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file:///E|/Funny%20&%20Weird%20Shit/75%20-%20Stephen%20King%20Books/Stephen%20King%20-%20Pet%20Sematary.htmthis . . . or that . . . yeah, that was great . . . good old Gage, wotta kid. When it started not to hurt, itstarted not ‘to matter. She understood, perhaps, Louis thought, how easy it would be to let Gage be dead.“Ellie, don’t cry anymore,” he said. “This isn’t forever.”She cried forever . . . for fifteen minutes. She actually fell asleep before her tears stopped. But eventuallyshe slept, and downstairs the clock struck ten in the quiet house.Keep him alive, Ellie, if that’s what you want, he thought and kissed her. The shrinks would probablysay it’s as unhealthy as hell, but I’m for it. Because I know the day will come—maybe as soon as thisFriday—when you forget to carry the picture and I’ll see it lying on your bed in this empty room whileyou ride your bike around the driveway or walk in the field behind the house or go over to KathyMcGown’s house to make clothes with her Sew Perfect. Gage won’t be with you, and that’s when Gagedrops off whatever Hot One Hundred there is that exists in little girls’ hearts and starts to becomeSomething That Happened in 1984. A blast from the past.Louis left the room and stood for a moment at the head of the stairs, thinking—not seriously—aboutgoing to bed.He knew what he needed and went downstairs to get it.Louis Albert Creed set methodically about getting drunk. Downstairs in the cellar were five cases ofSchlitz Light beer. Louis drank beer, Jud drank it, Steve Masterton drank it, Missy Dandridge wouldoccasionally have a beer or two while watching the kids (kid, Louis reminded himself, going down thecellar stairs). Even Chariton, on the few occasions she had come over to the house, preferred a beer—aslong as it was a light beer—to a glass of wine. So one day last winter Rachel had gone out and bought astaggering ten cases when Schlitz Light went on sale at the Brewer A & P. Stop you running down toJulio’s in Orrington every time somebody drops in, she had said. And you’re always quoting RobertParker to me, love—any beer that’s in the refrigerator after the stores close is good beer, right? So drinkthis and think about the dough you’re saving. Last winter. When things had been okay. When things hadbeen okay. It was funny, how quickly and easily your mind made that crucial division.Louis brought up a case of beer and shoved the cans into the fridge. Then he took one can, closed thefridge door, and openedthe beer. Church came oiling slowly and rustily out of the pantry at the sound of the refrigerator doorand stared inquiringly up at Louis. The cat did not come too close; Louis had perhaps kicked it too manytimes.“Nothing for you,” he told the cat. “You had your can of Calo today. If you want something else, go killa bird.”file:///E|/Funny%20&%20Weird%20Shit/75%20-%20St...20Books/Stephen%20King%20-%20Pet%20Sematary.htm (200 of 333)7/28/2005 9:21:49 PM