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For one long； terrible moment； one hundred and eighty…seven thousand people set aside their differences； threw caution to the shock wave winds。 They forgot all about their homes； their jobs； their possessions； their passions and dreams； their loved ones； and all of the other little things that defined their tiny lives。
For that one moment； they were as one； united in their certain doom。
It was an altogether religious experience。
The fireball hit the dense cloud cover at just over ten thousand feet。 The outer edge of its corona reached a scorching three thousand degrees Fahrenheit； burning off the condensation instantly； punching a gaping hole in the ceiling of the sky。
The pressure system responded by dilating； wrapping around the pillar of flame even as it supercharged the remaining moisture； building a thunderhead directly above ground zero。 Heat lightning arced through the cumulonimbus； blue…white and foreboding as it bounced off the black aperture that ringed the blinding flame。
At ground zero； the fire was insatiable。 The seven acres of Paradise Waste were engulfed as the pillar achieved a diameter the size of a football field。 Stray drums blew like four…hundred…pound party favors： rocketing hundreds of feet into the air； cindering before they hit the ground。
Drew and the crown of Overmind immolated gloriously； flesh giving way to exultant living ash； riding the firestorm across the sky。
The shockwave flattened everything within roughly a quarter…mile radius： crushing homes； throwing cars like Matchbox toys； killing the first thousand or so in mid…mercial break。
They never even knew what hit them。
They were the lucky ones。
Thirty seconds into the blast； the shockwave reached its zenith and sucked back in on itself。 A killer wind rose； sucking every spare ounce of oxygen back into the rapidly rising inferno。
A mushroom cloud of living ash and soot disseminated out in ever…expanding rings； attacking and overing everything it touched。 It merged with the stormclouds； bonding with the condensate； arming and readying a trillion tiny toxic bombs as the entire atmospheric pressure system clenched： its twenty…mile mass blanketing the city； the county； the horizon as far as the eye could see。
Then the sentient storm unleashed its power。
And the black rain began to fall。
The first fat drops hit Micki as she rounded the back of the house； less than four miles from the blast。 She barely felt the three to her shoulders and back； like rubber bands flicked by someone's rowdy little brother。 But the one that spattered the back of her neck sizzled like grease off a frying pan。
DON'T STOP； urged Bob…Ramtha as she yipped in pain。 DON'T STOP。 It was the mantra that drove her； broke the hellfire pillar's hypnotic hold； whipped her up and held her to survival speed。 No matter what。
There was no other way。
She had all but pleted the outer circle： a huge； unbroken ring of containment that surrounded the house； etched in driveway salt from a twenty…pound bag she'd found in the garage。 It was vital that the circle be as perfect as was humanly possible。 It took great concentration； and entirely too much time。
The rain fell harder； offering up less space to move between the drops。 As she scuttle…walked backwards； delineating the last twenty yards worth of arc； it was like that rowdy little brother was putting out cigarettes on her scalp。 She could smell her hair smoldering； melding to her skin。
She could scream all she wanted。
But she could not； would not stop。
Fifty…seven thousand people were caught in the mounting acid downpour。 There was no way to be prepared。 Its corrosive； killing nature had caught them all pletely by surprise。 The longer it fell； the harder and faster and deadlier its descent： eating into them from the moment of impact； burning holes in the skin that seared through to the bone。
Where the pillar of flame inspired awe and dread； the rain dispensed agony； panic and death。 In the crazed； pathetic scramble for safety； they succeeded only in 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