Part 83 (2/2)

echo teAm He told us the rest, too.

About crawling through the darkness. About the pain of

wounds he was positive had torn him nearly to pieces. About things that crouched around him in the shadows. Things that laughed at him.

And he told us about the woman dressed like a village boy,

but who revealed a hideous and monstrous face when she pulled

away her scarf. Flesh that was livid red and a nose that seemed

composed of clay.

At this, Bunny glanced at me over Finn's head. The boy we

had encountered had been flash-burned and his nose was covered with mud. Bunny's raised eyebrow questioned this. Had

Finn, dazed as he was, also come across this boy and misunderstood what he was seeing?

I gave Bunny a small nod. Had to be a mistake.

What else made sense?

”How's that explain the sh.e.l.l casings?” I asked.

Finn looked perplexed. ”I . . . don't know. I didn't see any of

the fight. But they had to have fought back. The fight went on

and on. Fifteen minutes at least. Maybe twenty. Christ, Joe, the

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