Rillas and Other Science Fiction Stories

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A. R. Morlan. Rillas and Other Science Fiction Stories

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To Kevin J. Anderson, Jerry Oltion, and Darrell Schweitzer,

for supplying me with copies of a “lost” page of the story “’Rillas” (incomplete contributor’s copy) after I lost my original manuscript of the story during the September 2, 2002 F3 tornado which damaged my house—most specifically my office!—I couldn’t have created this collection without your help!

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The sharp splash of something fast-thrown and heavy hitting the water brought me back to a semblance of painful reality. I’d waded out into the middle of the pond, up to my armpits, with my extended toes barely touching the muddy bottom—and there was a crusher no more than a foot away from me, head down, twin horns aimed for my skinny, pale-skinned chest, only when the second splash occurred, the crusher turned its head away from me, to stare at the ripples in the murky water.

Before the third splash, I heard a keening mewl, one I’d never heard a ’lope utter before, with the sound coming from behind me. I turned my head and upper body to look in that direction...and saw Penti, standing there on the limp-vines, making a gesture I’d seen before, in a slightly different social context:

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