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Four
Nomatterhowmanytimeshedidit,itnevergotanyeasier,nevergotanybetter.
Hewasdeepinthesewers,lostinalabyrinth.TheBeastwaswaitingforhim.Hecouldhearaslowdripofwater.HeknewtheBeastwaswaiting.Hegrippedhisspear...Thenarumblingbellow,deepinitsthroat,frombehindhim.Heturned.Slowly,agonizinglyslowly,itchargedathim,throughthedark.
Anditcharged.
Hedied.
Andkeptwalking.
Slowly,agonizinglyslowly,itchargedathim,overandover,throughthedark.
Therewasasputter,andaflaresobrightithurt,makingRichardsquintandstagger.Itwasthecandleflame,initslemonade-bottleholder.Hehadneverknownhowbrightlyasinglecandlecouldburn.Hehelditup,gaspingandgulpingandshakingwithrelief.Hisheartwaspoundingandshudderinginhischest.
"Wewouldappeartohavecrossedsuccessfully,"saidtheleatherwoman.
Richard’sheartwaspoundinginhischestsohardthat,forafewmoments,hewasunabletotalk.Heforcedhimselftobreatheslowly,tocalmdown.Theywereinalargeanteroom,exactlyliketheoneontheotherside.Infact,Richardhadthestrangefeelingthatitwasthesameroomtheyhadjustleft.Yettheshadowsweredeeper,andtherewereafter-imagesfloatingbeforeRichard’seyes,likethoseonesawafteracameraflash.
