sk.cujo-第37章

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o　him；　a　dream　which　seemed　utterly　ordinary　but　which　had　a　strange；　nearly　terrifying　power。　In　his　dream　he　saw　a　big　boy　throwing　a　friction…taped　baseball　up　and　trying　to　hit　it。　He　missed　twice；　three　times；　four。　On　the　fifth　swing　he　hit　the　ball　。。。　and　the　bat；　which　had　also　been　taped；　shattered　at　the　handle。　The　boy　held　the　handle　for　a　moment　（black　tape　flapped　from　it）；　then　bent　and　picked　up　the　fat　of　the　bat。　He　looked　at　it　for　a　moment；　shook　his　head　disgustedly；　and　tossed　it　into　the　high　grass　at　the　side　of　the　driveway。　Then　he　turned；　and　Tad　saw　with　a　sudden　shock　that　was　half　dread；　half　delight；　that　the　boy　was　himself　at　ten　or　eleven。　Yes；　it　was　him。　He　was　sure　of　it。
Then　the　boy　was　gone；　and　there　was　a　grayness。　In　it　he　could　bear　two　sounds：　creaking　swing　chains　。。。　and　the　faint　quacking　of　ducks。　With　these　sounds　and　the　grayness
came　a　sudden　scary　feeling　that　he　could　not　breathe；　he　was　suffocating。　And　a　man　was　walking　out　of　the　mist。。。　a　man　who　wore　a　black　shiny　raincoat　and　held　a　stop　sign　on　a　stick　in　one　band。　He　grinned；　and　his　eyes　were　shiny　silver　coins。　He　raised　one　band　to　point　at　Tad；　and　he　saw　with　horror　it　wasn't　a　hand　at　all；　it　was　bones；　and　the　face　inside　the　shiny　vinyl　hood　of　the　raincoat　wasn't　a　face　at　all。　It　was　a　skull。　It　was　
He　jerked　awake；　his　body　bathed　in　sweat　that　was　only　in　part　due　to　the　room's　almost　explosive　heat。　He　sat　up；　propped　on　his　elbows；　breathing　in　harsh　gasps。
Snick。
The　closet　door　was　swinging　open。　And　as　it　swung　open　he　saw　something　inside；　only　for　a　second　and　then　he　was　flying　for　the　door　which　gave　on　the　hall　as　fast　as　he　could。　He　saw　it　only　for　a　second；　long　enough　to　tell　it　wasn't　the　man　in　the　shiny　black　raincoat；　Frank　Dodd；　the　man　who　had　killed　the　ladies。　Not　him。　Something　else。　Something　with　red　eyes　like　bloody　sunsets。
But　he　could　not　speak　of　these　things　to　his　mother。　So　he　concentrated　on　Debbie；　the　sitter；　instead。
He　didn't　want　to　be　left　with　Debbie；　Debbie　was　mean　to　him；　she　always　played　the　record　player　loud；　et　cetera；　et　cetera。　When　none　of　this　had　much　effect　on　his　mother；　Tad　suggested　ominously　that　Debbie　might　shoot　him。　When　Donna　made　the　mistake　of　giggling　helplessly　at　the　thought　of　fifteen…year…old　myopic　Debbie　Gehringer　shooting　anyone；　Tad　burst　into　miserable　tears　and　ran　into　the　living　room。　He　needed　to　tell　her　that　Debbie　Gehringer　might　not　be　strong　enough　to　keep　the　monster　in　his　closet…that　if　dark　fell　and　his　mother　was　not　back；　it　might　e　out。　It　might　be　the　man　in　the　black　raincoat；　or　it　might　be　the　beast。
Donna　followed　him；　sorry　for　her　laughter；　wondering　how　she　could　have　been　so　insensitive。　The　boy's　father　was　gone；　and　that　was　upsetting　enough。　He　didn't　want　to　lose　sight　of　his　mother　for　even　an　hour。　And　
And　isn't　it　possible　he　senses　some　of　what's　gone　on　between　Vic　and　me？　Perhaps　even　beard。　。。？
No；　she　didn't　think　that。　She　couldn't　think　that。　It　was　just　the　upset　in　his　routine。
The　door　to　the　living　room　was　shut。　She　reached　for　the　knob；　hesitated；　then　knocked　softly　instead。　There　was　no　answer。　She　knocked　again　and　when　there　was　still　no　answer；　she　went　in　quietly。　Tad　was　lying　face　down　on　the　couch　with　one　of　the　back　cushions　pulled　firmly　down　over　his　head。　It　was　behavior　reserved　only　for　major　upsets。
'Tad？'
No　answer。
'I'm　sorry　I　laughed。'
His　face　looked　out　at　her　from　beneath　one　edge　of　the　puffy；　dove…gray　sofa　cushion。　There　were　fresh　tears　on　his　face。　'Please　can't　I　e？'　he　asked。　'Don't　make　me　stay　here　with　Debbie；　Mom。'　Great　histrionics；　she　thought。　Great　histrionics　and　blatant　coercion。　She　recognized　it　（or　felt　she　did）　and　at　the　same　time　found　it　impossible　to　be　tough　。。。　partly　because　her　own　tears　were　threatening　again。　Lately　it　seemed　that　there　was　always　a　cloudburst　just　over　the　horizon。
'Honey；　you　know　the　way　the　Pinto　was　when　we　came　back　from　town。　It　could　break　down　in　the　middle　of　East　Galoshes　Corners　and　we'd　have　to　walk　to　a　house　and　use　the　telephone；　maybe　a　long　way
'So？　I'm　a　good　walker！'
'I　know；　but　you　might　get　scared。'
Thinking　of　the　thing　in　the　closet；　Tad　suddenly　cried　out　with　all　his　force；　'I　will　not　get　scared！'　His　hand　had　gone　automatically　to　the　bulge　in　his　hip　pocket　of　his　jeans；　where　the　Monster　Words　were　stowed　away。
'Don't　raise　your　voice　that　way；　please。　It　sounds　ugly。'
He　lowered　his　voice。　'I　won't　get　scared。　I　just　want　to　go　with　you。'
She　looked　at　him　helplessly；　knowing　that　she　really　ought　to　call　Debby　Gehringer；　feeling　that　she　was　being　shamelessly　manipulated　by　her　four…year…old　son。　And　if
she　gave　in　it　would　he　for　all　the　wrong　reasons。　She　thought　helplessly；　It's　like　a　chain　reaction　that　doesn't　stop　anyplace　and　it's　gumming　up　works　I　didn't　even　know　existed。　0　God　I　wish　I　was　in　Tahiti。
She　opened　her　mouth　to　tell　him；　quite　firmly　and　once　and　for　all；　that　she　was　going　to　call　Debbie　and　they　could　make　popcorn　together　if　he　was　good　and　that　he　would　have　to　go　to　bed　right　after　supper　if　he　was　bad　and　that　was　the　end　of　it。　Instead；　what　came　out　was；　'All　right；　you　can　e。　But　our　Pinto　might　not　make　it；　and　if　it　doesn't　we'll　have　to　walk　to　a　house　and　have　the　Town　Taxi　e　and　pick　us　up。　And　if　we　do　have　to　walk；　I　don't　want　to　have　to　listen　to　you　crabbing　at　me；　Tad　Trenton。
'No；　I　won't…'
'Let　me　finish。　I　don't　want　you　crabbing　at　me　or　asking　me　to　carry　you；　because　I　won't　do　it。　Do　we　have　an　understanding？'
'Yeah！　Yeah；　sure！'　Tad　hopped　off　the　sofa；　all　grief　forgotten。　'Are　we　going　now。
'Yes；　I　guess　so。　Or　。。。　I　know　what。　Why　don't　I　make　us　a　snack　first？　A　snack　and　we'll　put　some　milk　in　the　Thermos　bottles；　too。'
'In　case　we　have　to　camp　out　all　night？'　Tad　looked　suddenly　doubtful　again。
'No；　honey。'　She　smiled　and　gave　him　a　little　hug。　'But　I　still　haven't　been　able　to　get　Mr。　Camber　on　the　telephone。　Your　daddy　says　it's　probably　just　because　he　doesn't　have　a　phone　in　his　garage　so　he　doesn't　know　I'm　calling。　And　his　wife　and　his　little　boy　might　be　someplace；　so　…'
'He　should　have　a　phone　in　his　garage；'　Tad　said。　'That's　dumb。'
'Just　don't　you　tell　him　that；'　Donna　said　quickly；　and　Tad　shook　his　head　that　he　wouldn't。　'Anyway；　if　nobody's　there；　I　thought　you　and　I　could　have　a　little　snack　in　the　car　or　maybe　on　his　steps　and　wait　for　him。'
Ted　clapped　his　hands。　'Great！　Great！　Can　I　take　my　Snoopy　lunchbox？'
'Sure；'　Donna　said；　giving　in　pletely。
She　found　a　box　of　Keebler　figbars　and　a　couple　of　Slim　Jims　（Donna　thought　they　were　hideous　things；　but　they　were　Tad's　all…time　favorite　snack）。　She　wrapped　some　green　olives　and　cucumber　slices　in　foil。　She　filled　Tad's　Thermos　with　milk　and　half…filled　Vic's　big　Thermos；　the　one　he　took　on　camping　trips。
For　some　reason；　looking　at　the　food　made　her　uneasy。
She　looked　at　the　phone　and　thought　about　trying　Joe　Camber's　number　again。　Then　she　decided　there　was　no　sense　in　it；　since　they　would　be　going　out　there　either　way。　Then　she　thought　of　asking　Tad　again　if　he　wouldn't　rather　she　called　Debbie　Gehringer；　and　then　wondered　what　was　wrong　with　her　…　Tad　had　made　himself　perfectly　clear　on　that　point。
It　was　just　that　suddenly　she　didn't　feel　good。　Not　good　at　all。　It　was　nothing　she　could　put　her　finger　on。　She　looked　around　the　kitchen　as　if　expecting　the　source　of　her　unease　to　announce　itself。　It　didn't。
'We　going；　Mom？'
'Yes；'　she　said　absently。　There　was　a　noteminder　on　the　wall　by　the　fridge；　and　on　this　she　scrawled：　Tad　&　I　have　gone　out　to　J。　Camber's　garage　w/Pinto。　Back　soon。
'Ready；　Tad？'
'Sure。'　He　grinned。　'Who's　the　note　for；　Mom？'
'Oh；　Joanie　might　drop　by　with　those　raspberries；'　she　said　vaguely。　'Or　maybe　Alison　MacKenzie。　She　was　going　to　show　me　some　Amway　and　Avon　stuff。'
'oh'
Donna　ruffled　his　hair　and　they　went　out　together。　The　heat　hit　them　like　a　hammer　wrapped　in　pillows。　Buggardly　car　probably　won't　even　start；　she　thought。
But　it　did。
It　was　3：45　P。m。
They　drove　southeast　along　Route　117　toward　the　Maple　Sugar　Road；　which　was　about　five　miles　out　of　town。　The　Pinto　behaved　in　exemplary　fa