Page:Fantastic Volume 08 Number 01.djvu/19

 houses up there in the canyons. They were waiting now, waiting for the sun to fade before they awoke to walk and drink their fill in a world of mist and moonlight and silver skeletons—

And then I was back in my nightmare again and I thought of the big house on the hillside, and the other big house I was searching for now.

I left the bus just in time and started running up the slope of the hill to my left, and it was a nightmare, it was just the way it had been in my dream, only this time no Voice prompted me. I knew where I was going, and why, and I didn’t stop until I rounded the turn on the private entry-way and came to the stone arch on which was imbedded the neat little bronze plaque reading Carl Wagram.

I was sweating and panting, but I didn't slow down.

I started to run along the drive, towards the big doorway, and it was like running through water, or something thicker. What is thicker than water?

Blood.

Yes, I was running through blood, because everything was turning red.

My heart was pounding so loudly I could hear it even through the black velvet of the box inside my jacket. And now it seemed as though I could hear other sounds, too. There was the tinkling of tiny silver bones, and a harsh grating noise which seemed to come from far beneath the surface of the earth. It's hollow and empty down there in the crypts, and even the echoes are monstrously magnified when the coffin-lids are opened from within and they come crawling out. They had heard my heart and that's why they were coming to get me, because they knew it was pumping blood and I was running through blood and they thirsted. Blood is redder than Roxie's hair, and if you're blind and groping through the redness with a cane you can't escape; even judo won't save you when they wrap their cold arms around you and drag you down into the darkness. I could hear them coming closer and closer, and there was only one way to shut out the sound.

I screamed.

I screamed as I stumbled up the steps, screamed as I beat upon the door, screamed as I fell into Dr. Wagram's waiting arms.

I was still screaming when THE SCREAMING PEOPLE