js&cs.thebridge-第55节

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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