a hairy cord , wrapped about his leg , clinging , and he pushed himself upright and gasped and jerked his foot and the thing leaped wildly out of the steaming tub , up and down , reaching for him , flailing , gray and tortuous , and he pushed himself from the tub , over the side , falling to the floor , and the thing followed , sloshing , cleaving to his face and he could n't breath and he twisted his head , banging against the tub - and everything went black .