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Fifty…Six
For a second there； Micki thought she heard a motorcycle in the distance： the shrill whine of an overrewed engine； the shriek of skidding tires。 Then it was gone； and she was left with the sounds on the wind。
The sounds of the death of the world。
〃It wasn't him；〃 she said； anticipating the question； unable to screen out the inconsolable weight of Gwen's fear。 Something slithered across the windowpane outside。 She couldn't do much about that； either。
Gwen stopped painting for a second； leaned her head into her hands。 She was pulling it together pretty well now； under the circumstances； but Micki'd had to admit to herself that Gwen was not all there anymore。 She had to walk on eggshells if she didn't want to watch her fold。
〃He isn't ing； is he？〃 Gwen moaned； tears pooling in her eyes again。
〃Yes he is。〃 Gentle。 Tense。 The forced voice of calm。 〃Of course he is。 Bobba said so。 Now e on； we gotta hurry。〃
It was a lie； of course。 Bobba didn't have a clue how Gary was。 At this point； Micki couldn't even think about it。 She had left a spirit doorway in the outer circle。 It would open for Gary's soul alone。 Beyond that； there was nothing she could do。
In the world beyond the outer circle； survival was no longer an option。 There were things out there she could hear and smell that she did not want to see。 Their howls of triumphant carnage were the music on the wind。 Their stench rode the mist。
She could dimly see dark shapes amassing on the perimeter； but so far； the outer circle seemed to be keeping them there。 Micki took this as a very good sign。 It suggested the magick could hold its own； even hopelessly outgunned； in the face of environmental Armageddon。
But you can't run from the devil in your own back pocket； nattered a nasty little voice in her head。 It was right。 You couldn't keep out what was already in； and that covered a lot of ground。
When the deluge came； it had not been selective； it fell on the virtuous as well as the wicked。 It fell on either side of the line。 The ring of lawn between the circle and the house had soaked up a lot of rain。
That rain had borne fruit。
Now the exterior of the house was crawling with vines。 They writhed serpentine on the walls； blindly scraped splintering furrows in the wood； dragged their thorns across the sweating glass。 Every second that ticked by brought them that much closer to entry； underscored the barbed…wire knot of panic coiling through her gut。
She had tried to protect the whole house； abiding by ritual； moving clockwise and frantically anointing every aperture and inlet with a mixture of salt and spring water。 No fucking way。 Every creaking door and rattling window； leaking faucet and drizzling drain； every single crack in every corner of every room beckoned her； demanding attention。 All of them needed to be mystically sealed。
It was just too huge。
And she was running out of time。
From that point on； her life had been measured in minutes。 Four spent helping Gwen up to the nursery； getting her situated。 Another five tearing the place apart until it coughed up the supplies she needed： a box of scented bathroom candles； matches； a pair of heavy quilts； canned food and bottled water； can and bottle openers； a pot of adequate bedpan size； a butcher knife； duct tape； some sandalwood incense； and a little tin of McCormick sage。 Some of the things were needed for the ritual。 The rest were merely practical。 She had no idea how long they might have to stay in there。
All the paint they needed was already there。
Micki had spent the last seven minutes preparing the one room she could actually defend。 In this； she had finally gotten some help； for Gwen； it was perfect therapy。 By three twenty…five； they had pleted the ten…foot pentacle that covered the nursery floor。 Now it was a matter of touching up the perimeter： taping floorboard cracks that intersected the circle； plugging the leaks in the spirit armor 。。。
Something went pok at the window。 Micki's lungs crawled up into her throat。 There was a BB…sized star in the glass； with a thorn poking through it。 The thorn； ever so slowly； withdrew。
Gwen started to whimper。 Micki knew what she meant。 So far； they'd been astonishingly lucky； but she sensed those days were about to end。 The thorn popped loose and dragged； skreeeting away like a glass…cutter。
Another dozen took its place。
〃Gwen；〃 she whispered。 There was no more time to wait。 〃Light the candles。〃
〃But what about Gary？〃 Too loud。
Micki winced。 〃Shhhh；〃 she hissed； then； softly； 〃I'll leave him a way in。 I promise。〃
〃You can do that？〃 Gwen's red eyes spoke volumes。 Her voice rose to match them； inching out of control。 〃You're sure 。。。 ？〃
〃I already explained this to you。〃 Micki glanced at the window； held on tight to her temper。
〃But what if something happens 。。。 ？〃
〃Gwen。〃 Gritting her teeth。 〃Nothing's going to happen 。。。 〃
〃But 。。。 〃
〃GWEN！〃
Gwen was shocked into stasis。 Her tears overflowed。 Micki took a deep breath。
And the windowpane shattered。
Micki screamed。 She couldn't help it。 Every inch of control； every last watt of power dispersed； blew apart in the shower of glass。 In that moment； she was emptied of thought； personality； hope。 Nothing left but the horror。
The sightless thing that entered the room mandeered her plete attention。
Its skin was closer to bark than it was to shell or skin； but there all resemblance to ordinary plant life terminated abruptly。 It's leaves were tonguelike； moist and thick； its thorns canine incisors。 It left a steaming slime trail as it moved along the wall； raked inch…deep drywall trenches in its wake。
〃Light the candles。〃 A toneless drone； through a mouth that barely moved。 〃Gwen。 Please 。。。 〃
Nothing happened。 Gwen was frozen in place。 Micki dry…swallowed tenor and forced her own hand to snake out slowly for the box of matches。
The monster stopped dead。
〃Oh； no；〃 Micki croaked； her hand freezing in place。 The vine probed at the air； like a menacing antenna。 When she stopped； it had nothing to go on。 It wavered； deaf as well； and then went back to tracing and gouging the wall。
It was ten feet away now and closing。
Fuck the candles； Bob…Ramtha said。 You don't have time。
Cast the circle now。
And he was right； she knew he was right； there was nothing else and no other way； if the circle was flawed or the ritual sloppy or her will too depleted； then those were the breaks。 Inaction meant certain death； and they were down to the very last ticks of the clock。 One way or another； it had to be now。
She made her decision。
And acted it out。
〃Sky…people；〃 she said； addressing the east and forcing her voice to be strong。 It was just a slight turn of the head； but the monster tuned into it instantly。 She fought down a shudder； cleared dry phlegm from her throat。 〃I wele you into our circle of light。〃
Then； turning to the south； a slight upper…torso pivot。 It put the blunted nonhead of the thing behind her。
There were more ing in through the window。
〃Brothers of fire；〃 she croaked； the voice barely clearing her larynx。 〃We need you。 Please e to our side。〃
There were five of them now； feeling in through the hole。 They fanned out across the walls ceiling floor。 Behind her； Gwen mewled and went fetal in the second Micki spun full around； facing west。
〃WATER S…S…SISTERS！〃 she blurted out； panicking。 She could hear them slithering； scraping； clawing。 Could feel their graceless； unstoppable approach。 〃PLEASE！〃 she screamed； howling gaze and voice northward。 〃OH EARTH MOTHER PLEASE 。。。 ！〃
And she could see it ing； the first one in； the one with the rabid teeth and tongues that foamed as the fat misshapen vine undulated； thundered across the floorboards； sliding the last remaining foot to the lip of her magickal circle 。。。
。。。 and suddenly she could feel Them： there with her； a presence and quasi…electrical charge that stood all her short hairs on end； plucked her flesh into goose bumps； sucked the air from her chest。 Her spine felt liquid hot and burning with violent primal coursing power； the power of Goddess Herself； the power that spun the earth on its axis and breathed Spark into all that lived 。。。
。。。 and the vine…thing stopped when it hit the line。 Just stopped。
And could go no farther。
It smushed up against something unseen； its features flattening like a face pressed against a pane of glass。 Then it slumped to the floor。
And began to trace the circle。
〃Huh；〃 Micki exclaimed。 〃Huh huh huh 。。。 〃
The laughter came； then； spilling out in a rapidly escalating cadence as shock turned to amazement turned to frantic joyous victory。 〃F…FUCK YOU； YOU SPINY LITTLE SHITS！〃 she cried。 〃FUCK YOU！〃
The vines hissed； responding to the air pressure and the emotion behind it。 The magick was strong。 The magick would hold。
It had been hours since Micki Bridges had allowed herself the luxury of laughing； or crying。 She did both now； secure in the knowledge that； at least for the moment； they were safe。
〃It's okay；〃 she whispered； turning to Gwen。 〃It's okay。〃 In reality； virtually no sound came out。 She was mouthing the words to a platitude that had suddenly transcended cliché； bee the truest sentiment she owned。
But Gwen couldn't take her eyes off the thorned serpents。 They circled and swayed and probed the perimeter。 They were looking for holes； for flaws in the barrier。 Looking for ways through the light。 Looking for a way to break the circle。
But there was only one way in； and it was reserved for Gary alone。
If he ever came 。。。
Fifty…Seven
Mount Hope was a hump of heavily wooded rock on the eastern edge of the county； part of a long…lost finger of the Appalachian Trail。 At twelve hundred feet above sea level； it was the county's highest natural elevation。
The WPAL broadcast tower had been erected there on a cleared right…of…way。 From a distance； it looked like a sleek silver needle； rising fifteen hundred feet straight into the sky。 Like the thread of life itself； gossamer…thin and delicate。
Up close； though； the sheer magnitude of its existence was apparent； etched in massive beams and inch…thick high…tension wire。 It jutted upwards； in utter defiance of gravity and physics and Nature herself。
At the moment； it was holding its own against gravity and physics。
Nature was another story。
At the base of the tower stood a small corrugated steel shed； the padlocked hasp open and dangling。 Inside； Kirk sat amongst the cluttered shelves of tools and test gear； his leg propped on a stray cable spool。
His leg was bad： broken at mid…calf and swelling like a blood sausage。 They'd splinted it with an aluminum bracket and strips ripped from the acetate shell of his jacket； but it wasn't set and wouldn't be anytime soon。 Every transgression of air pressure sent agonizing shock…waves buffeting through his nervous system。
On the bright side； it took his mind off of his teeth； and that was something。 The swelling in his lips had gone down dramatically as well； at least enough to talk without sounding like he had a mouthful of wet washrags。 As blessings went； they were pretty skimpy； but he took what he could get。
A stiff bitter gale wind blew off the river； whipping the mountain ruthlessly on its way to the firestorm。 Thick strands of twisted steel whickered and thrummed like so many old rubber bands。 And Kirk took every snap personally。
PEMA evacuation manuals and a walkie…talkie sat bunched on his good leg。 He pored over them； trying to get a basic grasp of the material。 The battered action…cam was perched on a tripod； lens aimed at his head； on the workbench； a test monitor faced him； already generating bars and tone。
〃Ow； shit！〃 he muttered as the radio transceiver slipped off his lap and thudded onto the floor。 He struggled painfully to scoop it up。 〃Are you sure we can do this？〃
〃Don't know。〃 Gary shrugged and unreeled more coaxial cable。 〃The station went down because the micro wave only runs at thirteen gigawatts； and this soot could block out a bottom…feeder like that； no problem。〃
〃