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re your mom came home。〃
〃You think so？〃
He wants to believe that。 Is it cruel to encourage him？ I don't think so； hell； I'd want to believe it if I were him。 It might even be true。 〃I wouldn't be surprised；〃 said Zach。 〃You know he loved you…〃
〃No I don't。 I know he loved them。 He took them with him。 He left me here。〃
〃Bullshit！〃 Zach didn't care about giving the right answer now； this line of reasoning made him too angry to worry about getting hit。 〃He wasted everything they ever could have done； could have been。 The only life he had a right to take was his own。 He robbed them。〃
〃But if you love someone…〃
〃Then you want them to be alive。 What's to love about a cold； dead body？〃 Zach caught himself before he went too far on that track。 〃Bobby fucked up your life pretty good； but at least he let you keep it。 He must have loved you best。 If you were dead； twenty years of drawings never could've existed； and I couldn't be loving you； and you couldn't even be wondering about all this…〃
〃What？〃
〃I said； you couldn't even be wondering…〃
〃No。 The other part。〃
〃I couldn't be loving you；〃 Zach repeated softly。 The words felt so strange in his mouth； they had slipped out before he had even known he was going to say them。 But he didn't want to take them back。
〃I love you too；〃 said Trevor。 He leaned over and kissed Zach full on the mouth。 Zach's eyes widened and he tried to pull away； but Trevor held him tight。 He felt Trevor's tongue sliding over his lips； worrying at the corners； and finally he gave up and opened his mouth to Trevor。 They had already exchanged most of their other bodily fluids； he supposed a little puke wouldn't make much difference。
At last Trevor relented and just held him。 Zach felt his shakes beginning to recede； the raw burn of bile fading from his throat。
〃So you're really on the run？〃 Trevor asked after a while。
Zach nodded。
〃And you told Kinsey and Terry you were from New York？〃
〃Well； I don't think Kinsey believes me。 But that's what I told them； yeah。〃
〃You want to talk about it？〃
〃Could we get in the car first？〃
〃Sure。〃 Trevor reached for the keys； and Zach surrendered them without argument。 〃We ought to get going anyway； before those rednecks decide to e back and kick our asses。〃
Zach laughed。 〃Hell； if they did； Kinsey could just e out brandishing his casserole and scare 'em off。〃
Trevor got a feel for the Mustang quickly。 He had once had a brief job driving cars from place to place； reasons unspecified and questions not encouraged by the management。 Most of them had been scary old junkers or boring Japanese cracker…boxes； but this car was fun to drive。 Its engine was loud but smooth； and its wheels chewed up the road like a vicious little wildcat worrying a blacksnake。
There was a sour taste in his mouth like fruit juice gone bad； the ghost of Zach's recycled wine。 To Trevor it wasn't much different from having the flavor of Zach's sweat or spit or e on his lips。 If you loved someone； he thought； you should know their body inside and out。 You should be willing to taste it； breathe it； wallow in it。
He got off Kinsey's road； found his way to the highway； then took a side road that wandered off into the country。
〃I like the way you drive；〃 said Zach。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Fast。〃
〃Just talk to me。〃
〃It has to do with puters；〃 Zach warned。
〃I figured as much；〃 Trevor said darkly。
They drove for an hour or more around the outskirts of Missing Mile； past dark fields； deserted churches and railroad crossings； small neat houses lit warm against the night。 They passed the occasional bright store or honkytonk joint； swerved to miss the occasional wet splay of roadkill on the hot blacktop。
Zach told his tale without interruption from Trevor； save for an occasional question。 When he finished； Trevor's brain was spinning with unfamiliar terminology； with arcane concepts he had never believed possible； but many of which Zach claimed he had already done。
〃You mean you could get information about anybody… and change it？ Could you get information about me？〃
〃Sure。〃
〃How？〃
〃Well； let's see。〃 Zach ticked off possibilities on his fingers。 〃Do you have any credit cards？〃
〃No。〃
〃Ever had a phone in your name？〃
〃No。〃
〃How about a police record？〃
〃Well 。 。 。 yeah。〃 Trevor shuddered at the memory。 〃I got picked up for vagrancy once in Georgia。 Spent the night in jail。〃
〃I could get that easy。 Erase it； too。 With your Social Security number I could probably get your school and social…services records。 And your standing with the IRS； of course。〃
〃I doubt the IRS has ever heard of me。〃
Zach laughed softly。 〃Don't bet on it； boyfriend。〃
They took a roundabout route back to Violin Road。 By the time Trevor parked the car behind the house； it felt very late。 The clouds had blown over and the sky was a brilliant inverted bowl of stars。 Zach saw the Big Dipper； the Little Dipper； and the faint soft skirl of the Milky Way； which pretty much exhausted his store of astronomical knowledge。 But he stared up into the universe until he was dizzy with infinity； and he thought he could see the great bowl slowly revolving around them； order born of chaos； meaning born of void。
They pushed their way through the vines and entered the dark living room。 The house felt very calm and still。 Even the doorway to the hall had gone neutral。 It was as if some charge had been switched off； as if some current had been interrupted； though the lights still worked。 They brushed their teeth in the kitchen sink； fitted the sheets from Potter's Store onto the mattress in Trevor's room； undressed and lay together in the restful dark； their heads touching on the single pillow； their hands loosely joined。
〃So I might bring ghosts into your Me；〃 Trevor mused； 〃and you might bring feds into mine。〃
〃I guess so。〃
Trevor thought about it。 〃I believe I'd take my chances with the ghosts if I were you。〃
〃I was hoping you'd say that。〃
And I guess I'll take my chances with the long arm of the law； Trevor thought as he rolled over and fitted himself into the curve of Zach's body。 Harboring a fugitive is bad enough… they probably have a special punishment if you fall in love with one。 He found that the idea of mitting a federal crime didn't faze him much。 The thought of being in love still seemed far stranger。
Zach had broken all kinds of laws； he supposed； but Trevor had never had much regard for laws。 Few of them made sense to him； and none of them worked worth a shit。 He had managed to avoid breaking them very often simply because he didn't have many bad habits； and most of the ones he did have happened to be legal。 But if any suit…wearing； mirrorshaded zombie dared touch a hair on Zach's head； or set foot inside the boundaries of Birdland 。。。
Trevor didn't know what might happen then。 But he thought there would be great damage and pain。 After all； this house had tasted blood before； had tasted it again today。
He thought it might be getting a taste for the stuff。
Somewhere in the hazy zone between night and morning； Zach opened his eyes a crack and squinted into the darkness。 He had no real sense of the room around him； of where he was at all。 He only knew that he was still mostly asleep and about half…drunk； that his head was throbbing and his bladder was painfully full。
He pushed himself off the mattress and stumbled into the hall。 At the end of it a soft light glowed like a beacon。 All he had to do was make his way to that light and relieve himself； then he could fall back into bed and sleep until the headache was gone。
Zach shuffled down the hall naked and barefooted； trailing a hand along the wall for balance； and entered the bathroom。 One of the forty…watt bulbs in the ceiling fixture buzzed fitfully； giving off a dim； flickering light。 He stepped up to the toilet bowl and urinated into the small pool of dark muddy…looking water。 The sound of his pee hitting the stained porcelain seemed very loud in the silent house； and he hoped he wouldn't wake Trevor。
Trevor 。 。 。 asleep in the next room； in Birdland 。 。 。
Zach was suddenly wide awake and very conscious of where he was。 His stream of urine dried up。 As he let go of his dick he felt a single warm drop slide down his thigh。 The ghost of cheap red wine still swirled in his brain； making him dizzy； making him aware of just how easy it would be to panic。
But there was no need。 All he had to do was turn； step away from the toilet； and…and he knew he hadn't shut the door behind him when he came in。
Though he had been mostly asleep； he remembered groping past it； hearing the knob rattle against the wall。 The hinges were caked with rust and could not have closed silently。 But though Zach had heard nothing； the door was now shut tight。
He swallowed； felt his throat click dryly。
Well； you live in a haunted house； you're going to have doors shutting themselves once in a while。 But that doesn't mean anything in here can hurt you。 All you have to do is walk over and turn the knob and you're out of here。
（and don't look at the tub）
That last thought came unbidden。 Zach threw himself at the door； clawed at the knob。 It slipped through his fingers and he realized that his hands were slick with sweat。 He wiped them on his bare chest and made himself try again。 The knob would not turn； would not even rattle in its moorings。 It was as if the workings of the lock had fused。
Or as if something were holding the door shut from the other side。
He yanked at the door with all his strength。 Though he could feel the old wood bowing inward； nothing gave。 He wondered what would happen if he managed to tear the knob clean out of the door。 If there was something in the hall； would it e rushing in through the hole and engulf him？
Zach let go of the knob and stared around the bathroom。 The ancient linoleum had begun to curl at the corners； exposing the rotting wood beneath。 The peeling paint was streaked from ceiling to floor with long rusty watermarks。 The bare shower curtain rod was cruelly bowed； the bottom of the tub glazed with a thin layer of filth； the black hole of the drain ringed in green mold。 He thought of pounding on the wall； trying to wake Trevor to e get him out of here； but the tub was set into the wall that adjoined their room。 He would have to lean way over it； or climb right in。
He looked quickly away from the tub； and his gaze fell on the mirror over the sink。 It reflected his own pale sweaty face； his own wide scared eyes； but Zach thought he saw something else in there too。 Some subtle movement； a rippling in the surface of the glass itself； a strange sparkling in its depths as if the glass were a silver vortex trying to draw him in。
Frowning； he moved closer。 The cold lip of the sink pushed against his lower belly。 Zach leaned closer until his forehead was nearly touching the glass。 It occurred to him that the mirror could simply explode outward； burying razor…shards of glass in his face； his eyes； his brain。
Part of his mind was cowering； gibbering； begging him to get away。 But part of him…the larger part…had to know。
One of the taps twisted on。
Hot liquid gushed into the sink； splashed up onto his belly； his chest； his hands and arms。 Zach jumped back； looked down at himself； and felt his well…trained gag reflex try to trigger for the second time that night。
He was covered with dark streaks and splotches of the blood that was still globbing out of the faucet； pooling in the sink。 But this was no fresh vivid crimson like the blood from his lip yesterday。 This blood was thick and rank； already half…clotted。 Its color was the red…black of a scab； and it stank of decaying meat。
As he watched； the other tap turned slowly on。 A second fluid began to mingle with the rotting blood； a thinner fluid； viscous and milky…white。 The odor of decay was suddenly laced with the raw fresh smell of semen。 As they came out of the faucet； the two streams twisted together like some sort of devil's candy cane； red and white （and Black all over 。 。 。 wouldn't Trevor love to put this in a story？）。
Z