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felt his mouth go dry and the acids in his churning stomach revolt. His eyes clouded with tears of fear, and it was impossible for him to breathe. Betty Elizabeth had somehow found the courage to bolt. She was running back down the hill toward the car. She fell, screamed out, regained her footing and started running blindly down the path again. |
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Theodore was no longer thinking, operating solely on instinct. Now he too ran, gaining on her. |
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Betty Elizabeth was already behind the wheel by the time Theodore reached the car. |
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''Gimme the keys!" she shouted. |
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Theodore frantically slapped at his pockets. He couldn't find them. Where were they? How could anyone misplace a cumbersome ring of keys? Betty Elizabeth was slapping at the unoffending dashboard, screaming at him. He repeatedly groped for the keyspants pockets, front and back, shirt, jacketnothing. Then he glanced down and saw them lying on the passenger seat. They were mocking him in the pale, eerie light cast by the full moon. |
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He was hammering on the window, pointing to them. "On the seat, beside you!" |
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Betty Elizabeth snatched them up, feverishly jamming them in the ignition and instantly grinding the reluctant engine to life. Theo- |
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