floor clutching the book to his chest for several seconds. 

He finally let it fall open once more in his hands to that oft-viewed page with the princess, and there she was – a decaying corpse trying to jump right out of the book at him. “Correction,” he said, “you’re not just illustrations…you’re all phantoms from hell!” And he cast the book several yards away where it landed with a dusty thump! Hal sat upward to make sure the book was closed (for some reason it seemed important to check), and it was; then, feeling shattered, he slinked and slipped back along the floor until his back hit a wall. He felt absolutely listless and exhausted…not to mention damp down bel...

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