31

After this, Lu’s behavior became undeniably strange. He locked himself in the bathroom. It is doubtful that anyone would have noticed, for they were all rarely visited by the need to use the toilet. But Lu was also shouting to himself. Hood heard it first, and went to find Richards. Lu was still shouting when Hood returned with the doctor. They found Greenstockings waiting by the door.

‘He’s really lost it,’ she said.

Richards knocked loudly on the door. The shouting ceased immediately.

‘I need to use the toilet,’ said Richards, loudly enough to be heard through the door.

‘Occupied,’ came the muffled reply.

‘Go get Ge Ge,’ said Richards. To Lu, she said, ‘It’s Juana. Open the door, we need to talk.’

‘It’s not safe,’ said Lu, after a pause.

‘You can’t just stay in there forever.’

‘It’s the only door with a lock.’

‘What if someone else needs to use it?’

‘You can go in the shower,’ said Lu. ‘I’ve tried it, it works.’

Greenstockings found Ge Ge in the observation level, and both of them soon joined the crowd outside the bathroom. Ge Ge called out to Lu in his own language.

‘Lu, listen. This is hard enough, without you losing it like this. Nobody is thinking about eating people!’

‘I am,’ said Lu.

‘Look, just come out of there. Everything is going to be alright. We’re all going to make it home. But you’ve got to stop it! We’re all on the same team here.’

To the others, Ge Ge hissed, ‘Get out of here. What’s the point of gawking at a madman? Leave him be.’

As they drifted away, Richards said to Ge Ge, ‘I need to see him. We can’t just ignore this.’

Ge Ge nodded. Through the door, he said, ‘Lu, I’m going to stay right here until you come out of there. You take as long as you need.’

Lu did come out several hours later. The door slid open a crack and Lu’s bloodshot eyes appeared. He slowly slid the door open wider.

‘Did you notice Back at dinner yesterday?’ asked Lu. ‘He had a strange look in his eyes, as if he was afraid of me.’

‘The way you’re acting, he has every right to be afraid of you.’

‘He grinned at me,’ said Lu. ‘Obviously, he is the fiercest among them. Maybe he is the one who wants to murder me.’

‘Stop it, Lu!’ said Ge Ge. ‘This is what I’m talking about. This kind of talk. I want you to come see Juana with me.’

Lu eventually acquiesced. On the way, he whispered to Ge Ge, ‘I know that their preparations are almost complete.’