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Corrie dropped her hands from the window and backed away wordlessly。
A white; moonlike face now appeared in the window: bruised; cut; streaked with filth and blood; with a wispy beard and a strange; childlike puffiness。 Slowly the terrible hand pulled the window open until it would go no more。 A terrible stench…all the more terrible for the memories that it stirred…flowed in and filled her nostrils。
Corrie backed toward the door; numb fingers feeling in her pocket for the cell phone。 She found it; hit the send button twice; directing the phone to call the most recently dialed number。 Pendergast's number。
With a jerk the huge hand ripped out the cheap aluminum window frame; shattering the glass。
Corrie turned and ran from her room; tearing down the hall in her bare feet; racing across the living room toward…
With a crash; the front door was flung open。 And there stood Job: Job; still alive; one eye ruptured and weeping yellow liquid; his oversized child's clothing torn and filthy; crusted with blood; hair matted; skin sallow。 One arm hung; useless and broken; but the other was reaching toward her。
Muuuh!
The arm was reaching out; clawing at her; andhe took a step forward; his face distorted with rage; filling the room with his stink。
〃No!〃 she screamed。 〃No; no; get away…!〃
He advanced; slashing and roaring incoherently。
She turned and raced back down the hall to her room。 He was after her; blundering down the hall。 She slammed the door and shot the bolt home; but he came through with a shuddering crash that flattened the flimsy plywood against the wall。 Without pausing to think; she dove out the window headfirst; rolled over the broken glass and wet grass; stood up; and began sprinting toward town。 Behind came a crash; a roar of frustration; another crash。 Lights were going on in the trailers around her。 She glanced back to see Job roaring; literally clawing his way out the window; smashing and tearing。
If she could get to the main road; she might have a chance。 She raced through the trailer park。 The gate was just a few hundred yards ahead。
She heard a roar and glanced sideways to see the bent and wounded figure running crablike across the grass with horrible speed; cutting off her route into town。
She strained; gulping air; but now he was angling back toward her; leaving her no choice but to veer toward the back of the trailer park; toward the darkness of the naked fields。 She jammed her hand into her pocket and pulled out the phone; pressing it to her ear as she ran。 There was the voice of Pendergast; speaking calmly。
〃I'm ing; Corrie; I'm ing right now。〃
〃He's going to kill me; please…〃
〃I'll be there as soon as possible with the police。 Run; Corrie。Run。 〃
She ran for all she was worth; jumping the back fence and flying into the field; the sharp corn stubble lacerating her bare feet。
Muh! Muh! Muuuuuh!
Job was behind her; closing in with a strange; brutal; apelike gait; loping ahead on the knuckles with his good arm。 She kept going; hoping he might tire; might give up; might find the pain too much…but he kept on; roaring in agony as he went。
She redoubled her effort; her lungs burning in her chest。 It was no good。 He was gaining; steadily gaining。 He was going to catch her。 No matter how fast she ran; he was going to catch her。
No。 。 。
What could she do? There was no way she'd reach the creek。 And even if she did; what then? She was running directly away from the town; into the heart of nowhere。 Pendergast would never arrive in time。
Muuuh! Muuuh!
She heard a distant siren。 It just confirmed that Pendergast was way too far away。 She was on her own。He was going to catch her; grab her from behind and kill her。
Now she could hear feet pounding like a frenzied acpaniment to his agonized cries。 He couldn't be more than ten yards behind。 She called up every ounce of energy but could already feel herself faltering; her legs weakening; her lungs almost bursting from the effort。 And still he kept ing; closing the gap。 In a second he would be on her。 She had to do something。 There had to be some way to reach him; to make him understand; to make him stop。
She turned back。〃Job!〃 she yelled。
He came on; roaring; oblivious。
〃Job; wait!〃
In another instant she felt the blow; the terrible blow that threw her backwards into the soft dirt。 And then he was on top of her; roaring; spittle spraying into her face; his great fist raised to smash in her skull。
〃Friend!〃 she cried。
She closed her eyes; turning away from the anticipated blow; and said again: 〃Friend! I want to be your friend。〃 She choked; sobbed; repeating it over and over。 〃Your friend; your friend; your friend 。 。 。〃
Nothing happened。 She waited; swallowed; and opened her eyes。
The fist was there; still raised; but the face looking down at her was pletely different。 Gone was the rage; the fury。 The face was twisted into some new; powerful; and unfathomable emotion。
〃You and me;〃 Corrie croaked。 〃Friends。〃
The face remained horribly twisted; but she thought she could see hope; even eagerness; shine from his one good eye。
Slowly the great fist uncurled。 〃Fwiend?〃 Job asked in his high voice。
〃Yes; friends;〃 she gasped。
〃Pway wif Job?〃
〃Yes; I'll play with you; Job。 We're friends。 We'll play together。〃 She was babbling; choking with fear; struggling to get a grip on herself。
The arm dropped。 The mouth was stretched in a horrible grimace that Corrie realized must be a smile。 A smile of hope。
Job lumbered off her awkwardly; managed to stand unsteadily; grimacing with pain but still smiling that grotesque smile。 〃Pway。 Job pway。〃
Corrie gasped and sat up; moving slowly; trying not to frighten him。 〃Yes。 We're friends now。 Corrie and Job; friends。〃
〃Fwiends;〃 repeated Job; slowly; as if recalling a long…forgotten word。
The sirens were louder now。 She heard the distant screech of brakes; the slamming of car doors。
Corrie tried to stand; found her legs collapsing underneath her。 〃That's right。 I won't run away; you don't need to hurt me。 I'll stay here and play with you。〃
〃We pway!〃And Job squealed with happiness in the dark of the empty field。
2
The Rolls…Royce stood in the parking lot beside Maisie's Diner; covered with dust; its once…glossy surface sandblasted to dullness by the storm。 Pendergast was leaning against it; dressed in a fresh black suit; his arms in his pockets; motionless in the crisp morning light。
Corrie turned off the road; eased her Gremlin to a stop beside him; and threw it into park。 The engine died with a belch of black exhaust and she stepped out。
Pendergast straightened。 〃Miss Swanson; I'll be driving through Allentown on my way back to New York。 Are you sure you won't accept a ride?〃
Corrie shook her head。 〃This is something I'd like to do on my own。〃
〃I could run your father's name through the database and give you advance notice of anything; shall we say;unusual in his current situation?〃
〃No。 I'd rather not know in advance。 I'm not expecting any miracles。〃
He looked at her intently; not speaking。
〃I'm going to be just fine;〃 she said。
After a moment he nodded。 〃I know you will。 If you won