v can't remember the little blonde girl's name any more than Henry can only that her last one was something impossibly long and clunky。 And she had a crush on the Dudster； which was why she always waited for him outside The Retard Academy。
The three of them in their graduation gowns gather around Pete and look at the DERRY DOIN's board。
As always； the board is crammed with notices … bake sales and car washes； tryouts for the munity Players version of The Fantasticks； summer classes at Fenster； the local junior college； plus plenty of hand…printed student ads … buy this； sell that； need ride to Boston after graduation； looking for roommate in Providence。
And； way up in the corner； a photo of a smiling girl with acres of blonde hair （frizzy rather than fluffy now） and wide； slightly puzzled eyes。 She's no longer a little girl … Henry is surprised again and again by how the children he grew up with （including himself） have disappeared … but he would know those dark and puzzled eyes anywhere。
MISSING； says the single block…capital word under the photo。
And below that； in slightly smaller type： JOSETTE RINKENHAUER； LAST SEEN STRAWFORD PARK SOFTBALL FIELD； JUNE 7； 1982。 Below this there is more copy； but Henry doesn't bother reading it。 Instead he reflects on how odd Derry is about missing children … not like other towns at all。 This is June eighth； which means the Rinkenhauer girl has only been gone a day； and vet this poster has been tacked way up in the er of the notice…board （or moved there）； like somebody's afterthought。 Nor is that all。 There was nothing in the paper this morning … Henry knows； because he read it。 Skimmed through it； anyway； while he was slurping up his cereal。 Maybe it was buried way back in the Local section； he thinks； and knows at once that's it。 The key word is buried。 Lots of things are buried in Derry。 Talk of missing children； for instance。 There have been a lot of child disappearances here over the years … these boys know it； it certainly crossed their minds on the day they met Duddits Cavell； but nobody talks much about it。 It's as if the occasional missing kid is the price of living in such a nice； quiet place。 At this idea Henry feels a dawning indignation stealing in first to mix with and then replace his former goofy happiness。 She was sweet； too； with her BarbieKen。 Sweet like Duddits。 He remembers how the four of them would deliver Duddits to school … all those walks … and how often she'd be outside； Josie Rinkenhauer with her scabby knees and her great big plastic purse： 'Hi； Duddie。' She was sweet。
And still is； Henry thinks。 She's…
'She's alive；' Beaver says flatly。 He takes the chewed…up toothpick out of his mouth； looks at it； and drops it to the grass。 'Alive and still around。 Isn't she？'
'Yeah；' Pete says。 He's still looking at the picture； fascinated； and Henry knows what Pete is thinking； almost the same thing as he is： she grew up。 Even Josie； who in a fairer life might have been Doug Cavell's girlfriend。 'But I think she's 。 。 。 you know 。 。 。'
'She's in deep shit；' Jonesy says。 He has stepped out of his gown and now folds it over his arm。
'She's stuck；' Pete says dreamily； still looking at the picture。 His finger has begun to go back and forth； tick…tock； tick…tock。
'Where？' Henry asks； but Pete shakes his head。 So does Jonesy。
'Let's ask Duddits；' Beaver says suddenly。 And they all know why。 There is no need of discussion。 Because Duddits sees the line。 Duddits
11
'…sees the line！' Henry shouted suddenly； and jerked upright in the passenger seat of the Humvee。 It scared the bell out of Owen； who was deep in some private place where there was only him and the storm and the endless line of reflectors to tell him he was still on the road。 'Duddits sees the line！'
The Humvee swerved； skidded； came back under control。 'Jesus； man！' Owen said。 'Give me a little warning next time before you blow your top； would you？'
Henry ran a hand down his face； drew in a deep breath； and let it out。 'I know where we're going and what we have to do…'
'Well； good…'
'…but I have to tell you a story so you'll understand。'
Owen glanced at him。 'Do you understand？'
'Not everything； but more than I did。'
'Go ahead。 We've got an hour before Derry。 Is that time enough？'
Henry thought it would be more than enough； especially talking mind to mind。 He started at the beginning … what he now understood the beginning to be。 Not the ing of the grays； not the byrus or the weasels； but four boys who had been hoping to see a picture of the Homeing Queen with her skirt pulled up； no more than that。 As Owen drove； his mind filled with a series of connected images； more like a dream than a movie。 Henry told him about Duddits； about their first trip to Hole in the Wall； and Beaver puking in the snow。 He told Owen about all those walks to school； and about the Duddits version of the game： they played and Duddits pegged。 About the time they had taken Duddits to see Santa Claus … what a fuckin pisser that had been。 And about how they had seen Josie Rinkenhauer's picture on the DERRY DOIN's board the day before the three older boys graduated。 Owen saw them going to Duddits's house on Maple Lane in Henry's car； the gowns and mortarboard caps piled in back； saw them saying hi to Mr and Mrs Cavell； who were in the living room with an ashy…pale man in a Derry Gas coverall and a weeping woman
… Roberta Cavell has her arm around Ellen Rinkenhauer's shoulders and is telling her it will be all right； she knows that God won't let anything happen to dear little Josie。
It's strong； Owen thought dreamily。 Man； what this guy's got is so strong。 How can that be？
The Cavells barely look at the boys； because the boys are such frequent visitors here at 19 Maple Lane； and the Rinkenhauers are too deep in their terror to even notice them。 They have not touched the coffee Roberta has served。 He's in his room； guys； Alfie Cavell says； giving them a wan smile。 And Duddits； looking up at them from his GI Joe figures … he has all of them … gets up as soon as he sees them in the doorway。 Duddits never wears his shoes in his room； always his bunny slippers that Henry gave him for his last birthday … he loves the bunny slippers； will wear them until they are nothing but pink rags held together with strapping tape … but his shoes are on now。 He has been waiting for them； and although his smile is as sunny as ever； his eyes are serious。 Eh ee own？ Duddits asks … Where we goin？ And…
'You were all that way？' Owen whispered。 He supposed Henry had already told him that； but until now he hadn't understood what Henry meant。 'Even before this？' He touched the side of his face； where a thin fuzz of byrus was now growing down his cheek。
'Yes。 No。 I don't know。 Just be quiet； Owen。 Listen。'
And Owen's head once more filled up with those images from 1982。
12
By the time they get to Strawford Park it's four…thirty and a bunch of girls in yellow DERRY HARDWARE shirts are on the softball field； all of them with their hair in near…identical ponytails that have been threaded through the backs of their caps。 Most have braces on their teeth。 'My； my … they flubbin and dubbin；' Pete says； and maybe they are； but they sure look like they're having fun。 Henry is having no fun at all； his stomach is full of butterflies； and he's glad to see Jonesy at least looks the same； solemn and scared。 Pete and Beaver don't have a whole lot of imagination between them； he and old Gariella have too much。 To Pete and the Beav； this is just Frank and Joe Hardy stuff； Danny Dunn stuff。 But to Henry it's different。
To not find Josie Rinkenhauer would be bad （because they could； he knows they could）； but to find her dead 。 。 。
'Beav；' he says。
Beaver has been watching the girls。 Now he turns to Henry。 'What？'
'Do you still think she's alive？'
'I 。 。 。' Beav's smile fades； and he looks troubled。 'I dunno； man。 Pete？'
But Pete shakes his head。 'I thought she was； back at school … shit； that picture almost talked to me … but now 。 。 。' He shrugs。
Henry looks at Jonesy； who also shrugs； then spreads his hands： Dunno。 So Henry turns to Duddits。
Duddits is looking at everything from behind what he calls his ooo ays； Duddits…ese for cool shades … wraparounds with silver mirrored surfaces。 Henry thinks the ooo ays make Duddits look like Ray Walston in My Favorite Martian； but he'd never say such a thing to Duds； or think it at him。 Duds is also wearing Beaver's mortarboard hat； he particularly likes to blow the tassel。
Duddits has no selective perception； to him the wino looking for returnables over by the trash barrels； the girls playing softball； and the squirrels running around on the branches of the trees are equally fascinating。 It is part of what makes him special。 'Duddits；' Henry says。 'There's this girl you went to school with at the Academy； her name was Josie？ Josie Rinkenhauer？'
Duddits looks politely interested because his friend Henry is talking to him； but there is no recognition of the name； and why would there be？ Duds can't remember what he had for breakfast； so why would he remember a little girl he we