第46部分(第2/8 頁)

he　likes　of　Coffey　in　mind；　but　I　hadn't　realized　how　great　the　disparity　was　until　he　stood　before　it；　looking　at　it　thoughtfully。

Harry　laughed；　but　John　himself　seemed　to　see　no　humor　in　the　big　man　standing　in　front　of　the　little　door。　He　wouldn't　have；　of　course；　even　if　he'd　been　quite　a　few　degrees　brighter　than　he　was；　he　wouldn't　have。　He'd　been　that　big　man　for　most　of　his　life；　and　this　door　was　just　a　scrap　littler　than　most。

He　sat　down；　scooted　through　it　that　way；　stood　up　again；　and　went　down　the　stairs　to　where　Brutal　was　waiting　for　him。　There　he　stopped；　looking　across　the　empty　room　at　the　platform　where　Old　Sparky　waited；　as　silent　…　and　as　eerie　…　as　the　throne　m　the　castle　of　a　dead　king。　The　cap　hung　with　hollow　jauntiness　from　one　of　the　back…posts；　looking　less　like　a　king's　crown　than　a　jester's　cap；　however；　something　a　fool　would　wear；　or　shake　to　make　his　high…born　audience　laugh　harder　at　his　jokes。　The　chair's　shadow；　elongated　and　spidery；　climbed　one　wall　like　a　threat。　And　yes；　I　thought　I　could　still　smell　burned　flesh　in　the　air。　It　was　faint；　but　I　thought　it　was　more　than　just　my　imagination。

Harry　ducked　through　the　door；　then　me。　I　didn't　like　the　frozen；　wide…eyed　way　John　was　looking　at　Old　Sparky。　Even　less　did　I　like　what　I　saw　on　his　arms　when　I　got　close　to　him：　goosebumps。

〃e　on；　big　boy；〃　I　said。　I　took　his　wrist　and　attempted　to　pull　him　in　the　direction　of　the　door　leading　down　to　the　tunnel。　At　fi