Chapter 14 14

After a while, Jesse struggled to temporarily regain consciousness.She was only aware of two things: the moon had moved to Sifu, and she was terrified... at first she didn't know what to be afraid of. Then it occurred to her: Dad had been here, maybe still is.The thing didn't look like him, it didn't, but that was only because Dad had the face from the day of the eclipse. Jessie sat up with difficulty, and she pushed with her feet so hard that the coverlet fell under her. However, she can't do much with her arms anymore.While she was unconscious, the stinging needle seemed to have escaped.The arms are now numb, like a pair of chair legs.She looked towards the corner of the room next to the desk with wide eyes reflecting the moonlight.

The wind had died down, and the tree shadows had stopped swaying, at least temporarily.The uninvited guest in the dark night has left. Maybe it didn't go, Jesse—maybe it just changed places.Maybe it's hiding under the bed.How about this idea?If so, it can reach out and place a hand on your hip at any time. It was windy—just a light breeze, not a squall—and there was a faint thud at the back door.These are the only sounds left. The dog has stopped barking.It was this, more than anything else, that convinced her that the stranger was gone.She has the house to herself. Her eyes fell on a mass of dark objects lying on the floor.

And Gerald.Can't forget him. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. She was aware of the steady, rhythmic throbbing of her throat, and she didn't want to be awake enough to convert that throbbing into its true meaning: thirst.She didn't know if she could fall into normal sleep from the blackness of unconsciousness, but she knew that was exactly what she wanted to do, more than anything else—unless maybe someone drove up to her rescue—and she wanted to sleep . There's no one here, Jessie—you know the sound, don't you? Absurd as hell, it was Ruth's voice.Bitter-tongued Ruth, whose adage she publicly rips off a Nancy Sinatra song. "One day these boots will walk all over your body." This Ruth is now a pile of quivering jelly in the moonlight.

Go on, baby.Ruth said.Tease me all you want--maybe, I even deserve it--but don't kid yourself, there's no one else here.Your imagination puts a little slide, and that's it.That's all. You are wrong, Ruth.Mrs. Burlingame answered calmly.There are indeed people here.Jesse and I both know who that is.He didn't quite look like Dad, but only because he had the same face from the day of the eclipse.However, the face is not the important part.It doesn't matter how tall he looks - he's probably wearing boots with special high heels.Perhaps one wears boots with a heel.Maybe he was on stilts.

stilts!Ruth screamed.Ouch, my gosh.I heard everything!Never mind the fact that this man died before President Reagan took office.The little dress came back from the dry cleaner.Tom Mechter was so clumsy he should have bought downstairs insurance.stilts?Oh baby, you're fooling me! It doesn't matter.Mrs. Burlingame said stubbornly, with an air of serenity.It was him, and I could smell that smell anywhere—the thick smell of hot blood.Not the smell of oysters or coins.Not even the smell of blood.that taste is... The thought dissipated and drifted away. Jesse fell asleep.