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irls and punched Vic Mooney in the eye。 They were yelling for them to go out the back fire doors。 Some did。 Those were the ones who lived。
That's when it started to rain 。。。 at least； that's what I thought it was at first。 There was water falling all over the place。 I looked up and all the sprinklers were on； all over the gym。 Water was hitting the basketball court and splashing。 Josie Vreck was yelling for the guys in his band to turn off the electric amps and mikes quick； but they were all gone。 He jumped down from the stage。
The panic at the doors stopped。 People backed away； looking up at the ceiling。 I heard somebody … Don Farnham； I think…say： 'This is gonna wreck the basketball court。'
A few other people started to go over and look at Tommy Ross。 All at once I knew I wanted to get out of there。 I took Tina Blake's hand and said； 'Let's run。 Quick。'
To get to the fire doors； you had to go down a short corridor to the left of the stage。 There were sprinklers there too； but they weren't on。 And the doors were open … I could see a few people running out。 But most of them were just standing around in little groups； blinking at each other。 Some of them were looking at the smear of blood where Carrie fell down； the water was washing it away。
I took Tina's hand and started to pull her toward the EXIT sign。 At that same instant there was a huge flash of fight； a scream； and a horrible feedback whine。 I looked around and saw Josie Vreck holding on to one of the mike stands。 He couldn't let go。 His eyes were bugging out and his hair was on end and it looked like he was dancing。 His feet were sliding around in the water and smoke started to e out of his shirt。
He fell over on one of the amps … they were big ones； five or six feet high … and it fell into the water。 The feedback went up to a scream that was head…splitting； and then there was another sizzling flash and it stopped。 Josie's shirt was on fire。
'Run！' Tina yelled at me。 'e on； Norma； Please！'
We ran out into the hallway； and something exploded backstage … the main power switches； I guess。 For just a second I looked back。 You could see right out on to the stage； where Tommy's body was； because the curtain was up。 All the heavy light cables were in the air； flowing and jerking and writhing like snakes out of an Indian fakir's basket。 Then one of them pulled in two。 There was a violent flash when it hit the water； and then everybody was screaming at once。
Then we were out the door and running across the parking lot。 I think I was screaming。 I don't remember very well。 I don't remember anything very well after they started screaming。 After those high…voltage cables hit that water…covered floor 。。。
For Tommy Ross； age eighteen； the end came swiftly and mercifully and almost without pain。
He was never even aware that something of importance was happening。 There was a clanging； clashing noise that he associated momentarily with
（there go the milk buckets）
a childhood memory of his Uncle Galen's farm and then with
（somebody dropped something）
the band below him。 He caught a glimpse of Josie Vreck looking over his head
（what have i got a halo or something）
and then the quarter…full bucket of blood struck him。 The raised lip along the bottom of the rim struck him on top of the head and
（hey that hurt）
he went swiftly down into unconsciousness。 He was still sprawled on the stage when the fire originating in the electrical equipment of Josie and the Moonglows spread to the mural of the Venetian boatman； and then to the rat warren of old uniforms； books； and papers backstage and overhead。
He was dead when the oil tank exploded a half hour later。
From the New England AP ticker； 10：46 P。M。：
CHAMBERLAIN； MAINE （AP）
A FIRE IS RAGING OUT OF CONTROL AT EWEN （U…WIN） CONSOLIDATED HIGH SCHOOL AT THIS TIME。 A SCHOOL DANCE WAS IN PROGRESS AT THE TIME OF THE OUTBREAK WHICH IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEENELECTRICAL IN ORIGIN。 WITNESSES SAY THAT THE SCHOOL'S SPRINKLER SYSTEM WENT ON WITHOUT WARNING； CAUSING A SHORT…CIRCUIT IN THE EQUIPMENT OF A ROCK BAND。 SOME WITNESSES ALSO REPORT BREAKS IN MAIN POWER CABLES。 IT IS BELIEVED THAT AS MANY AS ONE HUNDRED AND TEN PERSONS MAY BE TRAPPED IN THE BLAZING SCHOOL GYMNASIUM。 FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT FROM THE NEIGHBOURING TOWNS OF WESTOVER； MOTTON； AND LEWISTON HAVE REPORTEDLY RECEIVED REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE AND ARE NOW OR SHORTLY WILL BE EN ROUTE。 AS YET； NO CASUALTIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED。 ENDS。
10：46 Pm MAY 27 6904D AP
From the New England AP ticker； 11：22 P。M。
URGENT
CHAMBERLAIN； MAINE （AP）
A TREMENDOUS EXPLOSION HAS ROCKED THOMAS EWIN （U…WIN） CONSOLIDATED HIGH SCHOOL IN THE SMALL MAINE TOWN OF CHAMBERLAIN。 THREE CHAMBERLAIN FIRE TRUCKS； DISPATCHED EARLIER TO FIGHT A BLAZE AT THE GYMNASIUM WHERE A SCHOOL PROM WAS TAKING PLACE； HAVE ARRIVED TO NO AVAIL。 ALL FIRE HYDRANTS IN THE AREA HAVE BEEN VANDALIZED； AND WATER PRESSURE FROM CITY MAINS IN THE AREA FROM SPRING STREET TO GRASS PLAZA IS REPORTED TO BE NIL。 ONE FIRE OFFICIAL SAID。 'THE DAMN THINGS WERE STRIPPED OF THEIR NOZZLES； THEY MUST HAVE SPOUTED LIKE GUSHERS WHILE THOSE KIDS WERE BURNING。' THREE BODIES HAVE BEEN RECOVERED SO FAR。 ONE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS THOMAS B。 MEARS； A CHAMBERLAIN FIREMAN。 THE TWO OTHERS WERE APPARENT PROM GOERS。 THREE MORE CHAMBERLAIN FIREMEN HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO MOTTON RECEIVING HOSPITAL SUFFERING FROM MINOR BURNS AND SMOKE INHALATION。 IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED WHEN THE FIRE REACHED THE SCHOOL'S FUEL…OIL TANKS； WHICH ARE SITUATED NEAR THE GYMNASIUM。 THE FIRE ITSELF IS BELIEVED TO HAVE STARTED IN POORLY INSULATED ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT FOLLOWING A SPRINKLER SYSTEM MALFUNCTION。 ENDS。
11：22 PM MAY 27 70119E AP
Sue had only a driver's permit； but she took the keys to her mother's car from the pegboard beside the refrigerator and ran to the garage。 The kitchen clock read exactly 11：00。
She flooded the car on her first try； and forced herself to wait before trying again。 This time the motor coughed and caught； and she roared out of the garage heedlessly； dinging one fender。 She turned around； and the rear wheels splurted gravel。 Her mother's '77 Plymouth swerved on to the road； almost fishtailing on to the shoulder and making her feel sick to her stomach。 It was only at this point that she realized she was moaning deep in her throat； like an animal in a trap。
She did not pause at the stop sign that marked the intersection of Route 6 and the Back Chamberlain Road。 Fire sirens filled the night in the cast； where Chamberlain bordered Westover； and from the south behind herMotton。
She was almost at the base of the hill when the school exploded。
She jammed on the power brakes with both feet and was thrown into the steering wheel like a rag doll。 The tyres wailed on the pavement。 Somehow she fumbled the door open and was out； shading her eyes against the glare。
A gout of flame had ripped skyward； trailing a nimbus of fluttering steel roof panels； wood； and paper。 The smell was thick and oily。 Main Street was lit as if by a flashgun。 In that terrible hallway between seconds； she saw that the entire gymnasium wing of Ewen High was a gutted； flaming ruin。
Concussion struck a moment later； knocking her backwards。 Road litter blew past her on a sudden and tremendous rush； along with a blast of warm air that reminded her fleetingly of
（the smell of subways）
a trip she had taken to Boston the year before。 The windows of Bill's Home Drugstore and the Kelly Fruit pany jingled and fell inward。
She had fallen on her side； and the fire lit the street with hellish noonday。 What happened next happened in slow motion as her mind ran steadily onward
（dead are they all dead carrie why think carrie）
at its own clip。 Cars were rushing toward the scene； and some people were running in robes； nightshorts； pyjamas。 She saw a man e out of the front door of Chamberlain's bined police station and courthouse。 He was moving slowly。 The cars were moving slowly。 Even the people running were moving slowly。
She saw the man on the police…station steps cup his hands around his mouth and scream something； unclear' over the shrieking town whistle； the fire sirens； the monster…mouth of fire。 Sounded like：
'Heyret！ Don't hey that ass！'
The street was all wet down there。 The light danced on the water' Down by Teddy's Amoco station。
'…hey； that's…'
And then the world exploded。
From the sworn testimony of Thomas K。 Quillan； taken before The State Investigatory Board of Maine in connection with the events of May 27…28 in Chamberlain； Maine （abridged version which follows is from Black Prom： The White mission Report； Signet Books： New York； 1980）：
Q。 Mr Quillan； are you a resident of Chamberlain？
A。 Yes。
Q。 What is your address？
A。 I got a room over the pool hall。 That's where I work。 I mop the floors； vacuum the tables； work on the machines…pinball machines； you know。
Q。 Where were you on the night of May twenty…seventh at 10。30 P。M。； Mr Quillan？
A。 Well 。 。 。 actually； I was in a detention cell at the police station。 I get paid on Thursdays； see。 And I always go out and get bombed。 I go out to The Cavalier； drink some Schlitz； play a little poker out back。 But I get mean when I drink。 Feels Eke the Roller Derby's going on in my head。 Bummer； hub？ Once I conked a guy over the head wit