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Derek says。 He hates them himself。
Reggie and Bonnie Sawyer are having a rib roast of beef； frozen corn； french…fried potatoes； and for dessert a chocolate bread pudding with hard sauce。 These are all Reggie's favorites。 Bonnie； her bruises just beginning to fade； serves silently with downcast eyes。 Reggie eats with steady； serious attention； killing three cans of Bud with the meal。 Bonnie eats standing up。 She is still too sore to sit down。 She hasn't much appetite； but she eats anyway； so Reggie won't notice and say something。 After he beat her up on that night； he flushed all her pills down the toilet and raped her。 And has raped her every night since then。
By quarter of seven； most meals have been eaten； most after…dinner cigarettes and cigars and pipes smoked； most tables cleared。 Dishes are being washed； rinsed； and stacked in drainers。 Young children are being packed into Dr Dentons and sent into the other room to watch game shows on TV until bedtime。
Roy McDougall； who has burned the shit out of a fry pan full of veal steaks； curses and throws them…fry pan and all…into the swill。 He puts on his denim jacket and sets out for Dell's； leaving his goddamn good…for…nothing pig of a wife to sleep in the bedroom。 Kid's dead； wife's slacking off； supper's burned to hell。 Time to get drunk。 And maybe time to haul stakes and roll out of this two…bit town。
In a small upstairs flat on Taggart Street； which runs a short distance from Jointner Avenue to a dead end behind the Municipal Building； Joe Crane is given a left…handed gift from the gods。 He has finished a small bowl of Shredded Wheat and is sitting down to watch the TV when he feels a large and sudden pain paralyze the left side of his chest and his left arm。 He thinks： What's this？ Ticker？ As it happens； this is exactly right。 He gets up and makes it halfway to the telephone before the pain suddenly swells and drops him in his tracks like a steer hit with a hammer。 His small color TV babbles on and on； and it will be twenty…four hours before anyone finds him。 His death； which occurs at 6：51 P。M。； is the only natural death to occur in Jerusalem's Lot on October 6。
By 7：00 the panoply of colors on the horizon has shrunk to a bitter orange line on the western horizon； as if furnace fires had been banked beyond the edge of the world。 In the east the stars are already out。 They gleam steadily； like fierce diamonds。 There is no mercy in them at this time of year； no fort for lovers。 They gleam in beautiful indifference。
For the small children； bedtime is e。 Time for the babies to be packed into their beds and cribs by parents who smile at their cries to be let up a little longer； to leave the light on。 They indulgently open closet doors to show there is nothing in there。
And all around them； the bestiality of the night rises on tenebrous wings。 The vampire's time has e。
17
Matt was dozing lightly when Jimmy and Ben came in； and he snapped awake almost immediately； his hand tightening on the cross he held in his right hand。
His eyes touched Jimmy's； moved to Ben's 。 。 。 and lingered。 'What happened？'
Jimmy told him briefly。 Ben said nothing。
'Her body？'
'Callahan and I put it face down in a crate that was down cellar； maybe the same crate Barlow came to town in。 We threw it into the Royal River not an hour ago。 Filled the box with stones。 We used Straker's car。 If anyone noticed it by the bridge； they'll think of him。'
'You did well。 Where's Callahan？ And the boy？'
'Gone to Mark's house。 His parents have to be told everything。 Barlow threatened them specifically。'
'Will they believe？'
'If they don't； Mark will have his father call you。' Matt nodded。 He looked very tired。
'And Ben；' he said。 'e here。 Sit on my bed。'
Ben came obediently； his face blank and dazed。 He sat down and folded his hands neatly in his lap。 His eyes were burned cigarette holes。
'There's no fort for you；' Matt said。 He took one of Ben's hands in his own。 Ben let him； unprotesting。 'It doesn't matter。 Time will fort you。 She is at rest。'
'He played us for fools；' Ben said hollowly。 'He mocked us； each in turn。 Jimmy； give him the letter。'
Jimmy gave Matt the envelope。 He stripped the heavy sheet of stationery from the envelope and read it carefully； holding the paper only inches from his nose。 His lips moved slightly。 He put it down and said； 'Yes。 It is him。 His ego is larger than even I imagined。 It makes me want to shiver。'
'He left her for a joke；' Ben said hollowly。 'He was gone； long before。 Fighting him is like fighting the wind。 We must seem like bugs to him。 Little bugs scurrying around for his amusement。'
Jimmy opened his mouth to speak； but Matt shook his head slightly。
'That is far from the truth；' he said。 'If he could have taken Susan with him； he would have。 He wouldn't give up his Undead just for jokes when there are so few of them！ Step back a minute； Ben； and consider what you've done to him。 Killed his familiar； Straker。 By his own admission； even forced him to participate in the murder by reason of his insatiable appetite！ How it must have terrified him to wake from his dreamless sleep and find that a young boy； unarmed； had slain such a fearsome creature。'
He sat up in bed with some difficulty。 Ben had turned his head and was looking at him with the first interest he had shown since the others had e out of the house to find him in the back yard。
'Maybe that's not the greatest victory；' Matt mused。 'You've driven him from his house； his chosen home。 Jimmy said that Father Callahan sterilized the cellar with holy water and has sealed all the doors with the Host。 If he goes there again； he'll die 。 。 。 and he knows it。'
'But he got away；' Ben said。 'What does it matter？'
'He got away；' Matt echoed softly。 'And where did he sleep today？ In the trunk of a car？ In the cellar of one of his victims？ Perhaps in the basement of the old Methodist Church in the Marshes which burned down in the fire of '51？ Wherever it was； do you think he liked it； or felt safe there？'
Ben didn't answer。
'Tomorrow； you'll begin to hunt；' Matt said； and his hands tightened over Ben's。 'Not just for Barlow； but for all the little fish…and there will be a great many little fish after tonight。 Their hunger is never satisfied。 They'll eat until they're glutted。 The nights are his； but in the daytime you will hound him and hound him until he takes fright and flees or until you drag him； staked and screaming； into the sunlight！'
Ben's head had e up at this speech。 His face had taken on an animation that was close to ghastly。 Now a small smile touched his mouth。 'Yes； that's good；' he whispered。 'Only tonight instead of tomorrow。 Right now…'
Matt's hand shot out and clutched Ben's shoulder with surprising； sinewy strength。 'Not tonight。 Tonight we're going to spend together…you and I and Jimmy and Father Callahan and Mark and Mark's parents。 He knows now 。 。 。 he's afraid。 Only a madman or a saint would dare to approach Barlow when he is awake in his mother…night。 And none of us are either。' He closed his eyes and said softly； 'I'm beginning to know him； I