ctric chair； sentence passed by a jury of your peers。 。。〃
John Coffey's peers？ What a joke。 So far as I knew； there was no one like him on the pla。 Then I thought of what John had said while he stood looking at Sparky from the foot of the stairs leading down from my office： They're still in there。 I hear them screaming。
〃Get me out of it〃； I said hoarsely。 〃Undo these clamps and let me up。〃
They did it； but for a moment I felt frozen there； as if Old Sparky did not want to let me go。
As we walked back to the block； Brutal spoke to me in a low voice； so not even Dean and Harry； who were setting up the last of the chairs behind us； would overhear。 〃I done a few things in my life that I'm not proud of； but this is the first time I ever felt really actually in danger of hell。〃
I looked at him to make sure he wasn't joking。 I didn't think he was。 〃What do you mean？〃
〃I mean we're fixing to kill a gift of God〃； he said。 〃One that never did ary harm to us； or to anyone else。 What am I going to say if I end up standing in front of God the Father Almighty and He asks me to explain why I did it？ That it was my job？ My job？〃
8。
When John got back from his shower and the floaters had left； I unlocked his cell； went in； and sat down on the bunk beside him。 Brutal was on the desk。 He looked up； saw me in there on my own； but said nothing。 He just went back to whatever paperwork he was currently mangling； licking away at the tip of his