Salem's Lot Page #6

Duplicate, triplicate.

Don't punch, spindle or mutilate.

We all have to do that, don't we?

Yeah. They say it's a free country.

What is it you wanted to tell me?

Have there been any other people

complaining of feeling weak?

Well, bad dreams?

No.

There soon will be.

Bill, do you believe in ghosts?

Ghosts? No.

- Witches? Wizards?

- No.

- Werewolves?

- Of course not.

Vampires?

Bill, come on inside.

I'm going to tell you something.

And I'm going to ask your help.

And maybe you'll give it

if you don't decide I'm absolutely crazy.

Good morning, Eva.

I heard.

Awful.

Poor Mike.

I'm tired.

I'll just have a cup of coffee

and get some sleep.

Why in the world did Mr. Berk

want that crucifix?

Maybe he thought that Mike Ryerson

was Catholic.

He should've known better.

He had Mike in school.

All his people were Lutherans.

Looks like you'll miss the opening.

What opening?

Those antique fellas.

Straker?

Yeah, him and the other fellow.

Did that other fellow ever show up?

I don't know about that. All I know is

they're opening the store today.

Wouldn't Dad like this?

I guess so.

My husband's birthday is next week and...

Oh, dear.

It's quite reasonable.

There's no chance that...

I'm sorry, but...

I understand.

I could hold it for you...

...until the end of the week

without any obligation.

Oh, I'd appreciate that. Thank you.

Done.

An English desk here, 18th century.

Values continue to escalate.

Interesting little Welsh cupboard in oak.

And my favorite chair.

It was with me in London

in my establishment.

English.

Georgian.

You have some expertise.

No, not really.

I just know something about silver.

My aunt had some Georgian

and we had to sell it when she died.

What an unfortunate way

to acquire knowledge.

My aunt was housekeeper

at the Marsten house.

Your house.

Really? That's interesting.

I've always been curious about that place.

Perhaps I can satisfy your curiosity.

A lot of peculiar things have happened

in that house.

The man who built it murdered

his wife and a servant.

It was never proved, but he was suspected

in the disappearance of several children.

Yes, it was terrible, wasn't it?

Interesting.

Remarkable, yes.

Mr. Straker.

Yes?

Do you believe that...

...evil can be inherent in a house?

About as much as I believe

that trees have souls.

Perhaps they do.

Oh, you're the writer.

On vacation or vocation?

I am writing about the Marsten house.

And you'd like to visit.

Well, why not?

Mr. Barlow is on a buying trip.

But, the moment he arrives...

You'll enjoy Mr. Barlow.

He'll enjoy you.

You snake!

Try to steal my girl.

Pretty good beating you took, fellow.

No fractures. Slight concussion.

You understand me?

Yes.

Good.

We'll keep you here overnight

for observation, all right?

Yes.

Your friend Ned, he was arrested.

He's sitting in the town jail.

I don't think he'll be that foolish again.

Anyone else sick in the hospital?

Couple of new admissions, but nothing...

No.

What Jason and I told you...

Ben, it's out of the question.

I don't believe it and no one else will.

You just take it easy, all right?

I want a crucifix.

All right. If it'll make you feel better,

we can arrange it.

Look at me.

Look at me, Teacher.

Look.

Look.

Look.

Look.

Look at me.

Look at me.

Look.

No.

Look.

Look.

No!

No.

Get out.

Get out.

I revoke my invitation.

You'll sleep by the dead, Teacher.

No!

Marge?

Marjorie?

Marjorie?

Honey?

What is it? What are you saying?

Marge, I'll call a doctor.

No!

You sure?

I'm okay.

I want Dr. Norton to see you.

No!

I'm weak.

Real weak.

You haven't been sleeping ever since...

I've been dreaming about him.

About Danny.

That's natural. It's all right.

He comes back and he says,

"Mommy, I'm so glad to be home."

He says he's my baby.

My baby.

Dad called me.

It was just a little knock.

I know you're okay.

There's more, Ben.

Ned Tebbets died last night.

What?

They found him dead this morning

in the town jail.

Dad examined him.

Pernicious anemia.

Just like the Glick boy.

Only Ned had high blood pressure.

And Danny's mother died this afternoon.

Same symptoms?

I think so.

What does your father say?

He wants to talk to you.

And Jason Berk.

Jason Berk?

He's here, Ben.

In the hospital. Intensive Care.

What?

Heart attack.

He is stable.

You've got to go back to Boston.

There is a kind of plague in this town.

People are dying.

Don't you understand what's happening?

- Do you?

- I do.

It's in the Marsten house.

It's got to be rooted out.

It's got to be destroyed.

Do you know the priest of St. Jude's?

Father Callahan?

But I'm an agent

of the Holy Catholic Church.

The overall concept of evil...

...in the Catholic Church has undergone

a radical change in this century.

Evil with a small "E."

Satan with a small tail. Witches, incubi?

Vampires?

In Salem's Lot.

Haven't you noticed anything

out of the way, peculiar?

The Malloys weren't at mass this morning.

Mrs. Malloy never misses.

Mrs. Glick.

But she'd suffered a terrible blow.

Ned Tebbets.

Mike Ryerson.

- He'll do it.

- At least we'll know then.

We'll have the medical evidence.

Now, listen to me.

You'll have to get some hawthorn.

Okay.

- And just put it all over the house.

- Okay.

The crucifixes from Father Callahan...

- Mother's never...

- She has to!

They're breeding on one another.

The vampires are creating vampires.

It's a geometric progression.

Two times two...

...times four, times eight.

And another couple...

Ned Tebbets's body has disappeared,

and a baby that died this morning is gone.

Marjorie Glick?

She's in the funeral parlor in Cumberland.

I'll get my car.

Hawthorn.

I think a lot of this comes

from Mark's hobby.

Collecting masks and

assembling monsters from kits.

He's always been preoccupied with them,

and it's not healthy.

Let's not make judgments now.

Mark, you're sure it wasn't a dream?

It wasn't a dream.

It was Danny Glick.

Nightmares seem real.

His subconscious fear

made Danny seem real to him.

And they were very close friends.

I'll get it.

Poor little boy.

You can do nothing against the master.

Stop, Holy man!

Or he'll cut the boy's throat.

Back. Back, Holy man. Back, Shaman.

Back, Priest!

What would you give

for this miserable boy?

What do you ask?

What would you give

to reprieve him this night...

...to save him for another night?

What do you want?

The master wants you.

Throw away your cross, face the master.

Your faith against his faith.

Could you do that?

Is your faith enough?

Then do it.

And trust him to let the boy go?

Run.

I think they're dead, Father.

Run!

I'm going to kill you!

Now it's your part of the bargain.

I'm a priest.

A priest?

Throw away the cross.

Face the master.

Faith against faith.

What do you think?

The condition is very similar to Mike's.

There's no surface lividity,

no signs of rigor.

I'll call home, make sure they're all right.

They'll be fine if they follow instructions.

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