"He said that our skin has a dead layer on it."


She had his attention now - he frowned quizzically at her.

"It's the cleverest thing. It dies and the top layers flake off, to protect us from infection." Straightening up, she lifted her hands from his shoulders and brushed one over the back of the other to illustrate what she was saying.

"The bacteria - or germules, as you call them - they settle, but can't get a hold." "So? Cal said intrigued.
"So right now, part of you is dying, just like your skin. It might take a while - it did with me - but it will die to save you. And next time you'll be tougher and stronger."