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As they ate, the catalass of its twin bows sliced through the cal the hydrodynamic shape

And then soe The water’s viscosity seeer and they lass of the boat’s pontoons began to darken at the waterline as if being tinted by a dye of some kind

This continued for several seconds as a charcoal-colored stain began spreading across the side of the hull It began todrawn by some power

A texture to the stain reseraphite or a darker, thinner version of quicksilver Before long, the leading edge of this stain crested the cata in the very spot where Kimo had stood

Had so closely, they would have noticed a pattern appear For an instant the substance shaped itself like footprints, before beco backward, headed toward the main cabin

Inside the cabin, a radio played, picking up a shortwave broadcast of classical ood dinnerand the coainst divulging the secret of his taco recipe, Ki odd

So to cover the cabin’s broad tinted s, blocking out the fading sky and the illuh up on the lass the ind-driven snow or sand ainst a flat surface, but much, much faster

“What in the world …”

Thalia looked to theHalverson’s eyes went the other way, glancing out at the aft deck with alarm on his face

Kiray substance was flowing through the open door,uphill

Thalia saw it too Heading straight for her

She ju her plate from the table The last bites of her dinner landed in front of the advancing ray substance flowed over the bits of food, covering it co mound

“What is that?” she asked

“I don’t know,” Kimo said “I’ve never …”

He didn’t have to finish his sentence None of the like it Except …