Fuzzy head
given to him by Johnny in the privacy of night, by a light that never was on sea or land.

Every effort had been put forth to make Fuzzy Head look rosy-cheeked, and wholesome, but actually he looked like a little old man, a malign frop out of Lilliput.

What's a frop? Johnny knew—but he wasn't telling.

Johnny picked up Fuzzy Head and set him down in a dark corner. Johnny knelt on the floor in front of Fuzzy Head.

"Glow, Fuzzy Head!" Johnny whispered.

It seemed to Johnny that Fuzzy Head lighted up. Johnny was quite calm about it.

"When will they come for me, Fuzzy Head?"

It seemed to Johnny that the doll screwed up its face and refused to answer.

"If you don't tell me I'll make you Illth the Illth!" Johnny warned.

Fuzzy Head remained silent.

The ritual was not a difficult one. Johnny had performed it before, though it was hard on Fuzzy Head. The ritual tore and wrenched at Fuzzy Head, shaking the doll to its vitals.

"Illth!" Johnny commanded.

It seemed to Johnny that Fuzzy Head turned a complete somersault in the air, very slowly, glowing brightly, and with a look of anguish on his face.

"Illth the Illth!" Johnny whispered.

Fuzzy Head seemed to shrivel a little. Johnny opened his mouth and shut it again. Fuzzy Head was turning inside out as he shriveled.

Metal parts came into view and glowed with a dull, eerie radiance. Fuzzy Head's insides. Wires and a voice box—but all outside of Fuzzy Head now. There were no broken surfaces.

Fuzzy Head had turned inside out without seeming to do so!

Johnny had turned rubber balls inside out in the same way. He had made rubber balls, and clocks illth the illth, just to prove to himself how easy it was. Never a cat—because Johnny wasn't cruel.

Fuzzy Head couldn't feel any flesh-and-blood pain, or really 
 Prev. P 7/14 next 
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