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file:///E|/Funny%20&%20Weird%20Shit/75%20-%20Stephen%20King%20Books/Stephen%20King%20-%20Pet%20Sematary.htmwere alone on the porch.“Her arthritis has gotten worse,” Louis said.Jud nodded and pinched out his cigarette over an ashtray. “Yeah. It’s come down harder on her everyfall and winter, but this is the worst it’s ever been.”“What does her doctor say?”“Nothing. He can’t say nothing because Norma hasn’t been back to see him.”“What? Why not?”Jud looked at Louis, and in the light cast by the headlamps of the station wagon waiting for the ghosts,he looked oddly defenseless. “I’d meant to ask you this at a better time, Louis, but I guess there isn’t nogood time to impose on a friendship. Would you examine her?”From the kitchen, Louis could hear the two ghosts booo-ing and Ellie going into her cackles—which shehad been practicing all week—again. It all sounded very fine and Halloweenish.“What else is wrong with Norma?” he asked. “Is she afraid of something else, Jud?”“She’s been having pains in her chest,” Jud said in a low voice. “She won’t go see Dr. Weybridgeanymore. I’m a little worried.”“Is Norma worried?”Jud hesitated and then said, “I think she’s scared. I think that’s why she doesn’t want to go to the doctor.One of her oldest friends, Betty Coslaw, died in the EMMC just last month. Cancer. She and Normawere of an age. She’s scared.”“I’d be happy to examine her,” Louis said. “No problem at all.”“Thanks, Louis,” Jud said gratefully. “If we catch her one night, gang up on her, I think—”Jud broke off, head cocking quizzically to one side. His eyes met Louis’s.Louis couldn’t remember later exactly how one emotion slippedinto the next. Trying to analyze it only made him feel dizzy. All he could remember for sure was thatcuriosity changed swiftly into a feeling that somewhere something had gone badly wrong. His eyes metfile:///E|/Funny%20&%20Weird%20Shit/75%20-%20Ste...%20Books/Stephen%20King%20-%20Pet%20Sematary.htm (78 of 333)7/28/2005 9:21:49 PM