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It was a ghost truck driven by a corpse。
And it was loose somewhere in Paradise。
〃Jesus fucking Christ；〃 Gary muttered。 This was too weird。 He picked up the phone and called down to the newsroom。
〃Yeah；〃 Laura answered； tension lacing her voice。
〃Did you raise Kirk yet？〃 he asked。
〃He won't answer；〃 she replied。
〃Big surprise；〃 Gary snorted。 〃Anyway； I think you better get up here。〃
〃Did you get something？〃 she asked； the anxiety in her voice giving way to excitement。
〃I don't know what the hell I got；〃 he said。 〃But whatever it is； you're gonna want to see it。〃
〃I'm on my way。〃 She hung up。
Gary sat there a moment； holding the dead receiver in his hand and staring at the screen。 Then he called home again。 Just in case。
The phone rang once。 Twice。
He let it go； as if sheer persistence might carry the day。
Three times。 Four…Hoping they were off somewhere； having a nice lunch and saying terrible things about him。
Five。 Six。
Gary let it ring。
Hoping against hope that the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach was really all in his head 。。。
Nineteen
The first thing wrong that Micki noticed were the sudden profusion of starlings。
There were thousands of them； fluttering over the trees that made up the knobby ridge of the park； filling the air with their raucous din。
Jesus； she thought； shades of Alfred Hitchcock。 When did they take over？ Micki loved Nature in all its beauty as much as the next girl； but starlings？ Sturnus vulgaris； the Hell's Angels of the bird…table？ No； thank you very much。
They dominated by sheer numbers…driving other birds out； stealing nests and eating the young； and then overbreeding until the sheer tonnage of their droppings alone was enough to destroy a stand of woods。 Then they'd die off or migrate elsewhere； to begin the cycle anew。
No doubt about it。 A starling infestation was a sure sign that all was not right in Oz。
Micki and Gwen lay on a blanket by one of the picnic tables。 They loved the park dearly： more than a handful of their fondest memories； from childhood on； had their genesis there。 As girls； they had e here often： picnicking with their families； clambering around on the rocks； staring at the sky and dreaming of magical lands。 As teens； they got high and laid out on the lush green veldt； sucking up the panorama and dreaming of other kinds of magic。
On the ridge； across the valley； three steel needles jutted into the sky； warning lights flashing on them at regularly spaced intervals： TV and radio broadcast towers； transmitting their signals to the world at large。 They； too； had been there forever； or at least since the fifties； and hence were part of the women's memories as much as the hills and trees and sky。
〃Remember how we used to imagine that they were magic？〃 Micki said wistfully。 〃And how we could climb them to the cities up in the sky？〃 She sighed。
〃Yeah；〃 Gwen sighed back。 〃'Course now we know the only thing up there is Championship Wrestling and Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous。〃
〃The Home Shopping Network 。。。 〃 Micki added。
〃Ted Turner's colorized classics 。。。 〃 Gwen chimed in。 They looked at each other； ready to burst。
〃Geraldo 。。。 〃 they chimed in unison。
〃Ooooooooh！〃
They both grimaced their best persimmon…face and broke up； laughing longer than they needed to； like schoolgirls mooning over who kissed who at the junior prom。 Micki took hold of Gwen's hand； squeezing。
〃Jesus。〃 Micki winced。 〃The death of innocence is gruesome； huh？〃
〃Nah；〃 Gwen said； squeezing back。 〃Innocence never dies。 There's always a new generation to fall for it。〃
Micki smiled； and they fell silent for a moment； staring out at the towers。
〃Hard to believe；〃 Micki said； in genuine awe； 〃that Gary actually climbs those things。〃
〃The center one；〃 Gwen said； gesturing。 〃Twice a month； whether he wants to or not。 Scares me half to death； every time。
〃Speaking of which；〃 she added； apologetic； 〃I gotta make a phone call。〃
Micki looked at her and sighed grievously。 〃Hurry back；〃 she said。
Gwen stuck her tongue out playfully and waddled off。 Micki smiled and settled back on the soft carpet of grass； contenting herself with earth and sky。 As far as she was concerned； there had never been a better place for cloud…watching than at the top of that hill； stretched out on your back with the sky above and the river below； almost able to touch those great billowing creatures that unfolded before you。 Creatures that only you could see。
You； that is； and your very best friend 。。。
A shrill； deafening din suddenly rose up； startling her。 Micki turned to see a riotous black wave fill the sky； as the starlings took off en masse for the far end of the park。
Good riddance； Micki thought。 She glanced over to the phone kiosk some ten yards away； where Gwen was tethered； listening to her home phone ring off the hook。
〃Back in a flash； honey！〃 Gwen hollered； aping Gary's twang。 〃 'Ah promise！' LIAR！〃
Micki groaned。 The picnic basket sat before her on the blanket； taunting her with the aromatic reminders of apples and smoked turkey； Dijon and whole wheat。 Her stomach grumbled sullenly。 Gwen had claimed that she'd parked in the restricted spaces to be close to the bathrooms； but one sight of the little booth and Micki knew the true reason。
〃Domestic bliss；〃 she muttered sarcastically。 〃You know I love it！〃 Micki closed her eyes then； feeling the warm flood of energy that always infused her when Bob…Ramtha spoke。 She arched her back like a cat being stoked； and smiled inwardly。
〃I know they love each other； Bobba。 That's their problem；〃 she said。 A petulant look crossed her face。 〃No； I am not being mean！ I'm just hungry！〃
〃Damn him！〃 Gwen yelled； slamming down the receiver。 Micki turned back to her； saw the hurt disguised as anger as she chugged back to the table。 〃I swear to God he drives me crazy sometimes！ He just did two shifts； back…to…back； and that's the third time in the last month。 Now's he's back in there again！〃
〃You guys really oughta get a machine；〃 Micki offered。
〃Gary hates 'em。〃 Gwen shrugged angrily； waddling closer。 〃He says that if you get a message； you're obligated to return the call。 'Course he always picks up the damned thing anyway； so why bother？〃
〃Guess that's why they call him the Great municator。〃
〃Hey。〃 Gwen flashed her a mock…killing glance that had just a whiff of the real deal in it。
〃Sorry；〃 Micki said； dismissing the issue。 〃So can we eat now； please？ I'm starved。〃
Gwen looked at her as if she really wanted to continue； as if a charge had built up that had to go off； and would sooner than later。 She started to sit； stood right back up again。 〃Whoa； shit；〃 she said； grimacing。 〃Not again。〃
〃Poor baby。〃 Micki sighed。 She started to stand； Gwen waved her off。
〃No； don't bother； I'm used to it；〃 Gwen said； grabbing an apple from the basket。 〃You know；〃 she muttered； 〃if Nature was really a woman； She wouldn't have designed the plumbing like this。〃
〃You got a point。〃 Micki laughed； and reached for an apple herself。 〃But it's clearly not a man； either。 So what is it？〃
〃Nature；〃 Gwen concluded； 〃is just crazy。 That's all。〃
Her voice was answered by the din of ten thousand black birds as she waddled up the path and disappeared； heading for the hopper。 Micki got up from the table and plunked herself down on the dry grass； the better to munch her apple and ponder Nature's supposed insanity。
Overhead； the starlings were returning。 She stared into the sky as the black wave rose； tight little iridescent triangles swooping in plex aerial maneuvers； beautiful and terrible all at once。 Micki watched in fascination as the birds started to assume a kind of chaotic formation； swirling like iron filings around a magnet into a looping repetitive pattern； a definable shape。
Like a flying figure eight； she thought。
Or an infinity symbol 。。。
〃Damn； that's weird；〃 she said to herself。 Then to her panion； 〃Bobba。 Whaddaya think 。。。 ？〃
There was no reply。
〃Bobba？〃 Micki said again。
Two things you got used to as a channel。 One was the constant presence of your guide； like a forting cloak。 The other was a curious absence of fear regarding your own mortality； events like this morning's plane ride notwithstanding。 When you knew where you were going； and you were never alone； what was there to be afraid of？
〃Bobba？〃 Micki stood up； suddenly stripped of the one and given the other inverse abundance。 A chill gust blew up from the water； giving her gooseflesh。
Then Bob…Ramtha's presence lurched back into her consciousness with a vengeance。
Get out of here； he said。
〃Huh？〃 Micki said； her brain whanging from the sheer force of the intrusion。 〃Where were you？〃 she asked。 The presence redoubled； a psychic body…slam in the center of her head。
GET OUT OF HERE NOW。
Micki wasn't accustomed to hearing fear inside her head。 The Bobster was a New Age kind of ancient entity： he did not dispense fear lightly。
〃What's going on？〃 she asked； turning her gaze toward the trees and the