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！
e handset； snatched it up。 〃Adam…sixty to County 。。。 〃
A harsh bark of static clipped into his ear and he twitched： a sudden； involuntary seizure。 〃e in； County 。。。 〃
Nothing。
〃God damn it！〃 he spat； whapping the box against the ledge。 Out there in the hinterlands； dead spots were mon： invisible pockets of interference； confluences of geography eclipsing transmission。 It happened all the time。 But it was still like having your lifeline cut； leaving you alone and vulnerable 。。。
〃I need some BACKUP！〃
The radio spat dead air and hiss。
〃NOW； GODDMAMTT！〃
Something cracked below him。
〃Wah！〃 he cried out； startled。 His right hand woke up on the butt of his gun； as if startled from a dream。
Down in the water； the dam was starting to break up。
〃Fuck！〃 Hal gasped as he started down the rocky slope toward the creek。 The current was pushing the creaking mass against the bridge； forcing a breach in the debris。 The current picked up speed as it spilled through； sucking flotsam like stew through a straw。
Oh jesus； he thought。 If they go through； we'll have to drag the river to get 'em back。 The thought jacked up his nausea； sickened him deeper than the toxic fumes。 He knew their parents well。 He could see their anguished faces in his mind's eye： a searing； near…precognitive flash of dread。
And he desperately wanted to get out of here； just get the fuck moving and never look back。 But their bodies were close enough to snag。 He was certain of it。
The fact left him no choice。
〃This sucks；〃 he whispered as he made his way skittering down the moss…crusted rocks that sloped toward the creek。 〃This really sucks。〃
Hal reached the edge of the water and stood in the shadow of Black Bridge； staring at the juncture of creek and pylon。 The bank was swollen and slippery； the water there stygian； overripe with decay。 Hal picked up a long； stout branch and steadied himself。
As he put the first foot in。
Cold flooded his shoe； glued his sock to his foot and his pants leg to his shin。 〃Oh man； this really； really sucks；〃 he muttered through clenched teeth； his personal mantra of disfort and dread。 He took another hesitant step forward； his other foot swallowed in icy darkness； and gauged the distance to the bodies。 He guessed twenty feet； max。
Might as well be twenty miles； he thought。 Or twenty thousand。
He took a third step。
His leg sank to mid…thigh。
〃Whoa…SHIT！〃 he cried； desperately stabbing the branch down into the water for support。 His left foot came up and found purchase high on a hard forty…five…degree angle。 He weaved back and forth like a drunk walking a white line。
〃Bad idea；〃 he croaked。 〃Bad fucking idea 。。。 〃
In the water； something moved： a current within the current； a dense sinew of liquid moving against the pull of the stream。 It brushed past him； eel…like； then abruptly circled back。
And slid thickly through the gap between his legs。
First…level panic set in； hard： a tidal wave descending； obliterating calm。 He whinnied high in his throat and rethought his options： sphincter irising shut and putting in for a promotion； heart wrecking…ball slamming a hole in his chest。
Fuck this； he thought。 Drag the goddam river。 I'm getting out of here。
Hal turned to go。
He couldn't。
〃Shit！〃 he whined。 His foot was stuck： the right one； mired to the ankle in muck。 Silt sucked greedily at his shoe。 Twigs and scuzzy bits of sludge clung to his legs like foam off pier pilings。 He cried out； leaning hard on the branch； and probed around blindly with his left foot。
It came to rest on something flat and round。 It felt solid； with that one taut inch of sheet…metal give。 Like the hood of a car。
Or the top of a barrel 。。。
Oh； God； he thought； and the panic overcame him。 Oh； God。 Remembering the truck on the bridge。 He wrenched his right ankle as he twisted and turned it； desperately trying to free himself； then screamed as he steadied his left foot against the drum head and pushed with all his might 。。。
。。。 and his right ankle popped like a firecracker as his left foot tore through the corroded skin of the barrel： jagged metal rim raking his flesh from calf to buttocks； encasing his entire left leg in steel and icy chemical anguish。 He sunk to his belly； his gun belt submerged。 The radio sparked and shorted out。
Hal shrieked； gripped the branch hard enough to peel bark； and twisted into an awkward side…stance； his left leg stuck out at a pelvis…cracking angle。 His shoulders went back and submerged。 He fought to keep his head above water； won a marginal victory but lost his hat in the process。 It landed brim up in the water and floated like a little boat； spinning off and through the flume。
It was a edy of errors； but nobody was laughing。 Hal's face held inches above the surface now； his body dragged down by the current and his so…called water…repellent jacket； which was violating all manufacturer's warranties by being a leaden sponge。 His right ankle throbbed insanely。 His left leg burned as though dipped in a lye…and…acid stew。
〃HELP！〃 he yowled。 〃HEEEELP！〃
His cries were lost before they left his mouth； no match for the sound of the dam。 Water pounded through the center arch now； at a terrifying rate； the whole mass was gradually pulling in on itself； like a big wet black hole。 Jimmy J。 slid under the surface： his Timex still ticking； his body sucked into the slipstream and gone。
The debris to Hal's side free…floated around him； queueing up for the slide。 Little Ralph's arm reemerged from the water； not ten feet away； looking more and more like a wax mannequin left too long in a window display。
The arm sank again； came up a little closer。
The fingers moved。
Hal screeched； an airless squeak of disbelief。 The hand sank again。 He turned toward the bank； and the ragged metal collar sliced the moist flesh of his inner thigh like a ripsaw。
Hal saw the water go instantly dark； felt the hot spritz of leaking fluid that fed it。 The scream came a moment later； on the heels of the pain。
The dark cloud spread。
The little hand came up in the midst of it； wet and red and way too close。
〃OH GOD； PLEASE！〃 he burbled； faltering。 He thrust upward； struggling； and a thick plume bubbled up beneath the surface like an underwater fountain。
Like peeing in the tub； he thought。 Oh God 。。。
The current battered and squeezed and drained him； swallowing his life as he merged with the flow。 Tiny fish…things nipped at the flesh exposed beneath the surface： nursing at his open wounds； breathing in his blood。
The dead boy's body was very close。 He felt it catch against him； cold bloated little limbs that danced in the slipstream。 A face rose up from the shadows： its eyes half…open and milky； its tongue coyly protrusive。
Hal screeched and thrashed； his spray…blind and ebbing gaze cast desperately toward the heavens。
And that was when he saw the man； staring down from the bridge above。
Bazooka Joe； he thought insanely。 He looks like Bazooka Joe。
The man stood； blackly silhouetted against the ugly sky。 His leather jacket was mud…caked and clotted； like the mass of black hair hanging like moss over his forehead； obscuring his eyes。
A filthy red kerchief was pulled up over his jaw。
Hal tried to bellow for help； just as Ralph's clammy hand flapped across his forehead； traced clumsily down his features。 His eyes slammed shut in horror as the fingertips groped past his lids； hanging just a second too long before dragging down to lock on his lower lip。
But the current was too strong； the flesh too weak； and as his lip tore loose； spritzing； and peeled down to his chin； he let out the final scream of his life。
Helplessly staring up at the man on the bridge。
Who'd decided to help him； after all。
He had picked up a barrel from off of the tracks； hoisted it high above his head。 He let loose with it now； aiming straight for Hal's face； as if he were throwing a rope。
It seemed to take forever to get there。 End over end； growing larger and larger； a spinning black mote that engulfed Hal's sight in the second before it demolished his forehead； gray matter exploding in brainpan shrapnel； a wet crashing end to the light。
Leaving open the top of his head。
For the new mind…the Overmind…to make itself at home。
It was just a matter of moments before the dam broke fully。
And the next world； alive and unbound； spilled free。
Ten
Something was wrong with the reactor。
Fred Jenkel scratched his head and studied the meter； one of a multitude that monitored virtually every aspect of the plant's operation。 Sometimes it seemed like the only moving parts of the plant that didn't have a needle stuck to them were the human ones； though Jenkel was sure Westinghouse was working on it。
Situated on the rocky banks of the Susquehanna in Delta Township； some twenty…two miles southeast of the city； the Wolf's Head Nuclear Generating Station was one of the few plants pleted in the post…TMI/Chernobyl industry slump。 It had been in operation for four years with no trouble at all； feeding the ever…increasing