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〃Well； count me in；〃 he said。
〃Bunch up with us a little； then。〃
Garraty picked it up。 He and McVries moved in tighter with Pearson； Abraham； Baker and Scramm。 The leather boys had further shortened their vanguard。
〃Barkovitch in on it？〃 Garraty asked。
McVries snorted。 〃He thinks it's the greatest idea since pay toilets。〃
Garraty clutched his cold body a little tighter to himself and let out a humorless little giggle。 〃I bet he's got a hell of a wicked raspberry。〃
They were paralleling the turnpike now。 Garraty could see the steep embankment to his right； and the fuzzy glow of more arc…sodiumsbone…white this timeabove。 A distance ahead； perhaps half a mile； the entrance ramp split off and climbed。
〃Here we e；〃 McVries said。
〃Cathy！〃 Scramm yelled suddenly； making Garraty start。 〃I ain't gave up yet； Cathy！〃 He turned his blank； fever…glittering eyes on Garraty。 There was no recognition in them。 His cheeks were flushed； his lips cracked with fever blisters。
〃He ain't so good；〃 Baker said apologetically； as if he had caused it。 〃We been givin' him water every now and again； also sort of pourin' it over his head。 But his canteen's almost empty； and if he wants another one； he'll have to holler for it himself。 It's the rules。〃
〃Scramm；〃 Garraty said。
〃Who's that？〃 Scramm's eyes rolled wildly in their sockets。
〃Me。 Garraty。〃
〃Oh。 You seen Cathy？〃
〃No；〃 Garraty said unfortably。 〃I…
〃Here we e；〃 McVries said。 The crowd's cheers rose in volume again； and a ghostly green sign came out of the darkness： INTERSTATE 95 AUGUSTA PORTLAND PORTSMOUTH POINTS SOUTH。
〃That's us；〃 Abraham whispered。 〃God help us an' points south。〃
The exit ramp tilted up under their feet。 They passed into the first splash of light from the overhead arcs。 The new paving was smoother beneath their feet； and Garraty felt a familiar lift…drop of excitement。
The soldiers of the color guard had displaced the crowd along the upward spiral of the ramp。 They silently held their rifles to high port。 Their dress uniforms gleamed resplendently； their own soldiers in their dusty halftrack looked shabby by parison。
It was like rising above a huge and restless sea of noise and into the calm air。 The only sound was their footfalls and the hurried pace of their breathing。 The entrance ramp seemed to go on forever； and always the way was fringed by soldiers in scarlet uniforms； their arms held in high…port salute。
And then； from the darkness somewhere； came the Major's electronically amplified voice： 〃Pre…sent harms！〃
Weapons slapped flesh。
〃Salute ready！〃
Guns to shoulders； pointed skyward above them in a steely arch。 Everyone instinctively huddled together against the crash which meant death…it had been Pavloved into them。
〃Fire！ 〃
Four hundred guns in the night； stupendous； ear…shattering。 Garraty fought down the urge to put his hands to his head。
〃Fire！ 〃
Again the smell of powder smoke； acrid； heavy with cordite。 In what book did they fire guns over the water to bring the body of a drowned man to the surface？
〃My head；〃 Scramm moaned。 〃Oh Jesus my head aches。〃
〃Fire！ 〃
The guns exploded for the third and last time。
McVries immediately turned around and walked backward； his face going a spotty red with the effort it cost him to shout。 〃Pre…sent harms！〃
Forty tongues pursed forty sets of lips。
〃Salute ready！〃
Garraty drew breath into his lungs and fought to hold it。
〃Fire！〃
It was pitiful； really。 A pitiful little noise of defiance in the big dark。 It was not repeated。 The wooden faces of their color guard did not change； but seemed all the same to indicate a subtle reproach。
〃Oh； screw it；〃 said McVries。 He turned around and began to walk frontwards again； with his head down。
The pavement leveled off。 They were on the turnpike。 There was a brief vision of the Major's jeep spurting away to the south； a flicker of cold fluorescent light against black sunglasses； and then the crowd closed in again； but farther from them now； for the highway was four lanes wide； five if you counted the grassy median strip。
Garraty angled to the median quickly； and walked in the close…cropped grass； feeling the dew seep through his cracked shoes and paint his ankles。 Someone was warned。 The turnpike stretched ahead； flat and monotonous； stretches of concrete tubing divided by this green inset； all of it banded together by strips of white light from the arc…sodiums above。 Their shadows were sharp and clear and long； as if thrown by a summer moon。
Garraty tipped his canteen up； swigged deep； recapped it； and began to doze again。 Eighty； maybe eighty…four miles to Augusta。 The feel of the wet grass was soothing 。 。 。
He stumbled； almost fell； and came awake with a jerk。 Some fool had planted pines on the median strip。 He knew it was the state tree； but wasn't that taking it a little far？ How could they expect you to walk on the grass when there were…
They didn't； of course。
Garraty moved over to the left lane； where most of them were walking。 Two more halftracks had rattled onto the turnpike at the Orono entrance to fully cover the forty…six Walkers now left。 They didn't expect you to walk on the grass。 Another joke on you； Garraty old sport。 Nothing vital； just another little disappointment。 Trivial； really。 Just 。 。 。 don't dare wish for anything； and don't count on anything。 The doors are closing。 One by one； they're closing。
〃They'll drop out tonight；〃 he said。 〃They'll go like bugs on a wall tonight。〃
〃I wouldn't count on it；〃 Collie Parker said； and now he sounded worn and tired…subdued at last。
〃Why not？〃
〃It's like shaking a box of crackers through a sieve； Garraty。 The crumbs fall through pretty fast。 Then the little pieces break up and they go； too。 But the big crackers〃…Parker's grin was a crescent flash of saliva…coated teeth in the darkness…〃the whole crackers have to bust off a crumb at a time。〃
〃But such a long way to walk 。 。 。 still 。 。 。〃
〃I still want to live；〃 Parker said roughly。 〃So do you； don't shit me； Garraty。 You and that guy McVries can walk down the road and bullshit the universe and each other； so what； it's all a bunch of phony crap but it passes the time。 But don't shit me。 The bottom line is you still want to live。 So do most of the others。 They'll die slow。 They'll die one piece at a time。 I may get it； but right now I feel like I could walk all the way to New Orleans before I fell down on my knees for those wet ends in their kiddy car。 〃
〃Really？〃 He felt a wave of despair wash over him。 〃Really？〃
〃Yeah； really。 Settle down； Garraty。 We still got a long way to go。〃 He strode away； up to where the leather boys； Mike and Joe； were pacing the group。 Garraty's head dropped and he dozed again。
His mind began to drift clear of his body； a huge sightless camera full of unexposed film snapping shuttershots of everything and anything； running freely； painlessly； without friction。 He thought of his father striding off big in green rubber boots。 He thought of Jimmy Owens； he had hit Jimmy with the barrel of his air rifle； and yes he had meant to； because it had been Jimmy's idea； taking off their clothes and touching each other