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Ben threw himself at her； stumbling and nearly falling over the shattered television on the floor。 He could hear her harsh breathing； like the rattle of straw； and below that； the revolting sound of smacking； champing lips。
He grabbed her by the collar of her house coat and yanked her upward； forgetting the cross momentarily。 Her head came around with frightening swiftness。 Her eyes were dilated and glittering； her lips and chin slicked with blood that was black in this near…total darkness。
Her breath in his face was foul beyond measure； the breath of tombs。 As if in slow motion； he could see her tongue lick across her teeth。
He brought the cross up just as she jerked him forward into her embrace； her strength making him feel like something made of rags。 The rounded point of the tongue depressor that formed the cross's downstroke struck her under the chin…and then continued upward with no fleshy resistance。 Ben's eyes were stunned by a flash of not…light that happened not before his eyes but seemingly behind them。 There was the hot and porcine smell of burning flesh。 Her scream this time was full…throated and agonized。 He sensed rather than saw her throw herself backward； stumble over the television； and fall on the floor； one white arm thrown outward to break her fall。 She was up again with wolflike agility； her eyes narroked in pain； yet still filled with her insane hunger。 The flesh of her lower jaw was smoking and black。 She was snarling at him。
'e on； you bitch；' he panted。 'e on； e on。'
He held the cross out before him again； and backed her into the corner at the far left of the room。 When he got her there； he was going to jam the cross through her forehead。
But even as her back pressed the narrowing walls； she uttered a high； squealing giggle that made him wince。 It was like the sound of a fork being dragged across a porcelain sink。
'Even now one laughs！ Even now your circle is smaller！'
And before his eyes her body seemed to elongate and bee translucent。 For a moment he thought she was still there； laughing at him； and then the white glow of the street lamp outside was shining on bare wall； and there was only a fleeting sensation on his nerve endings； which seemed to be reporting that she had seeped into the very pores of the wall； like smoke。
She was gone。
And Jimmy was screaming。
11
He flicked on the overhead bar of fluorescents and turned to look at Jimmy； but Jimmy was already on his feet； holding his hands to the side of his neck。 The fingers were sparkling scarlet。
'She bit me！' Jimmy howled。 'Oh God…Jesus； she bit me！'
Ben went to him； tried to take him in his arms； and Jimmy pus ' hed him away。 His eyes rolled madly in their sockets。
'Don't touch me。 I'm unclean。' 'Jimmy
'Give me my bag。 Jesus； Ben； I can feel it in there。 I can feel it working in me。 For Christ's sake； give me my bag！'
It was in the corner。 Ben got it； and Jimmy snatched it。 He went to the mortician's table and set the bag on it。 His face was death pale； shining with sweat。 The blood pulsed remorselessly from the torn gash in the side of his neck。 He sat down on the table and opened the bag and swept through it； his breath ing in whining gasps through his open mouth。
'She bit me；' he muttered into the bag。 'Her mouth 。 。 。 oh God； her dirty filthy mouth 。 。 。'
He pulled a bottle of disinfectant out of the bag and sent the cap spinning across the tiled floor。 He leaned back； supporting himself on one arm； and upended the bottle over his throat； and it splashed the wound； his slacks； the table。 Blood washed away in threads。 His eyes closed and he screamed once； then again。 The bottle never wavered。
'Jimmy； what can I…'
'In a minute；' Jimmy muttered。 'Wait。 It's better； I think。 Wait； just wait …'
He tossed the bottle away and it shattered on the floor。 The wound； washed clean of the tainted blood； was clearly visible。 Ben saw there was not one but two puncture wounds not far from the jugular； one of them horribly mangled。
Jimmy bad pulled an ampoule and a hypo from the bag。 He stripped the protective covering from the needle and jibbed it through the ampoule。 His hands were shaking so badly he had to make two thrusts at it。 He filled the needle and held it out to Ben。
'Tetanus；' he said。 'Give it to me。 Here。' He held his arm out； rotated to expose the armpit。
'Jimmy； that'll knock you out。'
'No。 No； it won't。 Do it。'
Ben took the needle and looked questioningly into Jimmy's eyes。 He nodded。 Ben injected the needle。
Jimmy's body tensed like spring steel。 For a moment he was a sculpture in agony； every tendon pulled out into sharp relief。 Little by little he began to relax。 His body shuddered in reaction； and Ben saw that tears had mixed with the sweat on his face。
'Put the cross on me；' he said。 'If I'm still dirty from her； it'll 。 。 。 it'll do something to me。'
'Will it？'
'I'm sure it will。 When you were going after her； I looked up and I wanted to go after you。 God help me； I did。 And I looked at that cross and I 。 。 。 my belly wanted to heave up。'
Ben put the cross on his neck。 Nothing happened。 Its glow…if there had been a glow at all…was entirely gone。 Ben took the cross away。
'Okay；' Jimmy said。 'I think that's all we can do。' He rummaged in his bag again； found an envelope containing two pills； and crushed them into his mouth。 'Dope；' he said。 'Great invention。 Thank God I used the john before that 。 。 。 before it happened。 I think I pissed myself； but it only came to about six drops。 Can you bandage my neck？'
'I think so；' Ben said。
Jimmy handed him gauze； adhesive tape； and a pair of surgical scissors。 Bending to put the bandage on； he saw that the skin around the wounds had gone an ugly； congealed red。 Jimmy flinched when he pressed the bandage gently into place。
He said： 'For a couple of minutes there； I thought I was going to go nuts。 Really； clinically nuts。 Her lips on me 。 。 。 biting me 。 。 。' His throat rippled as he swallowed。 'And when she was doing it； I liked it； Ben。 That's the hellish part。 I actually had an erection。 Can you believe it？ If you hadn't been here to pull her off； I would have 。 。 。 would have let her 。 。 。 '
'Never mind；' Ben said。
'There's one more thing I have to do that I don't like。'
'What's that？'
'Here。 Look at me a minute。'
Ben finished the bandage and drew back a little to look at Jimmy。 'What…'
And suddenly Jimmy slugged him。 Stars rocketed up in his brain and he took three wandering steps backward and sat down heavily。 He shook his head and saw Jimmy getting carefully I down from the table and ing toward him。 He groped madly for the cross； thinking： This is what's known as an O。 Henry ending； you stupid shit； you stupid； stupid …
'You all right？' Jimmy was asking him。 'I'm sorry； but it's a little easier when you don't know it's ing。'
'What the Christ…？'
Jimmy sat down beside him on the floor。 'I'm going to tell you our story；' he said。 'It's a damned poor one； but I'm pretty sure Maury Green will back it up。 It will keep my practice； and keep us both out of jail or