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rong he could taste it。 〃I'm Twig；〃 said the driver。 His voice was low and amused； and his sidelong smile was as quick and sharp as a blade。 〃The bum here is Molochai。 And the pretty one in the back； that's Zillah。〃
As the van started up again with a jolt； Nothing crouched next to the gearshift and studied his new panions。 Twig was fox…faced； with eyes like chips of night。 Molochai's features were more blunt； his smile more babyish。 But them seemed to be some invisible bond between them。 They laughed at the same time； their gestures mirrored each other。
Right now they were involved in some long meaningless argument about a drink they had invented…strawberry wine and chocolate milk； Nothing gathered after a moment。 Twig steered the van with one hand and swatted at Molochai with the other。 Molochai swiped back at Twig with grubby fists； then passed him a bottle of wine。 Twig sucked at the bottle。 Wine ran down his chin； and they giggled wildly as the van swerved across the center line。
Nothing crawled into the back of the van。 The ceiling and walls were decorated with more stickers and decals and Magic Marker graffiti。 Overlying it all was a pattern of large dark stains like some kind of cancer。
The third occupant of the van…Zillah…lay stretched out on a mattress where the dark stains were even more profuse。 Zillah had an androgynous； perfect face and a ponytail tied back by a purple silk scarf。 Wisps of hair escaped the ponytail； framing that astonishing face； those stunning eyes green as limes。 From the sleeves of an oversized black jacket emerged strong graceful hands with long nails； nails filed sharp and painted glossy black。 Nothing twined his own fingers together； trying to hide his chipped polish job。
Beneath the skin of Zillah's hands was a delicate purple tracery of veins。 Nothing thought again of the heroin he had shot up； the drug still coursing through him。 Then he looked away from the strong veined hands； up into Zillah's eyes。 And Nothing felt himself falling into a green sea。
〃Hello；〃 said Zillah。 The voice was soft； a little husky； razor…edged with amusement。 Surely Zillah was used to being stared at； used to taking strangers' breath away。
〃Hello；〃 said Nothing。 His voice wasn't working very well。
Zillah lit a tiny pipe carved in the shape of an ebony rose and passed it to Nothing。 The substance in the bowl was dark； sticky。
When Nothing sucked at the pipe； a sweet strange taste came into his mouth。 It was like smoking incense。 〃What is it？〃 he gasped； trying to hold the smoke in。
Zillah gave him an evil； heartstopping smile。 〃Opium。〃
Two new drugs in two hours。 Nothing thought he could get to like hitchhiking。 He lit the pipe again。 With the next drag he became aware of Zillah's eyes still on him； felt that green light blazing along the lines of his body。 But when he looked up； what he saw was Zillah's mouth： lips parted； the pink tip of a tongue caught between sharp teeth。 And then Zillah's hands were on him； drawing him toward that mouth。 He wondered whether he might fall in and lie on Zillah's tongue until Zillah swallowed him down。
〃You are delicious；〃 Zillah told him after they had kissed。
〃So are you；〃 Nothing answered； and his heart contracted。 He had never felt so far away from home； or so glad to be there。
〃You're bewitching。〃
〃Bewitch me；〃 Nothing managed to say； and then Zillah was sucking at his mouth again。 Nothing slipped his hands inside the baggy black jacket； under the soft shirt。 When he felt the rings through Zillah's nipples； his eyes widened a little…this was a wilder crowd than he was used to。 Not that he was plaining。
Zillah's teeth were at his throat； biting hard enough to hurt； then seeming to hesitate and release his skin an instant before drawing blood。 He had made out with virtual strangers before…among his friends back home this was almost as fashionable as bisexuality…but he had never done it with anyone half as beautiful as Zillah。
There was an explosion of loud laughter from the front seat。 Zillah was whispering something in Nothing's ear。 The words were jumbled； but Zillah's voice was as smooth as Kahlua with cream； and the junk in Nothing's blood made him passive。 His body felt heavy and very warm。 He lay back； not knowing what Zillah wanted to do to him； not caring。
Later； he could only remember trying to raise his hands； wanting to push Zillah's head away from his chest because Zillah was biting his nipples too hard。 But he could not raise his hands； could not move them at all； so he lay back and concentrated on enjoying the pain。 It was easy。 He had been doing it for so long。
〃I guess we could take you to Missing Mile；〃 said Twig； trying to focus on Nothing's face。 〃We're headed for New Orleans。 We're going to see our friend there。〃
New Orleans！ That sounded good too。 Nothing had never realized how many places there were to go。 You could spend your whole life going from place to place； seeing everything and never getting sick of it。 That was exactly how Zillah and the others seemed to spend their time。 The piles of clothes and bottles and the heavy； almost meaty smell made him think they must live in the van。 Again； he wasn't plaining。 The smell did not seem unpleasant to him； and the idea of life in a travelling caravan was as glamorous as anything Nothing had ever dreamed of。
〃Who's your friend in New Orleans？〃 Nothing asked。 But Twig didn't answer at all； and Molochai only mumbled 〃Chrissy〃 through his mouthful of chocolate cupcake and washed down the sweet stickiness with a swig of strawberry wine。 Nothing turned to Zillah； wanting to ask about New Orleans； but Zillah met Nothing's mouth with his own； his tongue flickering in and out like a snake's。
Nothing clung to the edge； teetering happily。 He was laboring under the influence of more drugs than he'd ever had all at once before。 He wasn't exactly drunk； and he wasn't exactly high； he simply floated。 Fucked up； Jack would have said…in that other world； in that other life。 Just plain ol' fucked up。
Zillah had claimed him immediately； which scared him a little and excited him a lot。 Zillah was a rougher and more thorough lover than any of the inexperienced kids back home； He had a purple； gold； and green streak in his hair…he said they'd been in New Orleans for Mardi Gras a while back…and he teased the skin of Nothing's stomach with it； flicked it over the ridges of Nothing's hipbones。 Molochai and Twig stared at them； then laughed and opened another bottle of wine。
An hour ago； sometime after midnight； Twig had slumped over the wheel； and Molochai had had to grab it and steer them away from the guardrail。 Now they were parked in a field somewhere in southern Virginia； or maybe already in North Carolina。
Nothing sat up and cleared a spot on the foggy window with the sleeve of his raincoat。 He saw rows and rows of stunted tobacco outside。 The window was cold against his hand。 He put his cheek on the glass and realized how hot his face was； how hot his whole body was。
Then his stomach convulsed； and he fumbled at the door handle。 Molochai said； 〃Just puke on the floor；〃 but Nothing fell out of the van and rolled over the crackling dead tobacco leaves and vomited copiously on the frosty earth。 He choked； spat； felt steam from his vomit wash over his face。 He tasted fried chicken； strawberry wine； bile。 Dimly he became aware that Zillah was holding him； that Zillah's hands were smoothing his hair back from his burning face。
Zillah bent to Nothing's lips and licked away the sour sticky spit that webbed them； tenderly forced Nothing's mouth open； kissed Nothing full and deep。
〃I love you；〃 Nothing told Zillah before he knew what he was going to say。 But Zillah only looked at him with those glowing green eyes； and Nothing thought he saw a touch of amusement there。
Back in the van； Nothing expected howls of derision； in this crowd throwing up surely meant you were a pussy。 But Molochai and Twig didn't laugh at him。 They were snuggled down on the mattress； clutching each other like children。 Nothing lit a Lucky but wrinkled his nose and pitched the cigarette out the window after two drags。
〃Still sick？〃 said Molochai。 〃I bet we can make you better。〃 A glance passed between the three of them。 Molochai dug under the mattress and pulled out a wine bottle half full of a dark liquid； ruby…brown and thicker than wine。 The outside of the bottle was covered with dried smears and fingerprints of the liquid。 〃Drink this。 It'll fix you up。〃
〃If it doesn't kill you；〃 Twig added with his quick blade of a smile。
Nothing took the bottle； uncapped it； lifted it to his mouth； and sipped。 There was some kind of liquor…vodka or gin； something oily and stinging…but mingled with that was another taste； dark and sweet and a little decayed。 Familiar。 He brought the bottle down； blinked； then lifted it again and drank deep。 Molochai； Twig and Zillah watched him。 All three sat very still； seeming to hold their breath。 Nothing stopped drinking； licked his lips； and smiled。
〃I don't think drinking blood is so weird；〃 he said。
At first they only looked surprised。 Molochai and Twig were perhaps