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He went back to Richard and stood there； indecisive； knowing that his very indecision must make whatever forces there were here very happy indeed…anything to keep him away from the Talisman。
He reached into his pocket and came out with the large dark green marble。 The magic mirror in the other world。 Jack had no reason to believe it contained any special power against evil forces； but it came from the Territories 。 。 。 and； Blasted Lands aside； the Territories were innately good。 And innate goodness； Jack reasoned； must have its own power over evil。
He folded the marble into Richard's hand。 Richard's hand closed； then fell slowly open again as soon as Jack removed his own hand。
From somewhere overhead； the spider chuffed dirty laughter。
Jack bent low over Richard； trying to ignore the smell of disease…so like the smell of this place…and murmured； 'Hold it in your hand； Richie。 Hold it tight； chum。'
'Don't 。 。 。 chum；' Richard muttered； but his hand closed weakly on the marble。
'Thanks； Richie…boy；' Jack said。 He kissed Richard's cheek gently and then started across the dining room toward the closed double doors at the far end。 It's like the Alhambra； he thought。 Dining room giving on the gardens there； dining room giving on a deck over the water here。 Double doors in both places； opening on the rest of the hotel。
As he crossed the room； he felt that dead hand pushing against him again…it was the hotel repelling him； trying to push him back out。
Forget it； Jack thought； and kept going。
The force seemed to fade almost at once。
We have other ways； the double doors whispered as he approached them。 Again； Jack heard the dim； hollow clank of metal。
You're worried about Sloat； the double doors whispered； only now it wasn't just them…now the voice Jack was hearing was the voice of the entire hotel。 You're worried about Sloat； and bad Wolfs； and things that look like goats； and basketball coaches who aren't really basketball coaches； you're worried about guns and plastic explosive and magic keys。 We in here don't worry about any of those things； little one。 They are nothing to us。 Morgan Sloat is no more than a scurrying ant。 He has only twenty years to live； and that is less than the space between breaths to us。 We in the Black Hotel care only for the Talisman…the nexus of all possible worlds。 You've e as a burglar to rob us of what is ours； and we tell you once more： we have other ways of dealing with fushing feeves like you。 And if you persist； you'll find out what they are…you'll find out for yourself。
4
Jack pushed open first one of the double doors； then the other。 The casters squealed unpleasantly as they rolled along their recessed tracks for the first time in years。
Beyond the doors was a dark hallway。 That'll go to the lobby； Jack thought。 And then； if this place really is the same as the Alhambra； I'll have to go up the main staircase one flight。
On the second floor he would find the grand ballroom。 And in the grand ballroom； he would find the thing he had e for。
Jack took one look back； saw that Richard hadn't moved； and stepped into the hallway。 He closed the doors behind him。
He began to move slowly along the corridor； his frayed and dirty sneakers whispering over the rotting carpet。
A little farther down； Jack could see another set of double doors； with birds painted on them。
Closer by were a number of meeting…rooms。 Here was the Golden State Room； directly opposite the Forty…Niner Room。 Five paces farther up toward the double doors with the painted birds was the Mendocino Room （hacked into a lower panel of the mahogany door： YOUR MOTHER DIED SCREAMING！）。 Far down the corridor…impossibly far！…was watery light。 The lobby。
Clank。
Jack wheeled around fast； and caught a glimmer of movement just beyond one of the peaked doorways in the stone throat of this corridor…
（？stones？） （？peaked doorways？）
Jack blinked uneasily。 The corridor was lined with dark mahogany panelling which had now begun to rot in the oceanside damp。 No stone。 And the doors giving on the Golden State Room and the Forty…Niner Room and the Mendocino Room were just doors； sensibly rectangular and with no peaks。 Yet for one moment he had seemed to see openings like modified cathedral arches。 Filling these openings had been iron drop…gates…the sort that could be raised or lowered by turning a windlass。 Drop…gates with hungry…looking iron spikes at the bottom。 When the gate was lowered to block the entrance； the spikes fitted neatly into holes in the floor。
No stone archways； Jack…O。 See for yourself。 Just doorways。 You saw drop…gates like that in the Tower of London； on that tour you went on with Mom and Uncle Tommy； three years ago。 You're just freaking a little； that's all 。 。 。
But the feeling in the pit of his stomach was unmistakable。
They were there； all right。 I flipped…for just a second I was in the Territories。
Clank。
Jack whirled back the other way； sweat breaking out on his cheeks and forehead； hair beginning to stiffen on the nape of his neck。
He saw it again…a flash of something metallic in the shadows of one of those rooms。 He saw huge stones as black as sin； their rough surfaces splotched with green moss。 Nasty； soft…looking albino bugs squirmed in and out of the large pores of the decaying mortar between the stones。 Empty sconces stood at fifteen… or twenty…foot intervals。 The torches that the sconces had once held were long since gone。
Clank。
This time he didn't even blink。 The world sideslipped before his eyes； wavering like an object seen through clear running water。 The walls were blackish mahogany again instead of stone blocks。 The doors were doors and not latticed…iron drop…gates。 The two worlds； which had been separated by a membrane as thin as a lady's silk stocking； had now actually begun to overlap。
And； Jack realized dimly； his Jason…side had begun to overlap with his Jack…side…some third being which was an amalgamation of both was emerging。
I don't know what that bination is； exactly； but I hope it's strong…because there are things behind those doors 。 。 。 behind all of them。
Jack began to sidle up the hallway again toward the lobby。
Clank。
This time the worlds didn't change； solid doors remained solid doors and he saw no movement。
Right behind there； though。 Right behind…
Now he heard something behind the painted double doors…written in the sky above the marsh scene were the words HERON BAR。 It was the sound of some large rusty machine that had been set in motion。 Jack swung toward
（Jason swung toward）
toward that opening door
（that rising drop…gate）
his hand plunging into
（the poke）
the pocket
（he wore on the belt of his jerkin）
of his jeans and closing around the guitar…pick Speedy had given him so long ago。
（and closing around the shark's tooth）
He waited to see what would e out of the Heron Bar； and the walls of the hotel whispered dimly： We have ways of dealing with fushing feeves like you。 You should have left while there was still time 。 。 。
。 。 。because now； little boy； y