. . .

“Yes,” says Tom. “Yes, he does. You can’t, Linus. You can’t. I will never forgive you if you go after him and get the Devil cleaned out of you. You can’t. It’s wrong. Don’t you get it? It’s wrong. You can’t let him. You are supposed to be exactly who you are.”

At this the antichrist hesitates.

He picks Tom up. He cradles the human in his arms.

The black dog pants. The black dog whuffles. The black dog leaves its muddy footprints all over the just-cleaned floor.

“Let’s get you home,” says the future Mr. Enemy.

“I won’t be trapped this way forever, will I?” says Tom.

“Of course not,” the antichrist says.

He walks forbidden paths with Tom, whose tears sizzle in the heat.

“Of course not,” agrees Tom, crying Friedman. “I’ll get out of this trap. Six months tops. You’ll see!”

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