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Wolf was grinning at the counterman through a mouthful of popcorn。 Jack recognized it as Wolf's A #1 Friendly Smile； but he somehow doubted that the counterman was seeing it that way。 There were all those teeth in that smile 。 。 。 hundreds of them； it seemed。
And Wolf was flaring his nostrils again。
Screw it； let them call the cops； if that's what they want to do； he thought with a weariness that was more adult than child。 It can't slow us down much more than we're slowed down already。 He can't ride in the new cars because he can't stand the smell of the catalytic convertors and he can't ride in old cars because they smell like exhaust and sweat and oil and beer and he probably can't ride in any cars because he's so goddam claustrophobic。 Tell the truth； Jack…O； even if it's only to yourself。 You're going along telling yourself he's going to get over it pretty soon； but it's probably not going to happen。 So what are we going to do？ Walk across Indiana； I guess。 Correction； Wolf is going to walk across Indiana。 Me； I'm going to cross Indiana riding horseyback。 But first I'm going to take Wolf into this damn movie theater and sleep either until both pictures are over or until the cops arrive。 And that is the end of my tale； sir。
'Well； enjoy the show；' the counterman said。
'You bet；' Jack replied。 He started away and then realized Wolf wasn't with him。 Wolf was staring at something over the counterman's head with vacant； almost superstitious wonder。 Jack looked up and saw a mobile advertising the re…issue of Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters floating around on drafts of convection。
'e on； Wolf；' he said。
8
Wolf knew it wasn't going to work as soon as they went through the door。
The room was small； dim； and dank。 The smells in here were terrible。 A poet； smelling what Wolf was smelling at that moment； might have called it the stink of sour dreams。 Wolf was no poet。 He only knew that the smell of the popcorn…urine predominated； and that he felt suddenly like throwing up。
Then the lights began to dim even further； turning the room into a cave。
'Jack；' he moaned； clutching at Jack's arm。 'Jack； we oughtta get out of here； okay？'
'You'll like it； Wolf；' Jack muttered； aware of Wolf's distress but not of its depth。 Wolf was； after all； always distressed to some degree。 In this world； the word distress defined him。 'Try it。'
'Okay；' Wolf said； and Jack heard the agreement but not the thin waver that meant Wolf was holding on to the last thread of his control with both hands。 They sat down with Wolf on the aisle； his knees accordioned up unfortably； the tub of popcorn （which he no longer wanted） clutched to his chest。
In front of them a match flared briefly yellow。 Jack smelled the dry tang of pot； so familiar in the movies that it could be dismissed as soon as identified。 Wolf smelled a forest…fire。
'Jack…！'
'Shhh； picture's starting。'
And I'm dozing off。
Jack would never know of Wolf's heroism in the next few minutes； Wolf did not really know of it himself。 He only knew that he had to try to stick this nightmare out for Jack's sake。 It must be all right； he thought； look； Wolf； Jack's going right to sleep； right to sleep right here and now。 And you know Jack wouldn't take you to a Hurt…Place； so just stick it out 。 。 。 just wait 。 。 。 Wolf！ 。 。 。 it'll be all right 。 。 。
But Wolf was a cyclic creature； and his cycle was approaching its monthly climax。 His instincts had bee exquisitely refined； almost undeniable。 His rational mind told him that he would be all right in here； that Jack wouldn't have brought him otherwise。 But that was like a man with an itchy nose telling himself not to sneeze in church because it was impolite。
He sat there smelling forest…fire in a dark； stinking cave； twitching each time a shadow passed down the aisle； waiting numbly for something to fall on him from the shadows overhead。 And then a magic window opened at the front of the cave and he sat there in the acrid stink of his own terror…sweat； eyes wide； face a mask of horror； as cars crashed and overturned； as buildings burned； as one man chased another。
'Previews；' Jack mumbled。 'Told you you'd like it ' There were Voices。 One said nosmoking。 One said don't litter。 One said groupratesavailable。 One said Bargain Matinee…priceseveryweekdayuntilfourp。m。
'Wolf； we got screwed；' Jack mumbled。 He started to say something else； but it turned into a snore。
A final voice said andnowourfeaturepresentation and that was when Wolf lost control。 Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings was in Dolby sound； and the projectionist had orders to really crank it in the afternoons； because that's when the heads drifted in； and the heads really liked loud Dolby。
There was a screeching； discordant crash of brass。 The magic window opened again and now Wolf could see the fire…shifting oranges and reds。
He howled and leaped to his feet； pulling with him a Jack who was more asleep than awake。
'Jack！' he screamed。 'Get out！ Got to get out！ Wolf！ See the fire！ Wolf！ Wolf！'
'Down in front！' someone shouted。
'Shut up； hoser！' someone else yelled。
The door at the back of Cinema 6 opened。 'What's going on in here？'
'Wolf； shut up！' Jack hissed。 'For God's sake…'
'OWWWWWW…OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO！'
Wolf howled。
A woman got a good look at Wolf as the white light from the lobby fell on him。 She screamed and began dragging her little boy out by one arm。 Literally dragging him； the kid had fallen to his knees and was skidding up the popcorn…littered carpet of the center aisle。 One of his sneakers had e off。
'OWWWWWWWW…OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHOOOOOOHHHHOOOOOO！'
The pothead three rows down had turned around and was looking at them with bleary interest。 He held a smouldering joint in one hand； a spare was cocked behind his ear。 'Far 。 。 。 out；' he pronounced。 'Fucking werewolves of London strike again； right？'
'Okay；' Jack said。 'Okay； we'll get out。 No problem。 Just 。 。 。 just don't do that anymore； okay？ Okay？'
He started leading Wolf out。 The weariness had fallen over him again。
The light of the lobby hit his eyes sharply； needling them。 The woman who had dragged the little boy out of the theater was backed into a corner with her arms around the kid。 When she saw Jack lead the still…howling Wolf through the double doors of Cinema 6； she swept the kid up and made a break for it。
The counterman； the ticket…girl； the projectionist； and a tall man in a sportcoat that looked as if it belonged on the back of a racetrack tout were clustered together in a tight little group。 Jack supposed the guy in the checkered sportcoat and white shoes was the manager。
The doors of the other cinemas in the hive had opened partway。 Faces peered out of the darkness to see what all the hooraw was。 To Jack； they all looked like badgers peering out of their holes。
'Get out！' the man in the checkered sportcoat said。 'Get out； I've called the police already； they'll be here in five minutes。'
Bullshit you did； Jack thought； feeling a ray of hope。 You didn't have time。 And if we blow right away； maybe…just maybe…you won't bother。
'We're going；' he said。 'Look； I'm sorry。 It's just that 。 。 。 my big brother's an epileptic and he just had a seizure。 We 。 。 。 we forgot his medicine。'
At the word epileptic； the ticket…girl and the counterman recoiled。 It was as if Jack had said leper。
'e on； Wolf。'
He saw the manager's eyes drop； saw his lip curl with distaste。 Jack followed the glance and saw the wide dark stain on the front of Wolf's Oshkosh biballs。 He had wet himself。
Wolf also saw。 Much in Jack's world was foreign to him； but he apparently knew well enough what that look of contempt meant。 He burst into loud； braying； heartbroken sobs。
'Jack； I'm sorry； Wolf is so SORRY！'
'Get him out of here；' the manager said contemptuously； and turned away。
Jack put an arm around Wolf and got him started toward the door。 'e on； Wolf；' he said。 He spoke quietly； and with an honest tenderness。 He had never felt quite so keenly for Wolf as he did now。 'e on； it was my fault； not yours。 Let's go。'
'Sorry。' Wolf wept brokenly。 'I'm no good； God pound me； just no good。'
'You're plenty good；' Jack said。 'e on。'
He pushed open the door and they went out into the thin； late…October warmth。
The woman with the child was easily twenty yards away； but when she saw Jack and Wolf； she retreated backward toward her car； holding her kid in front of her like a cornered gangster with a hostage。
'Don't let him e near me！' she screamed。 'Don't let that monster e near my baby！ Do you hear？ Don't let him e near me！'
Jack thought he should say something to calm her down； but he couldn't think what it might be。 He was too tired。
He and Wolf started away； heading across the parking lot at an angle。 Halfway back to the road； Jack staggered。 The world went briefly gray。
He was vaguely aware of Wolf sweeping him up in his arms and carrying him that way； like a baby。 Vaguely aware that Wolf was crying。
'Jack； I'm so sorry； please don't hate Wolf； I can be a good old Wolf； you wait； you'll see 。 。 。 '
'I don't hate you；' Jack said。 'I know you're 。 。 。 you're a good old…'
But before he could finish； he had fallen asleep。 When he woke up it was evening and Muncie was behind them。 Wolf had gotten off the main roads and on to a web of farm roads and dirt tracks。 Totally unconfused by the lack of signs and the multitude of choices； he had continued west with all the unerring instinct of a migrating bird。
They slept that night in an empty house north of Cammack； and Jack thought in the morning that his fever had gone down a little。
It was midmorning…midmorning of October 28th…when Jack realized that the hair was back on Wolf's palms。
CHAPTER 19
Jack in the Box
1
They camped that night in the ruins of a burned…out house with a wide field on one side and a copse of woods on another。 There was a farmhouse on the far side of the field； but Jack thought that he and Wolf would be safe enough if they were quiet and stayed in most of the time。 After the sun went down； Wolf went off into the woods。 He was moving slowly； his face close to the ground。 Before Jack lost sight of him； he thought that Wolf looked like a nearsighted man hunting for his dropped spectacles。 Jack became quite nervous （visions of Wolf caught in a steel…jawed trap had begun to e to him； Wolf caught and grimly not howling as he gnawed at his own leg 。 。 。） before Wolf returned； walking almost upright this time； and carrying plants in both hands； the roots dangling out of his fists。
'What have you got there； Wolf？' Jack asked。
'Medicine；' Wolf said morosely。 'But it's not very good； Jack。 Wolf！ Nothing's much good in your world！'
'Medicine？ What do you mean？'
But Wolf would say no more。 He produced two wooden matches from the bib pocket of his overalls and started a smokeless fire and asked Jack if he could find a can。 Jack found a beer can in the ditch。 Wolf smelled it and wrinkled his nose。
'More bad smells。 Need water； Jack。 Clean water。 I'll go； if you're too tired。'
'Wolf； I want to know what you're up to。'
'I'll go；' Wolf said。 'There's a farm right across that field。 Wolf！ There'll be water there。 You rest。'
Jack had a vision of some farmer's wife looking out the kitchen window as she did the supper dishes and seeing Wolf skulking around in the dooryard with a beer can in one hairy paw and a bunch of roots and herbs in the other。
'I'll go；' he said。
The farm was not five hundred feet away from where they had camped； the warm yellow lights were clearly visible across the field。 Jack went； filled the beer can at a shed faucet without incident； and started back。 Halfway across the field he realized he could see his shadow； and looked up at the sky。
The moon； now almost full； rode the eastern horizon。
Troubled； Jack went back to Wolf and gave him the can of water。 Wolf sniffed； winced again； but said nothing。 He put the can over the fire and began to sift crumbled bits of the things he had picked in through the pop…top hole。 F