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Morgan； in either of his roles； had caused this； then he had in some sense brought death to the Territories； or so Jack thought。
Now there were no more intricate valleys and hollows； now the land seemed a vast red desert。 The queerly stunted trees dotted the sloping sides of this great desert。 Before Jack； the twin silver rails of the tracks rolled on through darkened reddish emptiness； to his side； empty desert also rolled away through the dark。
The red land seemed empty； anyhow。 For several hours Jack never actually caught sight of anything larger than the deformed little animals concealing themselves on the slopes of the railway cuttings…but there were times when he thought he caught a sudden sliding movement in the corner of one eye； turned to see it； and it was gone。 At first he thought he was being followed。 Then； for a hectic time； no longer than twenty or thirty minutes； he imagined that he was being tracked by the dog…things from Thayer School。 Wherever he looked； something had just ceased to move…had nipped behind one of the coiled…up trees or slipped into the sand。 During this time the wide desert of the Blasted Lands did not seem empty or dead； but full of slithery； hidden life。 Jack pushed forward on the train's gearshift （as if that could help） and urged the little train to go faster； faster。 Richard slumped in the ell of his seat； whimpering。 Jack imagined all those beings； those things neither canine nor human； rushing toward them； and prayed that Richard's eyes would stay closed。
'NO！' Richard yelled； still sleeping。
Jack nearly fell out of the cab。 He could see Etheridge and Mr。 Dufrey loping after them。 They gained ground； their tongues lolling； their shoulders working。 In the next second； he realized that he had seen only shadows travelling beside the train。 The loping schoolboys and their headmaster had winked out like birthday candles。
'NOT THERE！' Richard bawled。 Jack inhaled carefully。 He； they； were safe。 The dangers of the Blasted Lands were overrated； mainly literary。 In not very many hours the sun would lift itself up again。 Jack raised his watch to the level of his eyes and saw that they had been on the train just under two hours。 His mouth opened in a huge yawn； and he found himself regretting that he had eaten so much back in The Depot。
A piece of cake； he thought； this is going to be…
And just as he was about to plete his paraphrase of the Burns lines old Anders had rather startlingly quoted； he saw the first of the fireballs； which destroyed his placency forever。
4
A ball of light at least ten feet in diameter tumbled over the edge of the horizon； sizzling hot； and at first arrowed straight toward the train。 'Holy shit；' Jack muttered to himself； remembering what Anders had said about the balls of fire。 If a man gets too close to one of those fireballs； he gets turrible sick 。 。 。 loses his hair 。 。 。 sores're apt to raise all over his body 。 。 。 he begins to vomit 。 。 。 vomits and vomits until his stomach ruptures and his throat bursts He swallowed； hard…it was like swallowing a pound of nails。 'Please； God；' he said aloud。 The giant ball of light sped straight toward him； as though it owned a mind and had decided to erase Jack Sawyer and Richard Sloat from the earth。 Radiation poisoning。 Jack's stomach contracted； and his testicles froze up under his body。 Radiation poisoning。 Vomits and vomits until his stomach ruptures 。 。 。
The excellent dinner Anders had given him nearly leaped out of his stomach。 The fireball continued to roll straight toward the train； shooting out sparks and sizzling with its own fiery energy。 Behind it lengthened a glowing golden trail which seemed magically to instigate other snapping； burning lines in the red earth。 Just when the fireball bounced up off the earth and took a zagging bounce like a giant tennis ball； wandering harmlessly off to the left； Jack had his first clear glimpse of the creatures he had all along thought were following them。 The reddish…golden light of the wandering fireball； and the residual glow of the old trails in the earth； illuminated a group of deformed…looking beasts which had evidently been following the train。 They were dogs； or once had been dogs； or their ancestors had been dogs； and Jack glanced uneasily at Richard to make sure that he was still sleeping。
The creatures falling behind the train flattened out on the ground like snakes。 Their heads were doglike； Jack saw； but their bodies had only vestigial hind legs and were； as far as he could see； hairless and tailless。 They looked wet…the pink hairless skin glistened like that of newborn mice。 They snarled； hating to be seen。 It had been these awful mutant dogs that Jack had seen on the banks of the railway cutting。 Exposed； flattened out like reptiles； they hissed and snarled and began creeping away…they； too； feared the fireballs and the trails the fireballs left on the earth。 Then Jack caught the odor of the fireball； now moving swiftly； somehow almost angrily； toward the horizon again； igniting an entire row of the stunted trees。 Hellfire； corruption。
Another of the fireballs came cruising over the horizon and blazed away off to the boys' left。 The stink of missed connections； of blasted hopes and evil desires…Jack； with his heart lodged just under his tongue； imagined he found all this in the foul smell broadcast by the fireball。 Mewing； the crowd of mutant dogs had dispersed into the threat of glinting teeth； a whisper of surreptitious movement； the hushushush of heavy legless bodies dragged through red dust。 How many of them were there？ From the base of a burning tree which tried to hide its head in its trunk two of the deformed dogs bared long teeth at him。
Then another fireball lurched over the wide horizon； spinning off a wide glowing track a distance from the train； and Jack momentarily glimpsed what looked like a ramshackle little shed set just below the curve of the desert wall。 Before it stood a large humanoid figure； male； looking toward him。 An impression of size； hairiness； force； malice 。 。 。
Jack was indelibly conscious of the slowness of Anders's little train； of his and Richard's exposure to anything that might want to investigate them a little more closely。 The first fireball had dispatched the horrible dog…things； but human residents of the Blasted Lands might prove more difficult to overe。 Before the light diminished into the glowing trail； Jack saw that the figure before the shed was following his progress； turning a great shaggy head as the train passed by。 If what he had seen were dogs； then what would the people be like？ In the last of the flaring light from the ball of fire； the manlike being scuttled around the side of its dwelling。 A thick reptilian tail swung from its hindquarters； and then the thing had slipped around the side of the building； and then it was dark again and nothing…dogs； man…beast； shed…was visible。 Jack could not even be sure that he had really seen it。
Richard jerked in his sleep； and Jack pushed his hand against the simple gearshift； vainly trying for more speed。 The dog…noises gradually faded behind them。 Sweating； Jack raised his left wrist again