it will be normal."

"That's nice," said Jadiver. "I suppose it would be educational, but I'd
just as soon not be an anatomy model of the first layer of the human
body."

She stood up and managed to work up a creditable imitation of interest.
"We had to peel off the burned part, and when you were completely raw,
we fitted the synthetic skin to your body. Over that we sprayed the
bandage. New body cells form with this synthetic substance as the
matrix. You'll gradually return to normal or better. Your new skin may
be more resistant to corrosive chemicals and microbe invasions."

"Glad to hear it," said Jadiver. "Superman."

For the first time, she smiled. "Don't count on it. This stuff is too
new for us to know how it reacts in all cases." She turned around at the
door. "In a few days I'll take off the bandages and you can go home.
Meanwhile, you know what to do if you need anything."

* * * * *

Jadiver lay there after she left, thinking. He hadn't asked what the
accident was and she had assumed he remembered. He ought to, but he
didn't. He frowned and tried to recall the last thing he had been doing.

They had removed his skin and replaced it with a synthetic substance.
Why? Take it from there and work back.

He stirred uneasily. The last he remembered, he'd been in his apartment.
That didn't help much; he was often there. He shook his head. He was in
the apartment, preparing to leave. That meant he must have used the
autobath. That was it. The picture came into focus:

He touched the door of the autobath and it swung open. He went inside.
"Shave, massage, bath," he ordered.

The mechanism reached out of the wall to enfold him. He leaned back. It
gripped him, not comfortably, as usual--but tightly. He squirmed, but
when the grip didn't adjust, he relaxed.

The autobath rumbled familiarly and a jet of water spouted up from the
floor. It was icy cold and Jadiver shivered.

"You didn't listen," he said firmly. "I asked for the bath last."

The autobath paid no attention. The top and side jets turned on. The
force was greater than he had ever experienced. It was difficult to
breathe. The water got hotter rapidly, and then, seconds later, steam
blew out of the nozzles.

Jadiver shouted and tried to struggle free. The autobath did not let go.
Instead, it ground at his muscles with hard inflexible hands. Here and
there his skin began parting from his flesh. The autobath kept on