n in its slimy grip。 They let off volley upon volley into its creases and tucks； and against the impartial geometry of its head； but the divil seemed unconcerned。 Only when it had shaken Packard's car until the Sheriff rattled like a dead frog in a tin can did it lose interest and drop the vehicle。 A smell of gasoline filled the air； and turned Davidson's stomach。
Then a cry： 'Heads down！'
A grenade？ Surely not； not with so much gasoline on the …Davidson fell to the floor。 A sudden silence； in which an injured man could be heard whimpering somewhere in the chaos； then the dull； earth…rocking thud of the erupting
grenade。
Somebody said Jesus Christ … with a kind of victory in his voice。
Jesus Christ。 In the name of。 。 。 for the glory of。 。
The demon was ablaze。 The thin tissue of its gasoline… soaked skirt was burning； one of its limbs had been blown off by the blast； another partially destroyed； thick； colourless blood splashed from the wounds and the stump。 There was a smell in the air like burnt candy： the creature was clearly in an agony of cremation。 Its body reeled and shuddered as the flames licked up to ignite its empty face； and it stumbled away from its tormentors； not sounding its pain。 Davidson got a kick out of seeing it burn： like the simple pleasure he had from putting the heel of his boot in the centre of a jelly…fish。 Favourite summer…time occupation of his childhood。 In Maine： hot afternoons： spiking men…o'…war。
Packard was being dragged out of the wreckage of his car。 My God； that man was made of steel： he was standing upright and calling his men to advance on the enemy。 Even in his finest hour； a flake of fire dropped from the flowering demon； and touched the lake of gasoline Packard was standing in。 A moment later he； the car； and two of his saviours were enveloped in a billowing cloud of white fire。 They stood no chance of survival： the flames just washed them away。 Davidson could see their dark forms being wasted in the heart of the inferno； wrapped in folds of fire； curling in on themselves as they perished。
Almost before Packard's body had hit the ground Davidson could hear Eugene's voice over the flames。
'See what they've done？ See what they've done？'
The accusation was greeted by feral howls from the cops。 'Waste them！' Eugene was screaming。 'Waste them！'
Lucy could hear the noise of the battle； but she made no attempt to go in the direction of the foothills。 Something about the way the moon was suspended in the sky； and the smell on the breeze； had taken all desire to move out of her。 Exhausted； and enchanted； she stood in the open desert； and watched the sky。
When； after an age； she brought her gaze back down to fix on the horizon； she saw two things that were of mild interest。 Out of the hills； a dirty smudge of smoke； and the edge of her vision in the gentle night light； a line of creatures； hurrying away from the hills。 She suddenly began to run。
It occurred to her； as she ran； that her gait was sprightly as a young girl's； and that she had a young girl's motive： that is； she was in pursuit of her lover。
In an empty stretch of desert； the convocation of demons simply disappeared from sight。 From where Lucy was standing； panting in the middle of nowhere； they seemed to have been swallowed up by the earth。 She broke into a run again。 Surely she could see her son and his fathers once more before they left forever？ Or was she； after all her years of anticipation； to be denied even that？
In the lead car Davidson was driving； mandeered to do so by Eugene； who was not at present a man to be argued with。 Something about the way he carried his rifle suggested he'd shoot first and ask questions later； his orders to the straggling army that followed him were two parts incoherent obscenities to one part sense。 His eyes gleamed with hysteria： his mouth dribbled a little。 He was a wild man； and he terrified Davidson。 But it was too late now to turn back： he was in cahoots with the man for this last； apocalyptic pursuit。
'See； them black…eyed sons of bitches don't have no fucking heads；' Eugene was screaming over the tortured roar of the engine。 'Why you taking this track so slow； boy？'
He jabbed the rifle in Davidson's crotch。
'Drive； or I'll blow your brains out。'
'I don't know which way they've gone；' Davidson yelled back at Eugene。
'What you mean？ Show me！'
'I can't show you if they've disappeared。'
Eugene just about appreciated the sense of the response。 'Slow down； boy。' He waved out of the car window to slow the rest of the army。
'Stop the car … stop the car！'
Packard brought the car to a halt。
'And put those fucking lights out。 All of you！' The headlights were quenched。 Behind； the rest of the entourage followed suit。
A sudden dark。 A sudden silence。 There was nothing to be seen or heard in any direction。 They'd disappeared； the whole cacophonous tribe of demons had simply vanished into the air； chimerical。
The desert vista brightened as their eyes became accus…tomed to the gleam of the moonlight。 Eugene got out of the car； rifle still at the ready； and stared at the sand； willing it to explain。
'Fuckers；' he said； very softly。
Lucy had stopped running。 Now she was walking towards the line of cars。 It was all over by now。 They had all been tricked： the disappearing act was a trump card no…one could have anticipated。
Then； she heard Aaron。
She couldn't see him； but his voice was as clear as a bell； and like a bell； it summoned。 Like a bell； it rang out： this is a time of festival： celebrate with us。
Eugene heard it too； he smiled。 They were near after all。
'Hey！' the boy's voice said。 'Where is he？ You see him； Davidson？' Davidson shook his head。 Then …'Wait！ Wait！ I see a light … look； straight ahead awhile。'
'I see it。'
With exaggerated caution； Eugene motioned Davidson back into the driver's seat。
'Drive； boy。 But slowly。 And no lights。'
Davidson nodded。 More jelly…fish for the spiking； he thought； they were going to get the bastards after all； and wasn't that worth a little risk？ The convoy started up again； creeping forward at a snail's pace。
Lucy began to run once more： she could see the tiny figure of Aaron now； standing on the lip of a slope that led under the sand。 The cars were moving towards it。
Seeing them approaching； Aaron stopped his calls and began to walk away； back down the slope。 There was no need to wait any longer； they were following for certain。 His naked feet made scarcely a mark in the soft…sanded incline that led away from the idiocies of the world。 In the shadows of the earth at the end of that slope； fluttering and smiling at him； he could see his family。
'He's going in；' said Davidson。
'Then follow the little bastard；' said Eugene。 'Maybe the kid doesn't know what he's doing。 And get some light on him。'
The headlights illuminated Aaron。 His clothes were in tatters； and his body was slumped with exhaustion as he walked。
A few yards off to the right of the slope Lucy watched as the lead car drove over the lip of the earth and followed the boy down； into …'No；' she said to herself； 'don't。'
Davidson was suddenly scared。 He began to slow the car。
'Get on with it； boy。' Eugene jabbed the rifle into his crotch again。 'We've got them cornered。 We've got a whole nest of them here。 The boy's leading us right to them。'
The cars were all on the slope now； following the leader； their wheels slipping in the sand。
Aaron turned。 Behind him； illuminated only by the phosphorescence of their own matter； the demons stood； a mass of impossible geometries。 All the attributes of Lucifer were spread among the bodies of the fathers。 The extraordinary anatomies； the dreaming spires of heads； the scales； the skirts； the claws； the clippers。
Eugene brought the convoy to a halt； got out of the car and began to walk towards Aaron。
'Thank you boy；' he said。 'e here … we'll look after you now。 We've got them。 You're safe。'
Aaron stared at his father； unprehending。
The army was disgorging from the cars behind Eugene； readying their weapons。 A bazooka was being hurriedly assembled； a cocking of rifles； a weighing…up of grenades。
'e to Papa； boy；' Eugene coaxed。
Aaron didn't move； so Eugene followed him a few yards deeper into the ground。 Davidson was out of the car now； shaking from head to foot。
'Maybe you should put down the rifle。 Maybe he's scared；' he suggested。
Eugene grunted； and let the muzzle of the rifle drop a few inches。
'You're safe；' said Davidson。 'It's all right。'
'Walk towards us； boy。 Slowly。'
Aaron's face began to flush。 Even in the deceptive light of the headlamps it was clearly changing colour。 His cheeks were blowing up like balloons； and the skin on his forehead was wriggling as though his flesh was full of maggots。 His head seemed to liquefy； to bee a soup of shapes； shifting and blossoming like a cloud； the fa？ade of boyhood broken as the father inside the son showed its vast and unimaginable face。
Even as Aaron became his father's son； the slope began to soften。 Davidson felt it first： a slight shift in the texture of the sand； as though an order had passed through it； subtle but all…pervasive。
Eugene could on