| 2:47a |
@@@@@Was that
Jack?
"Boss? Hey, boss!" Somebody @@@@@Was that Jack? "Boss? Hey, boss!" Somebody was shaking me, so I still had a bodyProbably that was goodJack who? I could get it, but I had to think sidewaysHis name was like someone on The Weather Channel - More shaking"Muchacho! You there?" My head bonked something, and I opened my eyes Jack Cantori was kneeling to my left, his face tight and scaredIt was Wireman in front of me, on his feet but bending over, shaking me like a daiquiriThe doll was lying face-down on my lap I batted her aside with a grunt of disgust - oh you nasty man, indeedNoveen landed in the pile of dead wasps with a papery rustle 1011 Suddenly the places she'd taken me began to come back: hell's own tourThe path to Shade Beach that Adriana Eastlake had called (much to her father's fury) Drunkard's BoulevardThe beach itself, and the horrible things that had happened there "His eyes are open," Jack saidEdgar, do you hear me?" "Yes," I saidMy voice was hoarse from screaming I wanted food, but first I wanted to pour something down my burning throat"Thirsty - can you help a brother out?" Wireman handed me one of the big bottles of Evian water "You sure, muchacho? Water might be-" "Pepsi That wasn't the only reason, but it would do Wireman put the Evian back and gave me a PepsiIt was warm, but I chugged half of it, burped, then drank againI looked around and saw only my friends and a length of dirty hallwayIn fact, it was terribleMy hand - I was definitely back to one again - was stiff and throbbing, as if I had been using it steadily for 1012 at least two hours, so where were the drawings? I was terrified that without the drawings, everything would fade the way dreams do upon waki |