Pet Sematary - Stephen King [162]
She explained how she had missed her connecting flight at Boston. I got an Avis car, but Im not making the time I thought I would. I got a little bit lost corning from Logan to the turnpike, and Ive only got into Maine. I dont think I can get there until dawn. But Jud please. Please tell me whats happening. Im so scared, and I dont even know why.
Rachel, listen to me, Jud said, you drive on up to Portland and lay over, do you hear me? Check into a motel there and get some-
Jud, I cant do th-.
-and get some sleep. Feel no fret, Rachel. Something may be happening here tonight, or something may not. If something is-if its what I think-then you wouldnt want to be here anyway. I can take care of it, I think. I better be able to take care of it because whats happening is my fault. If nothings happening, then you get here this afternoon, and that will be fine. I imagine Louis will be real glad to see you.
I couldnt sleep tonight, Jud.
Yes, he said, reflecting that he had believed the same thing- hell, Peter had probably believed the same thing on the night Jesus had been taken into custody. Sleeping on sentry duty. Yes, you can. Rachel, if you doze off behind the wheel of that damn rent-a-car and go off the road and get yourself killed, whats going to happen to Louis then? And Ellie?
Tell me whats going on! If you tell me that, Jud, maybe Ill take your advice. But I have to know!
When you get to Ludlow, I want you to come here, Jud said. Not over to your house. Come here first. Ill tell you everything I know, Rachel. And I am watching for Louis.
Tell me, she said.
No, maam. Not over the phone. I wont. Rachel, I cant. You go on now. Drive up to Portland and lay over.
There was a long, considering pause.
All right, she said at last. Maybe youre right. Jud, tell me one thing. Tell me how bad it is.
I can handle it, Jud said calmly. Things have got as bad as theyre going to get.
Outside the headlights of a car appeared, moving slowly. Jud hall-stood, watching it, and then sat down again when it accelerated past the Creed house and out of sight.
All right, she said. I guess. The rest of this drive has seemed like a stone on my head.
Let the stone roll off, my dear, Jud said. Please. Save yourself for tomorrow. Things here will be all right.
You promise youll tell me the whole story?
Yes. Well have us a beer, and Ill tell you the whole thing.
Goodbye, then, Rachel said, for now.
For now, Jud agreed. Ill see you tomorrow, Rachel.
Before she could say anything else, Jud hung up the telephone.
He thought there were caffeine pills in the medicine cabinet, but he could not find them. He put the rest of the beer back in the refrigerator-not without regret-and settled for a cup of black coffee. He took it back to the bow window and sat down again, sipping and watching.
The coffee-and the conversation with Rachel-kept him awake and alert for three quarters of an hour, but then he began to nod once more.
No sleeping on sentry duty, old man. You let it get hold of you; you bought something, and now you have to pay for it. So no sleeping on sentry duty.
He lit a fresh cigarette, drew deep, and coughed an old mans rasping cough. He put the cigarette on the groove of the ashtray and rubbed his eyes with both hands. Outside a ten-wheeler blasted by, running lights glaring, cutting through the windy, uneasy night.
He caught himself dozing off again, snapped awake, and abruptly slapped himself across the face, forehand and backhand, causing his ears to ring. Now terror awakened in his heart, a stealthy visitor who had broken into that secret place.
Its puttin me to sleep hypnotizin me somethin. It doesnt want me awake. Because hell be comin back pretty soon. Yeah, I feel that. And it wants me out of the way.
No, he said grimly. No way at all. You hear me? Im puttin a stop to this. This has gone far enough.
The wind whined around the eaves, and the trees on the other side of the road shook their leaves in hypnotic patterns. His mind went back to that night around the Defiant stove