K-Pax (48 page)

Read K-Pax Online

Authors: Gene Brewer

Tags: #Fiction, #Science Fiction, #General

BOOK: K-Pax
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Personalit
y
 
difference
s
 
amon
g
 
th
e
 
variou
s
 
alter
s
 
ar
e
 
ofte
n
 
astonishing
.
 
Som
e
 
ar
e
 
muc
h
 
smarte
r
 
than
others
,
 
expres
s
 
widel
y
 
discrepan
t
 
talents
,
 
scor
e
 
uniquel
y
 
o
n
 
psychologica
l
 
tests
,
 
an
d
 
eve
n
 
produce
disparat
e
 
EE
G
 
patterns
!
 
The
y
 
migh
t
als
o
 
visualiz
e
 
themselve
s
 
a
s
 
bein
g
 
ver
y
 
dissimila
r
 
i
n
appearance
,
 
or
eve
n
o
f
a
differen
t
sex
,
fro
m
tha
t
o
f
th
e
othe
r
identities
.
Whethe
r
thes
e
ar
e
tru
e
individual
s
i
s
 
questionable,
but
,
unti
l
integratio
n
occurs
,
man
y
o
f
th
e
alters
,
includin
g
 
th
e
 
"primary
"
 
personality
,
 
ar
e
 
totall
y
 
unawar
e
 
of wha
t
th
e
other
s
ar
e
doin
g
whe
n
i
n
contro
l
o
f
th
e
body.

Mari
a
wa
s
know
n
t
o
harbo
r
 
mor
e
 
tha
n
 
a
 
hundre
d
 
separat
e
 
an
d
 
distinc
t
 
personalities
,
 
mos
t
 
o
f
 
whom
rarel
y
 
mad
e
 
a
n
 
appearance
.
 
Otherwis
e
 
he
r
 
cas
e
 
i
s
 
typica
l
 
fo
r
 
thi
s
 
disorder
.
 
Sh
e
 
ha
d
 
bee
n
 
raped
innumerabl
e
 
time
s
 
b
y
 
he
r
 
father
,
 
startin
g
 
whe
n
 
sh
e
 
wa
s
 
barel
y
 
thre
e
 
year
s
 
old
.
 
He
r
 
devoutl
y
 
religious
mother
,
 
wh
o
 
cleane
d
 
a
 
doze
n
 
larg
e
 
office
s
 
a
t
 
night
,
 
neve
r
 
kne
w
 
abou
t
 
thes
e
 
violations
,
 
an
d
 
he
r
 
older
brother
s
ha
d
bee
n
threatene
d
int
o
silenc
e
unti
l
the
y
 
wer
e
 
ol
d
 
enoug
h
 
t
o
 
deman
d
 
som
e
 
o
f
 
th
e
 
"action
"
 
for themselves
.
 
Unde
r
 
suc
h
 
circumstance
s
 
lif
e
 
ca
n
 
becom
e
 
quit
e
 
unbearabl
e
 
an
d
 
th
e
 
desir
e
 
fo
r
 
escape
overwhelming.

A
prett
y
 
gir
l
wit
h
 
lon
g
 
blac
k
 
hai
r
 
tha
t
 
shine
s
 
lik
e
 
th
e
 
stars
,
 
Mari
a
 
cam
e
 
t
o
 
u
s
 
afte
r
 
she
,
 
a
s
 
Carmen,

ha
d
 
nearl
y
 
scratche
d
 
a
 
boy'
s
 
eye
s
 
ou
t
 
whe
n
 
h
e
 
trie
d
 
t
o
 
mak
e
 
advances
.
 
Unti
l
 
tha
t
 
inciden
t
 
sh
e
 
was
though
t
o
f
a
s
"quiet
"
an
d
"distant.
"
N
o
on
e
ha
s
 
touche
d
 
he
r
 
since
,
 
wit
h
 
th
e
 
possibl
e
 
exceptio
n
 
o
f
 
Russell,
who
,
o
f
course
,
refer
s
t
o
he
r
a
s
"Mother."

Bu
t
Mari
a
 
hersel
f
 
i
s
 
seldo
m
 
i
n
evidence
.
 
Mos
t
 
o
f
 
th
e
 
tim
e
 
on
e
 
o
f
 
th
e
 
other
s
 
i
s
 
i
n
charge
,
 
on
e
 
o
f
 
her

"defenders
"
 
o
r
 
"protectors.
"
 
Sometimes
,
 
whe
n
 
on
e
 
o
f
 
he
r
 
"persecutors
"
 
take
s
 
control
,
 
w
e
 
se
e
 
another
face
t
 
o
f
 
Maria
,
 
a
 
darke
r
 
side
.
 
On
e
 
o
f
 
these
,
 
wh
o
 
call
s
 
hersel
f
 
Carlotta
,
 
ha
s
 
trie
d
 
t
o
 
kil
l
 
Maria
,
 
and therefor
e
hersel
f
an
d
al
l
th
e
others
,
o
n
a
t
leas
t
tw
o
occasions
.
I
t
i
s
thi
s
constan
t
struggl
e
fo
r
contro
l
among
th
e
variou
s
 
identities
,
 
ofte
n
 
accompanie
d
 
b
y
 
anxiety
,
 
insomnia
,
 
an
d
 
ceaseles
s
 
headaches
,
 
tha
t
 
make
s
 
for
th
e
singula
r
horro
r
o
f
th
e
multipl
e
personalit
y
sufferer.

Chuc
k
 
though
t
 
al
l
 
o
f
 
Maria'
s
 
alter
s
 
stunk
.
 
Als
o
 
Russell
,
 
Mrs
.
 
Archer
,
 
Erni
e
 
an
d
 
Howie
,
 
an
d
 
even
harmles
s
littl
e
Bess
.
Th
e
entir
e
staff
,
includin
g
myself
,
stun
k
t
o
hig
h
heaven
.
 
T
o
 
hi
s
 
credi
t
 
h
e
 
admitte
d
 
that
he
,
 
himself
,
 
smelle
d
 
wors
e
 
tha
n
 
al
l
th
e
 
res
t
 
o
f
 
u
s
 
pu
t
 
together-"lik
e
 
a
 
gutwagon,
"
 
a
s
 
h
e
 
pu
t
 
it
.
 
Th
e
 
only
perso
n
i
n
th
e
entir
e
hospita
l
wh
o
di
d
no
t
stink
,
i
n
hi
s
opinion
,
wa
s
prot.

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