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the strap had pinched off the hand like a sausage link； burying the tiny buttons in gangrenous blackened flesh。 The Drew…thing tried to touch them with its bloated chubby fingers； found it could not。
It only took five of the last ten seconds for another limb to form。
Weedle…eedle…eee 。。。 ； as the shadow of the plane passed over his face。 Weedle…eedle…eee 。。。 ； as the tiny plane on its wrist dropped its tiny pay load。 Moist new fingers pressed the buttons； scoring a direct hit。
Weedle…eedle…eedle…eeeee 。。。
And the New World was born。
Alive and more than alive voracious ecstatic and free at last rising at the speed of bustion emancipated in flame set loose from the mooring of earth and flesh one hundred and forty thousand toxic apostles flush with Overmind ingling and exploding together then rising ten fifteen twenty thousand feet and climbing straight to heaven to godhead to primacy to claim both heaven and earth for its own
The explosion was immense。
One hundred thousand barrels caught at once； a deadly daisy chain started as five acres of fifty…five…gallon drums averaging four hundred and forty pounds apiece ignited in less than a nanosecond； a blistering four point four million pounds of volatile death with the equivalent blast force of just over two megatons。
At two thousand feet Blake barely had time to scream before the fireball slammed into the Cessna's fuselage； bludgeoning it upward； engulfing it in flame。
And Blake might have wished that it would end quickly； a flash and then nothing。 Such was not the case。 He had far too long to experience the dramatic climb in temperature； far too long to feel his hair singe and see the cockpit slag and go red； savor the unmistakable smell of his own immolation。
Far too long。
Nearly all of a second。
But the moment in which he exploded went on forever。 He could feel his marrow cook； the gases in his intestinal tract ignite and detonate； blowing bone to shrapnel rain that ruptured his flesh even as it blistered of into grease and vapor。
And all of it was agony。 Pure agony； unsullied by merciful distance or candid spiritual reflection。 No life flashing before his eyes。 Just his eyeballs exploding。
For one infinite moment。
Then Blake and the plane and the air they displaced were gone； blown to bits； absorbed by the mounting pillar of flame。 The sparkling cinders of one point two million in cash burned no brighter than anything else。
They all turned to ash and were caught by the maelstrom wind； fed into the clouds as particulate matter。
Feeding； and seeding； the storm。
Fifty…Two
They were drawn to the windows and streets by the sound。 The spectacle held them there。 Awe and terror of astonishing depth…the literal fear of God…embraced them as they gazed upon that vengeful； iconic； unquenchable fire。 It stole their breath and paralyzed their souls。
You could see it from the heart of town； a dozen miles away。
For one long； terrible moment； one hundred and eighty…seven thousand people set aside their differences； threw caution to the shock wave winds。 They forgot all about their homes； their jobs； their possessions； their passions and dreams； their loved ones； and all of the other little things that defined their tiny lives。
For that one moment； they were as one； united in their certain doom。
It was an altogether religious experience。
The fireball hit the dense cloud cover at just over ten thousand feet。 The outer edge of its corona reached a scorching three thousand degrees Fahrenheit； burning off the condensation instantly； punching a gaping hole in the ceiling of the sky。
The pressure system responded by dilating； wrapping around the pillar of flame even as it supercharged the remaining moisture； building a thunderhead directly above ground zero。 Heat lightning arced through the cumulonimbus； blue…white and foreboding as it bounced off the black aperture that ringed the blinding flame。
At ground zero； the fire was insatiable。 The seven acres of Paradise Waste were engulfed as the pillar achieved a diameter the size of a football field。 Stray drums blew like four…hundred…pound party favors： rocketing hundreds of feet into the air； cindering before they hit the ground。
Drew and the crown of Overmind immolated gloriously； flesh giving way to exultant living ash； riding the firestorm across the sky。
The shockwave flattened everything within roughly a quarter…mile radius： crushing homes； throwing cars like Matchbox toys； killing the first thousand or so in mid…mercial break。
They never even knew what hit them。
They were the lucky ones。
Thirty seconds into the blast； the shockwave reached its zenith and sucked back in on itself。 A killer wind rose； sucking every spare ounce of oxygen back into the rapidly rising inferno。
A mushroom cloud of living ash and soot disseminated out in ever…expanding rings； attacking and overing everything it touched。 It merged with the stormclouds； bonding with the condensate； arming and readying a trillion tiny toxic bombs as the entire atmospheric pressure system clenched： its twenty…mile mass blanketing the city； the county； the horizon as far as the eye could see。
Then the sentient storm unleashed its power。
And the black rain began to fall。
The first fat drops hit Micki as she rounded the back of the house； less than four miles from the blast。 She barely felt the three to her shoulders and back； like rubber bands flicked by someone's rowdy little brother。 But the one that spattered the back of her neck sizzled like grease off a frying pan。
DON'T STOP； urged Bob…Ramtha as she yipped in pain。 DON'T STOP。 It was the mantra that drove her； broke the hellfire pillar's hypnotic hold； whipped her up and held her to survival speed。 No matter what。
There was no other way。
She had all but pleted the outer circle： a huge； unbroken ring of containment that surrounded the house； etched in driveway salt from a twenty…pound bag she'd found in the garage。 It was vital that the circle be as perfect as was humanly possible。 It took great concentration； and entirely too much time。
The rain fell harder； offering up less space to move between the drops。 As she scuttle…walked backwards； delineating the last twenty yards worth of arc； it was like that rowdy little brother was putting out cigarettes on her scalp。 She could smell her hair smoldering； melding to her skin。
She could scream all she wanted。
But she could not； would not stop。
Fifty…seven thousand people were caught in the mounting acid downpour。 There was no way to be prepared。 Its corrosive； killing nature had caught them all pletely by surprise。 The longer it fell； the harder and faster and deadlier its descent： eating into them from the moment of impact； burning holes in the skin that seared through to the bone。
Where the pillar of flame inspired awe and dread； the rain dispensed agony； panic and death。 In the crazed； pathetic scramble for safety； they succeeded only in dragging each other down： trampling each other in parking lots as they struggled with keys； banged o