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。 Yes； she tasted him as she had always longed to； but it was not a kiss that married their senses； it was his growing panic。 It filled her up： her empathy was total。 The fearful glance was hers as much as his…their dry throats rasped the same small word：
〃Please…〃 That the child learns。
〃Please…； That wins care and gifts。
〃Please…〃 That even the dead； surely； even the dead must know and obey。
〃Please…； Today there would be no such mercy given； she knew for certain。
These ghosts had despaired on the highway a grieving age； bearing the wounds they had died with； and the insanities they had slaughtered with。 They had endured his levity and insolence； his idiocies； the fabrications that had made a game of their ordeals。 They wanted to speak the truth。
Fuller was peering at her more closely； his face now swimming in a sea of pulsing orange light。 She felt his hands on her skin。 They tasted of vinegar。
〃Are you all right？〃 he said； his breath like iron。
She shook her head。
No； she was not all right； nothing was right。
The crack was gaping wider every second： through it she could see another sky； the slate heavens that loured over the highway。 It overwhelmed the mere reality of the house。
〃Please；〃 she said； her eyes rolling up to the fading substance of the ceiling。
Wider。 Wider…The brittle world she inhabited was stretched to breaking point。
Suddenly； it broke； like a dam； and the black waters poured through； inundating the room。
Fuller knew something was amiss （it was in the colour of his aura； the sudden fear）； but he didn't understand what was happening。 She felt his spine ripple： she could see his brain whirl。
〃What's going on？〃 he said。 The pathos of the enquiry made her want to laugh。
Upstairs； the water…jug in the writing room shattered。
Fuller let her go and ran towards the door。 It began to rattle and shake even as he approached it； as though all the inhabitants of hell were beating on the other side。 The handle turned and turned and turned。 The paint blistered。 The key glowed red…hot。
Fuller looked back at the Doctor； who was still fixed in that grotesque position； head back； eyes wide。
He reached for the handle； but the door opened before he could touch it。 The hallway beyond had disappeared altogether。 Where the familiar interior had stood the vista of the highway stretched to the horizon。 The sight killed Fuller in a moment。 His mind had no strength to take the panorama in…it could not control the overload that ran through his every nerve。 His heart stopped； a revolution overturned the order of his system； his bladder failed； his bowels failed； his limbs shook and collapsed。 As he sank to the floor his face began to blister like the door； and his corpse rattle like the handle。 He was inert stuff already： as fit for this indignity as wood or steel。
Somewhere to the East his soul joined the wounded highway； on its route to the intersection where a moment previously he had died。
Mary Florescu knew she was alone。 Above her the marvellous boy； her beautiful； cheating child； was writhing and screeching as the dead set their vengeful hands on his fresh skin。 She knew their intention： she could see it in their eyes…there was nothing new about it。 Every history had this particular torment in its tradition。 He was to be used to record their testaments。 He was to be their page； their book； the vessel for their autobiographies。 A book of blood。 A book made of blood。 A book written in blood。 She thought of the grimoires that had been made of dead human skin： she'd seen them； touched them。 She thought of the tattooes she'd seen： freak show exhibits some of them； others just shirtless labourers in the Street with a message to their mothers pricked across their backs。 It was not unknown； to write a book of blood。
But on such skin； on such gleaming skin…oh God； that was the crime。 He screamed as the torturing needles of broken jug…glass skipped against his flesh； ploughing it up。 She felt his agonies as if they had been hers； and they were not so terrible。
Yet he screamed。 And fought； and poured obscenities out at his attackers。 They took no notice。 They swarmed around him； deaf to any plea or prayer； and worked on him with all the enthusiasm of creatures forced into silence for too long。 Mary listened as his voice wearied with its plaints； and she fought against the weight of fear in her limbs。 Somehow； she felt； she must get up to the room。 It didn't matter what was beyond the door or on the stairs…he needed her； and that was enough。
She stood up and felt her hair swirl up from her head； flailing like the snake hair of the Gorgon Medusa。 Reality swam…there was scarcely a floor to be seen beneath her。 The boards of the house were ghost…wood； and beyond them a seething dark raged and yawned at her。 She looked to the door； feeling all the time a lethargy that was so hard to fight off。
Clearly they didn't want her up there。 Maybe； she thought； they even fear me a little。 The idea gave her resolution； why else were they bothering to intimidate her unless her very presence； having once opened this hole in the world； was now a threat to them？
The blistered door was open。 Beyond it the reality of the house had succumbed pletely to the howling chaos of the highway。 She stepped through； concentrating on the way her feet still touched solid floor even though her eyes could no longer see it。 The sky above her was prussian…blue； the highway was wide and windy； the dead pressed on every side。 She fought through them as through a crowd of living people； while their gawping； idiot faces looked at her and hated her invasion。
The 〃please〃 was gone。 Now she said nothing； just gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes against the highway； kicking her feet forward to find the reality of the stairs that she knew were there。 She tripped as she touched them； and a howl went up from the crowd。 She couldn't tell if they were laughing at her clumsiness； or sounding a warning at how far she had got。
First step。 Second step。 Third step。
Though she was torn at from every side； she was winning against the crowd。 Ahead she could see through the door of the room to where her little liar was sprawled； surrounded by his attackers。 His briefs were around his ankles： the scene looked like a kind of rape。 He screamed no longer； but his eyes were wild with terror and pain。 At least he was still alive。 The natural resilience of his young mind had half accepted the spectacle that had opened in front of him。
Suddenly his head jerked around and he looked straight through the door at her。 In this extremity he had dredged up a true talent； a skill that was a fraction of Mary's； but enough to make contact with her。 Their eyes met。 In a sea of blue darkness； surrounded on every side with a civilization they neither knew nor understood； their living hearts met and married。
〃I'm sorry；〃 he said silently。 It was infinitely pitiful。 〃I'm sorry。 I'm sorry。〃 He looked away； his gaze wrenched from hers。
She was certain she must be almost at the top of the stairs； her feet still treading air as far as her eyes could tell； the faces of