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ou get to stand a twelve…hour watch。
〃God； it was peaceful。〃 He was talking freely now。 〃I think I got a flash from a bear once； but it must have been at the extreme limit of my range。 Then one day I flashed a bluejay as it sailed about six feet over my head； and that was。。。 just beautiful！〃 He shivered。 〃Almost worth the rest of it。〃
〃What brings you this way？〃 Callahan wanted to know。
〃What else？ The expected： a forest fire in my zone。 Called it in fast； and then got too close to a firefighter who was trapped by a widowmaker and roasting slowly。 My boss figured me for an epileptic and fired me as gently as he could。 I didn't argue the point。 I had a little money saved up。 I came back east。〃
〃Why？〃 Callahan asked。
〃To see Paul。 To visit him。〃
〃Have you？〃
〃No； damn it； I couldn't get near the place。 I flew right into MacArthur； doped up with sleeping pills so I'd be asleep when we went over New York City； and rented a car with the last of my bankroll when I landed。 I intended to drive on through and hope for the best； but halfway out of Islip I flashed a guy in the next lane。 He。。。 he was a drug dealer。 Heroin and cocaine。〃
Tommy Janssen's face went hard as a rock； and he gripped his beermug like a bludgeon。
〃I was very； very lucky；〃 MacDonald continued。 〃Any crash you walk away from is a good one； and that's what I did： just left the wreck married to a tree； climbed up the embankment and walked away。 I walked for hours； and not too long ago the supervisor of this town we're in drove past me in his big limousine and I flashed him。 The next thing I knew I was in here； talking a blue streak。 Hey； how e you guys believe all this？〃
We looked around at each other； shrugged。 〃Dis here is Callahan's Place；〃 Fast Eddie tried to explain； and somehow MacDonald seemed to understand。
〃Anyway；〃 he sent on； 〃that's the whole story。 King's Park is a long way from here； and frankly； gentlemen； I don't think I can make it any further。 Any suggestions？〃
There was a long silence。
Fast Eddie opened his mouth； closed it； opened it again and left it that way。 Shorty scratched where it itched。 Doc Webster sipped thoughtfully at his drink。 I racked my brains。
Callahan spoke。 〃One。〃
MacDonald started； turned to face him。 He looked Callahan up and down from his thinning red hair to his outsized brogans； and sat up a little straighter。 〃I would very much like to hear it； Mr。 Callahan；〃 he said respectfully。
〃Contact Paul from here；〃 Callahan said flatly。
MacDonald shook his head violently。 〃I can't。 I told you； this thing can't be controlled； dammit。〃
〃You said ‘no' a little too loud； old son；〃 Callahan grinned。 〃Maybe you can't do it … but you think you can。〃
MacDonald shook his head again。 〃No。 I don't want to flash him。 Don't you understand？ He's catatonic。 A vegetable。 I just want to see him； to try and speak with him。〃
〃Why use words？〃 I asked。
〃They're less dangerous； damn you；〃 he snapped。 〃If you fail with words you can say to yourself； ‘Gee； that's sad；' and go do something else。〃
〃What else？〃 Doc asked。 〃What did you plan to do after you saw Paul？〃
〃I。。。 I don't know。〃
〃Well； then。〃
〃Look； what could it possibly acplish？〃 MacDonald barked。
〃Maybe a lot；〃 Callahan said quietly。 〃Here's how I figure： Paul found a way to block the flashes out … a defense。 But he found it at the end of his rope … so he just threw it up and slapped ferrocement over it； and he's been huddling inside it ever since。〃 Callahan took the cigar out of his mouth and rubbed his granite jaw。 〃Now you're in sorry shape； but old son I don't judge you to be at the end of your rope yet。 Paul was continuously telepathic by the time he killed his stepmother； wasn't he？〃
〃Yes； I believe he was；〃 MacDonald admitted。 He was thinking hard。
〃Well； there you are。 If you can reach him； remind him of what it's like to be hooked into reality without flashing； maybe you can talk him into ing out from behind that shield； and using it only when he needs it。 In return； maybe he can teach you how to build the shield。
〃What do you say； son？〃
MacDonald grimaced。 〃I can't flash at will。 The distance is too great。 Our maximum fields of sensitivity don't reach each other by several miles。 I'm not due to flash again for at least a day or two； and Paul。。。 doesn't flash any more。〃
〃All right；〃 Callahan agreed。 〃Those are the reasons why it can't possibly work。 Now； why don't you try it？〃
〃Because I'm afraid； dammit！〃
Doc Webster spoke up softly。 〃No reason to fret； son。 We'll keep you from hurting yourself。〃
MacDonald looked around at us； started to speak and paused。 His eyes were terrible to see。
〃That's not what scares me；〃 he admitted at last； in a voice like a murdered hope。 〃What scares me is that I may establish contact with my brother and not be able to kill myself。〃
Callahan lumbered around behind the bar； brought his shotgun from beneath it and laid it on the bar … top。
〃Son；〃 he said firmly； 〃I don't like violence in my joint。 And suicide usually strikes me as a coward's solution。 But if you need to die； I'll see that you do。〃
A couple of jaws dropped； but nobody objected。
Except MacDonald。 〃What about the police？〃
〃That's my problem； burglar。〃
MacDonald's eyes seemed to see a far place； and I hope to God I never see it myself。 I suppose he was examining his guts。 The suspense hung in the air like the electric calm before a cyclone； and nobody made a sound。
After a long； timeless moment he nodded faintly。 〃All right。 I'll try； Mr。 Callahan。〃
We relaxed a trifle in our chairs； and then tensed right back up again。 Callahan put out his cigar and laid a hand on the shotgun； unobtrusively waving Chuck and Noah out of the line of fire。
MacDonald sat bolt upright； put his hands over his ears。 He opened his eyes real wide； looked around one last time； and closed them tight。 His brow knotted up。
Now； I don't know quite how to explain just what happened next； because it doesn't seem to jibe with what Jim MacDonald had told us。 But I figure that if he was a telepath； some of us at Callahan's are pretty fair empaths。 Maybe he was tapping us himself； maybe not。 All I know for sure is that all at once the lights were gone and I wasn't in the bar any more； and Callahan and the Doc and Fast Eddie and Tommy and Long…Drink and Noah and Shorty and Chuck and I were all crowded together somehow； touching； like we were rubbing shoulders in back of a truck we had to push … start。 We didn't waste time wondering； we put our backs into it。
That's crazy； there was no truck； not even a hallucinatory one； but I guess it describes the sort of thing we did as well as words can。 We。。。 pushed； and just like with a truck there came a time when the thing we were pushing gave a hell of a shudder and took off； leaving us gasping far behind。
The thing we were pushing was Jim MacDonald。
The lights came back and the familiar sights of Callahan's Place came back and I was alone in my skin again； looking around at Callahan and the rest of the boys and realizing with surprise that I hadn't been