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r the noise of pleasure out of the lamp…lit home。 No； not just to hear。 There was a feeling about the place； which got under people's skin。 The energy seeping out from open windows； was enough to make the fireflies assemble in their many tens of thousands each dusk and describe elaborate arabesques in their pursuit of one another； the air so thick with their passion； and their light so insistent； that the house was festooned with their flight paths； which lingered long after the deed was done and the insects lay exhausted and extinguished in the long grass。
Sometimes the human voyeurs； who lingered in the shadows of the nearby houses； hoping to catch a glimpse of the lovers； were granted what they were here to see。 As the strange force of the lover's din suggested； they were not natural creatures； not by any means。 They seemed to be hybrids； one third human； one third metallic； one third the no man's land between flesh and devices made to strip it and slash it and scour it。 They bled as they rose from their nuptial sheets； but smiled； kissing one another's wounds as though they were inconsequential； as though these flaps and sores and gougings were proof of devotion。
Word got round； quickly enough。 It didn't take long for the General Montefalco to hear about the house on Diamanda Street； and the reputation it had got for itself。 He went to the location； late one night。 Things were in full swing： the air filled with weaving lights； the houses moaning and shaking。 Then shrieks of terrible joy out of the fire…lit interior； and shadows on the blinds； moving from room to room as the momentum of the lovers' passion carried them around the house。
Montefalco had never seen； heard or felt anything like it before。 A wave of something like superstition passed through his body； weakening his bowels and making his hair； which was a quarter inch from widow's peak to nape； stand on end。
He started to retreat from the house； clammy…palmed。 As he did so he heard a voice behind him。 He turned。 It was Urbano。 He looked like a man who had just discovered some truly terrible thing about himself； or God； or both。
〃These we kill；〃 Montefalco said； very calmly。
General Urbano began to nod； but the motion was too much for his sickened system。 He puked a yellowish puke； which spattered his immaculately polished boots。 He took out a handkerchief and wiped his mouth； then he said：
〃Yes。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃Yes。 These we kill。〃
Later that night； Montefalco went back to see Talisac。 He went alone； which turned out to be a wise move。 Neither Urbano nor Bogoto had the guts for what awaited him there。
The place had deteriorated considerably in the forty…eight hours since he'd last stepped over the threshold； the bodies were still everywhere； but they were in a new condition。 It looked as though all the moisture； all the energy； had been sucked out of them； leaving them withered。 The eyes had gone from the sockets and the lips had been drawn back from the teeth； giving them all the look of blind； squealing monkeys。
The flesh on their torsos had withered to bones； as had the meat on their arms and legs。 The skin itself was now like a thin layer of dried tissue； covering the structure of the bone。 When the dwarf Camille appeared to greet Montefalco； and kicked a couple of the corpses aside； they rolled away from her kick like so many paper mannequins。
〃Is it done？〃 Montefalco asked her。
〃Oh yes； it's done；〃 Camille said with a twinkling smile； 〃and I think you're going to be very pleased。〃
A voice emerged from the shadows； speaking words Montefalco could not prehend。
〃He's asking me to unveil it；〃 Camille said。
The General scanned the dirt…walled room； looking for what 'it' might be； and there at the end of the chamber he saw a monumental form； covered with a threadbare tapestry obviously brought down from the floor above。
〃That？〃 he said； not waiting for confirmation before approaching it。 As he strode through the bodies； they cracked beneath his heels； erupting into dust and fragments。 Soon the room was filled with spiralling bits of pale human stuff。
Montefalco grabbed hold of the tapestry。 As he did so； Camille named the thing…'VENAL ANATOMICA。〃
The General pulled the tapestry off and revealed it。
As might have been guessed from its scale beneath the carpet； it was of heroic size； nine feet tall or more。 It had death's face； and was equipped with a variety of medieval murder weapons。 There were nails crudely hammered into its shoulder and leg。 Blood had coagulated around the nails； but when Anatomica began to move （as now it did） fresh blood bubbled up from the wounds and ran down his body。
〃Does it know me？〃 the General asked。
〃Yes；〃 said Camille； 〃it is ready to obey your instructions。〃 Talisac spoke； and Camille translated！ 〃He says he has no loyalty to its Creator； only to you； General Montefalco。〃
〃That's good to hear。〃
Montefalco beckoned to it。
〃e on then。〃
The creature made a hesitant step。 Then another。
〃Can I e with you？〃 Camille said。
Montefalco looked down at her nakedness。 〃Only if you cover yourself up；〃 he said。
She smiled； and then went away to fetch herself a flea…bitten fur coat。
They went out into the night together： the three of them。 The General； the Dwarf and Venal Anatomica。
Daybreak wasn't far off。 Neither was the end of certain things。 Though Greta Sabatier had been killed by the bandits on the road to Calcyx…a fate she had not foreseen…she had been right about that much。 An age was ing to an end： and it was the Age of Lovers。
Book Six
The Second ing
I
In his bunker of dirt and corpses Talisac waited alone； while his body…which was a thing without precedent…twitched and jumped and spasmed。
There was a child inside of him； the MONGROID； the infant of the Second ing。 Or so he'd e to believe； after the years he'd spent experimenting upon others； and himself。 It wasn't until he had created an homunculus that would be to all intents and purposes his child； its flesh made up of the same DNA as his； that he had e to believe there was something holy in the imminent arrival。 It was another Virgin Birth。
In only a matter of hours now； the child would be in his arms。
He would have no one to share the triumph of what he'd achieved； but so be it。 He'd been alone all his life； even in the pany of his fellow human beings。 Alone with his ambition； alone with his failures； alone with the strange dreams that came to find him in the middle of the night； dreams of his child； speaking to him； telling him that the world was going to end； but that it wouldn't matter； because they'd be together； Man and Child； to the End of Time。
He could feel the child struggling to get out now。 He could hear its tiny； high…pitched voice as it worked to free itself。
The pain was excruciating； a vicious hallucinogen。 He sobbed and he screamed； the Convent had never heard such cursings as it heard now。
But finally the womb tore as the Holy Child scrabbled with his little hands； his little nails； and in a gush of blood…tinged fluids the Mongroid was disgorged onto the ground amongst the corpses。
II
〃Kreiger？〃
Lucidique went to the window and called down into the garden around her father's house。 Zarles Kreiger； The Scythe…Meister； who had lately bee Lucidique's lover； had gone out into the garden to bring her some perfumed flowers。 The bedroom stank of the pungent oil that their violently transfigured bodies gave off。 It was a bitter and unpleasant smell； not the salty smell of natural sex。
But the garden was full of sweet smelling flowers that would conceal the bitterness； and some of the strangest scents were those of blossoms that opened after dark。 It was now almost two in the morning； and the smells that rose from the darkened garden were giddyingly strong。
She called Kreiger's name again。 Then she seemed to see him； a dark presence moving through the bushes。
If it was indeed Kreiger； why didn't he answer her call？ Perhaps it wasn't him。
Keeping her silence now； she crept down the stairs and went out into the garden。
There was a gentle； balmy breeze tonight： it made the bushes and trees churn。 The garden was large； and its layout plex； but she'd been playing here since she was a child。 She could have found her way down its narrow； labyrinthine paths and around its rose patches and secret groves with her eyes closed。
She went directly to the place where she thought she'd seen the man when she'd been up at the bedroom window。 Despite the sweetness of honeysuckle and the night…blooming jasmine； her nostrils caught the scent of something else； somebody else； in the vicinity。 There was a stink that was not the bitter smell of her own body； or that of Kreiger。 This was something else。 Something that made her think of disease； of corruption； of death。
She stood very still。 Something moved through the bushes close by。 She saw its form； silhouetted against the starless sky： a vast misshapen head； armoured shoulders； the chest of an ox。 Whatever it was； it walked with a pronounced limp； dragging its left leg。 The closer it came to her the stronger the smell of corruption became。 This trespasser was the source； no doubt of that。
Then； from the darkness close by； the sound of her lover's voice：
〃Lucidique！ Get away from here！ Quickly！〃
There was something broken in his voice。
〃What's happened to you？〃 she said； afraid of the answer。
Hearing her voice； the trespasser looked in her direction。 A hood of flesh slid slickly back from the upper half of its face。 revealing its skeletal features。 This was…like them…a monster。 And yet it was not like them。 Not Agonistes' handiwork； at least。 Not the product of the unsung architect of Eden。
This trespasser was a charnel…house child if ever there was one。 It was made of parcels of rotten flesh and nerve and bone； all nailed together and given foetid breath。
She retreated as it strode towards her。 She knew how to kill； that was not in doubt。 But the creature still made her afraid。 It was a powerhouse； and indifferent； she guessed； to any pain she might be able to cause it。
〃Go！〃 she heard Kreiger yelling to her。
Her eyes flittered in his direction； and by the light shed from the bedroom window she saw him； on the ground； blood pouring out of him。
〃Christ！〃
She started towards him； but the trespasser moved to intercept her； its vast hands eager to tear out her throat。
But she wasn't going to flee the garden； not with her lover lying there in the dirt； bleeding from a hundred places。 Instead she turned and led the limping slaughterer away from Kreiger； dodging through the darkened garden； using her knowledge of its layout to double the distance between them。
Still it came after her； throwing its weight through the tangle of thorny bushes； emitting a guttural din as it did so； like the noise of some immense mechanism that imperfectly copied the sound of a tormented animal； a bull； perhaps； beneath the slaughterer's hammer。 It was horrible to hear。
She had e to the place where she hoped to outwit her pursuer： a tree which she had climbed a thousand times as a child； and now climbed again； so quickly that by the time the trespasser came in sight of it she was already concealed in its verdant canopy。
Now； she thought； if the beast would only wander beneath the tree； she could perhaps kill it。 Drop out of the branches and cut open its throat。 Even if it was something that was made from mortuary slops； it drew breath； and if she could open its throat from ear to ear； it would be dead as any other slitted thing。
But about six feet from the tree the creature stopped； and sniffed the air； looking around suspiciously。 Did it sense that there was a trap laid for it here？ She couldn't believe it had the wit to be so cautious。 And yet it had halted； hadn't it？ And now it retreated from the tree； loosing a low； barely audible noise in its throat； limping off into the darkness。
She carefully parted the foliage； to see if she could discover what it was up to。 There was some sound from the direction in which she'd e； and then an audible moa