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'Uranus！ Mercury！ Somewhere in the asteroid belt！ Io！ Ganymede！ Dei…'
Pain； thick and leaden and excruciating； exploded in his lower belly as Hector Bast reached between his legs with his good hand and squeezed Jack's testes。
'There；' Heck Bast said； smiling cheerfully。 'Didn't you just have that ing； you hellbound mocker。'
Jack collapsed slowly to the floor； sobbing。
Sunlight Gardener leaned slowly down； his face patient…almost beatific。 'Next time； it will be your friend down here；' Sunlight Gardener said gently。 'And with him I will not hesitate。 Think about it； Jack。 Until tomorrow night。'
But tomorrow night； Jack decided； he and Wolf would not be here。 If only the Territories were left； then the Territories it would be 。 。 。
。 。 。 if he could get them back there。
CHAPTER 25
Jack and Wolf Go to Hell
1
They had to flip from downstairs。 He concentrated on that rather than on the question of whether or not they would be able to flip at all。 It would be simpler to go from the room； but the miserable little cubicle he and Wolf shared was on the third floor； forty feet above the ground。 Jack didn't know how exactly the Territories geography and topography corresponded to the geography and topography of Indiana； but he wasn't going to take a chance that could get their necks broken。
He explained to Wolf what they would do。 'You understand？'
'Yes；' Wolf said listlessly。
'Give it back to me； anyway； pal。'
'After breakfast； I go into the bathroom across from the mon room。 I go into the first stall。 If no one notices I'm gone； you'll e in。 And we'll go back to the Territories。 Is that right； Jacky？'
'That's it；' Jack said。 He put a hand on Wolf's shoulder and squeezed it。 Wolf smiled wanly。 Jack hesitated and said； 'I'm sorry I got you into this。 It's all my fault。'
'No； Jack；' Wolf said kindly。 'We'll try this。 Maybe 。 。 。 ' A small； wistful hope seemed to glimmer briefly in Wolf's eyes。
'Yes；' Jack said。 'Maybe。'
2
Jack was too scared and excited to want breakfast； but he thought he might attract attention by not eating。 So he shovelled in eggs and potatoes that tasted like sawdust； and even managed one fatty piece of bacon。
The weather had finally cleared。 There had been frost the night before； and the rocks in Far Field would be like chunks of slag embedded in hardened plastic。
Plates taken out to the kitchen。
Boys allowed to go back to the mon room while Sonny Singer； Hector Bast； and Andy Warwick got their day…rosters。
They sat around； looking blank。 Pedersen had a fresh copy of the magazine the Gardener organization published； The Sunlight of Jesus。 He turned the pages idly； glancing up every once in a while to look at the boys。
Wolf looked a question at Jack。 Jack nodded。 Wolf got up and lumbered from the room。 Pedersen glanced up； saw Wolf cross the hall and go into the long； narrow bathroom across the way； and then went back to his magazine。
Jack counted to sixty； then forced himself to count to sixty again。 They were the two longest minutes of his life。 He was dreadfully afraid that Sonny and Heck would e back into the mon room and order all the boys out to the trucks； and he wanted to get into the bathroom before that happened。 But Pedersen wasn't stupid。 If Jack followed Wolf too closely； Pedersen might suspect something。
At last Jack got up and walked across the room toward the door。 It seemed impossibly far away； and his heavy feet seemed to bring him no closer； it was like an optical illusion。
Pederson looked up。 'Where are you going； snotface？'
'Bathroom；' Jack said。 His tongue was dry。 He had heard of people's mouths getting dry when they were afraid； but their tongues？
'They'll be upstairs in a minute；' Pedersen said； nodding toward the end of the hall； where the stairs led down to the chapel； the studio； and Gardener's office。 'You better hold it and water Far Field。'
'I got to take a crap；' Jack said desperately。
Sure。 And maybe you and your big stupid friend like to pull each other's dorks a little before you start the day。 Just to sort of perk yourselves up。 Go sit down。
'Well； go on； then；' Pedersen said crossly。 'Don't just stand there and whine about it。'
He looked back at his magazine。 Jack crossed the hall and stepped into the bathroom。
3
Wolf had picked the wrong stall…he was halfway down the line； his big； clunky workshoes unmistakable under the door。 Jack pushed in。 It was cramped with the two of them； and he was very aware of Wolf's strong； clearly animal odor。
'Okay；' Jack said。 'Let's try it。'
'Jack； I'm scared。'
Jack laughed shakily。 'I'm scared； too。'
'How do we…'
'I don't know。 Give me your hands。' That seemed like a good start。
Wolf put his hairy hands…paws； almost…in Jack's hands； and Jack felt an eerie strength flow from them into him。 Wolf's strength wasn't gone after all； then。 It had simply gone underground； as a spring will sometimes go underground in a savagely hot season。
Jack closed his eyes。
'Want to get back；' he said。 'Want to get back； Wolf； Help me！'
'I do；' Wolf breathed。 'I will if I can！ Wolf！'
'Here and now。'
'Right here and now！'
Jack squeezed Wolf's paw…hands tighter。 He could smell Lysol。 Somewhere he could hear a car passing。 A phone rang。 He thought； I am drinking the magic juice。 In my mind I'm drinking it； right here and now I'm drinking it； I can smell it； so purple and so thick and new； I can taste it； I can feel my throat closing on it…
As the taste filled his throat； the world swayed under them； around them。 Wolf cried out； 'Jacky； it's working！'
It startled him out of his fierce concentration and for a moment he became aware that it was only a trick； like trying to get to sleep by counting sheep； and the world steadied again。 The smell of the Lysol flooded back。 Faintly he heard someone answer the phone querulously： 'Yes； hello； who is it？'
Never mind； it's not a trick； not a trick at all…it's magic。 It's magic and I did it before when I was little and I can do it again； Speedy said so that blind singer Snowball said so； too； THE MAGIC JUICE IS IN MY MIND…
He bore down with all his force； all his effort of will 。 。 。 and the ease with which they flipped was stupefying； as if a punch aimed at something which looked like granite hit a cleverly painted papier…maché shell instead； so that the blow you thought would break all your knuckles instead encountered no resistance at all。
4
To Jack； with his eyes screwed tightly shut； it felt as if the floor had first crumbled under his feet 。 。 。 and then disappeared pletely。
Oh shit we're going to fall anyway； he thought dismally。
But it wasn't really a fall； only a minor sideslip。 A moment later he and Wolf were standing firmly； not on hard bathroom tile but on dirt。
A reek of sulphur mingled with what smelled like raw sewage flooded in。 It was a deathly smell； and Jack thought it meant the end of all hope。
'Jason！ What's that smell？' Wolf groaned。 'Oh Jason that smell； can't stay here； Jacky； ca