33

Shortly after this, Back noticed that Lu was following him. Wherever in the ship Back went, Lu arrived not long after.

‘Why are you following me?’ said Back.

‘I had a strange dream last night,’ said Lu. ‘Do you want to hear about it?’

‘No,’ said Back.

‘I was invited to this feast in Beijing. It was at a huge restaurant, with lots of lights and tables and people. Very open, like a warehouse. The place was famous for its duck. They brought it out, platter after platter of it. The skin was taught and crispy, the meat was moist, full of fat. I grabbed half a duck with one hand and another half with the other, and I was about to take a bite, when this stranger nudged me with his elbow and said, ‘You’d better have a look at that before you put it in your mouth.’ Well, I almost didn’t but I moved the meat away from my face so I could see it. Good thing, too. I was holding the barbecued arm of a little child. Probably a little girl. The fingers were small like that. I refused to have any more of that course. They brought the next course, and it was obviously the meat of other people, so I refused to eat that, too. But it sure looked good. Then they brought out the third course: tongues. It was obvious to me that they were the tongues of people, other humans, ripped out of their mouths, or cut, I didn’t know. I didn’t eat them.’

‘This is disgusting,’ said Back. ‘Get away from me.’

He tried to leave, but Lu followed him.

‘And then this waiter came over to me, and sort of quietly he asked me, ‘Why aren’t you eating anything? Is something wrong? I told him that I didn’t feel like eating. I didn’t want to embarrass him. And so they brought out the fourth course, which was hearts. These were fine, beautiful hearts, cooked to perfection, sliced up thinly and served in a sauce. I wanted to eat, and the waiter even came over and offered to select the best pieces for me, personally, but still I refused. And then the table was gone, the restaurant was gone, all the lights were gone, and there was just the waiter, and he said good job to me. Heh! If I’d eaten that food, than I would have become a cannibal in addition to all my other misfortunes.¹ Just like you, George.’

Lu continued to follow Back around until Back finally escaped by locking himself in the bathroom, and Lu wandered away. Later, he went to Richards and demanded that she do something.

‘He is suffering from a persecution complex,’ she said.²

‘Great,’ said Back. ‘What are you going to do about it?’

‘I could give him a sleeping pill, maybe,’ said Richards. ‘Get him to rest a little. It might help.’