Flesh by Philip José Farmer Read Free Book Online

tie off blood vessels, connect the bloodstream of the antlers with your bloodstream, and who knows what else?”
    Stagg growled and said, “Somebody’s going to be sorry for this. That Virginia is behind this! I’ll rip her apart the next time I see her. I’m tired of being kicked around.”
    Calthorp had been anxiously watching him. He said, “You feel all right now?”
    Stagg flared his nostrils and thumped his chest. “I didn’t. But now I feel like I could lick the world. Only thing is, I’m hungry as a bear that’s just come out of hibernation. How long have I been out?”
    “About thirty hours. As you can see, it’s getting dark outside.” Calthorp put his hand on Stagg’s forehead. “You have a fever. No wonder. Your body is roaring like a furnace, building new cells right and left, pumping hormones like mad into your blood. You need fuel for the furnace.”
    Stagg crashed his fist on a table top. “I need drink, too! I’m burning up!”
    He rammed his fist into the gong repeatedly, until the notes rang throughout the palace. As if they’d been waiting for the signal, servants exploded through the door. They carried trays with many dishes and goblets.
    Stagg, all politeness forgotten, tore a tray from the hands of a servant and began stuffing the meat, potatoes, gravy, corn, tomatoes, bread, and butter into his rapidly working jaws, only stopping to wash them down with tremendous drafts of beer. The food and beer slopped on his bare chest and legs but, though he’d always been a fastidious eater, he paid no attention.
    Once, after a huge belch that almost knocked over a servant, he roared, “I can outeat, outdrink...” Another giant belch interrupted him, and he fell again to eating like a hog in a trough.
    Sickened not only at the sight but at its implications, Calthorp turned away. Evidently the hormones were washing away his captain’s inhibitions and exposing the purely animal part of the human being. What would come next?
    Finally, his belly sticking out like a bull gorilla’s, Stagg rose. He thumped his chest and howled, “I feel great, great! Hey, Calthorp, you ought to get yourself a pair of horns! Oh, that’s right, I forgot, you got a pair. That’s why you left Earth the first time, wasn’t it? Haw, haw!”
    The little anthropologist, his face flaming and twisted, screeched and ran at Stagg. Stagg laughed and picked him up by his shirt and held him out at arm’s length while Calthorp cursed and swung futilely with his short arms. Suddenly, Calthorp felt the room go by him with a rush. He slammed hard into something behind him. There was a loud clang, and he knew dimly, even as he sat half-unconscious on the floor, that he had been thrown into the gong.
    He became aware that a huge hand had gripped him painfully around his wrist, hauling him to his feet. Frightened that Stagg was going to finish him off, he clenched his fist to strike a brave but futile blow. Then he dropped his fist.
    Tears were running out of Stagg’s eyes.
    “Great God, what’s the matter with me? I must be completely out of my head ever to do anything like that to you, my best friend! What’s wrong? How could I do that?”
    He sobbed and pulled Calthorp close to his great body and squeezed him affectionately. Calthorp shrieked with pain as his ribs threatened to give way. Stagg, looking hurt, released him.
    “Okay, you’re forgiven,” Calthorp said, retreating cautiously. By now he realized that Stagg was not responsible for what he did. He had become a child in some ways. But a child is not absolutely selfish and may often be tenderhearted. Stagg was genuinely sorry and ashamed.
    Calthorp went to the French windows and looked out.
    “The street is alive with people and blazing with torches,” he said. “They must be having another shindig tonight.”
    Even to himself, he sounded false. He knew well enough that the Deecee were assembled for a ceremony which would have his captain as its guest of