Chapter 5

           OldToot-TootmadehislasttripofthenightdowntoEBlockwithhiscartataboutquartertonine.Weboughtenoughofhiscraptomakehimsmilewithavarice.

           "Say,youboysseenthatmouse?"heasked.

           Weshookourheads.

           "MaybePrettyBoyhas,"Tootsaid,andgesturedwithhisheadinthedirectionofthestorageroom,wherePercywaseitherwashingthefloor,writinghisreport,orpickinghisass.

           "Whatdoyoucare?It’snoneofyouraffair,eitherway,"Brutalsaid."Rollwheels,Toot.You’restinkintheplaceup."

           Tootsmiledhispeculiarlyunpleasantsmile,toothlessandsunken,andmadeabusinessofsniffingtheair."Thatain’tmeyousmell,"hesaid."ThatbeDel,sayinso-long."

           Cackling,herolledhiscartoutthedoorandintotheexerciseyard.Andhewentonrollingitforanothertenyears,longafterIwasgone—hell,longafterColdMountainwasgone—sellingMoonPiesandpopstotheguardsandprisonerswhocouldaffordthem.SometimesevennowIhearhiminmydreams,yellingthathe’sfryin,he’sfryin,he’sadonetomturkey.

           ThetimestretchedoutafterTootwasgone,theclockseemingtocrawl.Wehadtheradioforanhourandahalf,WhartonbrayinglaughteratFredAllenandAllen’sAlley,eventhoughIdoubtlikehellheunderstoodmanyofthejokes.JohnCoffeysatontheendofhisbunk,handsclasped,eyesrarelyleavingwhoeverwasatthedutydesk.