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file:///E|/Funny%20&%20Weird%20Shit/75%20-%20Stephen%20King%20Books/Stephen%20King%20-%20Pet%20Sematary.htmThey were having their coffee when Rachel had abruptly tossed down her napkin and said, “Daddy . . .Mom . . . I’m sorry, but I have to go home. If I can get a plane, I’m going tonight.”Her mother and father had gaped at her, but Ellie had closed her eyes in an adult expression of relief—itwould have been funny if not for the waxy, stretched quality of her skin.They did not understand, and Rachel could no more explain than she could have explained how thosetiny puffs of wind, so faint they can barely stir the tips of short grass, can gradually grow in power untilthey can knock a steel building flat. She did not believe that Ellie had heard a news item about the deathof Victor Pascow and ified it away in her subconscious.“Rachel. Honey.” Her father spoke slowly, kindly, the way one might speak to someone in the grip of atransitory but dangerous hysteria. “This is all just a reaction to your son’s death. You and Ellie are bothreacting strongly to that, and who could blame you? But you’ll just collapse if you try to—”Rachel did not answer him. She went to the telephone in the hall, found AIRLINES in the Yellow Pagesand dialed Delta’s number while Dory stood close by, telling her they ought to just think about this,didn’t she think, they ought to talk about it, perhaps make a list. . . and beyond her EWe stood, her facestifi dark— but now it was lit by enough hope to give Rachel some courage.“Delta Airlines,” the voice on the other end said brightly. “This is Kim, may I help you?”“I hope so,” Rachel said. “It’s extremely important that I get from Chicago to Bangor tonight. It’s . . .it’s a bit of an emergency, I’m afraid. Can you check the connections for me?”Dubiously: “Yes, ma’am, but this is very short notice.”“Well, please check,” Rachel said, her voice cracking a little. “I’ll take standby, anything.”“All right, ma’am. Please hold.” The line became smoothly silent.Rachel closed her eyes, and after a moment she felt a cool hand on her arm. She opened her eyes andsaw that Ellie had moved next to her. Irwin and Dory stood together, talking quietly and looking at them.The way you look at people you suspect of being lunatics, Rachel thought wearily. She mustered a smilefor Ellie.“Don’t let them stop you, Mommy,” Ellie said in a low voice. “Please.”“No way, big sister,” Rachel said and then winced—it was what they had called her ever since Gage hadbeen born. But she was no one’s big sister anymore, was she?file:///E|/Funny%20&%20Weird%20Shit/75%20-%20St...20Books/Stephen%20King%20-%20Pet%20Sematary.htm (262 of 333)7/28/2005 9:21:50 PM