按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
dragging each other down： trampling each other in parking lots as they struggled with keys； banged on windows and doors。
Succumbing to the madness of the crowd 。。。
At the Mt。 Rose Amoco Shop 'N' Go； the man with the gun lay face…up； face gone； twitching on the tarmac。 He was far from alone。 From where Jennie hid； driven back behind the EMPLOYEES ONLY door； she could see at least a dozen of them： features peeling back； layer by sizzling layer； like slabs of human bacon on the skillet of the gas pump tarmac。
They'd exposed themselves； in the process of rioting or trying to fill their tanks。 Not only were they dead or dying； but the pumps were blocked as well。 And she could no longer tend the console； they had shattered the window； forced her into desperate retreat。
It was the end of the exodus。 And Austin had not e。
But the stain was here： inside now； growing。 Forcing her back。
And making her scream 。。。
。。。 while the rain fell harder； hammering every square inch of Paradise with the liquid fire of Overmind。 Dispersing it over the forests and fields； the tilled acres of farmland and manicured patches of green。 Dousing the river。 The lakes； wells； and streams。 Leaving its distinctive mark on every living thing； from microbe to field mouse to man。
Fifty…seven thousand people； caught in the rain。 Unable to reach their cars； their homes； any form of shelter from the storm。 In backyards or churchyards or graveyards。 Outside fire halls or shopping malls。 On bleachers。 Ball fields。 Sidewalks。 Side streets。
There were fifty…seven thousand of them； in all。
They were dead inside the first three minutes。
Garth and Lydia were trapped in the Codorus Basin； beneath the Philadelphia Street Bridge。 After the first half…dozen drops； it was clear to them that they had no other choice。 Garth's left eyelid had been spot…welded to his eye； and Lydia's lower lip and gum were rancid with agonizing； chemical…smelling sores。
This would have been more than bad enough； but the creek was beginning to rise。 As if it were blocked somewhere upstream。
In the direction of Black Bridge。
And the fish were jumping out of the water； trying to escape from the water； but there was absolutely nowhere to go。 And some of the fish； the fish looked funny： too big； too aware； too abjectly malformed。
〃Oh my God；〃 Lydia whimpered； backing up and away from the water。 She was staring at the back of Garth's jacket； the logo that no longer filled her with pride。 She had never imagined that being right could hold so little satisfaction。
Across the creek； the crowd from the End Zone was huddled beneath the green and white awning that covered the huge back patio。 They had e out to gape at the burning rain； the pillar of fire in the distance。 Lydia recognized her father there； amongst the masses。 In this fresh context； his face looked no different from anybody else's。
No different from her own。
And suddenly； it was no longer hatred that she felt for him。 That time had passed。 Now it was terror that filled her heart： a terrible drowning sense of irreversible loss。 For one soul…wrenching moment； she thought about calling out to him。
Then the black rain began to pour 。。。
。。。 and she couldn't see； she couldn't see through the impenetrable curtain。 But when the screaming started； she closed her eyes and saw it all too clearly。 Saw the awning disassemble； eat away at an alarming speed： erasing the differences between them pletely； joining them together in one undifferentiated mass of shrieking reeling molten flesh and jutting mechanical bone； like the girders and struts of unfinished buildings in an earthquake； draped in a runny meat stream 。。。
Then she screamed； and Garth slapped her across the face。 He didn't want the fish to hear。 They were jumping higher； with perverse determination。
And the water was rising。
They still didn't know why。
At Black Bridge； the original spawning ground； the parameters of a whole new world continued to rapidly evolve。 It had all manner of brave new； never…before…seen creatures in it。 Walkers。 Swimmers。 Crawlers。 Flyers。 Breeders； Drones and Queens。 Beautiful； ruthlessly violent Monsters and hideous Growths of inviolate weakness and meek； self…righteous passivity。
Hunters and hunted。 Feeders and food。
But everyone needed to eat。
And this was the strangest； most horrible thing： one by one； they forgot who they were。 Losing touch with the toxicity that spawned them。
Losing conscious connection with Overmind。
One by one； they settled into their new roles。 Their new forms。 With no memory of the Source from whence they came。
Suddenly； they found themselves lost： deprived of the empathy that came from being and knowing that they were all one thing。
Reconstructing the food chain； in their own mutant image。
Blindly starting the cycle all over again。
There was a wave。 It came from the whirlpool at the heart of Black Bridge； the heart of the New Creation。
It barreled straight for the heart of the city。
Lydia and Garth could see it ing。
It was twenty feet tall； and it spanned the width of the basin。 From where Garth and Lydia stood； there was no clearance unless they clung to the underside of the bridge。 They were pylons there； rough handholds to cling to。
They had no other choice。
The wall came in； undercut at the moment it collided with the flood shelf。 Graygreenmultiformed NewSpawn impacted； impaled； blew forward and opened； revealing their innermost selves。 The innards and tendrils that soared through the air in front of the wave meant nothing to the creatures that were spared。 Over the top； and to hell with the hindmost。
Fuck everyone and everything else。
There was a five…headed faceless eel…spawn； razored and flailing and thirty feet long。 It threw itself out of the water blindly； passed less than a foot from Garth's face。 〃HELP！〃 he shrieked； hanging on for dear life。
But Lydia could no longer whip up such passion。 She could already feel herself starting to change。 The toxins were in her bloodstream； in the mist on her face and the air in her lungs。 Her surface flesh felt rubbery and numb； like her shell…shocked emotional core。
It no longer mattered what happened。
Lydia Vickers wasn't dying。
Merely changing in shape。
The next creature down the pike had Garth's name on it。 Its emerald； taloned head raked the underside of the bridge； etching a groove through the concrete and steel。 It caught him just above the hipbone； separated upper intestine from lower as it snapped through the spine like blackboard chalk in an irate teacher's hands。 Lydia's gaze went to her friend's； watched the lenses glaze over。
No future； indeed。
Watching Garth fall was like watching a packet of fast…food catsup grace an order of french fries。 Spool。 Zero fanfare。 He was emptied； crinkled up and gone in a blink of the eye that devoured him。
And all she could do was hang on； hang on； shrinking back against the concrete as far as the physics of the situation would allow。 She had spent her whole life trying to stand out from the crowd； and now