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and picked up the key。
'Bring any water？' Jack asked。 Despite what he had been able to extract from Wolf's gruesome presents； he had e close to serious dehydration…his lips were puffy and cracked； and his tongue felt swollen； baked。 The key slid into the lock； and Jack heard it click open。
Then the lock came away from the door。
'A little；' Wolf said。 'Close your eyes； Jacky。 You have night…eyes now。'
Jack clasped his hands over his eyes as the door opened； but the light which boomed and thundered into the shed still managed to trickle through his fingers and stab his eyes。 He hissed with the pain。 'Better soon；' Wolf said； very close to him。 Wolf's arms circled and lifted him。 'Eyes closed；' Wolf warned； and stepped backward out of the shed。
Even as Jack said； 'Water；' and felt the rusty lip of an old cup meet his own lips； he knew why Wolf had not lingered in the shed。 The air outside seemed unbelievably fresh and sweet…it might have been imported directly from the Territories。 He sucked in a double tablespoon of water that tasted like the best meal on earth and wound down through him like a sparkling little river； reviving everything it touched。 He felt as though he were being irrigated。
Wolf removed the cup from his lips long before Jack considered he was through with it。 'If I give you more you'll just sick it up；' Wolf said。 'Open your eyes； Jack…but only a little bit。'
Jack followed directions。 A million particles of light stormed into his eyes。 He cried out。
Wolf sat down； cradling Jack in his arms。 'Sip；' he said； and put the cup once more to Jack's lips。 'Eyes open； little more。'
Now the sunlight hurt much less。 Jack peered out through the screen of his eyelashes at a flaring dazzle while another miraculous trickle of water slipped down his throat。
'Ah；' Jack said。 'What makes water so delicious？'
'The western wind；' Wolf promptly replied。
Jack opened his eyes wider。 The swarm and dazzle resolved into the weathered brown of the shed and the mixed green and lighter brown of the gully。 His head rested against Wolf's shoulder。 The bulge of Wolf's stomach pressed into his backbone。
'Are you okay； Wolf？' he asked。 'Did you get enough to eat？'
'Wolfs always get enough to eat；' Wolf said simply。 He patted the boy's thigh。
'Thanks for bringing me those pieces of meat。'
'I promised。 You were the herd。 Remember？'
'Oh； yes； I remember；' Jack said。 'Can I have some more of that water？' He slid off Wolf's huge lap and sat on the ground； where he could face him。
Wolf handed him the cup。 The John Lennon glasses were back； Wolf's beard was now little more than a scurf covering his cheeks； his black hair； though still long and greasy； fell well short of his shoulders。 Wolf's face was friendly and peaceful； almost tired…looking。 Over the bib overalls he wore a gray sweatshirt； about two sizes too small； with INDIANA UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT stencilled on the front。
He looked more like an ordinary human being than at any other time since he and Jack had met。 He did not look as if he could have made it through the simplest college course； but he could have been a great high…school football player。
Jack sipped again…Wolf's hand hovered above the rusty tin cup； ready to snatch it away if Jack gulped。 'You're really okay？'
'Right here and now；' Wolf said。 He rubbed his other hand over his belly； so distended that it stretched the fabric at the bottom of the sweatshirt as taut as a hand would a rubber glove。 'Just tired。 Little sleep； Jack。 Right here and now。'
'Where'd you get the sweatshirt？'
'It was hanging on a line；' Wolf said。 'Cold here； Jacky。'
'You didn't hurt any people； did you？'
'No people。 Wolf！ Drink that water slow； now。' His eyes disconcertingly shaded into happy Halloween orange for a second； and Jack saw that Wolf could never really be said to resemble an ordinary human being。 Then Wolf opened his wide mouth and yawned。 'Little sleep。' He hitched himself into a more fortable position on the slope and put down his head。 He was almost immediately asleep。
PART III
A COLLISION OF WORLDS
CHAPTER 20
Taken by the Law
1
By two o'clock that afternoon they were a hundred miles west； and Jack Sawyer felt as if he too had been running with the moon…it had gone that easily。 In spite of his extreme hunger； Jack sipped slowly at the water in the rusty can and waited for Wolf to awaken。 Finally Wolf stirred； said； 'Ready now； Jack；' hitched the boy up onto his back； and trotted into Daleville。
While Wolf sat outside on the curb and tried to look inconspicuous； Jack entered the Daleville Burger King。 He made himself go first to the men's room and strip to the waist。 Even in the bathroom； the maddening smell of grilling meat caused the saliva to spill into his mouth。 He washed his hands； arms； chest； face。 Then he stuck his head under the tap and washed his hair with liquid soap。 Crumpled paper towels fell； one after the other； to the floor。
At last he was ready to go to the counter。 The uniformed girl there stared at him while he gave his order…his wet hair； he thought。 While she waited for the order to e through； the girl stepped back and leaned against the service hatch； still unabashedly looking at him。
He was biting into the first Whopper as he turned away toward the glass doors。 Juice ran down his chin。 He was so hungry he could scarcely bother to chew。 Three enormous bites took most of the big sandwich。 He had just worked his mouth far enough around the remainder to take a fourth when he saw through the doors that Wolf had attracted a crowd of children。 The meat congealed in his mouth； and his stomach slammed shut。
Jack hurried outside； still trying to swallow his mouthful of ground chuck； limp bread； pickles； lettuce； tomatoes； and sauce。 The kids stood in the street on three sides of Wolf； staring at him every bit as frankly as the waitress had stared at Jack。 Wolf had hunched down on the curb as far as he was able； bowing his back and pulling in his neck like a turtle。 His ears seemed flattened against his head。 The wad of food stuck in Jack's throat like a golfball； and when he swallowed convulsively； it dropped down another notch。
Wolf glanced at him out of the side of his eye； and visibly relaxed。 A tall blue…jeaned man in his twenties opened the door of a battered red pick…up five or six feet away down the curb； leaned against the cab； and watched； smiling。 'Have a burger； Wolf；' Jack said as carelessly as he could。 He handed Wolf the box； which Wolf sniffed。 Then Wolf lifted his head and took a huge bite out of the box。 He began methodically to chew。 The children； astounded and fascinated； stepped nearer。 A few of them were giggling。 'What is he？' asked a little girl with blond pigtails tied with fuzzy pink gift…wrapping yarn。 'Is he a monster？' A crewcut boy of seven or eight shoved himself in front of the girl and said； 'He's the Hulk； isn't he？ He's really the Hulk。 Hey？ Hey？ Huh？ Right？'
Wolf had managed to extract what was left of his Whopper from its cardboard container。 He pushed the whole thing into his mout