第36部分(第6/7 頁)

ain；　so　at　least　he　hadn't　had　a　stroke　or　a　heart…storm。　That　was　good。　But　the　way　Brutal　was　looking　at　Percy　wasn't。

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

Percy　swallowed。　〃Paul；　listen。　I　didn't　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。　I'd　done　this　before；　in　the　army；　and　it's　sort　of　like　riding　a　bike　…　you　don't　forget。

I　wiped　at　the　foam　on　Delacroix's　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　didn't　recognize　almost　sobbed　behind　me。　〃Is　it　always　this　way？　Why　didn't　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　Delacroix's　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　I'd　made　on　Del's　chest。　I　listened；　praying　I　would　hear　nothing；　and　that's　just　what　I　did　hear。

〃He's　dead；〃　I　told　Brutal。

〃Thank　Christ。〃

〃Yes。　Thank　Christ。　You　and　Dean　get　the　stretcher。　Let's　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　cook