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"It’s a recent development," Hal said

Jack took a deep breath, his s "Can you spare a fewtoht it ht help if you were there A face he’ll let hilanced back at his desk, and then reached into his pocket for a key "Stay, Dutch," he said to the dog, then looked at Jack "He’ll be at the bar by now If we hurry, we can get him before he’s too drunk to see either of us"

Jack didn’t expect Merritt to be the only one in the bar, not in a place as blanketed in lost hope as Dawson, but still it startled hi with life, ale and whiskey flowing freely It would be ht came on and the darkness reminded lost souls, and even those still hopeful, how far they were from home But, still, there were twenty-five or thirty people in the bar, a handful of theer fare the place offered because they couldn’t be bothered to seek a proper meal elsewhere They’d put down roots in the place

Roots The word put ihter into Jack’s head, and he shook them off like cobwebs The sooner he left the vast emptiness of the north behind, the better

"In the back," Hal said, nodding toward the farthest corner

It seee to Jack that Merritt would take up a post there, at a small round table on the opposite side of the rooet up and trek over to the counter to order himself another drink, and there were plenty of stools to be had within ar, there in the corner, and there in his glass, as well

Hal led the way and they threaded through the tables, passing arrulous, all of the to happen to shake the not to wonder ould beco ever did

Jack craved sihter, and he kneould find it back home in California But he would not have earned it until he had thrown the heavy gray cloak of this place froht, intelligent eyes and a smile both shy and full of proreatest beauty he had ever beheld, but it was an uncaring place, and he yearned for a waran, as they approached the table

Hal held up a hand to stop hier a kid slid into the chair opposite the y red beard, who had once been Jack’s friend Jack hung back, watching, and after a ot yourself a job," Merritt said He cocked his head as if he weren’t entirely sure Hal was there

"I quit early today," Hal said "Figured I’d come over and see if you wanted to have soh his overgrown beard "Bit early for dinner"

"But not for whiskey?"

That actually got a smile out of Merritt, but it lasted only a moment before it became a sneer "Never too early for whiskey Not here, so far from the world"

"This is part of the world, Merritt," Jack said

Hal shot him a look meant to silence him, but Jack had run out of time to wait for Merritt to recover frorabbed a chair froed it over, and now the three of theether Merritt, as always, seemed not to see him

Jack rapped his knuckles on the table Merritt flinched

"There you go," Jack said "I’host"

"I don’t knoho the hell you are," Merritt said "But you watch yourself in here Man could get a knife in the belly as easy as a drink in this place"

Jack sress Merritt wouldn’t look hied itself over and nobody sat there, but he had responded That was a start

"Merritt, you’ve got to stop," Hal said "You’ve gotta see It’s--"

"Hush," Jack said

Hal claestured for hirabbed Merritt’s ar on the floorboards, and his chest started to rise and fall with ragged, panicked breaths But Merritt didn’t go for a weapon

"This is part of the world," Jack repeated "It s that seem impossible But you haven’t stepped outside the world You can go back to houses and restaurants and shops, to cities and towns, to the friends and family you left behind I can take you back, Merritt, if you’ll let onna get another drink, Hal Can I buy you one?"

"Look at hi "Just look at hi up with such force that he knocked over his chair, and alass on the table

"Goddammit, kid, Jack is dead! Don’t you listen? Don’t any of you ever listen? It got him Gobbled him up just like the rest!"

Nearly everyone in the bar turned for a curious glance, but only a quick one Really, none of the as it didn’t involve the for hiave a quiet laugh that set Jack’s teeth on edge and ht be truly deranged after all, not just scared and heartbroken Then Merritt righted his chair and sat back down, a horrible sadness on his face He wiped at his eyes

"I’m sorry, Hal," he said "I kno you hate to be called ‘kid’"

"It’s all right," Hal said

Merritt rapped the knuckles of his right fist against his skull "No, it isn’t It’s all just like broken glass up here, now And I don’t like to talk about…about him I let him down, Hal Those bastards, William and Archie, they killed Jim and I blamed Jack for it, when all he’d done was stand up to them He tried to be my friend, tried to look out for me even after they took us, and I turnedhis le tear ran down Merritt’s face as he reached for his glass With a thulass, but he did not lift it to drink, only gazed off now into that , maybe into a past where he blahed, started to rise

"No," Jack said

"Jack--"

"I’home You could come with me Look at me, daht to be angry I knew they were dangerous men the first time I set eyes on them I should’ve been more careful But I’m back now We’re both alive"