Read Online The Dead Zone by Stephen King - Free Book Online Page A

humor.
    â€œWell, you know. Whatever.”
    The ominous rumbling in her nether regions decided her. She had fully intended to finish this night by sleeping with John Smith. It wasn’t going to work out that way. But that didn’t mean she had to end the evening with him in attendance while she threw up, dashed for the w.c., and chugged most of a bottle of Pepto-Bismol.
    â€œI’ll be okay,” she said. “It was just a bad carnival hot dog, Johnny. You could have just as easily gotten it yourself. Give me a call during your free period tomorrow.”
    â€œYou sure?”
    â€œYes, I am.”
    â€œOkay, kid.” He picked up the phone with no further argument and called his cab. She closed her eyes, lulled and comforted by the sound of his voice. One of the things she liked most about him was that he would always really try to do the right thing, the best thing, with no self-serving bullshit. That was good. She was too tired and feeling too low to play little social games.
    â€œThe deed’s done,” he said, hanging up. “They’ll have a guy over in five minutes.”
    â€œAt least you’ve got cab fare,” she said, smiling.
    â€œAnd I plan to tip handsomely,” he replied, doing a passable W. C. Fields.
    He came over to the couch, sat beside her, held her hand.
    â€œJohnny, how did you do it?”
    â€œHmmm?”
    â€œThe Wheel. How could you do that?”
    â€œIt was a streak, that’s all,” he said, looking a little uncomfortable. “Everybody has a streak once in a while. Like at the racetrack or playing blackjack or just matching dimes.”
    â€œNo,” she said.
    â€œHuh?”
    â€œI don’t think everybody does have a streak once in a while. It was almost uncanny. It . . . scared me a little.”
    â€œDid it?”
    â€œYes.”
    Johnny sighed. “Once in a while I get feelings, that’s all. For as long as I can remember, since I was just a little kid. And I’ve always been good at finding things people have lost. Like that little Lisa Schumann at school. You know the girl I mean?”
    â€œLittle, sad, mousy Lisa?” She smiled. “I know her. She’s wandering in clouds of perplexity through my business grammar course.”
    â€œShe lost her class ring,” Johnny said, “and came to me in tears about it. I asked her if she’d checked the back corners of the top shelf in her locker. Just a guess. But it was there.”
    â€œAnd you’ve always been able to do that?”
    He laughed and shook his head. “Hardly ever.” The smile slipped a little. “But it was strong tonight, Sarah. I had that Wheel . . .” He closed his fists softly and looked at them, now frowning. “I had it right here. And it had the strangest goddam associations for me.”
    â€œLike what?”
    â€œRubber,” he said slowly. “Burning rubber. And cold. And ice. Black ice. Those things were in the back of my mind. God knows why. And a bad feeling. Like to beware.”
    She looked at him closely, saying nothing, and his face slowly cleared.
    â€œBut it’s gone now, whatever it was. Nothing probably.”
    â€œIt was five hundred dollars worth of good luck, anyway,” she said. Johnny laughed and nodded. He didn’t talk anymore and she drowsed, glad to have him there. She came back to wakefulness when headlights from outside splashed across the wall. His cab.
    â€œI’ll call,” he said, and kissed her face gently. “You sure you don’t want me to hang around?”
    Suddenly she did, but she shook her head.
    â€œCall me,” she said.
    â€œPeriod three,” he promised. He went to the door.
    â€œJohnny?”
    He turned back.
    â€œI love you, Johnny,” she said, and his face lit up like a lamp.
    He blew a kiss. “Feel better,” he said, “and we’ll talk.”
    She nodded, but it was