按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Wolf was going with the moon。
He felt it happen as the patch of sun ing in through the ventilation square began to rise higher and higher； as the quality of the light became reddish。 It was too early to go with the moon； she was not fully pregnant yet and it would hurt him。 Yet it would happen； as it always happened to Wolfs eventually； in season or out of it； when they were pressed too long and too hard。 Wolf had held himself in check for a long time because it was what Jacky wanted。 He had performed great heroisms for Jack in this world。 Jack would dimly suspect some of them； yet never e close to apprehending their incredible depth and breadth。
But now he was dying； and he was going with the moon； and because the latter made the former seem more than bearable…almost holy； and surely ordained…Wolf went in relief； and in gladness。 It was wonderful not to have to struggle any…more。
His mouth； suddenly deep with teeth。
3
After Heck left； there were office sounds： the soft scrape of chairs being moved； a jingle of the keys on Sunlight Gardener's belt； a file…cabinet door running open and then closed。
'Abelson。 Two hundred and forty dollars and thirty…six cents。'
Sounds of keys being punched。 Peter Abelson was one of the boys on OS。 Like all of the OS boys； he was bright； personable； and had no physical defects。 Jack had seen him only a few times； but he thought Abelson looked like Dondi； that homeless waif with the big eyes in the ic strips。
'Clark。 Sixty…two dollars and seventeen cents。'
Keys being punched。 The machine rumbled as Sonny hit the TOTAL key。
'That's a real fall…off；' Sonny remarked。
'I'll talk to him； never fear。 Now please don't chatter at me； Sonny。 Mr。 Sloat arrives in Muncie at ten…fifteen and it's a long drive。 I don't want to be late。'
'Sorry； Reverend Gardener。'
Gardener made some reply Jack didn't even hear。 At the name Sloat； a great shock had walloped him…and yet part of him was unsurprised。 Part of him had known this might be in the cards。 Gardener had been suspicious from the first。 He had not wanted to bother his boss with trivialities； Jack figured。 Or maybe he had not wanted to admit he couldn't get the truth out of Jack without help。 But at last he had called…where？ East？ West？ Jack would have given a great lot just then to know。 Had Morgan been in Los Angeles； or New Hampshire？
Hello； Mr。 Sloat。 I hope I'm not disturbing you； but the local police have brought me a boy…two boys； actually； but it's only the intelligent one I'm concerned with。 I seem to know him。 Or perhaps it's my 。 。 。 ah； my other self who knows him。 He gives his name as Jack Parker； but 。 。 。 what？ Describe him？ All right
And the balloon had gone up。
Please don't chatter at me； Sonny。 Mr。 Sloat arrives in Muncie at ten…fifteen 。 。 。
Time had almost run out。
I told you to get your ass home； Jack 。 。 。 too late now。
All boys are bad。 It's axiomatic。
Jack raised his head a tiny bit and looked across the room。 Gardener and Sonny Singer sat together on the far side of the desk in Gardener's basement office。 Sonny was punching the keys of an adding machine as Gardener gave him set after set of figures； each figure following the name of an Outside Staffer； each name neatly set in alphabetical order。 In front of Sunlight Gardener was a ledger； a long steel file…box； and an untidy stack of envelopes。 As Gardener held one of these envelopes up to read the amount scribbled on the front； Jack was able to see the back。 There was a drawing of two happy children； each carrying a Bible； skipping down the road toward a church； hand…in…hand。 Written below them was I'LL BE A SUNBEAM FOR JESUS。
'Temkin。 A hundred and six dollars even。' The envelope went into the steel file…box with the others that had been recorded。
'I think he's been skimming again；' Sonny said。
'God sees the truth but waits；' Gardener said mildly。 'Victor's all right。 Now shut up and let's get this done before six。'
Sonny punched the keys。
The picture of Jesus walking on the water had been swung outward； revealing a safe behind it。 The safe was open。
Jack saw that there were other things of interest on Sunlight Gardener's desk： two envelopes； one marked JACK PARKER and the other PHILIP JACK WOLFE。 And his good old pack。
The third thing was Sunlight Gardener's bunch of keys。
From the keys； Jack's eyes moved to the locked door on the left…hand side of the room…Gardener's private exit to the outside； he knew。 If only there was a way…'
Yellin。 Sixty…two dollars and nineteen cents。'
Gardener sighed； put the last envelope into the long steel tray； and closed his ledger。 'Apparently Heck was right。 I believe our dear friend Mr。 Jack Parker has awakened。' He got up； came around the desk； and walked toward Jack。 His mad； hazy eyes glittered。 He reached into his pocket and came out with a lighter。 Jack felt a panic rise inside him at the sight of it。 'Only your name isn't really Parker at all； is it； my dear boy？ Your real name is Sawyer； isn't it？ Oh yes； Sawyer。 And someone with a great interest in you is going to arrive very； very soon。 And we'll have all sorts of interesting things to tell him； won't we？'
Sunlight Gardener tittered and flicked back the Zippo's hood； revealing the blackened wheel； the smoke…darkened wick。
'Confession is so good for the soul；' he whispered； and struck a light。
4
Thud。
'What was that？' Rudolph asked； looking up from his bank of double…ovens。 Supper…fifteen large turkey pies…was ing along nicely。
'What was what？' George Irwinson asked。
At the sink； where he was peeling potatoes； Donny Keegan uttered his loud yuck…yuck of a laugh。
'I didn't hear anything；' Irwinson said。
Donny laughed again。
Rudolph looked at him； irritated。 'You gonna peel those goddam potatoes down to nothing； you idiot？'
'Hyuck…hyuck…hyuck！'
Thud！
'There； you heard it that time； didn't you？'
Irwinson only shook his head。
Rudolph was suddenly afraid。 Those sounds were ing from the Box…which； of course； he was supposed to believe was a hay…drying shed。 Some fat chance。 That big boy was in the Box…the one they were saying had been caught in sodomy that morning with his friend； the one who had tried to bribe their way out only the day before。 They said the big boy had shown a mean streak before Bast whopped him one 。 。 。 and some of them were also saying that the big boy hadn't just broken Bast's hand； they were saying he had squeezed it to a pulp。 That was a lie； of course； had to be； but…
THUD！
This time Irwinson looked around。 And suddenly Rudolph decided he needed to go to the bathroom。 And that maybe he would go all the way up to the third floor to do his business。 And not e out for two； maybe three hours。 He felt the approach of black work…very black work。
THUD…THUD！
Fuck the turkey pies。
Rudolph took off his apron； tossed it on the counter over the salt cod he had been freshening for tomorrow night's supper； and started out of the room。
'Where are you going？' Irwinson asked。 His voice was suddenly too high。 It trembled。 Donny Keegan went right on furiously peeling potatoes the size of Nerf footballs down to potatoes the size of Spalding golfballs； his dank hair hanging in his face。
THUD！ THUD！ THUD… THUD…THUD！
Rudolph didn't answer Irwinson's question； and by the time he hit the second…floor stairs； he was nearly running。 It was hard times in Indiana； work was scarce； and Sunlight Gardener paid cash。
All the same； Rudolph had begun to wonder if the time to look for a new job had not e； could you say get me outta here。
5
THUD！
The bolt at the top of the Box's Dutch…oven…type door snapped in two。 For a moment there was a dark gap between the Box and the door。
Silence for a time。 Then：
THUD！
The bottom bolt creaked； bent。
THUD！
It snapped。
The door of the box creaked open on its big； clumsy homemade hinges。 Two huge； heavily pelted feet poked out； soles up。 Long claws dug into the dust。
Wolf started to work his way out。
6
Back and forth the flame went in front of Jack's eyes； back and forth； back and forth。 Sunlight Gardener looked like a cross between a stage hypnotist and some old…time actor playing the lead in the biography of a Great Scientist on The Late Late Show。 Paul Muni； maybe。 It was funny…if he hadn't been so terrified； Jack would have laughed。 And maybe he would laugh； anyway。
'Now I have a few questions for you； and you are going to answer them；' Gardener said。 'Mr。 Morgan could get the answers out of you himself…oh； easily； indubitably！…but I prefer not to put him to the trouble。 So 。 。 。 how long have you been able to Migrate？'
'I don't know what you mean。'
'How long have you been able to Migrate to the Territories？'
'I don't know what you're talking about。'
The flame came closer。
'Where's the nigger？'
'Who？'
'The nigger； the nigger！' Gardener shrieked。 'Parker； Parkus； whatever he calls himself！ Where is he？'
'I don't know who you're talking about。'
'Sonny！ Andy！' Gardener screamed。 'Unlace his left hand。 Hold it out to me。'
Warwick bent over Jack's shoulder and did something。 A moment later they were peeling Jack's hand away from the small of his back。 It tingled with pins and needles； waking up。 Jack tried to struggle； but it was useless。 They held his hand out。
'Now spread his fingers open。'
Sonny pulled Jack's ring finger and his pinky in one direction； Warwick pulled his pointer and middle finger in the other。 A moment later； Gardener had applied the Zippo's flame to the webbing at the base of the V they had created。 The pain was exquisite； bolting up his left arm and from there seeming to fill his whole body。 A sweet； charring smell drifted up。 Himself。 Burning。 Himself。
After an eternity； Gardener pulled the Zippo back and snapped it shut。 Fine beads of sweat covered his forehead。 He was panting。
'Devils scream before they e out；' he said。 'Oh yes indeed they do。 Don't they； boys？'
'Yes； praise God；' Warwick said。
'You pounded that nail；' Sonny said。
'Oh yes； I know it。 Yes indeed I do。 I know the secrets of both boys and devils。' Gardener tittered； then leaned forward until his face was an inch from Jack's。 The cloying scent of cologne filled Jack's nose。 Terrible as it was； he thought it was quite a lot better than his own burning flesh。 'Now； Jack。 How long have you been Migrating？ Where is the nigger？ How much does your mother know？ Who have you told？ What has the nigger told you？ We'll start with those。'
'I don't know what you're talking about。'
Gardener bared his teeth in a grin。
'Boys；' he said； 'we're going to get sunlight in this boy's soul yet。 Lace up his left arm again and unlace his right。'
Sunlight Gardener opened his lighter again and waited for them to do it； his thumb resting lightly on the striker wheel。
7
George Irwinson and Donny Keegan were still in the kitchen。
'Someone's out there；' George said nervously。
Donny said nothing。 He had finished peeling the potatoes and now stood by the ovens for their warmth。 He didn't know what to do next。 Confession was being held just down the hall； he knew； and that's where he wanted to be…confession was safe； and here in the kitchen he felt very； very nervous…but Rudolph hadn't dismissed them。 Best to stay right here。
'I heard someone；' George said。
Donny laughed： 'Hyuck！ Hyuck！ Hyuck！'
'Jesus； that laugh of yours barfs me out；' George said。 'I got a new Captain America funnybook under my mattress。 If you take a look out there； I'll let you read it。'
Donny shook his head and honked his donkey…laugh again。
George looked toward the door。 Sounds。 Scratching。 That's what it sounded like。 Scratching at the door。 Like a dog that wanted to be let in。 A lost； homeless pup。 Except what sort of lost； homeless pup scratched near the top of a door that was nearly seven feet tall？
George went to the window and looked out。 He could see almost nothing in the gloom。 The Box was just a darker shadow ami