adolphus-search- )

The cage took the catch from the hovering chopper and rolled back to allow it to land. Dr. Kilver arrived to administer his injection to the raving beast. Number One spit in her hand and playfully held it out; Dr. Kilver smiled.

As the cage rolled away, Elroy disembarked and came carrying a small boy in his arms, whom he set on his feet before Nurse April, a tall lady with her black hair in a braid. She bent to wipe a splash of mud from the boy's ear. The boy said he hurt his arm, and showed her a rather bad scratch. It had no doubt been a simple accident, but the blood may have been what had attracted hunting gluckasts. Nurse April took his hand and brought him away to be mended.

Number One had watched the small boy through all this with a strained and intent look, as if she was a little girl pinned in depths of shy, motherly emotion.

After this, for all her hurry and waiting, she was apparently too bemused and nervous to get up or otherwise to greet Gareth, who now came with his sable robe and silent spurs. Though, as before, the cries of the gluckast could distantly be heard, after the chopper's noise had subsided there was comparative quiet. This was broken by Raleigh.

"Not to doubt your medical verdict in any way, Kilver, but the thought still troubles me that these gluckasts which we treat as animals could after all be severely deformed humans."

"The proof I have," the doctor replied, "does rest on a certain amount of knowledge and experience. For the layman," in his eye there was a glint of humour towards Raleigh, "there is a simple and sure proof, which is the impossibility of a human and gluckast interbreeding."

"I pray to God that's never been tried!" Raleigh said. After this, Gibbsen could tell that in the minds of each person present the question naturally followed of such a proof for the humanity of those who ceased to be gluckasts. No one spoke it, no one needed to, yet Raleigh displayed some of the same awkwardness as if it had been spoken, and specifically in connection to Number One.

Gareth moved to stand before Number One, and looked steadily into her eyes from within his hood. She returned his gaze, only blinking a little. After what seemed a long time, he looked up at the wall, and spoke to all there:

"I have thorough proof by my own means of this woman's humanity. For the sake of those who do not have Dr. Kilver's skill, or mine, I would prove the humanity of her womb."

He turned, strode several yards, and faced her again. From across the receiving bay, he held out to her his thin, grey, firm, unwavering right hand.

"Will you be my own?"

To be continued.

#dailycreatedoom #writtenoom #adolphussearchandrescue 2023/11/20