Shooter finished. “If this spreads much further, we won’t be able to do anything to stop it.”

I looked at the rip. “Mo’Lock, give me a leg up. I’m going in.”

“I’m going with you,” Mo’Lock insisted.

I pulled him aside and whispered. “Not this time, buddy. I think this Billy kid made some sort of deal with an evil force… a spiritual force. I don’t think someone of your undead nature should be messing around in there.”

Mo’Lock looked to see if anybody was listening. “Are you saying the hole is the gateway to . . .”

“I’m not saying anything for sure. But if it is, you could put yourself in danger, not having a soul and all.”

The ghoul thought about it and then nodded. “I’ll be here if you need me.”

“You always are.” I slapped his arm. “How about that leg up?”

I walked to the edge of the floating hole in the air. The lowest point of the opening was about two feet above my head. I stared up at it then glanced over at Sabrina.

“See you when I get back.”

She tried to smile. “You better. You owe me an interview.”

Mo’Lock hoisted me up to the opening. I grabbed the edge. It felt hot and spongy-wet, but I was able to get a grip and pulled myself up and over. The next thing I knew, I was in a black expanse and the hole was gone. I was in.

There was nothing but total darkness. I could have been in a stadium or a closet. I couldn’t tell. It wasn’t the kind of darkness I was used to, but a thick, airless dark without any sign of light or sound. With no plan to speak of, I began to walk into the darkness but no matter how long I walked I couldn’t tell if I was making progress. As far as I knew I was walking in place. There was no horizon, no way to judge where I’d been or where I was going.

I stopped, feeling the futility of just walking, and decided to try something. I took out a cigarette and lit a match. The fire swelled up and for an instant I saw something very strange . . . the barest glimpse of stone walls and smoke. As I stood there smoking, I began to hear a sound nearby. It was a voice laughing.

“Billy?”

There was no reply, but the laughter got closer and began to move around me in a slow circle.

“I know it’s you, Billy,” I called out. “I know you’re there.”

The laughter stopped and I squinted as a figure appeared just ahead of me. It was the kid. He walked out of the darkness and stopped a few yards away.

“You can’t beat me in here, mister,” he said.

“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”

“I’ve got friends in here.”