Behind it； pulsing on the blood…soaked sheet； were a hundred or more orange…and…brown eggs。 They were the size of large marbles and coated with a murky； snotlike slime。 Within each Henry could see a moving； hairlike shadow。
The weasel…thing rose up like a snake emerging from a snake…charmer's basket and chittered at him。 It lurched on the bed Jonesy's bed … but seemed unable to move much。 Its glossy black eyes glared。 Its tail （except Henry thought it might actually be some sort of gripping tentacle） lashed back and forth； then laid itself over as many of the eggs as it could reach； as if protecting them。
Henry realized he was saying the same word； no； over and over in a monotonous drone； like a helpless neurotic who has been loaded up on Thorazine。 He shouldered the rifle； aimed； and tracked the thing's repulsive wedge of a head as it twitched and dodged。 It knows what this is； it knows at least that much； Henry thought coldly； and then he squeezed the trigger。
It was close range and the creature wasn't up to much in the way of evasion； either laying its eggs had exhausted it or it wasn't doing well in the cold … with the main door open； Hole in the Wan had gotten quite cold indeed。 The report was very loud in the closed room； and the thing's upraised head disintegrated in a liquid splatter that blew back against the wall in strings and clots。 Its blood was the same red…gold as the fungus。 The decapitated body tumbled off the bed and onto a litter of clothes Henry didn't recognize： a brown coat； an orange flagman's vest； a pair of jeans with cuffs （none of them had ever worn cuffed jeans； in junior high school； those who did had been branded shitkickers）。 Several of the eggs tumbled off with the body。 Most landed on either the clothes or the litter of Jonesy's books and remained whole； but a couple hit the floor and broke open。 Cloudy stuff like spoiled eggwhite oozed out； about a tablespoonful from each egg。 Within it were those hairs； writhing and twisting and seeming to glare at Henry with black eyes the size of pinheads。 Looking at them made him feel like screaming。
He turned and walked jerkily out of the room on legs with no more feeling in them than the legs of a table。 He felt like a puppet being manipulated by someone who means well but has just begun to learn his craft。 He had no real idea where he was going until he reached the kitchen and bent over the cabinet under the sink。
'I am the eggman； I am the eggman； I am the walrus！ Goo…goo…joob！'
He didn't sing this but declaimed it in a loud； hortatory voice he hadn't realized was in his repertoire。 It was the voice of a ham actor from the nineteenth century。 That idea called up an image God knew why … of Edwin Booth dressed as d'Artagnan； plumed hat and all； quoting from the lyrics of John Lennon； and Henry uttered two loud laugh…syllables … Ha！ Ha！
I'm going insane； he thought 。 。 。 but it was okay。 Better d'Artagnan reciting 'I Am the Walrus' than the image of that thing's blood splattering onto the wall； or the mold…covered Doc Marten sticking out of the bathtub； or； worst of all； those eggs splitting open and releasing a load of twitching hairs with eyes。 All those eyes looking at him。
He moved aside the dish detergent and the floor…bucket； and there it was； the yellow can of Sparx barbecue lighter fluid。 The inept puppeteer who had taken him over advanced Henry's arm in a series of jerks； then clamped his right hand on the Sparx can。 He carried it back across the living room； pausing long enough to take the box of wooden matches from the mantel。
'I am he and you are me and we are all together！' he declaimed； and stepped briskly back into Jonesy's bedroom before the terrified person inside his head could seize the controls； turn him； and make him run away。 That person wanted to make him run until he fell down unconscious。 Or dead。
The eggs on the bed were also splitting open。 Two dozen or more of those hairs were crawling around on the blood…soaked sheet or squirming on Jonesy's pillow。 One raised its nub of a head and chittered at Henry； a sound almost too thin and high…pitched to be heard。
Still not allowing himself any pause； if he paused he would never get started again （in any direction save doorward； that was）； Henry took two steps to the foot of the bed。 One of the hairs came sliding across the floor toward him； propelling itself with its tail like a spermatozoon under a microscope。
Henry stepped on it； thumbing the red plastic cap off the spout of the can as he did。 He aimed the spout at the bed and squeezed； flicking his wrist back and forth； making sure he got plenty on the floor as well。 When the lighter fluid hit the hairlike things； they made high； mewling cries like kittens which had just been born。
'Eggman 。 。 。 eggman 。 。 。 walrus！'
He stepped on another of the hairs and saw that a third was clinging to the leg of his jeans； holding on with its wisp of a tail and trying to bite through the cloth with its still soft teeth。
'Eggman；' Henry muttered； and scraped it off with the side of his other boot。 When it tried to squirm away he stepped on it。 He was suddenly aware that he was drenched with sweat； sopping from head to toe； if he went out into the cold like this （and he would have to； he couldn't stay here）； he'd probably catch his death。
'Can't stay here； can't take no rest！' Henry cried in his new hortatory voice。
He opened the matchbox； but his hands were shaking so badly he spilled half of them on the floor。 More of the threadlike worms were crawling toward him。 They might not know much； but they knew he was the enemy； all right； they knew that。
Henry got hold of a match； held it up； put his thumb against the tip。 A trick Pete had taught him in the way back when。 It was your friends who always taught you the finer things； wasn't it？ Like how to give your old pal Beaver a Viking funeral and get n'd of these noisome little snakelets at the same time。
'Eggman！'
He scratched the tip of the match and it popped fire。 The smell of the burning sulfur was like the smell that had greeted him when he stepped into the cabin； like the smell of the burly woman's farts。
'Walrus！'
He flung the match at the foot of the bed； where there was a crumpled duvet now soaked with lighter fluid。 For a moment the flame guttered down blue around the little stick； and Henry thought it would go out。 Then there was a soft flump sound； and the duvet grew a modest crown of yellow flames。
'Goo…goo…joob！'
The flames crawled up the sheet； turning the blood soaked into it black。 It reached the mass of jelly…coated eggs； tasted them； and found them good。 There was a series of thick popping sounds as the eggs began to burst。 More of those mewling cries as the worms burned。 Sizzling noises as fluid ran out of the burst eggs。
Henry backed out of the room； squirting lighter fluid as he went。 He got halfway across the Navajo rug before the can ran empty。 He tossed it aside； scratched another match； and tossed it。 This time the flump！ was immediate； and the flames sprang up orange。 The heat baked against his sweat…shiny face； and he felt a sudden urge … it was both strong and joyful … to cast the painters' masks aside and simply stride into the fire。 Hello heat； hello summer； hello darkness； my old friend。
What stopped him was as simple as it was powerful。 If he pulled the pin now； he would have suffered the unpleasant awakening of all his quiescent emotions to no purpose。 He would never be clear on the details of what had happened here； but he might get at least some answers from whoever was flying the helicopters and shooting the animals。 If they didn't just shoot him； too； that was。
At the door； Henry was struck by a memory so clear that his heart cried out inside him： Beaver kneeling in front of Duddits； who is trying to put on his sneaker backwards。 Let me fix that； man； Beaver says； and Duddits； looking at him with a wide…eyed perplexity that you could only love； replies。 Fit neek？
Henry was crying again。 'So long； Beav；' he said。 'Love you； man … and that's straight from the heart。'
Then he stepped out into the cold。
6
He walked to the far end of Hole in the Wall； where the woodpile was。 Beside it was another tarp； this one ancient； black fading to gray。 It was frost…frozen to the ground； and Henry had to yank hard with both hands in order to pull it free。 Under it was a tangle of snowshoes； skates； and skis。 There was an antediluvian ice…auger； as well。
As he looked at this unprepossessing pile of long…dormant winter gear； Henry suddenly realized how tired he was 。 。 。 except tired was really too mild a word。 He had just e ten miles on foot； much of it at a fast trot。 He had also been in a car accident and discovered the body of a childhood friend。 He believed both his other two childhood friends were likewise lost to him。
If I hadn't been suicidal to begin with； I'd be stark…raving crazy by now； he thought； and then laughed。 It felt good to laugh； but it didn't make him feel any less tired。 Still； he had to get out of here。 Had to find someone in authority and tell them what had happened。 They might already know … based on the