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Zillah snorted and hawked a bright pink gob of blood to the floor。 〃Why not？〃 he said； dangerously quiet。
〃Because they know me。 Ghost knows who I am。 He said so。〃
〃Yesss？〃' Zillah's smashed face convulsed in what might have been a smile。 〃I know who you are too。 You're a pretty little boy who hasn't learned his place yet。 You're a pest who is going to have his throat ripped out in about two minutes if he doesn't SHUT THE FUCK UP！〃 Zillah rounded on Nothing； jabbed him hard in the stomach with the baseball bat。 The boy staggered backward； the wind knocked out of him。
〃I want him to watch；〃 Zillah continued。 He held the bat up； waved its broad end in front of Steve's face。 〃I don't need this； you know。 I could kill both of you with one hand while I jerked off with the other。 But since you used it on me 。 。 。〃
Zillah moved to the head of the bed； stood over Ghost's prone form。 By craning his head back； Steve could just see him。 Zillah shoved the bat into Ghost's face； and Steve's mouth went dry。 〃Such a fine； straight； hard piece of wood。 But so plain。 It needs brightening up； don't you think？。。。with some pretty red GORE？。。。and some silky blond HAIR？。。。and some MAGIC BBAAAINS？〃
Zillah's voice rose to a shriek on the last word； and he raised the bat high above his head。 Steve brought his knees up hard； bucked and arced and thrashed。 But the creep's grip on him did not slacken and the bat was falling； falling 。 。 。
〃NOOOOOO！〃 A black blur was in the air； raincoat billowing like great wings； arrowing straight across the bed and slamming into Zillah。 The bat flew out of Zillah's hands and sailed across the room。 It connected with the window and punched through the glass； and then the Slugger was gone； no longer a factor in the equation。
Nothing's momentum carried him and Zillah straight into the opposite wall。 Zillah took most of the impact。 He slid down the wall and lay against it； dazed； his head bracketed by words in pencil and paint and crayon。 There was a ma…shaped smear of blood on the wall where Zillah's head had hit。 Minute cracks in the plaster radiated from it。
Nothing crouched astride Zillah； still gasping for breath。 〃I'm sorry；〃 he sobbed。 〃You made me kill Laine and I did it。 But not Ghost。 Not Ghost。〃
Molochai and Twig were so surprised by the whole spectacle that they let go of Steve and Ghost。 Steve scrambled up； expecting them to go for him at once。 Instead they bounded across the room to Zillah。
Twig grabbed Nothing and pulled him up by the front of his coat。 Molochai raised his hand to his face。 After a moment Steve saw that he was biting through the skin of his own wrist。 When Molochai's blood began flowing freely； he pressed his wrist to Zillah's mouth。
Steve's hands ached。 He supposed it was an aftereffect of the adrenaline rush。 Later he would realize he had been gripping the bat so tightly that his fingers were still curled in the shape of its handle。
Nothing's teeth clacked together when Twig hauled him up； and he tasted blood again。 The taste reminded him of the potion in the wine bottle； the feast of Laine's blood they had shared。 More than anything he wanted to be back in the van； singing； drinking； on his way to New Orleans。 Going away from here。 Something had gone terribly wrong。
At least Zillah wasn't dead； though he looked as if he ought to be。 He had taken a baseball bat in the face without going down； and Nothing thought he could have taken the blow against the wall too； though it had been hard enough to break someone's neck。 But the two blows so close upon each other had stunned him。 Maybe Molochai's blood would bring him around。 If it did； Nothing didn't know what Zillah would do to him； or to Steve and Ghost。 He had to get them out of here before Zillah came all the way back。
He reached up； grasped Twig's hands； and removed them from the lapels of his coat。 〃You want to waste time fucking with me？〃 he asked。 〃Zillah didn't tell you to fuck with me。 And he's hurt bad。〃
〃Because of you；〃 Twig growled。
Nothing could feel Twig's hands trembling in his grasp； aching to go for his throat。 He knew Twig could kill him in a heartbeat。 'Then save me for him。 Let him punish me for getting him hurt。 He'll be pissed if he es round and you've already sucked me dry； won't he？〃
Now Nothing was sure Twig wanted to rip his throat open。 Molochai would do it if Twig did。 They would kill him and then tear into Steve and Ghost。 Nothing met Twig's eyes and held them。 Twig was wilder and meaner； oh yes； Twig was the badass here。
But Nothing was smarter。
〃Zillah's lying there bleeding；〃 he said。 〃If you won't help me； I'll carry him out myself。 But he'll know what happened。〃
He jerked away from Twig and tensed； ready to fight if Twig lunged at him。
Twig's eyes blazed feral light。
Nothing blazed right back at him。
And Twig's eyes dropped。
Later； Steve would be unable to find the right words to tell Ghost how he had felt in the next few moments。 Ghost got it anyway； of course； but not because of Steve's attempt to describe it。
The atmosphere in the room changed subtly。 It had been electric； dangerous； full of blood and the possibility of murder。 But then something happened。
Steve considered himself much less perceptive than he really was。 What he would say to Ghost later was 〃If even I could feel it； it must have been there。〃 It was as if the kid were putting out pheromones or something。 Something that felt （he would shake his head and laugh a little； saying these words） like the essence of childhood lost。 This was baby powder and cigarette smoke； forgotten toys and eyeliner and torn black lace； nursery rhymes and clank nightclub restrooms haunted by a breath of vomit。 This was the distilled essence of all that was lost forever and all that came to replace it。
I'm twenty…three years old； thought Steve； though he didn't know why。 I'm supposed to be a grown…up。 This game is for keeps。 No one is ever going to e along and make everything all right for me again； because no one can。
Then all at once the strangeness was gone from the room； and there was only the electric tension again。 But it did not feel quite so murderous now。
〃You help me carry him；〃 Nothing told Molochai。 Then he glanced back at Twig。 〃'You go on out and start the van。〃
Twig's eyes flared again； and for a moment Steve thought the kid had pushed it too far。 But Twig just exhaled noisily…Steve smelled rotten blood…and left the room。
Nothing and Molochai got Zillah's arms around their necks and helped him up。 Nothing looked at Steve with wide brimming eyes； trying to smile。 Sadness and pride warred in his face。 〃I didn't let them hurt you；〃 he said。 〃Now maybe you'll believe me。 I never meant for any of this to happen。〃
Now that the fight was ebbing out of him； Steve felt weaker by the minute。 〃I just want you out of here；〃 he said。 〃All of you。〃
〃We're going。 Don't worry。〃 Nothing glanced at Ghost； and his carefully posed expression seemed to crumble a little； but he caught it quickly。
Steve's anger lessened as he looked at the kid。 Scruffy and none too clean； in ragged clothes