〃And I saw it was filled with graves； And tomb…stones where flowers should be。 And priests in black gowns were walking their rounds； And binding with briars my joys and desires。〃
Oh； Taleswapper had a knack； he did； for as he recited； the very world changed before Alvin's eyes。 The meadows and trees looked like the loudest shout of spring； vivid yellow…green with ten thousand blossoms； and the white of the chapel in the midst of it was no longer gleaming； but instead the dusty； chalky white of old bones。 〃Binding with briars my joys and desires；〃 Alvin repeated。 〃You ain't got much use for religion。〃
〃I breathe religion with my every breath；〃 said the Taleswapper。 〃I long for visions； I search for the traces of God's hand。 But in this world I see more traces of the other。 A trail of glistening slime that burns me when I touch it。 God is a bit standoffish these days； Al Junior； but Satan has no fear of getting down in the muck with mankind。〃
〃Thrower says his church is the house of God。〃
Taleswapper； he just sat there and said nothing for the longest time。
Finally Alvin asked him right out： 〃Have you seen devil traces in that church？〃
In the days that Taleswapper had been with them； Alvin had e to know that Taleswapper never exactly lied。 But when he didn't want to get pinned down with the true answer； he'd say a poem。 He said one now。
〃O Rose； thou art sick。 The invisible worm； That flies in the night； In the howling storm
〃Has found out thy bed； Of crimson joy； And his dark secret love； Does thy life destroy。〃
Alvin was impatient with such twisting answers。 〃If I want to hear something I don't understand； I can read Isaiah。〃
〃Music to my ears； my lad； to pare me to the greatest of prophets。〃
〃He ain't much of a prophet if nobody can understand a thing he wrote。〃
〃Or perhaps he meant us all to bee prophets。〃
〃I don't hold with prophets；〃 said Alvin。 〃Near as I can tell； they end up just as dead as the next man。〃 It was something he had heard his father say。
〃Everybody ends up dead；〃 said Taleswapper。 〃But some who are dead live on in their words。〃
〃Words never stay straight；〃 said Alvin。 〃Now； when I make a thing； then it's the thing I made。 Like when I make a basket。 It's a basket。 When it gets tore； then it's a tored…up basket。 But when I say words； they can get all twisted up。 Thrower can take those same very words I said and bend them back and make them mean just contrary to what I said。〃
〃Think of it another way； Alvin。 When you make one basket； it can never be more than one basket。 But when you say words； they can be repeated over and over； and fill men's hearts a thousand miles from where you first spoke them。 Words can magnify； but things are never more than what they are。〃
Alvin tried to picture that； and with Taleswapper saying it； the picture came easy to his mind。 Words as invisible as air； ing out of Taleswapper's mouth and spreading from person to person。 Growing larger all the time； but still invisible。
Then； suddenly； the vision changed。 He saw the words ing from the preacher's mouth； like a trembling in the air； spreading out； seeping into everything and suddenly it became his nightmare； the terrible； dream that came on him； waking or sleeping； and spiked his heart to his spine till he like to died。 The world filling up with an invisible trembling nothing that seeped into everything and shook it apart。 Alvin could see it； rolling toward him like a huge ball； growing all the time。 He knew from all the nightmares before that even if he clenched his fists it would thin itself out and seep between his fingers； and even when he closed his mouth and his eyes it would press on his face and ooze into his nose and ears and
Taleswapper shook him。 Shook him hard。 Alvin opened his eyes。 The trembling air retreated back to the edges of his sight。 That's where Alvin saw it most of the time； waiting just barely out of sight； wary as a weasel； ready to flit away if he turned his head。
〃What's wrong with you； lad？〃 asked Taleswapper。 His face looked afraid。
〃Nothing；〃 said Alvin。
〃Don't tell me nothing；〃 said Taleswapper。 〃All of a sudden I saw a fear e over you； as if you were seeing a terrible vision。〃
〃It wasn't a vision；〃 said Alvin。 〃I had a vision once； and I know。〃
〃Oh？〃 said Taleswapper。 〃What vision was that？〃
〃A Shining Man；〃 said Alvin。 〃I never told nobody about it； and I don't reckon to start now。〃
Taleswapper didn't press him。 〃What you saw now； if it wasn't a vision well； what was it？〃
〃It was nothing。〃 It was a true answer； but he also knew it was no answer at all。 But he didn't want to answer。 Whenever he told people； they just scoffed at him for being such a baby about nothing。
But Taleswapper wouldn't let him slough off his question。 〃I've been longing for a true vision all my life； Al Junior； and you saw one； here in broad daylight； with your eyes wide open； you saw something so terrible it made you stop breathing； now tell me what it was。〃
〃I told you！ It was nothing！〃 Then； quieter： 〃It's nothing； but I can see it。 Like the air gets wobbly wherever it goes。〃
〃It's nothing； but not invisible？〃
〃It gets into everything。 It gets into all the smallest cracks and shakes everything apart。 Just shivers and shivers until there's nothing left but dust； and then it shivers the dust； and I try to keep it out； but it gets bigger and bigger； it rolls over everything； till it like to fills the whole sky and the whole earth。〃 Alvin couldn't help himself。 He was shaking with cold； even though he was bundled up thick as a bear。
〃How many times have you seen this before？〃
〃Ever since I can remember。 Just now and then it'll e on me。 Most times I just think about other things and it stays back。〃
〃Where？〃
〃Back。 Out of sight。〃 Alvin knelt down and then sat down； exhausted。 Sat right in the damp grass with his Sunday pants； but he didn't hardly notice。 〃When you talked about words spreading and spreading； it made me see it again。〃
〃A dream that es again and again is trying to tell you the truth；〃 said Taleswapper。
The old man was so plainly eager about the whole thing that Alvin wondered if he really understood how frightening it was。 〃This ain't one of your stories； Taleswapper。〃
〃It will be；〃 said Taleswapper； 〃as soon as I understand it。〃
Taleswapper sat beside him and thought in silence for the longest time。 Alvin just sat there； twisting grass in his fingers。 After a while he got impatient。 〃Maybe you can't understand everything；〃 he said。 〃Maybe it's just a craziness in me。 Maybe I get lunatic spells。〃
〃Here；〃 said Taleswapper； taking no notice that Alvin had even spoke。 〃I've thought of a meaning。 Let me say it； and see if we believe it。〃
Alvin didn't like being ignored。 〃Or maybe you get lunatic spells； you ever think of that； Taleswapper？〃
Taleswapper brushed aside Alvin's doubt。 〃All the universe is just a dream in God's mind； and as long as he's asleep； he believes in it； and things stay real。 What you see is God waking up； gradually waking up； and his wakefulness sweeps through the dream； undoes the universe； until finally he sits up； rubs his eyes； and says； 'My； what a dream； I wish I could remember what it was；' and in that moment we'll all be gone。〃 He looked eagerly at Alvin。 〃How was that？〃
〃If you believe that； Taleswapper； then you're a blamed fool； just like Armor…of…God says。〃
〃Oh； he says that； does he？〃 Taleswapper suddenly snaked out his hand and took Alvin by the wrist。 Alvin was so surprised he dropped what he was holding。 〃No！ Pick it up！ Look what you were doing！〃
〃I was just fiddling； for pete's sake。〃
Taleswapper reached down and picked up what Alvin had dropped。 It was a tiny basket； not an inch across； made from autumn grasses。 〃You made this； just now。〃
〃I reckon so；〃 said Alvin。
〃Why did you make it？〃
〃Just made it。〃
〃You weren't even thinking about it？〃
〃It ain't much of a basket； you know。 I used to make them for Cally。 He called them bug baskets when he was little。 They just fall apart pretty soon。〃
〃You saw a vision of nothing； and then