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The noise was deafening； especially lying on the floor。 Kaufman's teeth were shaking in their sockets and his face felt numb with the vibration； even his skull was aching。
Gradually he felt strength seeping back into his exhausted limbs。 He cautiously stretched his fingers and clenched his fists； to set the blood flowing there again。
And as the feeling returned； so did the nausea。 He kept seeing the grisly brutality of the next car。 He'd seen photographs of murder victims before； of course； but these were no mon murders。 He was in the same train as the Subway Butcher； the monster who strung his victims up by the feet from the straps； hairless and naked。
How long would it be before the killer stepped through that door and claimed him？ He was sure that if the slaughterer didn't finish him； expectation would。
He heard movement beyond the door。
Instinct took over。 Kaufman thrust himself further under the seat and tucked himself up into a tiny ball； with his sick…white face to the wall。 Then he covered his head with his hands and closed his eyes as tightly as any child in terror of the Bogeyman。
The door was slid open。 Click。 Whoosh。 A rush of air up from the rails。 It smelt stranger than any Kaufman had smelt before： and colder。 This was somehow primal air in his nostrils； hostile and unfathomable air。 It made him shudder。
The door closed。 Click。
The Butcher was close； Kaufman knew it。 He could be standing no more than a matter of inches from where he lay。
Was he even now looking down at Kaufman's back？ Even now bending； knife in hand； to scoop Kaufman out of his hiding place； like a snail hooked from its shell？
Nothing happened。 He felt no breath on his neck。 His spine was not slit open。
There was simply a clatter of feet close to Kaufman's head； then that same sound receding。
Kaufman's breath； held in his lungs 〃til they hurt； was expelled in a rasp between his teeth。
Mahogany was almost disappointed that the sleeping man had alighted at West 4th Street。 He was hoping for one more job to do that night； to keep him occupied while they descended。 But no： the man had gone。 The potential victim hadn't looked that healthy anyway； he thought to himself； he was an anaemic Jewish accountant probably。 The meat wouldn't have been of any quality。 Mahogany walked the length of the car to the driver's cabin。 He'd spend the rest of the journey there。
My Christ； thought Kaufman； he's going to kill the driver。
He heard the cabin door open。 Then the voice of the Butcher： low and hoarse。
〃Hi。〃
〃Hi。〃 They knew each other。
〃All done？〃
〃All done。〃 Kaufman was shocked by the banality of the exchange。 All done？ What did that mean： all done？
He missed the next few words as the train hit a particularly noisy section of track。
Kaufman could resist looking no longer。 Warily he uncurled himself and glanced over his shoulder down the length of the car。 All he could see was the Butcher's legs； and the bottom of the open cabin door。 Damn。 He wanted to see the monster's face again。
There was laughter now。
Kaufman calculated the risks of his situation： the mathematics of panic。 If he remained where he was； sooner or later the Butcher would glance down at him； and he'd be mincemeat。 On the other hand； if he were to move from his hiding place he would risk being seen and pursued。 Which was worse： stasis； and meeting his death trapped in a hole； or making a break for it and confronting his Maker in the middle of the car？
Kaufman surprised himself with his mettle： he'd move。
Infinitesimally slowly he crawled out from under the seat； watching the Butcher's back every minute as he did so。 Once out； he began to crawl towards the door。 Each step he took was a torment； but the Butcher seemed far too engrossed in his conversation to turn round。
Kaufman had reached the door。 He began to stand up； trying all the while to prepare himself for the sight he would meet in Car Two。 The handle was grasped； and he slid the door open。
The noise of the rails increased； and a wave of dank air； stinking of nothing on earth； came up at him。 Surely the Butcher must hear； or smell？ Surely he must turn…But no。 Kaufman skinned his way through the slit he had opened and so through into the bloody chamber beyond。
Relief made him careless。 He failed to latch the door properly behind him and it began to slide open with the buffeting of the train。
Mahogany put his head out of the cabin and stared down the car towards the door。
〃What the fuck's that？〃 said the driver。
〃Didn't close the door properly。 That's all。〃 Kaufman heard the Butcher walking towards the door。 He crouched； a ball of consternation； against the intersecting wall； suddenly aware of how full his bowels were。 The door was pulled closed from the other side； and the footsteps receded again。
Safe； for another breath at least。
Kaufman opened his eyes； steeling himself for the slaughter…pen in front of him。
There was no avoiding it。
It filled every one of his senses： the smell of opened entrails； the sight of the bodies； the feel of fluid on the floor under his fingers； the sound of the straps creaking beneath the weight of the corpses； even the air； tasting salty with blood。 He was with death absolutely in that cubby…hole； hurtling through the dark。
But there was no nausea now。 There was no feeling left but a casual revulsion。 He even found himself peering at the bodies with some curiosity。
The carcass closest to him was the remains of the pimply youth he'd seen in Car One。 The body hung upside…down； swinging back and forth to the rhythm of the train； in unison with its three fellows； an obscene dance macabre。
Its arms dangled loosely from the shoulder joints； into which gashes an inch or two deep had been made； so the bodies would hang more neatly。
Every part of the dead kid's anatomy was swaying hypnotically。 The tongue； hanging from the open mouth。 The head； lolling on its slit neck。 Even the youth's penis flapped from side to side on his plucked groin。 The head wound and the open jugular still pulsed blood into a black bucket。 There was an elegance about the whole sight： the sign of a job well…done。
Beyond that body were the strung…up corpses of two young white women and a darker skinned male。 Kaufman turned his head on one side to look at their faces。 They were quite blank。 One of the girls was a beauty。 He decided the male had been Puerto Rican。 All were shorn of their head and body hair。 In fact the air was still pungent with the smell of the shearing。 Kaufman slid up the wall out of the crouching position； and as he did so one of the women's bodies turned around； presenting a dorsal view。
He was not prepared for this last horror。
The meat of her back had been entirely cleft open from neck to buttock and the muscle had been peeled back to expose the glistening vertebrae。 It was the final triumph of the Butcher's craft。 Here they hung； these shaved； bled； slit slabs of humanity； opened up like fish； and ripe for devouring。
Kaufman almost smiled at the perfection of its horror。 He felt an offer of insanity tickling the base of his skull； tempting him into oblivion； promising a blank indifference to the world。
He began to shake； uncontrollably。 He felt his vocal cords trying to form a scream。 It was intolerable： and yet to scream was to bee in a short while like the creatures in front of him。
〃Fuck it；〃 he said； more loudly than he'd intended； then pushing himself off from the wall he began to walk down the car between the swaying corpses； observing the neat piles of clothes and belongings that sat on the seats beside their owners。 Under his feet the floor was sticky with drying bile。 Even with his eyes closed to cracks he could see the blood in the buckets too clearly： it was thick and heady； flecks of grit turning in it。
He was past the youth now and he could see the door into Car Three ahead。 All he had to do was run this gauntlet of atrocities。 He urged himself on； trying to ignore the horrors； and concentrate on the door that would lead him back into sanity。
He was past the first woman。 A few more