Felix used the pad’s glowing screen to call up the medical records about Mother’s body. Breez came over to stand beside him. She said nothing. Just looked at the pictures, and then over at Mother’s body.

As he learned, the melody repeated in his head:

“London bridge is broken down, broken down.

“Namby Pamby is a clown, my fair lady.

“Now he courts the lady fair, lady fair.

“My fair lady.”

The song lulled him. Felix thought he might be asleep. Maybe he was dreaming? It was all so clear. He stood at the side of the bed, but when his hands moved on the pad, it wasn’t him. His hands just moved on the screen by themselves. Like most of him was shut off, just watching from someplace else while his body did things he didn’t understand.

All the parts of Mother’s body could be seen. Like looking down through the skin. He could see muscles, blood vessels, bones. Then an overlay of nerves. One by one, the organs came up: brain, lungs, heart, stomach, intestines, kidneys, liver, spleen, colon, uterus, bladder. Some remote part of his brain cataloged these things.

Felix’s head turned, Breez’s moving the same way his did, mimicking him as she looked at the pad, and then compared it to Mother. His eyes fixed on Mother’s head. Compared it with the image on the pad. It seemed to take a long time, looking at Mother’s closed eyes, her thin nose, the way the mouth was. Then came the rounded top of her head. Like figuring out a puzzle, pieces began to fit together. Brain: Surrounded by skull. Vital and armored.

Then Felix watched the pad shift to Mother’s pale throat. Neck: Blood vessels, air tube, and spinal cord. Vital and vulnerable. He glanced at Breez, and they both nodded in some understanding.

And the process went on. Chest: Heart, lungs, and spinal cord. Vital and armored.

Torso: Stomach, liver, kidneys, intestines, and bladder. Digestion. Vulnerable but not immediately vital.

Legs: Bone and muscle. Movement. Not vital.

Arms: Defense. Manipulation. Not vital.

Felix wondered at the words. Sometimes the Voice said strange things.

So was he dreaming? Was that what looking so hard at Mother’s body was all about? What was really weird was that the Voice wanted to know what was inside her. Was it because the Voice was worried about her now that Father was dead? But as he started to wonder, felt the worry and grief build, the Voice made it go away. And it was better. Really, it was a relief not to have to cry, or be scared, or be sad.

He and Breez froze as Mother made a whimpering sound and shifted, rolling onto her side. Then her breathing deepened again.