He That Hath Wings

He That Hath Wings by Edmond Hamilton - The story of a modern Icarus — David Rand was a freak of nature, a glorious, winged freak, who had experienced the freedom of the sky and could no longer be tied to the ground.

Doctor Harriman paused in the corridor of the maternity ward and asked, 'What about that woman in 27?'

There was pity in the eyes of the plump, crisply dressed head nurse as she answered, 'She died an hour after the birth of her baby, doctor. Her heart was bad, you know.'

The physician nodded, his spare, clean shaven face thoughtful. 'Yes, I remember now — she and her husband were injured in an electrical explosion in a subway a year ago, and the husband died recently. What about the baby?'

The nurse hesitated. 'A fine, healthy little boy, except– '

'Except what?'

'Except that he is humpbacked, doctor.'

Doctor Harriman swore in pity. 'What horrible luck for the poor little devil! Born an orphan, and deformed, too.' He said with sudden decision, 'I'll look at the infant. Perhaps we could do something for him.' But when he and the nurse bent together over the crib in which red-faced little David Rand lay squalling lustily, the doctor shook his head. 'No, we can't do anything for that back. What a shame!'

David Rand's little red body was as straight and clean-lined as that of any baby ever born — except for his back.