This was something that hurt as nothing had ever hurt me before. This was excruciating. But it was the pain that cut through the grayness of my mind, and because of that I welcomed it. With the pain would come knowledge. I would know who I was and why I was running. Already there were figures racing across the blankness. There were faces and there were names: Ristal, Kresh, Marko, Copperd, Beth. I was Marko. I knew that much already. Beth was the golden girl. Somehow I knew that too. But who were the others? It wasn't coming fast enough. I couldn't find the connections. There was only one way to bring it back, to bridge the gaps. I had to start somewhere, with what I knew. I had to start with myself and then bridge the gap to Beth. That was the beginning. * * * * * I checked with the mirror for the last time and decided that I would pass muster. As far as I could see, I looked like almost any college student. There wasn't anything I could do about my hair. It hadn't grown at all. It was a mass of short, black ringlets that fit my head like a tight cap. But there was no use worrying about that. Mrs. Mara came down the hall just as I was locking the door. She looked hurt when she saw me turn the key. "You don't have to do that in my house," she said. "There's nobody would think of going into your room." "Of course not," I said. "It's just force of habit, you know." I smiled and hoped she would pass it off as lightly as I seemed to. The last thing in the world I wanted was to have her get suspicious and go prowling about my room. I felt easier when she smiled back at me. "Sure. And where are you off to, now?" "Swimming," I said. "That is, if I can get into the college pool." "Just act like you own the place and nobody will ask you any questions," she said, and winked at me. That was exactly the way I had figured it, but it was good to have reassurance. Theoretically, no one was supposed to use the pool who was not a member of the faculty or student body. Enforcement, however, was lax, and the chances were that nobody would ask to see my card. Mrs. Mara and I were right. The day was hot, and the men who were supposed to be watching the entrance were sitting in the shade of the stands and quenching their thirst with soft drinks. I walked right in, looking straight ahead. It was a large pool, used for skating in winter, and there were stands built on three sides. Instead of going down to the locker rooms, I merely slipped out of my shirt and trousers, rolled them into a ball and dropped them beside the pool. A good many others had also worn their swim suits underneath. Then I looked around for the girl. * * * * * She was down near the other end of the pool, talking to some people. As I came toward them she left the group and climbed up on the diving board.