11.5a

"I've never seen anything like it before in the whole history of humankind." The professor swiveled sharply, the heel of his shoe making a circular indentation in the carpet. He paced, and every step seemed to puff up more dust than the one before, giving the whole room a grainy taste. He didn't seem to care. "I'm going to have to examine it in a laboratory setting, but I'm sure Dr. Stroyavitch will corroborate my preliminary findings." He paused, and the dust that was following him swirled around him instead. "What I'm saying is that you could be very important. Do you understand?"

I nodded slowly, but I still wasn't following what he was saying.

He quickly strode past me to the cracked window and stared out of it into the gloom. "I'm not sure how to make this more clear. Your particular mutation has been very beneficial to your abilities. You say you've fathered a child, so you still have a reproductive capacity . . . you may be the future of the human race. Do you understand?" He gestured wildly, face sweaty, dust collecting on his perspiration and running tracks through the dust on his face.

I nodded again, more reluctantly this time. "Замолио бих вас да оставите сада, док ја мислим о томе."

"Yes, yes," he said, irritated. He stormed out of the room and slammed the door. Dust puffed out as the room shook. The dust settled, and I was alone with my thoughts.