@@@@@It was warm, but I chugged half of it,
@@@@@It
was warm, but I chugged half of it, burped, then
drank againI looked around and saw only my
friends and a length of dirty hallwayIn fact, it was terribleMy hand - I
was definitely back to one again - was stiff and
throbbing, as if I had been using it steadily for
1012
at least two hours, so where were the drawings? I
was terrified that without the drawings,
everything would fade the way dreams do upon
wakingAnd I had risked more than my life for
that informationI had risked my sanity
I struggled, trying to get to my feetA bolt of
pain went through my head where I'd bumped it
against the wall"Where are the pictures? Please
tell me there are pictures!"
"Relax, muchacho, right here Wireman stepped
aside and showed me a semi-tidy stack of Artisan
sheets"You were drawing like a madman, tearing
them off your pad as you wentI took em and
stacked em up
And this felt like the literal truth
Jack looked around uneasilyThe front corridor,
which had been filled with afternoon light when I
took Noveen from Jack and went bye-bye down a
black hole, was now dimmerNot dark - not yet,
and when I looked up I could see the sky overhead
was still blue - but it was clear that the
afternoon was either gone or almost gone
1013
"What time is it?" I asked
"Quarter past five," Wireman saidHe didn't have
to glance at his watch, which told me he'd been
keeping close track"Sunset's still a couple of
hours awaySo if they only come out
at night-"
"I think they doThat's enough time, and I still
need to eatWe can get out of this ruinWe're
done with the houseWe may need a ladder,
though