Harold Winstanley left Ol' Spithead in early May, and went to live for a while with his parents in St. Louis. His mother overfed him, and his father took him for long walks in the Missouri Botanical Gardens and talked about life the way he saw it, cut and dried, because he thought it would be good for his head. He made him a beautiful pair of Oxford shoes, hand-stitched, and gave them to Harold for no real reason, except to show that he did love him, after all.558Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0gCBzv5z6
Harold went back to Massachusetts in June to sell Harvest Mills Cottage. He drove up to Tewksbury to see old man Knight, and to share a sherry with him in his library, and he told Harold that he believed he had come close to finding the magical bonds that would hold Machukuna, and that he would use one of the fragments from Supay's dismembered body in a ritual that would put his ancestor to rest for good. He left after an hour; he didn't want to hear any more of demon talk.
Harold didn't go to see Michael Trotter. He had heard from Pauline that Michael had never forgiven him for blowing up the George Badger, and Harold guessed that he had every right to feel that way. As for Pauline, well----he guessed she and him weren't destined to remain together. He could have loved her, he supposed, but after the immensity of what he had witnessed, their personalities never quite knitted.
With Bruce, Harold went to Angel Hill Cemetery and together they laid flowers on the graves of the ones they had once loved; and then they shook hands and said goodbye. He didn't know whether Bruce forgave him or not, or even if there was anything to forgive. Supay had hit Salem like a hurricane, and Bruce was still busy sorting out legal claims for damages, and helping to identify and rebury the dead.
Harold said goodbye to Suzy; he said goodbye to Andy Curtis, and to Tracker Miller's wife. Tracker had never been found, and was listed as "missing, feared dead."558Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvsUF5qhX7
Then, at last, as Harold drove back up to Harvest Mills Cottage, and stood in the overgrown orchard looking out over Ol' Spithead Neck, his hands in his pockets; watching the distant white sails of the boats, and the glitter of summer sunshine on the waters of Lobster Bay.558Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rUW9Oe3gR
He pushed the garden-swing, until it began to utter that distinctive creakkk-squik, creakkk-squik. Then he left it, and it gradually lost momentum and swung to a standstill.558Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0YbbfAt4n
The wind was warm. He felt as if the world had recently been reborn. He left the cottage, and closed the garden-gate behind him.558Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tVXuEQalG
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THE END558Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLyZlI65Pk
