In the Mouth of Madness Page #5

Look, do you think...

those books|somehow infected you?

Listen to me, Harglow.

Everything l've said is true.|lt's real.

And that's why l had to destroy|the last manuscript.

But l know that's not true.

What are you talking about?

You delivered that manuscript|to me months ago.

To me personally in this room.

l did?

Yes,you did.|Last spring.

For God's sakes,|we published in July.

The book's been in the stores|for seven weeks.

Have you read it?

No.|l never read Cane's work.

l haven't got|the stomach for it.

Pull it.|Don't distribute it.

Even if everything l've said|is totally Looney Tunes...

l know this book|will drive people crazy.

Well, let's hope so.

The movie comes out next month.

Oh, Christ.

The newest, and presumably|posthumous,work...

of Sutter Cane continues|to sit at number one...

on the best-seller list.

''ln the Mouth of Madness''|is expected to break...

all previous publishing records.

On the local scene, police|are at a loss to explain...

the outbreak of violent crime|among the city's clergy.

The mayor has called|an emergency meeting...

of law enforcement|and medical agencies...

to discuss an apparent epidemic|of paranoid schizophrenia.

Just an unbelievably|horrible story, Bob.

What began locally...

has now broken out|into a global epidemic.

An epidemic|of monumental proportions...

of senseless, seemingly|unmotivated acts of violence.

Like the book?

l love it.

Good.

Then this shouldn't|come as a surprise.

Jeez!|l don't believe he did that!

lt's spreading out there,|isn't it?

Just because you know|the symptoms...

doesn't mean to say|your story's true.

lt's Cane's story...

and it'll spread|with each new reader.

That's how it gets its power.

What about the people|who don't read?

There's a movie.

Oh,yes, of course.

l'm gonna leave now...

but l'll be coming back,|l promise.

l want to help you.

There's no hurry.

lt's safer in here now.

lt'll get worse out there.

Why?

Every species can smell|its own extinction.

The last ones left...

won't have a pretty time of it.

And in ten years, maybe less...

the human race|will just be a bedtime story...

for their children.

A myth. Nothing more.

Did he have anything to say?

No. lt was useless.

He thinks he's fiction...

and that Sutter Cane's|causing the epidemic.

Do you read Sutter Cane?

Oh, God!

l'll try and continue...

this emergency broadcast as long|as we can hold out here.

Um,the city is almost|completely deserted now.

There are only a few stragglers|left on the streets.

There are|no emergency services.

The fires continue|to burn out of control.

This incredible epidemic|of random mass killing...

has spread to every country|in the civilized world.

Every hour, more people|are becoming infected...

being driven to senseless|acts of extreme violence.

We have gotten reports,|sketchy at best...

of people mutating,their bodies|swelling and distorting...

changing somehow.

Locally,the mass killings|appear to have moved inland.

All the major cities|on the East Coast are silent.

We lost contact|with Los Angeles...

and the West Coast last night...

so it's impossible|at this time to know...

how many unaffected people|are left.

lf for any reason...

you are one of us|who hasn't become infected...

take shelter immediately.

Do not trust any friends|orfamily members.

l repeat--Do not--

l'm sorry about the balls!|lt was a lucky shot,that's all!

What?!

l am not insane.

Do you hear me?|l am not insane!

Relax, buddy.|You're awake now.

This is not a Sutter Cane story!|This is not reality!

Not reality! Not reality!

This is reality.

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