down and turned his face to the wall。
I stepped out into the Mile； locked his cell； and walked up to the duty desk。 I still felt like a man in a dream。 I realized I could hear Brutal's thoughts … a very faint whisper； how to spell some word； receive； I think it was。 He was thinking i before e； except after c； is that how the dadratted thing goes？ Then he looked up； started to smile； and stopped when he got a good look at me。 〃Paul？〃 he asked。 〃Are you all right？〃
〃Yes。〃 Then I told him what John had told me … not all of it； and certainly not about what his touch had done to me （I never told anyone that part； not even Janice； Elaine Connelly will be the first to know of it … if； that is； she wants to read these last pages after reading all the rest of them）； but I repeated what John had said about wanting to go。 That seemed to relieve Brutal … a bit； anyway … but I sensed （heard？） him wondering if I hadn't made it up； just to set his mind at ease。 Then I felt him deciding to believe it； simply because it would make things a little easier for him when the time came。
〃Paul； is that infection of yours ing back？〃 he asked。 〃You look all flushed。〃
〃No； I think I'm okay〃； I said。 I wasn't； but I felt sure by then that John was right and I was going to be。 I could feel that tingle starting to subside。
〃All the same； it might not hurt you to go on in your office there and lie down a bit。〃
Lying down was the last thing I felt like right the