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onships。 This was not just another physical encounter。 Jane really wanted him。 He hoped that he would not disappoint her。 She was groping for him even as he crawled in beside her。
Chapter 16
Section Eight exploded shortly after midnight！
Coyle was aware of the time because； even as the walls of the office came in at him； the huge fireball which lit the sky showed up the face of the cheap alarm clock on the desk。 Doomtime…12。07a。m。！
In that split second he was forcing his numbed； sleep…bemused mind to work。 Heedless of his own safety； he flung himself across the sleeping bag as a human shield to protect Anne。
Then came the awful shock； a terror that divorced him from the holocaust all around。 His body hit the limp quilt with jarring force。 It was empty。 Anne was gone！
There was flying debris everywhere； cascading brickwork showered all around him； yet miraculously left him unscathed。 Thick choking dust； glowing orange like hazy sunlight； was filtering through the grimy window pane。 Heat scorched his naked flesh； withering it on his body。 But he ignored the pain； scrambling over piles of rubble； clawing at it frantically； trying to shout Anne's name…but no words came out； not even a hoarse whisper。 He was outside in the open…though； to be precise； there was no longer any indoors or outdoors。 A fiery sky lit up the whole scene； revealing the entire length of the valley； a flattened landscape over which the towering mountains were starting to avalanche； with mighty rock falls that slid and bounced slowly and silently。 And everywhere there was total silence； because Bob Coyle could no longer hear。 He was reduced to a panic…stricken human robot that staggered haphazardly； tearing at immovable heaps of rubble； crying inwardly because his tears were dried by the heat as soon as they began。
Alone！ Where was everyone else？ Oh God； why could he not have died along with everybody else？ Yes； he wanted to be dead…to be with Anne。
Fires were erupting everywhere； small blazes starting up and spreading； the hot wind fanning their flames to an inferno。 Flashes of reason came to him。 Anne must have crept out soon after he'd fallen asleep。 But why？ Perhaps she'd crossed the yard to the toilet。 He looked around； trying to shield his smarting eyes from the glare and the smoke。 Everywhere was totally unrecognisable； he didn't even know where the office had stood； or if he was in the right street。 Total destruction； just as they had forecast…the last and greatest holocaust of all！
Still wandering； searching。 His brain couldn't cope with the situation much longer。 Maybe he was shouting； maybe he wasn't。 Inside he still cried。
Once he paused to glance down at his own tortured body…just a mass of blisters that wept thick matter like melted syrup； hands and feet that no longer bled because the thick ooze stemmed the blood flowing from the abrasions。 Hairless； a walking festering cinder。 Still searching although he'd given up hope。
Then he saw the man！ Coyle stood staring； scraping at his eyes in an attempt to make the mirage go away。 A thing in human shape that stood atop a blazing pyre； seemingly unharmed by the crackling flames。 It was clothed in ragged garments that neither burned nor shrivelled； its revolting flesh clearly visible through the tatters。 Its head had a sparse covering of hair； and seemed too large for the frail body on which it rested。 Its eyes picked him out of the smoke； and forced Bob Coyle to meet a gaze that blazed with contempt and hatred； that had him shivering in spite of the terrible heat。 The lips moved over a toothless cavity of a mouth。
'I； Balzur； have returned to witness the fruits of my curse； sent here by Pluto who will soon e to rule over this fiery hell。 You； wretch； are the last survivor of those who tried to destroy me in vain。 You live only because I decreed it。 And your sufferings are only just beginning。 For you will experience the eternal fire； Witchfinder。 Yea； you are of his blood…line； and so you shall suffer the agonies of hell。 。 。 '
Coyle wanted to shrink away but he could not move。 It was as though every muscle in his body had melted； condemning him to remain watching； with eyes that burned in their sockets。 Seeing； understanding； and 。 。 。 oh； God； suddenly he understood！
His terror came in shuddering waves with the realisation of what he saw before him。 For now he recognised the face before him； reflected in this weird unearthly glow； features he had seen in those recent nightmares but had been snatched from his memory on waking。 Balzur； the wizard of old Craiglowrie； had e back to walk amongst them in human form； and he； Coyle had been blind to it。 And now he knew when it was too late 。 。 。 knew that Balzur had returned in the person of Winston Dyne。
Insane mocking laughter； inflicting the last wounds on a tortured soul。 Too late！ You realise too late。 And you shall suffer for eternity； Witchfinder！
Everything was starting to go black for Coyle。 A cooling wave of unconsciousness was ing out of the fires to calm him； and he wasn't going to fight against it。 Rage and disbelief appeared on those centuries…old features as Balzur saw what was happening。 Now it was Coyle's turn to mock； screaming inprehensible insults with blistered lips that somehow found they could move。 Crying real tears that were wet again。 Screaming because of Anne。 Writhing on a weling bed of cinders。 Trying to fight off hands that gripped rum。
Then suddenly Coyle was back in a world of cool darkness； the familiar office with walls and ceiling intact； his naked flesh unscathed。 Still struggling； trying to control his confused brain。 But it was not the talon…like fingers of Balzur which brought him back to consciousness。 Instead the hands were soft and sensuous； there was a heady aroma of musk where previously he had smelled only acrid burning。
Anne！
'Bob 。 。 。 snap out of it！' She shook him again； less urgently now that his eyes were open。 'You've had a nightmare。 A bad one。'
He nodded； choking with sheer relief； crying now for a different reason。 Yes； it had been a bad one； the worst ever。 Only this time it was different； he remembered those evil features and knew to whom they belonged。
'I'll make some coffee。'
'Sure。' He managed a smile and hoisted himself to his feet。 'You do that； darling。 But first I've got to ring Kent。 Try to make him believe me。'
'Pull yourself together！' There was a sudden flicker of fear on her face…fear that the enormity of his nightmare had disturbed his reasoning。 'You can't go fetching Kent out in the night just because of a bad dream。'
'Don't worry； I'm not going round the bend。' He forced another smile。 'Something that's been eluding me these past nights。 The dreams； a face 。 。 。 now I know that Balzur has e back； that he's been amongst us for some time 。。。 a reincarnation maybe； or some inexplicable evil psychic force that's taken over a human body and soul。 Balzur is now Winston Dyne； Head of Oxide Reprocessing！'
Life appea