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Rudolph was suddenly afraid。 Those sounds were ing from the Box…which； of course； he was supposed to believe was a hay…drying shed。 Some fat chance。 That big boy was in the Box…the one they were saying had been caught in sodomy that morning with his friend； the one who had tried to bribe their way out only the day before。 They said the big boy had shown a mean streak before Bast whopped him one 。 。 。 and some of them were also saying that the big boy hadn't just broken Bast's hand； they were saying he had squeezed it to a pulp。 That was a lie； of course； had to be； but…
THUD！
This time Irwinson looked around。 And suddenly Rudolph decided he needed to go to the bathroom。 And that maybe he would go all the way up to the third floor to do his business。 And not e out for two； maybe three hours。 He felt the approach of black work…very black work。
THUD…THUD！
Fuck the turkey pies。
Rudolph took off his apron； tossed it on the counter over the salt cod he had been freshening for tomorrow night's supper； and started out of the room。
'Where are you going？' Irwinson asked。 His voice was suddenly too high。 It trembled。 Donny Keegan went right on furiously peeling potatoes the size of Nerf footballs down to potatoes the size of Spalding golfballs； his dank hair hanging in his face。
THUD！ THUD！ THUD… THUD…THUD！
Rudolph didn't answer Irwinson's question； and by the time he hit the second…floor stairs； he was nearly running。 It was hard times in Indiana； work was scarce； and Sunlight Gardener paid cash。
All the same； Rudolph had begun to wonder if the time to look for a new job had not e； could you say get me outta here。
5
THUD！
The bolt at the top of the Box's Dutch…oven…type door snapped in two。 For a moment there was a dark gap between the Box and the door。
Silence for a time。 Then：
THUD！
The bottom bolt creaked； bent。
THUD！
It snapped。
The door of the box creaked open on its big； clumsy homemade hinges。 Two huge； heavily pelted feet poked out； soles up。 Long claws dug into the dust。
Wolf started to work his way out。
6
Back and forth the flame went in front of Jack's eyes； back and forth； back and forth。 Sunlight Gardener looked like a cross between a stage hypnotist and some old…time actor playing the lead in the biography of a Great Scientist on The Late Late Show。 Paul Muni； maybe。 It was funny…if he hadn't been so terrified； Jack would have laughed。 And maybe he would laugh； anyway。
'Now I have a few questions for you； and you are going to answer them；' Gardener said。 'Mr。 Morgan could get the answers out of you himself…oh； easily； indubitably！…but I prefer not to put him to the trouble。 So 。 。 。 how long have you been able to Migrate？'
'I don't know what you mean。'
'How long have you been able to Migrate to the Territories？'
'I don't know what you're talking about。'
The flame came closer。
'Where's the nigger？'
'Who？'
'The nigger； the nigger！' Gardener shrieked。 'Parker； Parkus； whatever he calls himself！ Where is he？'
'I don't know who you're talking about。'
'Sonny！ Andy！' Gardener screamed。 'Unlace his left hand。 Hold it out to me。'
Warwick bent over Jack's shoulder and did something。 A moment later they were peeling Jack's hand away from the small of his back。 It tingled with pins and needles； waking up。 Jack tried to struggle； but it was useless。 They held his hand out。
'Now spread his fingers open。'
Sonny pulled Jack's ring finger and his pinky in one direction； Warwick pulled his pointer and middle finger in the other。 A moment later； Gardener had applied the Zippo's flame to the webbing at the base of the V they had created。 The pain was exquisite； bolting up his left arm and from there seeming to fill his whole body。 A sweet； charring smell drifted up。 Himself。 Burning。 Himself。
After an eternity； Gardener pulled the Zippo back and snapped it shut。 Fine beads of sweat covered his forehead。 He was panting。
'Devils scream before they e out；' he said。 'Oh yes indeed they do。 Don't they； boys？'
'Yes； praise God；' Warwick said。
'You pounded that nail；' Sonny said。
'Oh yes； I know it。 Yes indeed I do。 I know the secrets of both boys and devils。' Gardener tittered； then leaned forward until his face was an inch from Jack's。 The cloying scent of cologne filled Jack's nose。 Terrible as it was； he thought it was quite a lot better than his own burning flesh。 'Now； Jack。 How long have you been Migrating？ Where is the nigger？ How much does your mother know？ Who have you told？ What has the nigger told you？ We'll start with those。'
'I don't know what you're talking about。'
Gardener bared his teeth in a grin。
'Boys；' he said； 'we're going to get sunlight in this boy's soul yet。 Lace up his left arm again and unlace his right。'
Sunlight Gardener opened his lighter again and waited for them to do it； his thumb resting lightly on the striker wheel。
7
George Irwinson and Donny Keegan were still in the kitchen。
'Someone's out there；' George said nervously。
Donny said nothing。 He had finished peeling the potatoes and now stood by the ovens for their warmth。 He didn't know what to do next。 Confession was being held just down the hall； he knew； and that's where he wanted to be…confession was safe； and here in the kitchen he felt very； very nervous…but Rudolph hadn't dismissed them。 Best to stay right here。
'I heard someone；' George said。
Donny laughed： 'Hyuck！ Hyuck！ Hyuck！'
'Jesus； that laugh of yours barfs me out；' George said。 'I got a new Captain America funnybook under my mattress。 If you take a look out there； I'll let you read it。'
Donny shook his head and honked his donkey…laugh again。
George looked toward the door。 Sounds。 Scratching。 That's what it sounded like。 Scratching at the door。 Like a dog that wanted to be let in。 A lost； homeless pup。 Except what sort of lost； homeless pup scratched near the top of a door that was nearly seven feet tall？
George went to the window and looked out。 He could see almost nothing in the gloom。 The Box was just a darker shadow amid shadows。
George moved toward the door。
8
Jack shrieked so loud and so hard he thought that surely his throat would rupture。 Now Casey had also joined them； Casey with his big swinging gut； and that was a good thing for them； because now it took three of them…Casey； Warwick； and Sonny Singer…to grapple with Jack's arm and keep his hand applied to the flame。
When Gardener drew it away this time； there was a black； bubbling； blistered patch the size of a quarter on the side of Jack's hand。
Gardener got up； took the envelope marked JACK PARKER from his desk； and brought it back。 He brought out the guitar…pick。
'What's this？'
'A guitar…pick；' Jack managed。 His hands were burning agony。
'What is it in the Territories？'
'I don't know what you mean。'
'What's this？'
'A marble。 What are you； blind？'
'Is it a toy in the Territories？'
'I don't…'
'Is it a mirror？'
'…know…'
'Is it a top that disappears when you spin it fast？'
'…what you're…'
'YOU DO！ YOU DO TOO； YOU FAGGOT HELLBOUND WHELP！'
'…talking about。'
Gardener drove a hand across Jack's face。
He brought out the silver dollar。 His eyes gleamed。
'What's this？'
'It's a lucky piece from my Aunt Helen。'
'What is it in the Territories？'
'Box of Rice Krispies。'
Gardener held up the lighter。 'Your last chance； boy。'
'It turns into a vibraphone and plays 'Crazy Rhythm。' '
'Hold out his right hand again；' Gardener said。
Jack struggled； but at last they got his hand out。
9
In the oven； the turkey pies had begun to burn。
George Irwinson had been standing by the door for almost five minutes； trying to get up nerve enough to open it。 That scratching noise had not been repeated。
'Well； I'll show you there's nothing to be afraid of； chicken…guts；' George said heartily。 'When you're strong in the Lord； there's never any need to be afraid！'
With this grand statement； he threw open the door。 A huge； shaggy； shadowy thing stood on the threshold； its eyes blazing red from deep sockets。 George's eyes tracked one paw as it rose in the windy autumn dark and whickered down。 Six…inch claws gleamed in the kitchen's light。 They tore George Irwin…son's head from his neck and his head flew across the room； spraying blood； to strike the shoes of the laughing Donny Keegan； the madly laughing Donny Keegan。
Wolf leaped into the kitchen； dropping down to all fours。 He passed Donny Keegan with hardly a look and ran into the hall。
10
Wolf！ Wolf！ Right here and now！
It was Wolf's voice in his mind； all right； but it was deeper； richer； more manding than Jack had ever heard it。 It cut through the haze of pain in his mind like a fine Swedish knife。
He thought； Wolf is riding with the moon。 The thought brought a mixture of triumph and sorrow。
Sunlight Gardener was looking upward； his eyes narrowed。 In that moment he looked very much like a beast himself…a beast wh