Attheendel’shandsdroppedtoherpandhergazewasfixedmeditatinglyoingsuni．SuddenlyLuckyBoywhowaslyingatherfeet，tensedandgrowledwarninglyandMr．Fingerwhowasstillhidinguhesofasuddenlysaairebootsstrideintotheroom．Theymustbelongtoabruteofamahought．Turningabruptlytofacetheintruder，elsawtoherdismaythatitwasthefierdrepulsivelyuglyBig-Ostandingrightbehindher．Shescreamedinterrorandtrembledall-Oughedmaliciouslysaying，
"Ionlyknewyoulivedinthisapartmentbuilding,butnotwhichfloororwhiit．Yandmusicseducedmehere,soyouhaveonlyyourselftobme.”Hestretchedouthishandtograbholdofthetremblingel．BraveLuckyBoysawtheterrorofhismistressahreatposedbytheintruder．Despitehissmallbulk,hejumpedandsnappedBig-Oonhisshank．Butashistihcouldn’tpossiblypeethethickleatherboots．Utteringacurse，Big-OkickedoutlikeasoccerballpyerandthefurrybodyofthetinyPekinesedogflewupintotheair,smmedagainstthewalndtheothefloor．Histinybodytwitchedvulsivelyaillwithouteveingoutacry．Hedied．elcriedforhelp,butBig-Ocmpedhishandoverhermouthandnose．Herstruggleswerefutileagainstsuchprodigiousstrength,armswithmusclesofironaimmovableasawall．Hedraggedherintothebedroomwithhisotherarmandkickedthedoorshut.Mr．Fingercameoutfromuhesofaandrantowardshisfriend．Bloodstreamedoutoftheeyes，nose，earsandmouth,pointingtointernalbleedingasthecauseofdeath.Mr.Fingerkbeforehisfriendandcried，
"Oh!Ididn’tknowyouweresuchabraveandloyaldog.IfIhadknown,Imostcertainlywouldn’thavetormentedyouwhenyouwereshutinthatcage．Iamsosorry,butnowitistoote．Youareindeedafaithfuldog．YoutreatedmeasagoodfrieerallthosepracticaljokesIpyedonyou.Iamsosorry…"
Mr．Fingercriedingenuinegrief,kowtowingbeforethelifelessbodyofhisfriend．Shortthoughtheirfriendshipwas,theretionshipwastrueandclose．el’scriesandbegging，Big-O’scruelughter，thesoundoftherendingofclothesmadeMr．Fingerrealizethatnowwasnotthetimefrieving．Heshouldbetryingtohelpel,thembwaitingfhter．Perturbed，agitatedandfrustrated，heranaroundtheroomincircles，feelingmuchasLuckyBoydidwhenhewasirifiedcage．Theonlywayoutoftheapartmentwasthewayhecame-fromtheverandah．Butafive-storyjumpwouldcertainlykillhimandwouldn’tmendmatters．Asel’sterrifiedcriestioeoutofthebedroom，Mr．Fingerfeltmorehelplessandpowerlessthaneverandrgebeadsofperspirationtrickleddownhisforehead．Suddenlyhiseyeslightedonthehandkerchiefonthefloorwhichelhaddroppediruggleahoughtthatperhapsitcouldsavetheday.Hedraggedittotheverandahandclimbedupthebahitintow．Hewasn’tatallsurewhetherhispnwouldwork,buthavingnotimeforsedthoughtshedecidedtogamblewithhislife．Clutgtightlythefourersofthehandkerchiefinbothhandsshapingitlikeaparachute,heclosedhiseyesandjumped．Windfilteredtheballooninghandkerchiefashefloatedgraduallydownthefive-storybuildinglikeawhitepigeondesdierouslyfromtherooftop．Whenhereachedthegroundsafely,hequicklyrolledovertooffsettheforceofthefalndwasetedthathisadventurousmethodwassuccessful．Stilldraggingthehandkerchiefwithhim,hehurriedtowardsDimitri’sdipidatedshelter．
Duskroag,aifulcloudsofmulti-coloredhuesspreadiheskieswerereflectedieroftheke．Tinyripplestossedtherefleofanexpereamlinesedanparkedalongthekeside．endDimitriwereseatedinthefront，withMr．Fingerlyingoopofthepartment．Allthreeweresilent．Dimitriclosedhiseyestightly,enduriabbingandpiergpain．Itwasasifasharpbdeorneedlerigathiseyes．Ifheopehemeversoslightlyahemeintactwithlight，excruciatingpainwouldresult．Dimitriwasindeedinasadstate．TherewerediscoloredbruisesonhisfadhetriedtostophisbleedingnosebyholdingittothehandkerchiefMr．Fingerhadusedasalifesaver．WhenMr．Fingerwokehimupfromhisdreamsandtoldhimofel’splight,Dimitriwentwithhimatooherapartment．Ionsavingel，hehadnoforhisowy．Relyingonhishalf-blindedandfuzzysight，hestumbleduptheflightofstairs，bumpingintowallsandbahushurtinghimselfashewent．Whentheyrushedintoel’sroom，allwasover．Miraculouslyelhadnotbeehoughshehadsufferedphysicabuse,molestationandmauling．Big-Osuddenlystoppedinthemidstofhistempestuousattack．Justasthearrowonatensebowwasabouttoshootout，Big-Osuddenlygedhismind．Thechemicalelemeedbyhisbrainmusthavegeddramatically,fornoreasohanhimselfcouldhavestoppedhimthen．Heranoutoftheroominapaniddisappeared．elwasstillinshodhadnotrecoveredfromhertraumaticexperience,whenDimitriandMrFingerarrivedinherroom．AllthreeleftatonahurrywithouttakinganythiBig-Oshouldgehismindandebacktokidnapel．Nowtheysatsilentlyinthecar．elmutteredtoherself，
"Inolongerdreamofheaven，siisunattaiIamtiredofcitylife．WhereshallIgo?"Withhiseyesclosed，Dimitriwipedawaythebloodstillseepingfromhisnoseandsaid，
"Youneedapletegeofenviro.Whydon’tyouetomyKingdomofDreams?"
"WhatistheKingdomofDreams?"askedMr．Fingercuriously．"Isitfunthere?Igotoo?"
"Ofcourseyou．Isincerelyioo．Thereyouwillfindaninexhaustiblesupplyofexcellentwineandliquorandresplesery.”
"Great!Let’sgo!Let’sgo!"hecried．
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