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He came and sat on the bed beside her。 〃Hey。 Your old man and Langstree'll have more trips to make。 Hell； he's gone most all the time as it is now。 So。。。〃 He stroked the smooth flesh between her breasts。 〃Damn me； you're a fine woman； Nora；〃 he said in a husky voice。
〃I need you to stay with me； Johnny。 I don't like to be alone at night。〃
Leaning over； licking beneath a nipple； he realized he was hard again； but he couldn't spend the time。 He had been with Cale's wife for over an hour tonight； and two hours the night before； there was no use in pressing his luck。 But damn； what a woman she was。 She twisted those soft； beautiful hips a thousand different ways when he was inside her； wringing him out and exhausting him and driving him wild with excitement。 But Christ Almighty； if that sonofabitch Cale ever found out his woman was making time there'd be hell to pay。。。
She reached out to cling to him； her hands grasping his belt buckle； but he stood up and moved away。 〃No； baby； no。 I got to go now。〃 He slipped his shoes on。 〃There'll be more times。〃
She smiled at him seductively and he looked at her appreciatively…she was still warm and glowing from the merging of their heated flesh。 He stood over by the room's single window； the moonlight streaming in through a broken red shutter。 When he bent down to lace his shoes she saw something； a brief glimpse of a dark form moving past the window。 She sat up in bed； catching her breath in a sudden gulp of air。
〃What's wrong？〃 he asked； thinking she was playing with him again。 〃Hey； what's the matter with you？〃
Nora sat motionless； not knowing if she had really seen something there or not。 Had someone been spying on them through the shutter？ Someone her husband sent to keep a watch on her？ She reached down for the sodden sheet and drew it around her like a shroud。 Maybe it was even Cale himself； the bastard e back early？
Johnny hurriedly finished lacing his shoes； eager to be going。 The house was a mile or so from the village； and he had a long ride in the dark on his bicycle。 The look in the woman's eyes was giving him the creeps and； only half…joking； he demanded； 〃Hey。 What you lookin' at； damn jumbies？〃
The shadow fell across the shutter slats。 She raised a hand； palm out as if to ward it off。 Her mouth opened； and her voice came out as an eerie whine。
Even as Johnny Majors whirled around； sensing the presence of something beyond the window； there was a sharp crack of splintering wood as a blow struck the front door。 He cried out in fear； his mind racing。 It was Cale e back； either that or some of Cale's friends e to make him pay for screwing the woman。
Glass and wood shattered； exploding into the bedroom。 The shadow was battering its way through the window； and Johnny caught the brief flash of a wrench in the moonlight。 There were more shadows out there； two； three； four； five； all merging into one pulsating darkness that ripped at the shutter and tore the glass away。 Nora screamed； and backed into a far corner； Johnny looked around desperately for a weapon； hearing the front door being broken open。 He picked up the chair beside the window and struck at the shadows； again and again； and for a moment they backed away。
〃Jesus；〃 he cried out； his chest heaving； holding the chair before him like a shield。 〃Jesus God who is that out there WHO IS THAT OUT THERE？〃
And in the sudden silence he heard them。
Their breathing was ragged； painful； as if they were unused to the air； as if each lungful was raging fire。 He could hear no voices； no movement； only the breathing of men suffering from a hideous； torturous disease； and that alone was enough to make him think he was going mad。
One of the shadows moved forward； reaching slowly through the remnants of the window。 The hand grasped a broken slat and began to pull it away。
Johnny stood transfixed； the woman whined like a child from her corner。 The hand； illuminated by the moonlight； looked gnarled and brown； the skeletal fingers like the claws of an animal。 The nails were long and filthy； they scratched at the glass； a tiny noise which seemed tremendous to the trapped couple。 And swirling about the room； borne in by the moist Caribbean winds； was the stench of rot； it caught them in smoky folds like some ancient fungus； or slime vomited up from the guts of the sea。
In the next instant the shadow hurtled itself through the rest of the glass； its arms outstretched； black talons groping for the man。 The woman screamed； a pitched； terrified noise…oh God； why wasn't this Cale not Cale NOT CALE。。。
The man raised the chair and brought it down upon the reeking thing that had crawled over the windowsill； he struck something as solid as bone but could not stop the phantom。 He realized too late that the others had broken through the door and were now behind him。 Something caught him around the throat： a hand； cold and bony； and another hand gripped his hair。 Nora's scream broke through the ceiling of her throat； then fell away to bee a childish； insane babble。 Johnny tried to fight free of the things； flailing with his arms and legs； but now they were all around him； the shadows pressing close； those terrible hands sharp icicles on his face； his throat； his arms。
He threw out an elbow； striking one of them； and he heard the hissing of foul breath close to his ear； a tremendous strength picked him up and flung him into a wall； where he crashed headlong。 He felt the searing pain of a broken shoulder as he slid helplessly to the floor。 He twisted around； his heart hammering and the panic chewing at his insides； to face the shadows as they approached。 The woman； crazed with fear； was crawling on the floor on her stomach toward a closet。 He lay with his back against the wall； blood dripping from a broken nose； and saw the things as they reached out for him。
The darkness covered them； but he could see their eyes。 Red pinpoints of hate； they burned deep within withered skulls； unblinking and penetrating。 The shadows breathed like the rising and falling of the elbows that fanned Hell's blaze。 Johnny Majors held up his hands in horror and supplication； for he knew the hour of his death had arrived。
〃Please；〃 he pleaded。 He could not hear his voice over the din of his bursting heart。 〃Please don't kill meeeeeeeee。。。〃
One of the things grinned； moonlight glittered off rotted； broken teeth； and a black tongue licked along what remained of lips。
〃Please don't kill。。。〃 Johnny Majors whispered。
Two claws descended； they grasped the man's face； nails biting deep and drawing blood。 And slowly； very slowly； they began to pull the man's face apart； even as he screamed in pure cold pain。 Fingers ripped away the nose in tatters of dripping flesh； a hand clamped around the throat； the strong hard nails plunging deep； choking off the screams； puncturing the jugular vein and releasing a dark red river。 Johnny Majors lay paralyzed against the splattered wall； his eyes glazed in shock； unseeing； his nerves feeling the agony but his brain gone and unable to respond。 The hand at his throat began to peel the flesh away； exposing veins and cords。 The shadows moved closer