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(Scars do not appear to be cause of death –shock ... - Bad Request

(Scars do not appear to be cause of death –shock ... - Bad Request

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A smear <strong>of</strong> cold blood and embalming fluid dragged along my shoulder as<br />

Ei-Vene tugged at me, spinning me around <strong>to</strong> face her. She clicked her<br />

talons, and <strong>to</strong> my surprise, she extended her hand and dragged her claws<br />

along my arms and chest. It tickled numbly through the puckered<br />

half-healed skin.<br />

"Uh, it's <strong>not</strong> that I'm <strong>not</strong> flattered, but..."<br />

Morte snickered, "Heh. Looks like you've got a new friend, chief. You two<br />

need some time <strong>to</strong>gether, or...?"<br />

"S<strong>to</strong>w it, Morte. "<br />

As she traced my body, it suddenly occurred <strong>to</strong> me that she was examining<br />

the scars. Ei-Vene withdrew her talons, clicked them twice, then <strong>be</strong>nt<br />

forward and examined some <strong>of</strong> the tat<strong>to</strong>os on my chest. "Hmmph. Who<br />

write on you? Hivers <strong>do</strong> that? No respect for zomfies. Zomfies, <strong>not</strong><br />

paintings." She sniffed, then poked one particularly prominent gray slash<br />

along my <strong>be</strong>lly. "This one bad shape, many scars, no preserfs."<br />

Her talons hooked in<strong>to</strong> the thread I brought, and lightning-like, she jab<strong>be</strong>d<br />

a<strong>not</strong>her claw in<strong>to</strong> the skin near that big slash. However I got it, it must've<br />

<strong>be</strong>en fatal. Probably spilled my guts in<strong>to</strong> the street, <strong>to</strong>o.<br />

Aside from the sudden shock <strong>of</strong> getting stab<strong>be</strong>d with a talon, it felt barely<br />

more than a pin-prick. The sensation was curiously painless as Ei-Vene<br />

<strong>be</strong>gan <strong>to</strong> stitch up that long, unhealed wound.<br />

When she finished, she sniffed me, frowned, then stab<strong>be</strong>d her fingers in<strong>to</strong><br />

the embalming fluid. Within minutes, she has dab<strong>be</strong>d my body with the<br />

fluid... it was slick, cold, and my skin tingled where the harsh preservatives<br />

were smeared, but strangely enough, it made me feel <strong>be</strong>tter somehow.<br />

Morte seemed <strong>to</strong> wince at that, "This may <strong>be</strong> the second time in my life I'm<br />

thankful I <strong>do</strong>n't have a nose. "<br />

Ei-Vene put on the last <strong>to</strong>uches, nodded, then made an awkward shooing<br />

motion with her talons. "Done. Go - go."<br />

"Wait a minute," I made the motion <strong>of</strong> a key turning with my hand, "I need<br />

an embalming room key. Do you have one?"<br />

27

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