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"All right," he said. "Let's say that the Golden Ball really--what
emigration, be turned down, and sue for compensation, which would pay for
there had never been anything good at all, only ugly, vicious faces.
own power. They all shot out of the foyer like cannonballs. Two ended up
the past some sweet mirage, a feeling of tenderness or cheerfulness. He
from that distance, he could see how heavy and massive it was, and howall evoked self-pity or hatred. He tried to fight the chaos, to summon from
Noonan put on a wide-eyed look of surprise, raised his finger to his
back to back for warmth in a tortured half-sleep on top of the hill, waiting
He looked Arthur over.unrecognizability, were crowding each other in his swollen brain, knocking
through the puddles. He was limping and did not look as straight and
from the embankment. The pebbles rained after him noisily
squealed in an unnatural voice, kicked Redrick in the face with his other
they're not granted, it's all over for you!"
see the downed helicopter some where on his left and the ore flatcars up
"It was my own fault. I heard your order to lie there, but I was reallyRedrick thought that they were putting his old man in the hospital for
were walking along the embankment, stepping over the rotten ties between the
the light, climb up on his lap, and ask which shop steward and whichforgotten everything -- the master key and Monkey. What does that mean? It
killed by underground explosions. And that put an end to it. Who had this
Now they were moving parallel to the embankment. Every step brought
first-aid kit had burst to hell, and a damp spot reeked of antiseptic.
Redrick opened the pack and started picking out the slivers of glass and
as he poured more whiskey. "It's called Witches' Jelly, I'll make you onean abandoned construction site, yawned before them. It was covered with
left this. There's more under there.
from that distance, he could see how heavy and massive it was, and how
is one place, Red, that you can't go to alone. Like it or not, you'll havewell-proportioned as he had before. He was bent over and was walking very
He sniffed the air. You damn depression, that's the really lousy part. The
toad.
question."
asked in a low voice near his ear. He was next to him looking at the map,
said looking around:
started thinking about Arthur's sister. He just could not fathom it: howscared, and when it got so hot--I lost my head. I'm very much afraid of
chiseled profile, the clear skin of his cheek, and the determined set of his
Noonan's a fool: Redrick, Red, you violate the balance, you destroy thewhere the excavator's cabin stood out like a red splotch against the white
place. Redrick's parboiled hands ached, and the backpack kept bumping into
that it had been hidden in him for a long time, but that he was
full. "I just don't Understand how you plan to hook onto it, it's probably
would you wish?"
led through the swamp, along open flat ground, which seemed safe enough fromit, Redrick thought grimly. Himself. Why did he beg to come along so
He set up the glasses, quickly opened the bottle, and turned to Noonan.
was still low in the sky, and finally blocking the entire eastern sky. At
Arthur had only to stray a single foot from their path for Redrick's mouthdirection of the bundle of rags on the stony hillside.
and Redrick was amazed to see how short his terrible, endless path had been,
the gravel tumbling down the incline under their feet.
they all drawn to this quarry? Why hadn't I heard anything about it? Damn
too short. There's nobody left but you. I dragged lots of young ones in
Arthur seemed to have perked up and was walking full speed. He had one
the left. The current was stronger. Some where between them and theblood and ash. For a few seconds Redrick examined with dull interest the
know better than to believe Father about you being friends. And
"It's the ore," Arthur said. "You know, it settled with time. The "That was death," Redrick murmured and coughed. He felt his face. It