now covered with murky water from the cracked toilet tank and the tiled surface was a skating rink。
As he finally got up； he saw something clinging to the doorway about halfway up。 It looked like some kind of freak weasel … no legs but with a thick reddish…gold tail。 There was no real head； only a kind of slippery…looking node from which two feverish black eyes stared。
The lower half of the node split open； revealing a nest of teeth。 The thing struck at Beaver like a snake； the node lashing forward； the hairless tail curled around the doorjamb。 Beaver screamed and raised a hand in front of his face。 Three of the four fingers on it … all but the pinky … disappeared。 There was no pain； either that or the pain from his ruptured testicle swallowed it whole。 He tried to step away； but the backs of his knees struck the bowl of the battered toilet。 There was nowhere to go。
That thing was in him？ Beaver thought； there was time for that much。 It was in him？
Then it uncoiled its tall or its tentacle or whatever it was and leaped at him； the top half of its rudimentary head full of its stupidly furious black eyes； the lower half a packet of bone needles。 Far away； in some other universe where there still might be sane life； Jonesy was calling his name； but Jonesy was late； Jonesy was way late。
The thing that had been in McCarthy landed on the Beav's chest with a smack。 It smelled like McCarthy's wind … a heavy reek of oil and ether and methane gas。 The muscular whip that was its lower body wrapped around Beaver's waist。 Its head darted forward and its teeth closed on Beaver's nose。
Screaming； beating at it with his fists； Beaver fell backward onto the toilet。 The ring and the lid had flown up against the tank when the thing came out。 The lid had stayed up； but the ring had fallen back into place。 Now the Beav landed on it； broke it； and dropped ass…first into the toilet with the weasel…thing clutching him around the waist and chewing his face。
'Beaver！ Beav； what…'
Beaver felt the thing stiffen against him … it literally stiffened； like a dick getting hard。 The grip of the tentacle around his waist tightened； then loosened。 Its black…eyed idiotic face whipped around toward the sound of Jonesy's voice； and Beav saw his old friend through a haze of blood； and with dimming eyes： Jonesy standing slack…jawed in the doorway； a roll of friction tape （won't need that now； Beaver thought； nah） in one dangling hand。 Jonesy standing there utterly defenseless in his shocked horror。 This thing's next meal。
'Jonesy； get outta here！' Beaver shouted。 His voice was wet； strained through a mouthful of blood。 He sensed the thing getting ready to leap and wrapped his arms around its pulsing body as if it were his lover。 'Get out！ Shut the door！ B…' Burn it； he wanted to say。 Lock it in； lock both of us in； burn it； burn it alive； I'm going to sit here ass…deep in this fucking toilet with my arms wrapped around it； and if I can die smelling it roast； I can die happy。 But the thing was struggling too hard and fucking Jonesy was just standing there with that roll of friction tape in his hand and his jaw dropped； and goddam if he didn't look like Duddits； dumb as a stone boat and never going to improve。 Then the thing turned back to Beaver； its earless noseless node of a head drawn back； and before that head darted forward and the world detonated for the last time； Beaver had a final； partial thought： Those toothpicks； damn； Mamma always said…
Then the exploding red and blooming black and somewhere far off the sound of his own screams； the final ones。
9
Jonesy saw Beaver sitting in the toilet with something that looked like a giant red…gold worm clinging to him。 He called out and the thing turned toward him； no real head； just the black eyes of a shark and a mouthful of teeth。 Something in the teeth； something that couldn't be the mangled remains of Beaver Clarendon's nose but probably was。
Run away！ he screamed at himself； and then： Save him！ Save Beaver！
Both imperatives had equal power； and the result kept him frozen in the doorway； feeling as if he weighed a thousand pounds。 The thing in Beaver's arms was making a noise； a crazed chattering sound that got into his head and made him think of something； something from a long time ago； he didn't know just what。
Then Beaver was screaming at him from his awkward sprawl in the toilet； telling him to get out； to shut the door； and the thing turned back to the sound of his voice as if recalled to temporarily forgotten business； and it was Beaver's eyes it went for this time； his fucking eyes； Beaver writhing and screaming and trying to hold on as the thing chattered and chattered and bit； its tail or whatever it was flexing and tightening around Beaver's waist； pulling Beaver's shirt out of his overalls and then slithering inside against his bare skin； Beaver's feet jerking on the tiles； the heels of his boots spraying bloody water in thin sheets； his shadow flailing on the wall； and that mossy stuff was everywhere now； it grew so fucking fast…
Jonesy saw Beaver thrash backward in a final throe； saw the thing let go its grip and leap clear just as the Beav rolled off the toilet； his upper half falling into the tub on top of McCarthy； old Mr Behold…I…Stand…at…the…Door…and…Knock。 The thing hit the floor and slithered around … Christ； it was quick … and started toward him。 Jonesy took a step backward and swept the bathroom door shut just before the thing hit it； making a thump almost exactly like the one it had made when it hit the underside of the toilet seat。 It hit hard enough to shiver the door against the jamb。 Light flickered in shutters from beneath the door as it moved restlessly on the tiles； and then it slammed into the door again。 Jonesy's first thought was to run and get a chair； put it under the doorknob； but how dumb was that； as his kids said； how fucking brainless； the door opened in； not out。 The real question was whether the thing understood the function of the doorknob； and if it could reach it。
As if it had read his mind … and who could say that was impossible？ … there was a slithering sound on the other side of the door and he felt the doorknob trying to turn； Whatever the thing was； it was incredibly strong。 Jonesy had been holding the knob with his right hand； now he added his left； as well。 There was a bad moment when the pressure on the knob continued to mount； when he felt sure the thing in there would be able to turn the knob in spite of his doubled grip； and Jonesy almost panicked； almost turned and ran。
What stopped him was his memory of how quick it was。 It'd run me down before I could get halfway across the room； he thought； wondering in the back of his mind why the room had to be so goddam big in the first place。 It'd run me down； go up my leg； and then right up my…
Jonesy redoubled his grip on the doorknob； cords standing out on his forearms and on the sides of his neck； lips skinned back to show his teeth。 His hip hurt； too。 His goddam hip； if he did try to run his hip would slow him down even more thanks to the retired professor； fucking elderly asshole shouldn't have been driving in the first place； thanks a lot； prof； thanks a fucking pantload； and if he couldn't hold the door shut and he couldn't run； what then？
What had happened to Beaver； of course。 It had had the Beav's nose stuck in its teeth like a shish kebab。
Moaning； Jonesy held the knob。 For a moment the pressure increased even more； and then it stopped。 From behind the thin wood of the door； the thing yammered angrily。 Jonesy could smell the ethery aroma of starter fluid。
How was it holding on in there？ It had no limbs； not that Jonesy had been able to see； just that reddish tail…thing； so how…
He heard the minute crackle…crunch…splinter of wood on the other side of the door； directly in front of his own head by the sound； and knew。 It was clinging by its teeth。 The idea filled Jonesy with unreasoning horror。 That thing had been inside McCarthy； he had absolutely no doubt of it。 Inside McCarthy and growing like a giant tapeworm in a horror movie。 Like a cancer； one with teeth。 And when it had grown enough； when it was ready to go to bigger and better things； you might say； it had simply chewed its way out。
'No； man； no；' Jonesy said in a watery； almost weeping voice。
The knob of the bathroom door began trying to turn the other way。 Jonesy could see it in there； on its side of the bathroom door； battened to the wood like a leech with its teeth； its tall or single tentacle wrapped around the doorknob like a loop ending in a hangman's noose； pulling…
'No； no； no；' Jonesy panted； hanging onto the knob with all of his strength。 It was on the verge of slipping away from him。 There was sweat on his face and on his Palms； too； he could feel it。
In front of his bulging； frightened eyes； a constellation of bumps appeared in the wood。 Those were where its teeth were planted and working deeper all the time。 Soon the points would burst through （if he didn't lose his grip on the doorknob first； that was） and he'd actually have to look at the fangs that had torn his friend's nose off his face。
That brought it ho