of the snake； slipping swiftly over the carpet's dry hackles。 At his heels now；
perhaps rising up with the clear poison dribbling from its brass snout。
Danny reached the stairs and had to pinwheel his arms crazily for balance。 For
one moment it seemed sure that he would cartwheel over and go head…for…heels to
the bottom。
He threw a glance back over his shoulder。
The hose had not moved。 It lay as it had lain； one loop off the frame； the
brass nozzle on the hall floor； the nozzle pointing disinterestedly away from
him。 You see； stupid？ he berated himself。 You made it all up； scaredy…cat。 It
was all your imagination； scaredy…cat； scaredy…cat。
He clung to the stairway railing； his legs trembling in reaction。
（It never chased you）
his mind told him； and seized on that thought； and played it back。
（never chased you； never chased you； never did； never did）
It was nothing to be afraid of。 Why； he could go back and put that hose right
into its frame； if he wanted to。 He could； but he didn't think he would。 Because
what if it had chased him and had gone back when it saw that it couldn't 。。。
quite 。。。 catch him？
The hose lay on the carpet； almost seeming to ask him if he would like to e
back and try again。
Panting； Danny ran downstairs。
》
TALKING TO MR。 ULLMAN
The Sidewinder Public Library was a small； retiring building one block down
from the town's business area。 It was a modest； vine…covered building； and the
wide concrete walk up to the door was lined with the corpses of last summer's
flowers。 On the lawn was a large bronze statue of a Civil War general Jack had
never heard of； although