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ard an odd drone； like the buzzing of insects； but he wasn't sure。
Jana reached past him and knocked on the door。 〃Is anyone there； for God's sake？〃
But Moore had located the insect noise； he moved to the far side of the porch and looked down。 Then he stiffened and stepped back a pace。
Jana reached him。 〃What is it？〃
A dog lay on the ground； where it had probably been trying to squeeze its way under the porch。 The head was almost severed from the body； and circles of flies groped around the gaping wound。 In the animal's midsection there was a second wound； exposing intestine。 The hind legs had been torn away and the bones gnawed clean。 〃God。。。〃 Jana said quietly。
Moore shuddered and returned to the door。 He opened it and stepped into the front room。
Chairs were overturned； tables shattered； glass had been broken from windows and lay glittering on the floor。 〃Watch your feet；〃 Moore told Jana as she came in behind him。 And then his heartbeat quickened。 He felt a crawling sensation at the base of his spine； and he knew they were not alone。
Jana fought the urge to cry out； because suddenly the odor of blood had e to her； as strong as the taste of rusted metal in her mouth。 She wanted to avert her eyes but couldn't； and she stared at the body huddled in the corner。
It was the corpse of a middle…aged black man； the face registered a look of shock and horror unlike any Moore had ever before imagined。 The top of the head had been peeled back； a hideous mass of ravaged tissue remaining； and the throat was ripped open just as the dog's had been。 His right arm had been snapped off at the elbow and the ulna and radius both shattered as if something had tried to get at the marrow。 A trail of smeared blood led from the room； along a hallway and through another open door。
Moore moved forward cautiously； his heart hammering in his chest； Jana stood where she was for a few seconds； staring at the strange pattern the blood had made on a plastered wall； waiting for the surge of nausea to either flood over or pass。 At last she took a breath of air with her teeth clenched； trying futilely to strain out the death smell。
The second room； the kitchen； had been wrecked as well； it had no door； and only a few shattered windows。 Utensils lay scattered about on the floor and there was a lot of blood but no more bodies。 Looking at the scene of violence and murder； Moore felt a nameless； vaporish dread settle on him； as if something were whispering a message to him that he couldn't quite understand。 He shuddered。 What had happened here？ His mind dismissed the question abruptly； for the sake of his own sanity。
Jana's eyes searched his face。 〃What in the name of God。。。？〃 she whispered。
〃I don't know；〃 Moore said quickly。 He grasped her arm； tightly。 〃Let's get out of here。〃 He stepped away from the window。
And it was then that the shadow fell across them； a thing framed in the doorway； reeking of rot and blood； claws lunging for Moore's throat。
Moore flung Jana backward and she screamed in utter terror； the thing grasped him； nails sinking into his neck； its weight bearing down on him。 It hissed and drew back decayed lips from its yellow fangs。 Moore struck at the thing wildly； trying to force it back； but it had him in its grip now； and in the nightmarish eye sockets he saw the red； volcanic fury of hatred。
He crashed to the floor with an impact that almost knocked the breath from him； the thing； its once…human face a rotted horror streaked with fungus； struck Moore's head against the floor and then； mouth gaping； straddled his torso to rip his throat away。 Moore pushed against the sunken chest； feeling bones and hardened intestine； but he was weakened by the blow to his head。 The darkness spun past his face like black trails of mist。 He saw the mouth opening； opening； the points of teeth descending for the jugular vein。
Jana was on her knees immediately； crawling forward。 She threw aside the kitchen utensils； desperate for the object she knew must be there； and then her hand closed around it： a large； sharp…bladed butcher knife。 She saw the thing's teeth about to close on Moore's throat； and she had no time to think； she tensed herself and leaped forward； grasping at the horror's face with one hand and with the other driving the knife into its back； using all the power she could summon。
The body shuddered beneath her； pieces of flesh came away in her hand； and the stench of rot choked her。 She screamed in fear and anger； pulling the knife out and driving it in again； out； in； out； in； feeling the body begin to tense。 Somewhere； she knew； this walking corpse must feel pain。 Her forearm ached with the force of her blows； and as she wrenched at the face she felt something…the remnants of a nose； a cheek； or a lip…tear away。
And with the next solid plunge of the knife the thing shrieked…a high； hoarse sound driving through its throat…and reared up； knocking the woman backward。 She lost her grip on the knife and it remained planted in the thing's back； just below the left shoulder blade。 Moore shook his head dazedly； crawled away； and watched as the nightmare collapsed to its knees； vainly trying to reach the knife； it shook its head from side to side； like a dying animal； its mouth opening but uttering no sound。 It flopped on its belly and began to squirm and shudder as it crawled for the doorway； its breath quickening； the fetid smell filling the room。 The thing lay full…length； one hand inching very slowly toward the door frame； trying to pull itself into the corridor。 Then it expelled a long； terrible hiss and lay motionless； its arm still thrust out； fingers grasping at the frame； its body sprawled in a broken S…shape。
Jana heard herself screaming； she couldn't stop； even though the noise was frightening her； as if someone else were screaming at a distance； louder； louder； louder； more uncontrollably。 Is that me？ she heard herself say。 Is that me is that me is that me screaminggggggggggg。。。
〃JANA！〃 Moore said harshly； shaking her。 〃JANA！〃 He wrenched her around and she abruptly stopped screaming； she looked at Moore as if she didn't know who he was or where they were or what had just happened。 He put a hand to his throat； feeling the marks of the nails welling up on his flesh； and looked again at the corpse。 Standing up； bracing himself against a wall； he moved toward it and then pulled the knife from its grip。 There was no blood on the blade； no blood around the dead thing on the floor。 It was totally dry； a thing without life fluids。 He put the toe of a shoe under it； grasped the remnants of a shirt； and turned it over onto the back。 That red fire he'd seen burning in the sockets was gone； all that remained was empty darkness。 The skull grinned at him； its lips still pulled away from the teeth； a mockery of both life and death。
Staring into those hollow sockets； Moore realized the U…boat's legacy。 They were condemned to a life…in…death； a torment of souls suspended in decaying flesh。 Some unholy power had kept them alive； as living corpses in an iron coffin。。。 and he had helped free them from the crypt。
Jana had to search to find her voice。 〃What。。。