第20部分(第4/7 頁)

　or　what？〃

Still　screaming　and　laughing；　Wharton　went　back　to　choking　Dean　with　his　chain。　Why　not？　Wharton　knew　what　we　all　knew：　they　could　only　fry　him　once。

〃Hit　him；　Percy；　hit　him！〃　Harry　screamed；　struggling　to　his　feet。　But　Percy　only　stood　there；　hickory　baton　in　hand；　eyes　as　wide　as　soup…plates。　Here　was　the　chance　he'd　been　looking　for；　you　would　have　said；　his　golden　opportunity　to　put　that　tallywhacker　of　his　to　good　use；　and　he　was　too　scared　and　confused　to　do　it。　This　wasn't　some　terrified　little　Frenchman　or　a　black　giant　who　hardly　seemed　to　be　in　his　own　body；　this　was　a　whirling　devil。

I　came　out　of　Wharton's　cell；　dropping　my　clipboard　and　pulling　my　。38。　I　had　forgotten　the　infection　that　was　heating　up　my　middle　for　the　second　time　that　day。　I　didn't　doubt　the　story　the　others　told　of　Wharton's　blank　face　and　dull　eyes　when　they　told　it；　but　that　wasn't　the　Wharton　I　saw。　What　I　saw　was　the　face　of　an　animal　…　not　an　intelligent　animal；　but　one　filled　with　cunning　。。。　and　meanness　。。。　and　joy。　Yes。　He　was　doing　what　he　had　been　made　to　do。　The　place　and　the　circumstances　didn't　matter。　The　other　thing　I　saw　was　Dean　Stanton's　red；　swelling　face。　He　was　dying　in　front　of　my　eyes。　Wharton　saw　the　gun　and　turned　Dean　toward　it；　so　that　I'd　almost　certainly　have　to　hit　one　to　hit　the　other。　From　over　Dean's　shoulder；　one　blazing　blue　eye　dared　me　to　shoot。

Part　Three：

Coffey's　Hands

1。

Looking　back　through　what　I've　written；　I　see　that　I　called　Georgia　Pines；　where　I　now　live；　a　nursing　home。　The　folks　who　run　the　place　wouldn't　be　very　happy　with　that！　According　to　the　brochures　they　keep　in　the　lobby　and　send　out　to　prospective　clients；　its　a　〃State…of…the…art　retirement　plex　for　the　elderly。〃　It　eve