按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Wolf spat out the hand。 His head moved forward with the speed of a striking snake。 Heck felt a dim pulling sensation as Wolf tore his throat open； and then he knew no more。
14
As he bolted out of the mon room； Peabody skidded in Pedersen's blood； went down to one knee； got up； and then ran down the first…floor hall as fast as he could go； vomiting all over himself as he went。 Kids were running everywhere； shrieking in panic。 Peabody's own panic was not quite that plete。 He remembered what he was supposed to do in extreme situations…although he didn't think anyone had ever envisioned a situation as extreme as this； he had an idea that Reverend Gardener had been thinking in terms of a kid going bugfuck and cutting another kid up； something like that。
Beyond the parlor where new boys were brought when they first came to the Sunlight Home was a small upstairs office used only by the thugs Gardener referred to as his 'student aides。'
Peabody locked himself in this room； picked up the phone； and dialled an emergency number。 A moment later he was talking to Franky Williams。
'Peabody； at the Sunlight Home；' he said。 'You ought to get up here with as many police as you can get； Officer Williams。 All hell has…'
Outside he heard a wailing shriek followed by a crash of breaking wood。 There was a snarling； barking roar； and the shriek was cut off。
'…has busted loose up here；' he finished。
'What kind of hell？' Williams asked impatiently。 'Lemme talk to Gardener。'
'I don't know where the Reverend is； but he'd want you up here。 There's people dead。 Kids dead。'
'What？'
'Just get up here with a lot of men；' Peabody said。 'And a lot of guns。'
Another scream。 The crash…thud of something heavy…the old highboy in the front hall； probably…being overturned。
'Machine…guns； if you can find them。'
A crystalline jangle as the big chandelier in the hall came down。 Peabody cringed。 It sounded like that monster was tearing the whole place apart with its bare hands。
'Hell； bring a nuke if you can；' Peabody said； beginning to blubber。
'What…'
Peabody hung up before Williams could finish。 He crawled into the kneehole under the desk。 Wrapped his arms around his head。 And began to pray assiduously that all of this should prove to be only a dream…the worst fucking nightmare he had ever had。
15
Wolf raged along the first…floor hall between the mon room and the front door； pausing only to overturn the highboy； then to leap easily up and grab the chandelier。 He swung on it like Tarzan until it tore out of the ceiling and spilled diamonds of crystal all over the hallway runner。
DOWN…side。 Jacky was on the DOWN…side。 Now 。 。 。 which side was that？
A boy who was no longer able to stand the agonizing tension of waiting for the thing to be gone jerked open the door of the closet where he had been hiding and bolted for the stairs。 Wolf grabbed him and threw him the length of the hall。 The boy struck the closed kitchen door with a bone…breaking thud and fell in a heap。
Wolf's head swam with the intoxicating odor of fresh…spilled blood。 His hair hung in bloody dreadlocks around his jaw and muzzle。 He tried to hold on to thought； but it was hard…hard。 He had to find Jacky very quickly now； before he lost the ability to think pletely。
He raced back toward the kitchen； where he had e in； dropping to all fours again because movement was faster and easier that way 。 。 。 and suddenly； passing a closed door； he remembered。 The narrow place。 It had been like going down into a grave。 The smell； wet and heavy in his throat…
DOWN…side。 Behind that door。 Right here and now！
'Wolf！' he cried； although the boys cringing in their hiding places on the first and second floors heard only a rising； triumphant howl。 He raised both of the heavily muscled battering rams that had been his arms and drove them into the door。 It burst open in the middle； vomiting splinters down the stairwell。 Wolf drove his way through； and yes； here was the narrow place； like a throat； here was the way to the place where the White Man had told his lies while Jack and the Weaker Wolf had to sit and listen。
Jack was down there now。 Wolf could smell him。
But he also smelled the White Man 。 。 。 and gunpowder。
Careful 。 。 。
Oh yes。 Wolfs knew careful。 Wolfs could run and tear and kill； but when they had to be 。 。 。 Wolfs knew careful。
He went down the stairs on all fours； silent as oiled smoke； eyes as red as brake lights。
16
Gardener was being steadily more nervous； to Jack he looked like a man who was entering the freakout zone。 His eyes moved jerkily in a triple play； from the studio where Casey was frantically listening to Jack； and then to the closed door which gave on the hall。
Most of the noises from upstairs had stopped some time ago。
Now Sonny Singer started for the door。 'I'll go up and see what's…'
'You're not going anywhere！ e back here！'
Sonny winced as if Gardener had struck him。
'What the matter； Reverend Gardener？' Jack asked。 'You look a little nervous。'
Sonny rocked him with a slap。 'You want to watch the way you talk； snotface！ You just want to watch it！'
'You look nervous； too； Sonny。 And you； Warwick。 And Casey in there…'
'Shut him up！' Gardener suddenly screamed。 'Can't you do anything？ Do I have to do everything around here myself？'
Sonny slapped Jack again； much harder。 Jack's nose began to bleed； but he smiled。 Wolf was very close now 。 。 。 and Wolf was being careful。 Jack had begun to have a crazy hope that they might get out of this alive。
Casey suddenly straightened up and then tore the cans off his head and flicked the inter switch。
'Reverend Gardener！ I hear sirens on the outside mikes！'
Gardener's eyes； now too wide； skidded back to Casey。
'What？ How many？ How far away？'
'Sounds like a lot；' Casey said。 'Not close yet。 But they're ing here。 No doubt about that。'
Gardener's nerve broke then； Jack saw it happen。 The man sat； indecisive； for a moment； and then he wiped his mouth delicately with the side of his hand。
It isn't whatever happened upstairs； not just the sirens； either。 He knows that Wolf is close； too。 In his own way he smells him 。 。 。 and he doesn't like it。 Wolf； we might have a chance！ We just might！
Gardener handed the pistol to Sonny Singer。 'I haven't time to deal with the police； or whatever mess there might be upstairs； right now；' he said。 'The important thing is Morgan Sloat。 I'm going to Muncie。 You and Andy are ing with me； Sonny。 You keep this gun on our friend Jack here while I get the car out of the garage。 When you hear the horn； e on out。'
'What about Casey？' Andy Warwick rumbled。
'Yes； yes； all right； Casey； too；' Gardener agreed at once； and Jack thought； He's running out on you； you stupid ass…holes。 He's running out on you； it's so obvious that he might as well take out a billboard on the Sunset Strip and advertise the fact； and your brains are too blown to even know it。 You'd go on sitting down here for ten years waiting to hear that horn blow； if the food and toilet paper