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〃I could kill you； you know；〃 Nothing heard himself say。 〃I could make them get up and kill you。〃
Ghost didn't move。 〃I know you could。〃
〃I could make them kill both of you。〃
〃It'll be me first； then；〃 said Ghost。
Nothing looked at Zillah's body sprawled on the floor。 Rivulets of blood crawled along the cracks between the floorboards where Zillah's head had fallen。 He thought of never feeling those strong veined hands on him again； of never kissing that lush mouth。
He thought of never again having anyone tell him what to do。
〃Take that thing out of him；〃 he said。
Ghost knelt and pulled the knife out of Zillah's skull。 He had to wiggle the blade free； but Nothing didn't look away。 The knife left a clean narrow wound in Zillah's temple。 A pale； slightly cloudy fluid began to trickle from it。
〃Now get out；〃 said Nothing。
Steve and Ghost only stared at him。
〃Now。 If they get up； I'll let them kill you。 They loved Zillah too。〃 Nothing wasn't sure if he meant this。 Could he really watch Steve and Ghost die； even now？ He thought of the cold message he had seen in Zillah's eyes and wondered whether he would ever have known the truth if Zillah had lived。
Still； his father had loved him in his way。 In the way of decadence and self…gratification。 But even that was worth something。 Nothing was amazed at how calm he felt。 He never knew his face was wet with tears。
Life was his now。 When he was on the road he would want to think about Steve and Ghost； to know they were alive somewhere。 He hadn't wanted Ann's baby to die either； not really。 It would have been his brother or his sister。 He would have taken care of it。 He would have held it on his knees so it could look out the windows of the van and dabbed wine and blood on its soft little gums。
He knew Ann must be dead。 Why else would Steve have e on this murdering rampage？ But if he never asked； he would be able to pretend the baby was alive somewhere； growing up without its family just as he had done。 Maybe someday they'd be driving along some country road and suddenly there would be Zillah's child； Nothing's brother or sister； sticking out a hopeful thumb。
Maybe。
〃Go on；〃 he told Ghost more gently。 〃Steve's hurt。 Get him to a hospital。 Take him home。〃
Ghost pulled Steve up； and they left without a word。 Nothing didn't watch them go。 He had enough goodbyes to say。
Toward morning； when the sky was beginning to go from purple to transparent violet； Molochai and Twig awakened from their nauseated daze。 At first they were frightened when they saw the bodies。 Then they got mad； but Nothing only clamped his arms across his chest and stared them down。
〃Zillah would have killed them；〃 said Twig sullenly。
〃Zillah tried；〃 said Nothing。 He knew how cold his words sounded。 But if he could make Molochai and Twig feel his power now； in these first few minutes； he did not think they would challenge him again。
〃I did it the way I wanted to；〃 he told them； and no one had anything to say to that。
All of them knew what to do for their dead。 There was not much blood left in Christian's body； the tapered blade of the knife had pierced his heart and crushed it； and most of his blood had drained into the mattress。 They licked what they could from his face； his hands； his chest。 They sucked at the edges of the wound。 With a wet snuffling sound； Molochai buried his face in the hole the knife had made。 He nibbled at Christian's torn heart and pronounced it bitter。
Tenderly they laid Zillah out on the bed and used his pearl…handled razor to slit him open from sternum to pubic bone。 Nothing saw strangely shaped organs glistening in the pale aperture。 They lifted the organs out and arranged them carefully； lovingly； on the bed around him。 Then； one by one； they thrust their heads into the long wound and licked the husk of Zillah clean。
As the sun rose； shedding its wan light upon the proud old buildings of the French Quarter and the trash in its gutters； they left Christian's room and filed down the stairs。 The black van was parked two blocks away。 Nothing hated to leave so soon。 He had spent only two nights here； one of them puking his guts out。 It wasn't fair。
He smiled； though it barely touched his lips。 Fair？ How long had it been since he expected things to be fair？ If you wanted something； you didn't wait for the world to deal it out to you； you took it。 If he had learned nothing else during his time with Zillah； he had learned that。 And anyway； it didn't matter that he had to leave New Orleans so soon。 The city was in his blood。 He would be back； there was always time。
Nothing had left his long black raincoat behind； draped over the bodies like a shroud。 In its place he wore Zillah's jacket with its purple silk lining。 The fresh bloodstains were like badges。 The smell of them twisted his heart； but he wore them with pride。
Just before they left the room； Nothing had pulled the shade up。 As the first ray of light touched the bodies of Zillah and Christian； their flesh began to smolder and crumble。 In less than an hour it was only ash。
Chapter 34
Steve got his arms stitched and bandaged at Charity Hospital on the edge of the French Quarter。 The doctors on duty in the emergency room suspected a suicide attempt； but Steve kept telling his story over and over； and Ghost kept backing him up。 They'd been out drinking； a gang of kids had jumped them； one of the kids pulled a razor。 Steve flung his arms up to protect his face and got slashed。
They had to talk to a policeman； and Ghost could see Steve getting ready to break down： it was in the corners of his mouth； the way his shoulders sagged。 Ghost closed his eyes and tried to send Steve strength。 At last they were allowed to go。
For a few minutes they stood outside the hospital in the cool dawn。 Steve stared at his gauze…swathed arms。 〃If I wanted to kill myself；〃 he muttered； 〃I wouldn't have slashed my goddamn wrists like some kind of half…assed moron。〃 Ghost started walking back toward the car。 After a moment Steve followed。 〃I'd get a shotgun。 Straight through the brain。〃 Ghost shuddered； but Steve didn't notice。 〃Or I'd drive up to the mountains and run my car over a guardrail。 A thousand feet down and BAM！ you're spread out over a mile of rocks。〃
They reached the car。 Steve stood staring around him； seeming to search for something in the faces of the old buildings； maybe just having a final look at the place that had claimed so much from him。 Ghost wondered if they would ever e back here。
Ghost drove all the way back to Missing Mile。 The muscles of his shoulders and upper arms were sore。 The palms of his hands tingled faintly； and he kept wiping them on his knees； on the fabric of the seat。 Again and again he felt the knife going into Zillah's skull； the terrible lack of resistance as it slid through Zillah's brain。 He had heard Zillah's final shriek of rage and agony in his mind。 He'd had to do it； Steve would be dead now if he hadn't； his throat sliced wide open and his life bled away。 Still Ghost felt the knife going in。
Somewhere in the Louisiana swamps Steve said； 〃Pull over。〃 Ghost