The Dark Half Page #6

pick-up says it was stolen off their lot.

That and the fingerprints. And you named

the victims before they were killed.

I mean, Jesus Christ, man.

What do you expect people to think?

- What do you think, Alan?

- I think some psycho's got it in for you.

Somebody clever enough

to go diggin' around...

...to find out things he could use

to make you look guilty.

It's either that or it's you, Thad.

It could be that somehow

you are behind all this.

Don't think I've written that possibility off.

Well, you'd better write it off.

Stop looking at me

and start lookin' over your shoulder.

It could be real unhealthy

for you if you don't.

- How ya doin', Mr Beaumont?

- Uh, I've been better, Rosalie.

Been better.

(phone rings)

(Rosalie) Hello?

It's for you, Mr Beaumont.

- Hello, George.

- (Stark) Thad. How's it hangin'?

- What do you want?

- You know the answer to that.

You figured it out, and figured right.

It's time to start a new book.

Oh, I don't think so. I'm finished with you.

George Stark is dead.

(chuckles) I'm not dead, Hoss. Not hardly.

I'm just gettin' started. You better do

what I say or I'll be comin' for ya.

You will die like no other man

on earth has ever died before.

Start another book, boy.

Go home and sharpen your pencils.

(hangs up)

- Any calls?

- None that matter.

I'll be over home.

(whistles)

(clears throat)

(rewinds answering machine)

(beep)

(man) Hm. Guess I'll have to

call you back, Sheriff.

(beep)

Oh, God.

Oh, Jesus, Annie. I'm sorry.

- Darlin', I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

- It's OK.

God. I didn't realise

how jumpy I've been gettin'.

This Beaumont business.

What's he like? Beaumont.

How do you know?

How do you ever know?

I'm taking him to work. Maybe you should

send another unit out to watch the house.

Come on.

Come on, get over here. That's good.

Here. (squeezes squeaky toy)

Look, if you can't...

Look, this is your favourite toy.

Would you... would you guys please...

Just please be...

Would you guys please shut up?

I'll be a coupla hours.

- You want some coffee?

- I've got my thermos.

Let me in, George.

Come on, George.

Let me come visit for a while.

Let me see what the hell you're up to.

Come on, George. Let me in.

Oh, God.

They're real.

The sparrows are real.

(eerie twittering)

Why... do you want to write again?

Why do you say that?

Falling apart?

Falling... apart.

How?

How must we fall?

Tell me... why, George.

What?

Agh!

(Stark) Smarts, don't it, Thad?

Hurts like a real son of a b*tch.

I sure hope you can take it, Hoss.

Now...

Take it like a man.

Oh, yeah.

Like a man.

Agh.

Agh.

Agh.

- Where are you going?

- Bangor.

- What's in Bangor?

- I don't know. Maybe nothing.

- It's where I had surgery as a boy.

- Here. Take these.

A disguise.

A changed man. Car key.

I hope you'll have the decency to stand

good for any repairs if it gets wounded.

- How will you get home?

- A cab, I imagine.

I'll get a receipt and present it

to you at the proper moment.

- Thanks, old friend.

- Thank you for bringing adventure.

Just for fun, see if you can find

anything in your books about sparrows.

Sparrows?

Sparrows...

There is something about sparrows.

(Thad) A twin?

They never told you?

No. No, they said it was a tumour.

Well... in a way, that's all it was.

Foreign matter that happened

to wind up in your head.

I don't see anything, Thad,

but if you're hearing things again...

...we'd better shoot some pictures.

A great many of us start out as twins.

At least one in ten, probably more.

The stronger fetus absorbs the weaker

and comes to birth as a single child.

In your case,

the fetus wasn't completely absorbed...

...and it had to be removed surgically.

Your mom and dad were

pretty rattled by the whole thing.

They insisted that the excised tissue

be treated as human remains...

...and signed over to them.

- They wanted to bury it.

- Bury it.

In Homeland Cemetery, in the family plot.

Don't know.

- They ever tell you about the sparrows?

- The sparrows?

It was the damnedest thing.

We'd just finished your surgery...

...when this enormous flock of sparrows,

thousands of them...

...came swarming down onto the hospital.

They never figured out

what the hell it was.

Some kind of migration or something.

Made a hell of a mess. Windows broke.

Three or four people got hurt.

You're... bleeding pretty good there.

Let me put a proper dressing on that.

- What did you say it was? A cut?

- Oh, uh...

No, I, uh... poked myself.

It'll stick in my mind for ever.

You complaining about

those bird sounds, and...

...us getting hit by those sparrows.

It was like we took

the sound out of your head...

...and it... came to life.

Howdy, Doc. Remember me?

(car horn)

Jesus!

You bastard.

Jesus.

(phone ringing)

- Hello?

- You gotta get out of there right now.

- Thad? What are you talk...

- He's here. Stark is here in Bangor.

That's 20 minutes away.

Get the hell out of there now.

- What are you doing in Bangor?

- Liz, please! Just listen to me.

Get out of there, all right?

There's no time. He's killed Doc Pritchard.

- He's gonna come after you and the kids.

- All right. All right, we'll go.

- No, promise me. Promise me.

- I promise you we'll go. We'll go now.

Don't pack anything. Just get the hell out.

Wait. How do I get in touch with you?

Through the school. Just, um...

Uh, Reggie. Don't tell her

where you're going or where you are.

Tell her you're safe. Don't tell anyone

who might tell me where you are.

I can't know. Do you understand me?

- I cannot know where you are.

- All right, we'll go.

I love you, Liz.

I love you. I love you more than anything.

- I love you.

- (Thad hangs up)

OK, listen.

Mommy's gonna take you on a little ride...

Sh*t.

I got a despatch. Code six.

Uh, there's been, uh...

You better call an ambulance. There's...

- Ambulance?

- Call an ambulance.

For God's sakes, we're in danger here,

Alan. My babies are in danger.

I can't let you just go runnin' off.

Even if I wanted to, I couldn't let you.

- But Stark could be out there.

- There is no George Stark, Elizabeth.

- He doesn't exist.

- Somebody exists. Thad said he saw him.

I don't give a damn what Thad said. Your

husband ought to be in the county jail...

...and I'm startin' to feel like a damn idiot

for not puttin' him there a long time ago.

You're just gonna have to

sit tight and ride this out.

Nothing is going to happen.

You're under police protection.

- Am I under protection, or under arrest?

- You call it what you like.

I'm sorry, Liz.

I've been way too soft on this thing.

I've gotta start goin' by the book.

Now let me talk to the officer there.

He wants to talk to you.

- Yes, sir?

- Just hold the fort there, son.

I'll have two units out to replace you

before nightfall. Keep your eyes open.

If Thad Beaumont shows up, you pull

him in on suspicion... Murder one.

Yes, sir. Got it covered, sir.

I think the absorbed fetus was merely

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