〃Stick those arms out there； honey；〃 Brutal said； 〃or you get another。〃
Harry had already let go of young Mr。 Wetmore。 Sobbing like a little kid； the tears which had been standing in his eyes now spilling down his cheeks； Percy shot his hands out straight in front of him； like a sleepwalker in a movie edy。 I had the sleeves of the straitjacket up his arms in a trice。 I hardly had it over his shoulders before Brutal had let go of Percy's ears and grabbed the straps hanging down from the jacket's cuffs。 He yanked Percy's hands around to his sides； so that his arms were crossed tightly on his chest。 Harry； meanwhile； did up the back and snapped the cross…straps。 Once Percy gave m and stuck out his arms； the whole thing took less than ten seconds。
〃Okay； hon；〃 Brutal said。 〃Forward harch。〃
But he wouldn't。 He looked at Brutal； then turned his terrified； streaming eyes on me。 Nothing about his connections now； or how we'd have to go all the way to South Carolina just to get a free meal； he was far past that。
〃Please；〃 he whispered in a hoarse； wet voice。 〃Don't put me in with him； Paul。〃
Then I understood why he had panicked； why he'd fought us so hard。 He thought we were going to put him in with Wild Bill Wharton； that his punishment for the dry sponge was to be a dry cornholing from the resident psychopath。 Instead of feeling sympathy for Percy at this realization； I felt disgust and a hardening of my resolve。 He was； after all； judging us