Doctor Sleep

her smooth arms out for inspection.
    Rose turned her burning, tear-filled eyes on Terri. “ Now . But for how long?” Sweet Terri made no reply, but turned her face away.
    Rose put her arm around Silent Sarey and surveyed the others. “Nut said that girl may be our only chance of getting rid of the sickness before it infects us all. Does anyone here know better? If you do, speak up.”
    No one did.
    “We’re going to wait until Deez, Annie,and Dirty Phil get back, then we’ll take steam. Biggest steam ever. We’re going to empty the canisters.”
    Looks of surprise and more uneasy mutters greeted this. Did they think she was crazy? Let them. It wasn’t just measles eating into the True Knot; it was terror, and that was far worse.
    “When we’re all together, we’re going to circle. We’re going to grow strong. Lodsam hanti, we are the chosenones—have you forgotten that? Sabbatha hanti, we are the True Knot, and we endure. Say it with me.” Her eyes raked them. “Say it.”
    They said it, joining hands, making a ring. We are the True Knot, and we endure . A little resolution came into their eyes. A little belief. Only half a dozen of them were showing the spots, after all; there was still time.
    Rose and Silent Sarey stepped to the circle.Terri and Baba let go of each other to make a place for them, but Rose escorted Sarey to the center. Under the security lights, the bodies of the two women radiated multiple shadows, like the spokes of a wheel. “When we’re strong—when we’re one again—we’re going to find her and take her. I tell you that as your leader. And even if her steam doesn’t cure the sickness that’s eating us, it’ll bethe end of the rotten—”
    That was when the girl spoke inside her head. Rose could not see Abra Stone’s angry smile, but she could feel it.
    ( don’t bother coming to me, Rose )
    8
    In the back of John Dalton’s Suburban, Dan Torrance spoke four clear words in Abra’s voice.
    “I’ll come to you.”
    9
    “Billy? Billy! ”
    Billy Freeman looked at the girl who didn’t exactly sound like a girl. She doubled, cametogether, and doubled again. He passed a hand over his face. His eyelids felt heavy and his thoughts seemed somehow glued together. He couldn’t make sense of this. It wasn’t daylight anymore, and they sure as hell weren’t on Abra’s street anymore. “Who’s shooting? And who took a shit in my mouth? Christ .”
    “Billy, you have to wake up. You have to . . .”
    You have to drive was what Dan meant tosay, but Billy Freeman wasn’t going to be driving anywhere. Not for awhile. His eyes were drifting shut again, the lids out of sync. Dan threw one of Abra’s elbows into the old guy’s side and got his attention again. For the time being, at least.
    Headlights flooded the cab of the truck as another car approached. Dan held Abra’s breath, but this one also went by without slowing. Maybe a womanon her own, maybe a salesman in a hurry to get home. A bad Samaritan, whoever it was, and bad was good for them, but they might not be lucky a third time. Rural people tended to be neighborly. Not to mention nosy.
    “Stay awake,” he said.
    “Who are you?” Billy tried to focus on the kid, but it was impossible. “Because you sure don’t sound like Abra.”
    “It’s complicated. For now, just concentrateon staying awake.”
    Dan got out and walked around to the driver’s side of the truck,stumbling several times. Her legs, which had seemed so long on the day he met her, were too damned short. He only hoped he wouldn’t have enough time to get used to them.
    Crow’s clothes were lying on the seat. His canvas shoes were on the dirty floormat with the socks trailing out of them. The blood and brainsthat had splattered his shirt and jacket had cycled out of existence, but they had left damp spots. Dan gathered everything up and, after a moment’s consideration, added the gun. He didn’t want to give it up, but if they were stopped . . .
    He took the bundle to the front of the truck and buried it beneath a drift of old leaves. Then he grabbed a piece of the downed birch the F-150 had struckand dragged it over the burial site. It was hard work with Abra’s arms, but he managed.
    He found he couldn’t just step into the cab; he had to pull himself up by the steering wheel. And once he was finally behind the wheel, her feet barely reached the pedals. Fuck .
    Billy gave a galumphing snore, and Dan threw another elbow. Billy opened