gns.theplutopact-第44部分

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ht；　was　filtering　through　the　grimy　window　pane。　Heat　scorched　his　naked　flesh；　withering　it　on　his　body。　But　he　ignored　the　pain；　scrambling　over　piles　of　rubble；　clawing　at　it　frantically；　trying　to　shout　Anne's　name…but　no　words　came　out；　not　even　a　hoarse　whisper。　He　was　outside　in　the　open…though；　to　be　precise；　there　was　no　longer　any　indoors　or　outdoors。　A　fiery　sky　lit　up　the　whole　scene；　revealing　the　entire　length　of　the　valley；　a　flattened　landscape　over　which　the　towering　mountains　were　starting　to　avalanche；　with　mighty　rock　falls　that　slid　and　bounced　slowly　and　silently。　And　everywhere　there　was　total　silence；　because　Bob　Coyle　could　no　longer　hear。　He　was　reduced　to　a　panic…stricken　human　robot　that　staggered　haphazardly；　tearing　at　immovable　heaps　of　rubble；　crying　inwardly　because　his　tears　were　dried　by　the　heat　as　soon　as　they　began。
　　
　　Alone！　Where　was　everyone　else？　Oh　God；　why　could　he　not　have　died　along　with　everybody　else？　Yes；　he　wanted　to　be　dead…to　be　with　Anne。
　　
　　Fires　were　erupting　everywhere；　small　blazes　starting　up　and　spreading；　the　hot　wind　fanning　their　flames　to　an　inferno。　Flashes　of　reason　came　to　him。　Anne　must　have　crept　out　soon　after　he'd　fallen　asleep。　But　why？　Perhaps　she'd　crossed　the　yard　to　the　toilet。　He　looked　around；　trying　to　shield　his　smarting　eyes　from　the　glare　and　the　smoke。　Everywhere　was　totally　unrecognisable；　he　didn't　even　know　where　the　office　had　stood；　or　if　he　was　in　the　right　street。　Total　destruction；　just　as　they　had　forecast…the　last　and　greatest　holocaust　of　all！
　　
　　Still　wandering；　searching。　His　brain　couldn't　cope　with　the　situation　much　longer。　Maybe　he　was　shouting；　maybe　he　wasn't。　Inside　he　still　cried。
　　
　　Once　he　paused　to　glance　down　at　his　own　tortured　body…just　a　mass　of　blisters　that　wept　thick　matter　like　melted　syrup；　hands　and　feet　that　no　longer　bled　because　the　thick　ooze　stemmed　the　blood　flowing　from　the　abrasions。　Hairless；　a　walking　festering　cinder。　Still　searching　although　he'd　given　up　hope。
　　
　　Then　he　saw　the　man！　Coyle　stood　staring；　scraping　at　his　eyes　in　an　attempt　to　make　the　mirage　go　away。　A　thing　in　human　shape　that　stood　atop　a　blazing　pyre；　seemingly　unharmed　by　the　crackling　flames。　It　was　clothed　in　ragged　garments　that　neither　burned　nor　shrivelled；　its　revolting　flesh　clearly　visible　through　the　tatters。　Its　head　had　a　sparse　covering　of　hair；　and　seemed　too　large　for　the　frail　body　on　which　it　rested。　Its　eyes　picked　him　out　of　the　smoke；　and　forced　Bob　Coyle　to　meet　a　gaze　that　blazed　with　contempt　and　hatred；　that　had　him　shivering　in　spite　of　the　terrible　heat。　The　lips　moved　over　a　toothless　cavity　of　a　mouth。
　　
　　'I；　Balzur；　have　returned　to　witness　the　fruits　of　my　curse；　sent　here　by　Pluto　who　will　soon　e　to　rule　over　this　fiery　hell。　You；　wretch；　are　the　last　survivor　of　those　who　tried　to　destroy　me　in　vain。　You　live　only　because　I　decreed　it。　And　your　sufferings　are　only　just　beginning。　For　you　will　experience　the　eternal　fire；　Witchfinder。　Yea；　you　are　of　his　blood…line；　and　so　you　shall　suffer　the　agonies　of　hell。　。　。　'
　　
　　Coyle　wanted　to　shrink　away　but　he　could　not　move。　It　was　as　though　every　muscle　in　his　body　had　melted；　condemning　him　to　remain　watching；　with　eyes　that　burned　in　their　sockets。　Seeing；　understanding；　and　。　。　。　oh；　God；　suddenly　he　understood！
　　
　　His　terror　came　in　shuddering　waves　with　the　realisation　of　what　he　saw　before　him。　For　now　he　recognised　the　face　before　him；　reflected　in　this　weird　unearthly　glow；　features　he　had　seen　in　those　recent　nightmares　but　had　been　snatched　from　his　memory　on　waking。　Balzur；　the　wizard　of　old　Craiglowrie；　had　e　back　to　walk　amongst　them　in　human　form；　and　he；　Coyle　had　been　blind　to　it。　And　now　he　knew　when　it　was　too　late　。　。　。　knew　that　Balzur　had　returned　in　the　person　of　Winston　Dyne。
　　
　　Insane　mocking　laughter；　inflicting　the　last　wounds　on　a　tortured　soul。　Too　late！　You　realise　too　late。　And　you　shall　suffer　for　eternity；　Witchfinder！

　　
　　Everything　was　starting　to　go　black　for　Coyle。　A　cooling　wave　of　unconsciousness　was　ing　out　of　the　fires　to　calm　him；　and　he　wasn't　going　to　fight　against　it。　Rage　and　disbelief　appeared　on　those　centuries…old　features　as　Balzur　saw　what　was　happening。　Now　it　was　Coyle's　turn　to　mock；　screaming　inprehensible　insults　with　blistered　lips　that　somehow　found　they　could　move。　Crying　real　tears　that　were　wet　again。　Screaming　because　of　Anne。　Writhing　on　a　weling　bed　of　cinders。　Trying　to　fight　off　hands　that　gripped　rum。
　　
　　Then　suddenly　Coyle　was　back　in　a　world　of　cool　darkness；　the　familiar　office　with　walls　and　ceiling　intact；　his　naked　flesh　unscathed。　Still　struggling；　trying　to　control　his　confused　brain。　But　it　was　not　the　talon…like　fingers　of　Balzur　which　brought　him　back　to　consciousness。　Instead　the　hands　were　soft　and　sensuous；　there　was　a　heady　aroma　of　musk　where　previously　he　had　smelled　only　acrid　burning。
　　
　　Anne！
　　
　　'Bob　。　。　。　snap　out　of　it！'　She　shook　him　again；　less　urgently　now　that　his　eyes　were　open。　'You've　had　a　nightmare。　A　bad　one。'
　　
　　He　nodded；　choking　with　sheer　relief；　crying　now　for　a　different　reason。　Yes；　it　had　been　a　bad　one；　the　worst　ever。　Only　this　time　it　was　different；　he　remembered　those　evil　features　and　knew　to　whom　they　belonged。
　　
　　'I'll　make　some　coffee。'
　　
　　'Sure。'　He　managed　a　smile　and　hoisted　himself　to　his　feet。　'You　do　that；　darling。　But　first　I've　got　to　ring　Kent。　Try　to　make　him　believe　me。'
　　
　　'Pull　yourself　together！'　There　was　a　sudden　flicker　of　fear　on　her　face…fear　that　the　enormity　of　his　nightmare　had　disturbed　his　reasoning。　'You　can't　go　fetching　Kent　out　in　the　night　just　because　of　a　bad　dream。'
　　
　　'Don't　worry；　I'm　not　going　round　the　bend。'　He　forced　another　smile。　'Something　that's　been　eluding　me　these　past　nights。　The　dreams；　a　face　。　。　。　now　I　know　that　Balzur　has　e　back；　that　he's　been　amongst　us　for　some　time　。。。　a　reincarnation　maybe；　or　some　inexplicable　evil　psychic　force　that's　taken　over　a　human　body　and　soul。　Balzur　is　now　Winston　Dyne；　Head　of　Oxide　Reprocessing！'
　　
　　Life　appeared　to　be　full　of　totally　new　experiences　for　Kent　at　present。　Yet　another　assailed　him　on　arrival　at　the　Herald　premises　the　following　morning。　Guilt！　It　was　crazy。　The　neatly　folded　sleeping…bags　in　Coyle's　tiny　office　served　as　a　tiny　sop　to　his　conscience；　but　all　the　same；　he　knew　he　would　have　to　tell　Coyle；　and　the　sooner　he　got　it　over　with；　the　better。
　　
　　'By　the　way。'　Kent　was　grateful　that　he　did　not　gulp　or　stammer　when　the　words　came　out。　T　stayed　at　your　place　overnight。'
　　
　　Coyle　regarded　him　slowly。　Surprise；　but　certainly　no　resentment。　A　moment's　silence。　He；　too；　was　searching　for　the　right　words。
　　
　　'Thanks；'　he　smiled。　'Thanks　for　telling　me；　Kent。　I　guess　it　took　a　lot　of　guts。　And　thanks　for　what　you　did。　I　hope　it　was　。　。　。　successful。'
　　
　　'Mutually。'　Kent's　relief　was　evident。　T　have　an　invitation　to　return　there　tonight　if　。　。　。　'
　　
　　'Please　do。'　Coyle　experienced　a　sudden　unburdening　of　responsibilities　which　he　knew　he　had　previously　shirked。　It　made　him　feel　a　lot　easier。　'How's　Sarah？'
　　
　　'Still　asleep　when　I　came　out。　She'll　be　OK。'
　　
　　Their　conversation　was　drowned　by　the　drone　of　a　low…flying　helicopter。　They　listened　to　its　progress；　the　noise　fading　slightly；　then　shutting　off　altogether。
　　
　　'Sounds　like　it's　landed　at　the　nuclear　station；'　Coyle's　eyebrows　were　raised。　No　helicopter　had　entered　the　valley；　not　even　a　military　air　patrol；　since　the　army　had　moved　in；
　　
　　'Must　be　somebody　visiting　Dyne　and　his　friends；'　Kent　suggested。　'Some　VIP　e　to　see　for　himself。　Judging　from　the　mass　meetings　in　town　last　night　it　won't　be　long　before　the　crowds　try　to　storm　the　station。'
　　
　　'Suicidal。'
　　
　　'Everything's　suicidal　these　days。'
　　
　　'By　the　way。'　Coyle　felt　suddenly　foolish。　Everything　seemed　so　different；　so　realistic　since　dawn　had　blended　into　full　daylight　and　swept　away　the　nocturnal　terrors。　'Something　silly；　but　。　。　。　well；　you　know　my　feelings　concerning　the　ancient　curse。　Mayb