Page 85 (1/2)

"No Finn’s co from the south You have to mount a defense or put up a barricademaybe an abatis"

"What?"

"Trees Cut them down so all the limbs face the enemy Not only will your people have cover, but it will be o around An obstacle like that will also keep hilanced at the other men, who nodded "We can do that for you," Jarvis said

"Good Then pick your men, Jarvis, the ones you can count on not to run at the first shot," Toetand as coh for Chris and his people to retrieve the needed supplies and start packing up the kids, ere now gathered at the hospice To Toees in Rule to begin with, elected to take a share of what supplies rehly one hundred and fifty elderly re, Jarvis had chosen ten to ed to guard the southern road, the , sparsely forested countryside

"I got a couple otheron trees to barricade the north road out of town once the children are gone Everyone else wants to wait in the church," Jarvis said to Tom, who’d visited the defunct school for a few, very special ite into the church’s bell tower "At least until Finn’s in the village"

"Wait? What for? You can’t be serious" Tom was horrified "Jarvis, you need to et out of Rule This isn’t Judgment Day This isn’t Jonestown For God’s sake, no one’s asking you to drink Kool-Aid They’ll kill you"

"But the Rev’s right: no place is truly safe" Jarvis’s eyes were so far back in his skull, you needed a flashlight to see theather; I can’t take that away Besides, our grandchildren are finally co home and" His voice thickened "They’re our responsibility, alere If randson’s with Finn, I need to know he’s at peace" No aed the old ave up

Later, crossing the square to the village hall, Tolass s shi on any other night As he e hall steps, the faint strains of a hyh the open church doors: I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless

Bu a touch fro plastic prirade fertilizer into a back storage roo back for cans of diesel and fuel oil and hoping he really did have the proportions down--he headed downstairs to check out the building’s air-conditioning ducts He’d already found they were just large enough for hih (Thank God he wasn’t claustrophobic) Now, to figure out how far he could stretch that det cord and if the math worked All he needed to buy were fifteen, twenty lousy minutes on the outside

And then the darkness will deepen, Toht Whether we like it or not Two hours later, he heard the clump of boots

"Tom?"

"Up here, Chris To your left Hold on" He was flat on his back, on

a high shelf, a partially dis a foot froer on the clock’s escape wheel, he carefully seated a sliver of whittled matchstick between one tooth and the lever’s entry pallet before slowly easing pressure on the wheel The pallet bit into the wood but didn’t break it The clock’s gears were still, the hands frozen "So," To up a pair of criuys at the barricade set?"

"About as ready as they can be Kids should be away in another

hour"

"Cutting it close Going to be dawn soon"

"Can’t be helped" Chris was taking in the tanks of propane, cans

of gasoline, pre? Gives ot to hope it’s enough of a bang" Coring a hole in the end of a grayish-white block, he slipped in a slih to pass for an M18, a lucky break--then used his teeth to tear strips of black electrical tape "You got your guys?"

"What’s left There weren’t in with, and even fewer now Pru and Greg are the oldest I’d send both, but I held Greg back to go with us There are souys, Aidan and Lucian and Samafter I left, they went over to the dark side You know, locking up Pru and Greg? I don’t trust Aidan and his guys but can’t leave theht"