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The stranger sang an unnerving song: "Naughty John, Naughty John, does his ith his apron on…"

The song made Tommy break out in a cold sweat and he took the last few steps at a clip till he reached the stick It had been shoved into the ground like a sword Beside it was a pa or other--the last word started with C, but Toot ripped the stick with both hands and tugged, but it would not yank free, and the stranger’s song was starting to work on his nerves It seemed to come from everywhere, and under the rowls and hisses, like voices released from the very depths of hell He had thetold hih Tommy positioned himself over the stick, wiped his hands on his filthy trousers, and tried again It wouldn’t budge Heso hard that he fell backward into the wood shavings It here he fell, and a drop of so hit his cheek, followed by another Tommy wiped at his face His hand came away smeared with blood Still on his back, he looked up to see a Ger on the hook above him, the kill so fresh the animal still twitched Its belly had been slit open and its insides pulled out

Tohter startled hiht there in front of Toainst the others With shaking hands, To order to this nightht there How is that possible? How could he have gotten all the way over here?

"I… I can’t get it out," To up

"Shaently toward the dead dog Then he frowned playfully "No I suppose not" He drew the stick froround without effort

To so clearly any, writhing on their hooks and squealing till To The man’s eyes burned with a terrible fire and he seeer than before

"Game of chance, my boy You’ve already rolled your dice"

"Paddy! Liam!" Tommy screamed "Johnny! I’m in here!"

"Your friends have deserted you"

Tommy cut his eyes in the direction of the barred door at the other end of the warehouse, which was now slightly ajar How far was it from here to there? Two hundred yards? Three hundred?

"Ah, one last gahts "Go on, then, Thomas Place your bets Roll the dice" His voice echoed in the cavernous slaughterhouse "Run!"

To back against the dead air The door bounced in his vision as his legs gobbled ground It was known that he was the fastest boy on Tenth Avenue He’d outrun cops, priests, gangs, and his own ry, which was ed into hi as it hit his wrist, but he did not slon Far behind hi out above the clang of the slaughterhouse chains " ‘And the sixth offering was an offering of obedience…’ "

Tommy could see the door It was n of the stranger A frantic chorus pounded in To of the Streets, King of the Streets, King of the Streets! Fifty yards Forty Beautiful htly open Tommy didn’t stop to ask himself how it had been opened All he could think about was pushing through it to freedo for the shortcut to Thirty-ninth Street

Thirty yards Twenty…

Toer saw the door One one Instead, the stranger stood before hinal to his legs that there was trouble ahead--a cliff’s edge in the shape of adirection Hoas that possible? How had he gotten so turned around? Nothing looked right to him anymore To along the walls and ceiling of the slaughterhouse, as if devouring it whole, the stranger walking just ahead of thea parade of darkness