Pet Sematary - Stephen King [112]
He does so, she said. In Sunday School the teacher told us about this guy Lazarus. He was dead, and Jesus brought him back to life. He said Lazarus, come forth, and the teacher said if hed just said Come forth, probably everybody in that graveyard would have come out, and Jesus only wanted Lazarus.
An absurdity popped out of his mouth (but the day had sung and gibbered with absurdity): That was a long time ago, Ellie.
Im going to keep things ready for him, she said. Ive got his picture, and Im going to sit in his chair-
Ellie, youre too big for Gages chair, Louis said, taking her hot, feverish hand. Youll break it.
God will help it not to break, Ellie said. Her voice was serene, but Louis observed the brown half-moons under her eyes. Looking at her made his heart ache so badly that he turned away from her. Maybe when Gages chair broke, she would begin to understand what had happened a little better.
Im going to carry the picture and sit in his chair, she said. Im going to eat his breakfast too. Gage and Ellie had each had their own breakfast cereals; Gages, Ellie had once claimed, tasted like dead boogers. If Cocoa Bears was the only cereal in the house, Ellie would sometimes eat a boiled egg or nothing at all. Ill eat lima beans even though I hate them, and Ill read all of Gages picturebooks and Ill Ill you know get things ready in case
She was crying now. Louis did not try to comfort her but only brushed her hair back from her forehead. What she was talking about made a certain crazed sense. Keeping the lines open. Keeping things current. Keeping Gage in the present, in the Hot One Hundred, refusing to let him recede; remember when Gage did
this or that yeah, that was great good old Gage, wotta kid. When it started not to hurt, it started not to matter. She understood, perhaps, Louis thought, how easy it would be to let Gage be dead.
Ellie, dont cry anymore, he said. This isnt forever.
She cried forever for fifteen minutes. She actually fell asleep before her tears stopped. But eventually she slept, and downstairs the clock struck ten in the quiet house.
Keep him alive, Ellie, if thats what you want, he thought and kissed her. The shrinks would probably say its as unhealthy as hell, but Im for it. Because I know the day will come-maybe as soon as this Friday-when you forget to carry the picture and Ill see it lying on your bed in this empty room while you ride your bike around the driveway or walk in the field behind the house or go over to Kathy McGowns house to make clothes with her Sew Perfect. Gage wont be with you, and thats when Gage drops off whatever Hot One Hundred there is that exists in little girls hearts and starts to become Something That Happened in 1984. A blast from the past.
Louis left the room and stood for a moment at the head of the stairs, thinking-not seriously-about going to bed.
He knew what he needed and went downstairs to get it.
Louis Albert Creed set methodically about getting drunk. Downstairs in the cellar were five cases of Schlitz Light beer. Louis drank beer, Jud drank it, Steve Masterton drank it, Missy Dandridge would occasionally have a beer or two while watching the kids (kid, Louis reminded himself, going down the cellar stairs). Even Chariton, on the few occasions she had come over to the house, preferred a beer-as long as it was a light beer-to a glass of wine. So one day last winter Rachel had gone out and bought a staggering ten cases when Schlitz Light went on sale at the Brewer A & P. Stop you running down to Julios in Orrington every time somebody drops in, she had said. And youre always quoting Robert Parker to me, love-any beer thats in the refrigerator after the stores close is good beer, right? So drink this and think about the dough youre saving. Last winter. When things had been okay. When things had been okay. It was funny, how quickly and easily your mind made that crucial division.
Louis brought up a case of beer and shoved the cans into the fridge. Then he took one can, closed the fridge door, and opened