Page 20 (1/2)

I wouldn&039;t have thought you could find a peaceful, suburbanish neighborhood in the city of Chicago Michael had ley Field Ancient old trees lined either side of the street in stately splendor The homes wereeconomy and a century of wear and tear had reduced the firetraps Michael&039;s house looked like it was ant paint in ivory and burgundy - and, perhaps inevitably, a white picket fence around the house and its front yard The porch light cast a circle of white radiance out onto the front lawn, ale of the property

I slewed the Beetle up onto the curb in front of the house and pushedup the stairs to rattle the knocker against the front door I figured that it would take Michael a er out of bed and come down the stairs, but instead I heard a thu steps, and then the curtains of thebeside the door stirred A second later, the door opened, and Michael stood there, blinking sleep out of his eyes He wore a pair of jeans and a T-shirt with JOHN 3:16 across his chest He held one of his kids in his brawny arms, one I hadn&039;t seen yet - olden hair, her face pressed against her daddy&039;s chest as she slept

"Harry," Michael said His eyes widened "Merciful Father, what&039;s happened to you?"

"It&039;s been a long night," I said "Have I been here yet?"

Michael peered at me "I&039;m not sure what you mean, Harry"

"Good Then I haven&039;t Michael, you&039;ve got to wake your faer"

He blinked at ain "Harry, it&039;s late What on earth - "

"Just listen" In terse terht to its victims

Michael stared at ht The ghost of a deetting into people&039;s drea their minds from the inside"

"Yeah," I said

"And now it&039;s taken a part of you, manifested a body that looks like you, and you think it&039;s co here"

"Yes," I said "Exactly"

Michael pursed his lips for a htet me to invite you in?"

I opened ain Then said, "Either way, it&039;s better if I stay out here Charity would probably gouge outup at this hour"

Michael nodded "Come on in, Harry Let me put the baby to bed"

I stepped inside, into a small entry hall with a polished hardwood floor Michael nodded toward his living rooht, and said, "Sit down I&039;ll be back in a second"

"Michael," I said "You should wake your fa is in a solid body, right?"

"It was a few o"

"Then it&039;s not in the Nevernever It&039;s here, in Chicago It can&039;t get into people&039;s dreams from here"

"I don&039;t think so, but - "

"And it&039;s going to be after the people ere near it when it died It&039;s going to come after me"

I chewed on ot a part of me in it, too"

Michael frowned atto come after you, Michael," I said "I wouldn&039;t start with you"

He looked down at the child he carried His face hardened, and he said, in a very soft voice, "Harry Sit I&039;ll be down in a ht - "

"I&039;ll see to it," he said in that saentle voice It scaredsoftly, and vanished up a stairway

I sat for a , comfortable easy chair, the kind that rocks back and forth There was a towel and a half-emptied bottle off tothe little girl to sleep

Beside the bottle was a note I leaned forward and picked it up, reading:

Michael Didn&039;t want to wake you and the baby The little one is de pizza and ice cream I&039;ll be back in a few minutes - probably before you wake up and read this Love, Charity

I stood up, and started toward the stairs Michael appeared at the top of theone"

I held up the note "She went to the store for pizza and ice creauess"