Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 10 · column 6 of 6 · from the scan, no model involved
around from place to place.
I knew everything about New York, and lately something had been added to my city. It wasn’t a building or something that you could see, it was a presence, a mere feeling. You would have to be in the city all your life to detect the change, and I could feel it. It was something evil.
Whether it was made by accident or placed here on purpose I had no idea. It was down deep some place, and was growing steadily. Walking home from the bar, I could feel it. It was really getting to me. It was a sporadic feeling, and some days it would overwhelm me and some days it would barely be there, but it was always there lingering around me.
I was getting mad at it and it seemed to know it, and tonight I was going to find out what it was and where it was. I had a feeling it was someplace down deep, some place not being used any more. A couple of possibilities clicked in my mind, but the place that stuck there was the old subway.
About twenty years ago the city shut down the subway and built a new one. Nobody thought of the old one anymore except for a street gang. A long time ago the gang found a way . into the. vent system, and supposedly made itsway into the subway. The only thing, was, they had never come bark.
When. I got home, I kicked the junk out of my way, and with telephone in hand I made my way to the kitchen. Ring—Ring—Ring—“Hey, Benny! This is Mike. What’s up?-I’ve got to talk with you. Now we’ve been together since we were kids, and the only other guy who knows this city as well as I do is you. I know you've been feeling it, too, haven’t you? -Well listen, I think it’s someplace down deep, like the old subway and you’ve got the keys.—Oh, come on Benny! You know how important this is! You’ve felt it! I know you have!—Damnit Benny, you know how... Yeah! I bet you’re sorry!”
Clang! Benny was great. He wouldn’t let me have the keys because he knew something was down there,and he didn’t want me hurt. The only problem is that he’s too d-pigheaded. I needed to see what was down there and I had to get those keys.
The next few days I just lazed about. I beat up a bunch of punks who tried to mug me, busted a drug deal, and lazed about watching games. Benny didn’t have much work this week, but on Thursday a big heroine deal was going to be set up and Benny had all cars and himself on the case. That was my chance.
That night, I walked in and Sherrie was there. “Hi, Mike! Watcha doin’?”
“Oh, nothing. Benny told me to get his keys because Kat left her keys in the house, and she’s locked out.”
Oh. If you want his keys, they are right there.”
“Thanks a lot Sherrie-you’re great!”
“Yeah, what can I say?” So now I had the keys. My car parked two blocks up, I walked down to the gate.
(Continued on Pave 11) VMtUMIMIllltlMIMilltrlMilItilMilfU
85.4%