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n its ears was the sound of Creation…the primordial； protean； plasmic pool…raging and churning on either side of the blind； visored mask it wore。
And the roar grew louder； as it crested the hill。 It turned。 The roar grew louder still。 The Source lay directly ahead； now； Deitz felt himself shudder before its astonishing power。 It flooded his senses； overwhelmed his spark with an alien longing； far stronger than love。
Lookie lookie lookie lookie 。。。
Deitz tried again to shut his eyes。
They simply opened wider 。。。
。。。 and watched； in helpless horror； as the condensation on the inside of his visor parted like a curtain： the tiny beads of liquid rolling off to either side； waggling their little moist tails like sperm like eels like baby snakes。
Returning to him his sight。
At the heart of Black Bridge。
And the New Creation。
Hell unfolded before him。
There was a whirlpool at the center of the creek： a vast liquid aperture； a hundred feet across； like a gaping mouth on the surface of the water。 It roiled around the perimeter； bubbling madly； then settled into a winding； almost stately corkscrew as it spiraled down into abyss 。。。 。。。 only no； not exactly； the opposite； in fact： corkscrewing back and heavenward to dredge up the darkness； vomiting barrels and black slime from the belly of the earth。
The quagmire spread the breadth of the creek； bubbling muck that oozed like a lava flow and hardened。 Its skin cracked open in a thousand places。 Suppurating sentient toxic slag。
Things moved in the scum： the unfortunate indigent fauna of the water and woods； caught in a squeeze play of the new order。 A doe； trying to escape the carnivorous plants； had gone headlong into the bank。 It spasmed in the sucking mud； eyes rolling white in its head as the killing vines probed and planted seeds beneath its tawny hide。
Rabbits； raccoons； squirrels； and chipmunks had also fled and were subsumed。 They flailed pathetically in the mire； wiggling like bait for the flippered monstrosities that belched forth from the hole。
Something thrashed directly beneath the bridge： six…foot…long carp； garbage…eaters throwing themselves into the shallows； their scales rupturing even as the first vestigial limbs sprouted from their sides。 They moved toward the trapped mammals with long mouths snapping； sucking in the new air and dreaming of flesh。
The trees that rimmed the water were bowed under the weight of the strangling vines。 Several had nests in their boughs； enormous conglomerates of mud and twig； riddled with softball…sized holes。
The nests were humming。
An insectile shape emerged from one of the holes； feelers busily probing atop its teardrop head。 It was puppy…sized； and its segmented body bristled with short； deadly…looking spines。 Wasp； Deitz thought； although the name no longer fit。
Wasps had always terrified him。
He hadn't known what terror was。
More of the insects appeared； crawling around the tortured trees； new wings unfurling in the sun。 The drier ones lit from their perches； testing their wings on the hot still air。 Their stingers were long as bayonets； their buzzing like the whine of a hundred ripsaws cutting through the roar of the abyss。
Several took off； lightning…quick； skimming the surface of the creek。 They zigged and zagged against the current； heading upstream and far beyond。
And there was more。 There was more。 It spanned the horizon； overrunning the water and landscape for as far as the eye could see。 Unnameable shapes； violations of form； wild new species of untraceable origins thrashed and wailed and spawned there。
At the center of the only Hell that mattered。
The Hell that Mankind had created on Earth。
The thought descended upon him then； a branding iron burning hundred…foot…high letters into his brain。 And all that was Deitz reeled from the impact as Overmind spoke； the simplest expression of the infant god's greed。
MINE！ it said。 MINE！ MINE！ MINE！ MINE！ MINE！
And it was true。 The war had been lost； irreversibly and forever。 Deitz could see it now； see it all too clearly。
His mind snapped like a twig。
Suddenly； the program clicked into place。 An instinctive knowing； clear…cut and unquestioned。 Suddenly； he understood how a bee felt in the hive。 pletely plugged in to the schematic。
pletely at One with the higher plan。
And there was a terrible peace there； in giving in to Overmind。 A terrible burden removed from one's shoulders。 The burden of doubt。 The burden of shame。 The burden of responsibility and individuation。
In the mind of God； all things are possible； and all can be forgiven。
But Austin Deitz could not forgive。
Not even dead。
Not ever。
No。 A primal response； preceding thought。 No。 Beyond denial。 No no no。 A gut reaction； pushing back against the program。
Overmind blinked； uncertain。
No no no no no。 A slowly mounting groundswell of power； forming at the base of his will。 No no no no NO。 Building； in pressure and size。
He felt his fingers clench； and knew that he had caused it。
NO！
Confusion shuddered through the Overmind； in the contained universe that was Deitz。
NO NO NO！！！ He relished the power； refused to give in to the satisfaction。 The trade…off was control： seeping back into his dead limbs； the muscles and bones that powered and framed them。 Already； he could turn his head； wipe the hideous grin off his dead； bloated face。
He could even close his eyes； if he wanted to。
He no longer had the desire。
MINE！ The word belonged to him now。 The concept belonged。 To him。 MINE！ It could have the rest of the fucking world。
MINE！！！ It could even turn him into a monster。
But he would be his own monster。
MINE MINE MINE！！！
Then he turned； heading back in the direction he'd e； negotiating the crusty bank of his own plete volition。 The lifeforce that spawned him held back in awe； stunned and shunted out of the driver's seat by the astonishing； presumptuous fact of free will。
My way； he said。
And became； in that moment； the first fallen angel of Overmind。
His men were rising up from the depths as he returned； crawling out from under the abscessed surface of Toad Road。 Their faces were barely visible through the coagulant slime that had swallowed them； the afterbirth that sluiced them back out into the world。 Beckett； Burroughs； Hooper； Franklyn： essentially faceless now。 Taken over。 Drones of the One True Faith。
Deitz's suit had filled； as well； the boiler bag had risen to the brim。 He found that he lived now as much in the fluid as inside of the skin that had once defined him。 It was not a problem to see through the inch of opaque liquid； his eyes drifted out of their sockets； pressed against the Plexiglas faceplate that framed the bounds of his new flesh。
The trucks were rising； too。 Deitz wondered if the others would pose a problem。 He was being far less Deitz than thing； a malformed union of the two。
With a purpose； he found； that would not be denied。
Pyle； still in the lead truck； turned toward Deitz as he approached； his Barney Rubble bonhomie long s