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was stuck。 Soft brick crumbled away。 Something wriggled against his back。 He felt his shirt rip。
Then he pulled free。 He half…ran； half…stumbled into an open area where the tombs were lower and squarer； the tallest ones only shoulder…high。
In the center of the open area a girl lay supine on a low marble slab。 Bunches of dried long…stemmed roses were arranged around the slab； crimson gone to black； white to ivory； yellow and pink to dusty echoes of themselves。 The girl's long red…gold hair hung down over the edge of the slab； and some of the roses had bee ensnarled in it。 She was not visibly breathing； but Ghost felt a weak tremor of life as he approached。
Then the girl raised her head； and Ghost saw what he had known all along。 It was Ann。 And she was sick。
〃Ghost。〃 Her red…rimmed eyes tried to bring him into focus。 〃What are you doing here？〃
〃Did you sleep out here all night？〃
She thought about it； then nodded slowly。 〃Nowhere else to go。 I don't have any money； and 。 。 。 I didn't find 。 。〃 She coughed； spat out a mouthful of phlegm。 It glistened faintly iridescent against all the whiteness。 Ghost heard the breath rasping in her chest。
〃What are you doing here？〃 Ann asked again。 〃Do you know where they are？ Where Zillah's staying？〃
Ghost swallowed。 He wasn't sure he could do this。 He hadn't counted on Ann being sick； it was too easy； she had no chance of resisting。 But the fact that she had asked for Zillah instead of Steve…that helped。 As did the emptiness he saw when he met her eyes。
〃Yeah；〃 he said。 〃I know where they are。 I can take you to him。〃
He found the path that led to the gate on his first try。
〃What's that？〃 asked Ann。 She was staring blearily at the altar in the back room of Arkady's shop。 The shop was dark and empty； but Arkady had left the door unlocked。
Ghost fumbled the velvet curtain back and ushered her ahead of him。 〃Careful on the stairs；〃 he said。 〃It's dark up there。〃
Ann stared up into the blackness； then slowly began to climb。 Up one flight； around the bend； up another flight to the wavering rectangle of light that was the door。 Ann went through it； took two unsteady steps into the hall。 〃Zillah？〃 she said。
And Steve stepped out from behind the door and plastered a wet cloth over her face。 They couldn't imagine why Arkady kept a bottle of ether in his back room； but he had said it would work。
Ghost saw Steve's eyes clench shut as Ann struggled against the sick…smelling cloth。 When she went limp in his arms； Steve's face slackened too。 For a moment he looked as if he would collapse with her。 But he held Ann upright and steadied her drooping head against his shoulder； then slid his other arm under her knees； cradling her。
Ghost couldn't remember the last time he had seen Steve hold Ann so tenderly。
Arkady pulled his fingers out of Ann's mouth and wiped them on her gray sweatshirt。 He patted her cheek； then pushed her limp jaw shut。 〃Excellent；〃 he muttered。
Ghost leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes。 Beside him； Steve shifted； crossed and uncrossed his long legs。 〃So what do we do now？〃
〃Wait；〃 Arkady told him。 〃It is all you can do。〃
〃Wait！〃 Steve spat out the word。 He hauled himself up and began to pace； the heels of his battered boots clocking against the floor； his hands clawing at his hair。 〃I can't wait。 I'll go crazy。〃
Ghost stood； steadying himself against the wall。 He realized neither of them had eaten all day。 〃Look。 Why don't we go out for a while？ Over to Bourbon Street or…〃
Arkady clapped his hands。 The sudden sharp sound brought all movement in the room to an end： Steve stopped pacing； Ghost shut his mouth without finishing his sentence； even the dust seemed to stop sifting down。 Arkady glanced at the window。 Twilight had begun to filter through the glass； sending long gray fingers of shadow into the room。 Below； on the street corners； Ghost could see lamps lighting one by one； like milky yellow fireflies。
〃I know just the thing；〃 said Arkady。 〃I will care for the girl。 I will watch over her。 You'd only get in the way。〃 There was no question which of them he meant； but for once Steve didn't snarl。 〃I've told you about Ashley's friends； the ones in the other guest room。 They are musicians； and they will be performing tonight at a club on Rue Decatur。 The club serves the strongest drinks in all the Vieux Carre； and when you e back； everything will be over。 The child will be dead； and you can take your Ann home again。〃
Uh…uh； thought Ghost。 His brain felt edged with hysteria； he smelled strawberry incense； cheap wine； clove cigarettes。 He closed his eyes。 Behind his lids he saw a closet door swinging slowly open； saw a silken sleeve reaching out for him； heard a voice whispering； Easy； Ghost 。 。 。 easy 。 。 。 He thought； No way。 I don't want to see any band that came out of that closet。 We'll find a two…dollar strip show on Bourbon Street； well go to the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum； we'll do anything but see poor dead Ashley Raventon's lovers playing at some club on Decatur Street。
But when Ghost opened his eyes again； Steve was looking morbidly interested。 He had perked up at the mention of the strongest drinks in all the Vieux Carre。 〃That sounds pretty good；〃 he said。 〃I'd like to check out the club scene here。 Sure sounds better than sitting around waiting。〃 He turned to Ghost。 〃You want to？〃
It would make Steve happy； or at least take his mind off Ann； or at least give him an excuse to get blind drunk。 What could happen in a club？ Ashley's lovers couldn't fly off the stage at Ghost； flapping their silks； whispering easy 。。。。 He and Steve would be safe in the crowd。
〃Okay by me；〃 he said； hoping he sounded surer than he felt。
〃Fine then；〃 said Arkady。 As he turned to leave the room； he flapped his hand toward the foot of the bed。 A tangle of cotton bandages trailed onto the floor。 〃You'll want to wrap her up；〃 Arkady told Steve。 〃Tightly enough to keep some of the blood in； but loose enough to let out the 。 。 。 matter。〃
Steve winced。 Arkady made his exit； white robes swirling behind him。
Ghost stood there for a moment； gripping Steve's shoulder。 Then he followed Arkady out of the room and shut the door； and Steve was； alone with Ann。
At first she only drifted。
Her lungs felt stuffed with cotton； and there was an acrid chemical burn in the back of her throat。 She was too tired to open her eyes： her eyelids were weighted with sand。 She let herself slip back into sleep； and she drifted。 The backs of her knees and the back of her neck turned to warm water。 Her muscles melted from her bones。 Soon she began to see pictures。
They were too vivid to be dreams。 Her dreams had always been in black and white； as precise and disjointed as Fellini films。 The pictures she saw now were in virulent color。 For a time she struggled against them； trying to wake up； then she gave in； because the pictures swelled in her brain and made her head hurt when she struggled。
She saw her father's fragile…boned face； weirdly phosphorescent in the gloom of the living room back home。 Newspapers were strewn in disa