         ,,! ,,W> ,,( ,,! ,,_WS

              ,,BOOK ,,TWO
      ,,! ,,E>? ,,"U ,,! ,,M>TIANS

              ,,*APT] ,,"O
              ,,"U ,,FOOT

  ,9 ! F/ BOOK ,I H W&]$ S M* F MY [N
ADV5TURES 6TELL (! EXP]I;ES ( MY BRO!R T
ALL "? ! LA/ TWO *APT]S ,I &! CURATE H
BE5 LURK+ 9 ! EMPTY H\SE AT ,HALLI=D
:I!R WE FL$ 6ESCAPE ! ,BLACK ,SMOKE4 ,"!
,I W RESUME4 ,WE /OPP$ "! ALL ,SUN"D
NI<T & ALL ! NEXT "D--! "D (! PANIC--IN
A LL ISL& ( "DLI<T1 CUT (F 0! ,BLACK
,SMOKE F ! RE/ (! _W4 ,WE CD D NO?+ B
WAIT 9 A*+ 9ACTIV;Y DUR+ ^? TWO WE>Y
"DS4
  ,MY M9D 0 O3UPI$ 0ANXIETY = MY WIFE4
,I FIGUR$ H] AT ,L1!RH1D1 T]RIFI$1 9
DANG]1 M\RN+ ME ALR Z A D1D MAN4 ,I PAC$
! ROOMS & CRI$ AL\D :5 ,I ?"\ ( H[ ,I 0
CUT (F F H]1 ( ALL T MI<T HAPP5 6H] 9 MY
ABS;E4 ,MY C\S9 ,I KNEW 0 BRAVE 5 = ANY
EM]G5CY1 B HE 0 N ! SORT ( MAN 6R1LISE
DANG] QKLY1 6RISE PROMPTLY4 ,:AT 0 NE$$
N[ 0 N BRAV]Y1 B CIRCUMSPEC;N4 ,MY ONLY
3SOL,N 0 62LIEVE T ! ,M>TIANS 7 MOV+
,LONDONW>D & AWAY F H]4 ,S* VAGUE
ANXIETIES KEEP ! M9D S5SITIVE & PA9;L4
,I GREW V WE>Y & IRRITA# )! CURATE'S
P]PETUAL EJACUL,NS2 ,I TIR$ (! SI<T ( 8
SELFI% DESPAIR4 ,AF "S 9E6ECTUAL
REMON/R.E ,I KEPT AWAY F HM1 /AY+ 9 A
ROOM--EVID5TLY A *N'S S*OOLROOM--3TA9+
GLOBES1 =MS1 & COPYBOOKS4 ,:5 HE FOLL[$
ME ?I!R1 ,I W5T 6A BOX ROOM AT ! TOP (!
H\SE &1 9 ORD] 6BE AL"O ) MY A*+
MIS]IES1 LOCK$ MYF IN4
  ,WE 7 HOPE.SLY HEMM$ 9 0! ,BLACK
,SMOKE ALL T "D &! MORN+ (! NEXT4 ,"! 7
SIGNS ( P 9 ! NEXT H\SE ON ,SUN"D EV5+--
A FACE AT A W9D[ & MOV+ LI<TS1 & LAT] !
SLAMM+ (A DOOR4 ,B ,I D N "K :O ^! P
W]E1 NOR :AT 2CAME ( !M4 ,WE SAW NO?+ (
!M NEXT "D4 ,! ,BLACK ,SMOKE DRIFT$
SL[LY RIV]W>D ALL "? ,MON"D MORN+1
CREEP+ NE>] & NE>] 6U1 DRIV+ AT LA/ AL;G
! ROADWAY \TSIDE ! H\SE T HID U4
  ,A ,M>TIAN CAME ACR ! FIELDS AB MID"D1
LAY+ ! /UFF )A JET ( SUP]H1T$ /1M T
HISS$ AG/ ! WALLS1 SMA%$ ALL ! W9D[S X
T\*$1 & SCALD$ ! CURATE'S H& Z HE FL$ \
(! FRONT ROOM4 ,:5 AT LA/ WE CREPT ACR !
SO45 ROOMS & LOOK$ \ AG1 ! C.TRY NOR?W>D
0 Z ?\< A BLACK SN[/ORM _H PASS$ OV] X4
,LOOK+ T[>DS ! RIV]1 WE 7 A/ONI%$ 6SEE
AN UNA3.TA# R$;S M+L+ )! BLACK (! SCOR*$
M1D[S4
  ,=A "T WE DID N SEE H[ ? *ANGE A6ECT$
\R POSI;N1 SAVE T WE 7 RELIEV$ ( \R FE>
(! ,BLACK ,SMOKE4 ,B LAT] ,I P]CVD T WE
7 NO L;G] HEMM$ IN1 T N[ WE MI<T GET
AWAY4 ,S SOON Z ,I R1LIS$ T ! WAY (
ESCAPE 0 OP51 MY DR1M ( AC;N RETURN$4 ,B
! CURATE 0 LE?>GIC1 UNR1SONA#4
  8,WE >E SAFE "H10 HE REP1T$2 8SAFE
"H40
  ,I RESOLV$ 6L1VE HM--WD T ,I _H6 ,WIS]
N[ =! >TILL]YMAN'S T1*+1 ,I S"\ \ FOOD &
DR9K4 ,I _H F.D OIL & RAGS = MY BURNS1 &
,I AL TOOK A HAT &A FLANNEL %IRT T ,I
F.D 9 "O (! B$ROOMS4 ,:5 X 0 CLE> 6HM T
,I M1NT 6G AL"O--_H RECONCIL$ MYF 6GO+
AL"O--HE SU45LY R\S$ HMF 6-E4 ,& ALL 2+
QUIET "?\T ! AFN1 WE />T$ AB FIVE O'C1 Z
,I %D JUDGE1 AL;G ! BLACK5$ ROAD
6,SUNBURY4
  ,9 ,SUNBURY1 & AT 9T]VALS AL;G ! ROAD1
7 D1D BODIES LY+ 9 3TORT$ ATTITUDES1
HORSES Z WELL Z M51 OV]TURN$ C>TS &
LU7AGE1 ALL COV]$ ?ICKLY ) BLACK DU/4 ,T
PALL ( C9D]Y P[D] MADE ME ?9K ( :AT ,I
_H R1D (! DE/RUC;N ( ,POMPEII4 ,WE GOT
6,HAMPTON ,C\RT )\T MISADV5TURE1 \R M9DS
FULL ( /RANGE & UNFAMILI> APPE>.ES1 & AT
,HAMPTON ,C\RT \R EYES 7 RELIEV$ 6F9D A
PAT* ( GRE5 T _H ESCAP$ ! SU6OCAT+
DRIFT4 ,WE W5T "? ,BU%EY ,P>K1 ) XS DE]
GO+ 6& FRO "U ! *E/NUTS1 & "S M5 & WOM5
HURRY+ 9 ! 4T.E T[>DS ,HAMPTON1 & S WE
CAME 6,TWICK5HAM4 ,^! 7 ! F/ P WE SAW4
  ,AWAY ACR ! ROAD ! WOODS 2Y ,HAM &
,PET]%AM 7 / AFIRE4 ,TWICK5HAM 0 UN9JUR$
0EI ,H1T-,RAY OR ,BLACK ,SMOKE1 & "! 7 M
P AB "H1 ?\< N"O CD GIVE U NEWS4 ,=! MO/
"P !Y 7 L \RVS1 TAK+ ADVANTAGE (A LULL
6%IFT _! QU>T]S4 ,I H AN IMPRES.N T _M
(! H\SES "H 7 / O3UPI$ 0SC>$ 9HABITANTS1
TOO F"R5$ EV5 = FLI<T4 ,"H TOO ! EVID;E
(A HA/Y R\T 0 ABUNDANT AL;G ! ROAD4 ,I
REMEMB] MO/ VIVIDLY ?REE SMA%$ BICYCLES
9 A H1P1 P.D$ 96! ROAD 0! :EELS (
SUBSEQU5T C>TS4 ,WE CROSS$ ,RI*MOND
,BRIDGE AB HALF PA/ EI<T4 ,WE HURRI$ ACR
! EXPOS$ BRIDGE1 ( C\RSE1 B ,I NOTIC$
FLOAT+ D[N ! /R1M A NUMB] ( R$ MASSES1
"S _M FEET ACR4 ,I DID N "K :AT ^! W]E--
"! 0 NO "T = SCRUT9Y--& ,I PUT A M
HORRI# 9T]PRET,N ON !M ?AN !Y DES]V$4
,"H AG ON ! ,SURREY SIDE 7 BLACK DU/ T
_H ONCE BE5 SMOKE1 & D1D BODIES--A H1P
NE> ! APPROA* 6! /,N2 B WE _H NO GLIMPSE
(! ,M>TIANS UNTIL WE 7 "S WAY T[>DS
,B>NES4
  ,WE SAW 9 ! BLACK5$ 4T.E A GR\P ( ?REE
P RUNN+ D[N A SIDE /REET T[>DS ! RIV]1 B
O!RWISE X SEEM$ DES]T$4 ,UP ! HILL
,RI*MOND T[N 0 BURN+ BRISKLY2 \TSIDE !
T[N ( ,RI*MOND "! 0 NO TRACE (! ,BLACK
,SMOKE4
  ,!N SU45LY1 Z WE APPROA*$ ,KEW1 CAME A
NUMB] ( P RUNN+1 &! UPP]"WS (A ,M>TIAN
FI<T+MA*9E LOOM$ 9 SI<T OV] ! H\SETOPS1
N A HUNDR$ Y>DS AWAY F U4 ,WE /OOD A<A/
AT \R DANG]1 & _H ! ,M>TIAN LOOK$ D[N WE
M/ IMMLY H P]I%$4 ,WE 7 S T]RIFI$ T WE
D>$ N G ON1 B TURN$ ASIDE & HID 9 A %$ 9
A G>D54 ,"! ! CURATE CR\*$1 WEEP+
SIL5TLY1 & REFUS+ 6/IR AG4
  ,B MY FIX$ IDEA ( R1*+ ,L1!RH1D WD N
LET ME RE/1 & 9 ! TWILI<T ,I V5TUR$ \
AG4 ,I W5T "? A %RU2]Y1 & AL;G A PASSAGE
2S A BIG H\SE /&+ 9 XS [N GR.DS1 & S
EM]G$ ^U ! ROAD T[>DS ,KEW4 ,! CURATE ,I
LEFT 9 ! %$1 B HE CAME HURRY+ AF ME4
  ,T SECOND />T 0 ! MO/ FOOLH>DY ?+ ,I
"E DID4 ,= X 0 MANIFE/ ! ,M>TIANS 7 AB
U4 ,NO SOON] _H ! CURATE OV]TAK5 ME ?AN
WE SAW EI ! FI<T+MA*9E WE _H SE5 2F OR
ANO!R1 F> AWAY ACR ! M1D[S 9 ! DIREC;N (
,KEW ,LODGE4 ,F\R OR FIVE LL BLACK
FIGURES HURRI$ 2F X ACR ! GRE5-GREY (!
FIELD1 & 9 A MO;T X 0 EVID5T ? ,M>TIAN
PURSU$ !M4 ,9 ?REE /RIDES HE 0 AM;G !M1
& !Y RAN RADIAT+ F 8 FEET 9 ALL
DIREC;NS4 ,HE US$ NO ,H1T-,RAY 6DE/ROY
!M1 B PICK$ !M UP "O 0"O4 ,APP>5TLY HE
TOSS$ !M 96! GRT METALLIC C>RI] :
PROJECT$ 2H HM1 M* Z A "WMAN'S BASKET
HANGS OV] 8 %\LD]4
  ,X 0 ! F/ "T ,I R1LIS$ T ! ,M>TIANS
MI<T H ANY O!R PURPOSE ?AN DE/RUC;N )
DEF1T$ HUMAN;Y4 ,WE /OOD =A MO;T
PETRIFI$1 !N TURN$ & FL$ "? A GATE 2H U
96A WALL$ G>D51 FELL 9TO1 R ?AN F.D1 A
=TUNATE DIT*1 & LAY "!1 SC>CE D>+ 6:ISP]
6EA* O!R UNTIL ! />S 7 \4
  ,I SUPPOSE X 0 NE>LY ELEV5 O'C 2F WE
GA!R$ C\RAGE 6/>T AG1 NO L;G] V5TUR+ 96!
ROAD1 B SN1K+ AL;G H$GER[S & "?
PLANT,NS1 & WAT*+ KE5LY "? ! D>K;S1 HE
ON ! "R & ,I ON ! LEFT1 =! ,M>TIANS1 :O
SEEM$ 6BE ALL AB U4 ,9 "O PLACE WE BL"U$
^U A SCOR*$ & BLACK5$ >EA1 N[ COOL+ &
A%51 &A NUMB] ( SCATT]$ D1D BODIES ( M51
BURN$ HORRIBLY AB ! H1DS & TRUNKS B ) _!
LEGS & BOOTS MO/LY 9TACT2 &( D1D HORSES1
FIFTY FEET1 P]H1 2H A L9E ( F\R RIPP$
GUNS & SMA%$ GUN C>RIAGES4
  ,%E51 X SEEM$1 _H ESCAP$ DE/RUC;N1 B !
PLACE 0 SIL5T & DES]T$4 ,"H WE HAPP5$ ON
NO D1D1 ?\< ! NI<T 0 TOO D>K = U 6SEE
96! SIDE ROADS (! PLACE4 ,9 ,%E5 MY
-PANION SU45LY -PLA9$ ( FA9T;S & ?IR/1 &
WE DECID$ 6TRY "O (! H\SES4
  ,! F/ H\SE WE 5T]$1 AF A LL DI6ICULTY
)! W9D[1 0 A SMALL SEMI-DETA*$ VILLA1 &
,I F.D NO?+ EATA# LEFT 9 ! PLACE B "S
M\LDY *EESE4 ,"! WAS1 H["E1 WAT] 6DR9K2
& ,I TOOK A HAT*ET1 : PROMIS$ 6BE USE;L
9 \R NEXT H\SEBR1K+4
  ,WE !N CROSS$ 6A PLACE ": ! ROAD TURNS
T[>DS ,MORTLAKE4 ,"H "! /OOD A :ITE H\SE
)9 A WALL$ G>D51 & 9 ! PANTRY ( ?
DOMICILE WE F.D A /ORE ( FOOD--TWO
LOAVES ( BR1D 9 A PAN1 AN UNCOOK$ /1K1
&! HALF (A HAM4 ,I GIVE ? CATALOGUE S
PRECISELY 2C1 Z X HAPP5$1 WE 7 DE/9$
6SUBSI/ ^U ? /ORE =! NEXT =TNI<T4
,BOTTL$ BE] /OOD "U A %ELF1 & "! 7 TWO
BAGS ( H>ICOT B1NS & "S LIMP LETTUCES4
,? PANTRY OP5$ 96A K9D ( WA%-UP KIT*51 &
9 ? 0 FIREWOOD2 "! 0 AL A CUPBO>D1 9 :
WE F.D NE>LY A DOZ5 ( BURGUNDY1 T9N$
S\PS & SALMON1 & TWO T9S ( BISCUITS4
  ,WE SAT 9 ! ADJAC5T KIT*5 9 ! D>K--=
WE D>$ N /RIKE A LI<T--& ATE BR1D & HAM1
& DRANK BE] \ (! SAME BOTTLE4 ,! CURATE1
:O 0 / TIMOR\S & RE/.S1 0 N[1 O4LY 5\<1
= PU%+ ON1 & ,I 0 URG+ HM 6KEEP UP 8
/R5G? 0EAT+ :5 ! ?+ HAPP5$ T 0 6IMPRISON
U4
  8,X C'T 2 MIDNI<T YET10 ,I SD1 & !N
CAME A BL9D+ GL>E ( VIVID GRE5 LI<T4
,"EY?+ 9 ! KIT*5 L1P$ \1 CLE>LY VISI# 9
GRE5 & BLACK1 & VANI%$ AG4 ,& !N FOLL[$
S* A 3CUS.N Z ,I H N"E HE>D 2F OR S9CE4
,S CLOSE ON ! HEELS ( ? Z 6SEEM
9/ANTANE\S CAME A ?UD 2H ME1 A CLA% (
GLASS1 A CRA% & RATTLE ( FALL+ MASONRY
ALL AB U1 &! PLA/] (! CEIL+ CAME D[N ^U
U1 SMA%+ 96A MULTITUDE ( FRAG;TS ^U \R
H1DS4 ,I 0 KNOCK$ H1DL;G ACR ! FLOOR AG/
! OV5 H&LE & /UNN$4 ,I 0 9S5SI# =A L;G
"T1 ! CURATE TOLD ME1 & :5 ,I CAME 6WE 7
9 D>K;S AG1 & HE1 )A FACE WET1 Z ,I F.D
AFWS1 ) BLOOD F A CUT =EH1D1 0 DA2+ WAT]
OV] ME4
  ,= "S "T ,I CD N RECOLLECT :AT _H
HAPP5$4 ,!N ?+S CAME 6ME SL[LY4 ,A
BRUISE ON MY TEMPLE ASS]T$ XF4
  8,>E Y BETT]80 ASK$ ! CURATE 9 A
:ISP]4
  ,AT LA/ ,I ANSW]$ HM4 ,I SAT UP4
  8,DON'T MOVE10 HE SD4 8,! FLOOR IS
COV]$ ) SMA%$ CROCK]Y F ! DRESS]4 ,Y C'T
POSSIBLY MOVE )\T MAK+ A NOISE1 & ,I
FANCY .!Y >E \TSIDE40
  ,WE BO? SAT Q SIL5T1 S T WE CD SC>CELY
HE> EA* O!R BR1?+4 ,"EY?+ SEEM$ D1DLY /1
B ONCE "S?+ NE> U1 "S PLA/] OR BROK5
BRICK"W1 SLID D[N )A RUMBL+ S.D4 ,\TSIDE
& V NE> 0 AN 9T]MITT5T1 METALLIC RATTLE4
  8,T60 SD ! CURATE1 :5 PRES5TLY X
HAPP5$ AG4
  8,YES10 ,I SD4 8,B :AT IS X80
  8,A ,M>TIAN60 SD ! CURATE4
  ,I LI/5$ AG4
  8,X 0 N L ! ,H1T-,RAY10 ,I SD1 &=A "T
,I 0 9CL9$ 6?9K "O (! GRT FI<T+-MA*9ES
_H /UM#D AG/ ! H\SE1 Z ,I _H SE5 "O /UM#
AG/ ! T[] ( ,%EPP]TON ,*UR*4
  ,\R SITU,N 0 S /RANGE & 9COMPREH5SI# T
= ?REE OR F\R H\RS1 UNTIL ! DAWN CAME1
WE SC>CELY MOV$4 ,& !N ! LI<T FILT]$ IN1
N "? ! W9D[1 : REMA9$ BLACK1 B "? A
TRIANGUL> AP]TURE 2T A B1M &A H1P (
BROK5 BRICKS 9 ! WALL 2H U4 ,! 9T]IOR (!
KIT*5 WE N[ SAW GREYLY =! F/ "T4
  ,! W9D[ _H BE5 BUR/ 9 0A MASS ( G>D5
M\LD1 : FL[$ OV] ! TA# ^U : WE _H BE5
SITT+ & LAY AB \R FEET4 ,\TSIDE1 ! SOIL
0 BANK$ HI< AG/ ! H\SE4 ,AT ! TOP (!
W9D[ FRAME WE CD SEE AN UPROOT$
DRA9PIPE4 ,! FLOOR 0 LITT]$ ) SMA%$
H>DW>E2 ! 5D (! KIT*5 T[>DS ! H\SE 0
BROK5 9TO1 & S9CE ! "DLI<T %"O 9 "!1 X 0
EVID5T ! GRT] "P (! H\SE _H COLLAPS$4
,3TRA/+ VIVIDLY ) ? RU9 0 ! N1T DRESS]1
/A9$ 9 ! FA%ION1 PALE GRE51 &)A NUMB] (
COPP] & T9 VESSELS 2L X1 ! WALLPAP]
IMITAT+ BLUE & :ITE TILES1 &A C\PLE (
COL\R$ SUPPLE;TS FLUTT]+ F ! WALLS ABV !
KIT*5 RANGE4
  ,Z ! DAWN GREW CLE>]1 WE SAW "? ! GAP
9 ! WALL ! BODY (A ,M>TIAN1 /&+ S5T9EL1
,I SUPPOSE1 OV] ! / GL[+ CYL9D]4 ,AT !
SI<T ( T WE CRAWL$ Z CIRCUMSPECTLY Z
POSSI# \ (! TWILI<T (! KIT*5 96! D>K;S
(! SCULL]Y4
  ,ABRUPTLY ! "R 9T]PRET,N DAWN$ ^U MY
M9D4
  8,! FIF? CYL9D]10 ,I :ISP]$1 8! FIF?
%OT F ,M>S1 HAS /RUCK ? H\SE & BURI$ U
"U ! RU9S60
  ,=A "T ! CURATE 0 SIL5T1 & !N HE
:ISP]$3
  8,GOD H M]CY ^U U60
  ,I HE>D HM PRES5TLY :IMP]+ 6HMF4
  ,SAVE = T S.D WE LAY Q / 9 ! SCULL]Y2
,I = MY "P SC>CE D>$ BR1!1 & SAT ) MY
EYES FIX$ ON ! FA9T LI<T (! KIT*5 DOOR4
,I CD J SEE ! CURATE'S FACE1 A DIM1 OVAL
%APE1 & 8 COLL> & CU6S4 ,\TSIDE "! 2GAN
A METALLIC HAMM]+1 !N A VIOL5T HOOT+1 &
!N AG1 AF A QUIET 9T]VAL1 A HISS+ L !
HISS+ ( AN 5G9E4 ,^! NOISES1 =! MO/ "P
PRO#MATICAL1 3T9U$ 9T]MITT5TLY1 & SEEM$
IF ANY?+ 69CR1SE 9 NUMB] Z "T WORE ON4
,PRES5TLY A M1SUR$ ?U4+ &A VIBR,N T MADE
"EY?+ AB U QUIV] &! VESSELS 9 ! PANTRY
R+ & %IFT1 2GAN & 3T9U$4 ,ONCE ! LI<T 0
ECLIPS$1 &! <O/LY KIT*5 DOORWAY 2CAME
ABSOLUTELY D>K4 ,= _M H\RS WE M/ H CR\*$
"!1 SIL5T & %IV]+1 UNTIL \R TIR$ ATT5;N
FAIL$4 '''
  ,AT LA/ ,I F.D MYF AWAKE & V HUNGRY4
,I AM 9CL9$ 62LIEVE WE M/ H SP5T ! GRT]
POR;N (A "D 2F T AWAK5+4 ,MY HUNG] 0 AT
A /RIDE S 9SI/5T T X MOV$ ME 6AC;N4 ,I
TOLD ! CURATE ,I 0 GO+ 6SEEK FOOD1 &
FELT MY WAY T[>DS ! PANTRY4 ,HE MADE ME
NO ANSW]1 B S SOON Z ,I 2GAN EAT+ ! FA9T
NOISE ,I MADE /IRR$ HM UP & ,I HE>D HM
CRAWL+ AF ME4


















