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(Dan where’s the Crow? WHERE’S THE CROW???)<br />
Now Dan heard her. Thank God. She saw the Winnebago. Dan thought the Crow was in there, and<br />
maybe he was right. Still—<br />
She hurried back down the hall and peered out one of the windows beside the front door. The<br />
sidewalk was deserted, but Mr. Freeman’s truck was parked right where it belonged. She couldn’t see<br />
his face because of the way the sun was shining on the windshield, but she could see him behind the<br />
wheel, and that meant everything was still okay.<br />
Probably okay.<br />
(Abra are you there)<br />
Dan. It was so great to hear him. She wished he was with her, but having him inside her head was<br />
almost as good.<br />
(yes)<br />
She took one more reassuring look at the empty sidewalk and Mr. Freeman’s truck, checked to<br />
make sure she had locked the door after coming in, and started back down to the kitchen.<br />
(you need to have your friend’s mom call the police and tell them you’re in danger Crow’s in Anniston)<br />
She stopped halfway down the hall. Her comfort-hand came up and began to rub her mouth. Dan<br />
didn’t know she had left the Deanes’ house. How could he? He’d been very busy.<br />
(I’m not)<br />
Before she could finish, Rose the Hat’s mental voice blasted through her head, wiping away all<br />
thought.<br />
(YOU LITTLE BITCH WHAT HAVE YOU DONE)<br />
The familiar hallway between the front door and the kitchen began to sideslip. The last time this<br />
revolving thing happened, she’d been prepared. This time she wasn’t. Abra tried to stop it and<br />
couldn’t. Her house was gone. Anniston was gone. She was lying on the ground and looking up at the<br />
sky. Abra realized the loss of those three in Cloud Gap had literally knocked Rose off her feet, and she<br />
had a moment to be savagely glad. She struggled for something to defend herself with. There wasn’t<br />
much time.<br />
6<br />
Rose’s body lay sprawled halfway between the showers and the Overlook Lodge, but her mind was in<br />
New Hampshire, swarming through the girl’s head. There was no daydream horsewoman with a<br />
stallion and lance this time, oh no. This time it was just one surprised little chickadee and old Rosie,<br />
and Rosie wanted revenge. She would kill the girl only as a last resort, she was much too valuable for<br />
that, but Rose could give her a taste of what was coming. A taste of what Rose’s friends had already<br />
suffered. There were plenty of soft, vulnerable places in the minds of rubes, and she knew them all<br />
very w—<br />
(GET AWAY YOU BITCH LEAVE ME ALONE OR I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU!)<br />
It was like having a flash-bang go off behind her eyes. Rose jerked and cried out. Big Mo, who had<br />
been reaching down to touch her, recoiled in surprise. Rose didn’t notice, didn’t even see her. She kept<br />
underestimating the girl’s power. She tried to keep her footing in the girl’s head, but the little bitch<br />
was actually pushing her out. It was incredible and infuriating and terrifying, but it was true. Worse,
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