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ttle that gleamed for a moment at the muzzle made her blink her eyes and swerve her head aside involuntarily。
He didn't move。 Even the five…dollar bill didn't flutter off him。 There was a curious low moaning sound from the tubular rod forming the head of the cot； as when a vibration is slowly dimming； and there was a black pockmark in the plaster of the wall； sharply offto one side of it； that seemed to leap up into being for the first time only as her eyes discovered it。
Her hand was at his shoulder now； while her mind was trying to say 〃I didn't…I didn't…〃 He turned over lazily； and ebbed down to the floor； in a way that was almost playful； as if she had been threatening to tickle him and he was trying to avoid it。
Indolent dalliance； his attitude seemed to express。 There was even a sort of gashed grin across his mouth。
His eyes seemed to be fixed on her； watching her； with that same detached mockery they'd always shown toward her。 As if to say； 〃What are you going to do now？〃
You could hardly tell anything was the matter。 There was only a little dark streak by the outside corner of one eye； like a patch of patent leather used instead of court plaster； as though he'd hurt himself there and then covered it over。 And where that side of his head had e to rest against the lateral thickness of the bedding； there was a peculiar sworled stain； its outer layers of a lighter discoloration than its core。
Somebody screamed in the confined little room。 Not shrilly； but with a guttural wrench； almost like the bark of a terrified dog。 It must have been she； for there was no one in there to scream but her。 Her vocal chords hurt； as though they had been strained asunder。
〃Oh； God！〃 she sobbed in an undertone。 〃I didn't need to e…〃
She cowered away from him； step by faltering step。 It wasn't that little glistening streak； that daub of tar； nor yet the way he lay there； relaxed and languid； as if they had had such fun he was exhausted； and it was too much trouble to get up off his back and see her out。 It was his eyes that knifed her with fear； over and over； until panic had welled up in her； as though gushing through a sieve。 The way they seemed fixed on her； the way they seemed to follow her backward； step by step。 She went over a little to one side； and that didn't get her away from them。 She went over a little to the other； and that didn't get her away from them either。 Contemptuous； patronizing； mocking； to the end； with no real tenderness in them for her； ever。 He looked on her in death as he'd looked on her in life。
She could almost hear the drawled words that went with that look。 〃Where d'you think you're going now？ What's your hurry？ e back here； you！〃
Her mind screamed back： 〃Away from here…！ Out of here…！ Before somebody es…！ Before anybody sees me！〃
She turned and fled through the opening； and beat her way through the outside room； flailing with her arms； as though it were an endless treadmill going the other way； trying to carry her back in to him； instead of a space of a brief few yards。
She got to the door and collided against it。 But then； after the first impact； after her body was stopped against it； instead of stilling； it kept on thumping； and kept on thumping； as though there were dozens of her hurling themselves against it in an endless succession。
Wood shouldn't knock so； wood shouldn't bang so… Her hands flew up to her ears arid clutched them。 She was going mad。
The blows didn't space themselves and wait between。 They were aggressive； demanding； continuous。 They were already angered； and they were feeding on their own anger with every second's added delay。 They drowned out； in her own ears； her second； smothered scream of anguish。 A scream that held more real fear in it than even the first one had； in the other room just now。 Fear； not of the supernatural now； but of the personal； a fear more immediate； a fear more strong。 Agonizing fear； trapped fear such as she'd never known existed before。 The fear of losing the thing you love。 The greatest fear there is。
For the voice that riddled the door； that welled through； bated but flinty with stern impatience； was Bill's。
Her heart knew it before the sound came； and then her ears knew it right as it came； and then its words told her after they had e。
〃Patrice！ Open。 Open this door。 Patrice！ Do you hear me？ I knew I'd find you here。 Open this door and let me in； or I'll break it down！〃
A moment too late she thought of the lock； and just a moment in time he thought of it too。 That it had been unlocked the whole while； just as she had found it to be earlier。 She crushed herself flat against it； with a whimper of despair； just too late； just as the knob gave its turn and the door…seam started to widen。
〃No！〃 she ordered breathlessly。 〃No！〃 She tried to hold it closed with the full weight of her whole palpitating body。
She could almost feel the currents of his straining breath beating into her face。 〃Patrice； you've…got…to…let…me…in…there！〃
And between each word she lost ground； her heels scraped futilely backward over the surface of the floor。
He could see her now； and she could see him； through the fluctuating gap their opposing pressures made； widening a little； then narrowing again； then widening more than ever。 His eyes； so close to her own； were a terrible accusation； far worse than that dead man's had been inside。 Don't look at me； don't look at me！ she implored them despairingly in her mind。 Oh； turn away from me； for I can't bear you！
Back she went； steadily and irresistibly； and still she tried to bar him； to the last； after his arm was in and his shoulder； straining her whole body insensately against him； flattening her hands till they showed bloodless against the door。
Then he gave one final heave to end the unequal contest； and she was swept back along the whole curved arc of the door's path； like a leaf or a piece of limp rag that got caught in the way。 And he was in； and he was standing there next to her； his chest rising and falling a little with quickened breath。
〃No； Bill； no！〃 she kept pleading mechanically； even after the cause of her plea was lost 〃Don't e in。 Not if you love me。 Stay out。〃
〃What're you doing here？〃 he said tersely。 〃What brought you？〃
〃I want you to love me；〃 was all she could whimper； like a distracted child。 〃Don't e in。 I want you to love me。〃
He took her suddenly； and shook her fiercely by the shoulder for a moment 〃I saw you。 What did you e here to do？ What did you e here for； at this hour？〃 He released her again。 〃What's this？〃 He picked up the gun； which she had pletely lost track of until now in her turmoil。 It must have fallen； or she must have flung it to the floor； in her ifight from the inner room。
〃Did you bring it with you？〃 He came back toward her again。 〃Patrice； answer me！〃 he said with a flinty ferocity she hadn't known he possessed。 〃What did you e here for？〃
Her voice kept backing and filling in her throat； as if unable to rise to the top。 At last it overflowed。 〃To…to…to kill him。〃 She toppled soddenly against him； and his arm had to go around her； tight and firm； to keep her up。
Her hands tried to crawl up his lapels； up his shirt…fr