小说园

第36部分（第2页）

〃I　know。〃

We　looked　around　for　Percy　and　saw　him　standing　almost　behind　Sparky　now；　frozen；　eyes　huge；　one　knuckle　crammed　into　his　mouth。

Then；　at　last；　Delacroix　slumped　back　in　the　chair；　his　bulging；　misshapen　face　lying　over　on　one　shoulder。　He　was　still　jittering；　but　wed　seen　this　before；　it　was　the　current　running　through　him。　The　cap　had　e　askew　on　his　head；　but　when　we　took　it　off　a　little　later；　most　of　his　scalp　and　his　remaining　fringe　of　hair　came　with　it；　bonded　to　the　metal　as　if　by　some　powerful　adhesive。

〃Kill　it！〃　I　called　to　Jack　when　thirty　seconds　had　gone　by　with　nothing　but　electric　jitters　ing　from　the　smoking；　man…shaped　lump　of　charcoal　lolling　in　the　electric　chair。　The　hum　died　immediately；　and　I　nodded　to　Brutal。

He　turned　and　slammed　the　fire　extinguisher　into　Percys　arms　so　hard　that　Percy　staggered　backward　and　almost　fell　off　the　platform。　〃You　do　it；〃　Brutal　said。　〃Youre　running　the　show；　after　all；　aint　you？〃

Percy　gave　him　a　look　that　was　both　sick　and　murderous；　then　armed　the　extinguisher；　pumped　it；　cocked　it；　and　shot　a　huge　cloud　of　white　foam　over　the　man　in　the　chair。　I　saw　Dels　foot　twitch　once　as　the　spray　hit　his　face　and　thought　Oh　no；　we　might　have　to　go　again；　but　there　was　only　that　single　twitch。

Anderson　had　turned　around　and　was　bawling　at　the　panicky　witnesses；　telling　them　everything　was　all　right；　everything　was　under　control；　just　a　powersurge　from　the　electrical　storm；　nothing　to　worry　about。　Next　thing；　hed　be　telling　them　that　what　they　smelled　…　a　devils　mixture　of　burned　hair；　fried　meat；　and　fresh…baked　shit　…　was　Chanel　No。　5。

〃Get　docs　stethoscope；〃　I　told　Dean　as　the　extinguisher　ran　dry。　Delacroix　was　coated　with　white　now；　and　the　worst　of　the　stench　was　being　overlaid　by　a　thin　and　bitter　chemical　smell。

〃Doc　。。。　should　I　。。　。〃

〃Never　mind　doc；　just　get　his　stethoscope；〃　I　said。　〃Lets　get　this　over　。。。　get　him　out　of　here。〃

Dean　nodded。　Over　and　out　of　here　were　two　concepts　that　appealed　to　him　just　then。　They　appealed　to　both　of　us。　He　went　over　to　docs　bag　and　began　rummaging　in　it。　Doc　was　beginning　to　move　again；　so　at　least　he　hadnt　had　a　stroke　or　a　heart…storm。　That　was　good。　But　the　way　Brutal　was　looking　at　Percy　wasnt。

〃Get　down　in　the　tunnel　and　wait　by　the　gurney；〃　I　said。

Percy　swallowed。　〃Paul；　listen。　I　didnt　know………〃

〃Shut　up。　Get　down　in　the　tunnel　and　wait　by　the　gurney。　Now。〃

He　swallowed；　grimaced　as　if　it　hurt；　and　then　walked　toward　the　door　which　led　to　the　stairs　and　the　tunnel。　He　carried　the　empty　fire　extinguisher　in　his　arms；　as　if　it　were　a　baby　Dean　passed　him；　ing　back　to　me　with　the　stethoscope。　I　snatched　it　and　set　the　earpieces。　Id　done　this　before；　in　the　army；　and　its　sort　of　like　riding　a　bike　…　you　dont　forget。

I　wiped　at　the　foam　on　Delacroixs　chest；　then　had　to　gag　back　vomit　as　a　large；　hot　section　of　his　skin　simply　slid　away　from　the　flesh　beneath；　the　way　the　skin　will　slide　off　a　。。。　well；　you　know。　A　done　tom　turkey。

〃Oh　my　God〃　a　voice　I　didnt　recognize　almost　sobbed　behind　me。　〃Is　it　always　this　way？　Why　didnt　somebody　tell　me？　I　never　would　have　e！〃

Too　late　now；　friend；　I　thought。　〃Get　that　man　out　of　here；〃　I　said　to　Dean　or　Brutal　or　whoever　might　be　listening　…　I　said　it　when　I　was　sure　I　could　speak　without　puking　into　Delacroixs　smoking　lap。　〃Get　them　all　back　by　the　door。〃

I　steeled　myself　as　best　I　could；　then　put　the　disc　of　the　stethoscope　on　the　red…black　patch　of　raw　flesh　Id　made　on　Dels　chest。　I　listened；　praying　I　would　hear　nothing；　and　thats　just　what　I　did　hear。

〃Hes　dead；〃　I　told　Brutal。

〃Thank　Christ。〃

〃Yes。　Thank　Christ。　You　and　Dean　get　the　stretcher。　Lets　unbuckle　him　and　get　him　out　of　here；　fast。〃

5。

We　got　his　body　down　the　twelve　stairs　and　onto　the　gurney　all　right。　My　nightmare　was　that　his　cooked　flesh　might　slough　right　off　his　bones　as　we　lugged　him　…　it　was　Old　Toots　done　tom　turkey　that　had　gotten　into　my　head　…　but　of　course　that　didnt　happen。

Curtis　Anderson　was　upstairs　soothing　the　spectators　…trying　to；　anyway　…　and　that　was　good　for　Brutal；　because　Anderson　wasnt　there　to　see　when　Brutal　took　a　step　toward　the　head　of　the　gurney　and　pulled　his　arm　back　to　slug　Percy；　who　was　standing　there　looking　stunned。　I　caught　his　arm；　and　that　was　good　for　both　of　them。　It　was　good　for　Percy　because　Brutal　meant　to　deliver　a　blow　of　near…decapitory　force；　and　good　for　Brutal　because　he　would　have　lost　his　job　if　the　blow　had　connected；　and　maybe　ended　up　in　prison　himself。

〃No；〃　I　said。

〃What　do　you　mean；　no？〃　he　asked　me　furiously。　〃Ho