Jake Puckett’s Reviews > The Dead Zone > Status Update

- Why did God have to have Johnny Smith to do his dirty work? It wasn't his responsibility to save the world, that was for the psychos and only psychos would presume to try it. He suddenly decided he would let Greg Stillson live and spit in Gods eye.

Johnny sat like a stone. He found himself wondering if he would ever move again. Outside, thunder rumbled. And followed on its heels like an inner clap, he heard his dying mother's voice:
Do your duty, Jobn.

And he thought sometimes about his afternoon with Sarah, the long, slow afternoon. It wasn't a memory he allowed himself to take out too often; he was afraid that constant exposure to the sunlight of recollection might cause it to wash out and fade, like the reddish-tinted proofs they used to give you of your graduation portraits.

Shaking hands with Carter had not given him that sinking feeling he had gotten just from watching Greg Stillson on TV. He felt as if Stilison might have taken the game of the Laughing Tiger a step further inside the beast-skin, a man, yes.
But inside the man-skin, a beast.

One more politician for his collection. Some people collected stamps, some coins, but Johnny Smith collects handshakes and-
- and admit it. You've been looking for a wild card in the deck all along.

The child in the skin laughs, but he is also growling and biting, because that is the game... I think this Stillson knows that game, too.

Johnny got up and freshened his glass of Pepsi. He tipped the glass at the TV. Your good health, Walt. To the three Ds-death, destruction, and destiny. Where would we be without them?

Whether he knows what went on between Sarah and me this afternoon,whether or not be suspects what might have gone on,he understands the basic cheat. You can't change it or rectify it,the best you can do is try to come to terms. This afternoon she and I consummated a marriage that never was. And tonight he's playing with his grandson.
He thought of the Wheel of Fortune, slowing, stopping.
House number. Everyone loses.

He does understand, Johnny thought, sipping his coffee.
Whether be knows what went on between Sarah and me this afternoon, wether or not be suspects what might have gone on, be understands the basic cheat. You can't change it or rectify it, the best you can do is try to come to terms. This afternoon she and I consumated a marriage that never was. And tonight he's playing with his grandson.

"I do have to," Sarah contradicted. Her voice was low and intense. “Because things like this you can only say once. And you either get it wrong or right, it's the end either way, because it's too hard to ever try to say again."