Page 39 (1/2)

"Shaddup!" growled Digger, cuffing theain

Preacher Jack raised his arms, and the crowd instantly fell silent It was so quiet that Benny could hear the crackling of the torches and the popping of the canvas on the circus tent

"My brothers and sisters," Preacher Jack began in a voice that was deep and strong, "thank you for colorious day A day ill all rerants us breath As they did in biblical tiain writing a new chapter in the storied history ofthe foundation and consecration of a new Eden"

The crowd exchanged looks, surprised at what appeared to be a ser

"I wanted to share this day, not only with estured to White Bear and then to the audience--"but with ation as well"

A ripple of hushed conversation whisked through the crowd

"I askeda new era of peace and fellowship as we poor sinners prove ourselves worthy to share in this paradise Jointhe an to applaud, and the guards by the tent turned and began pulling back the canvas flaps When the cro that there were hundreds of people sitting in tightly packed rows of folding chairs, they applauded with greater enthusias more folks to this party Then one by one the people in the audience stopped applauding until there was only one person--a silly drunk in the far corner--clapping; and then he, too, stopped There was a long pause in which silence reigned over the entire amphitheater, and Benny could feel Nix stiffen beside hi

Suddenly a woed to its feet There was instant turation The guards waded into the packedat them Preacher Jack still stood with his arreat joy on his face

Benny stared in total horror There had to be five hundred folding chairs set in rows in the tent Each chair was filled, but each congregant was lashed to the chair by strips of white cloth that rapped around their legs and chests They all writhed and struggled against the bonds Not just to escape … but to attack

The entire congregation was zoer grabbed her shoulder and kept her in place Benny had been unable to move and stood stock-still

White Bear reached under his cloak of bearskin and brought out a pu He pointed it at the sky and pulled the trigger There was a huge BOOM!

Everyone froze

"Sit down!" he roared, and racked the slide on the shotgun There was another moment of silent indecision, and then the crowd obeyed In the stillness of that moment they could see that the zoms were unable to rise or attack A few people crept back to their seats, then more, and within minutes the entire croas back in their places Nobody was s except for Preacher Jack

And Nix "Did you see the looks on their faces?" She giggled And that hen Benny realized that Nix had crossed over into some other place

Preacher Jack raised his hands "Be at peace! The Children of Lazarus are all bound … we are all safe frorow"

The audience buzzed with troubled chatter, but gradually they all stopped talking to one another and looked at hiht of sport and celebration This is what you came for!" The preacher half turned and pointed one hand down at the pits and the other at Benny and Nix

The crowd stared for a er, and then they roared with cheers and applause

"Ah, crap," said Benny

White Bear goosed the applause for a full radually quieted everyone with doaves of his hand "In ancient ti as his father’s, "those who had committed terrible crimes would suffer public execution"

A ripple of applause

"Or public huer applause

"But we are a civilized people!"

Applause and expectant s now; everyone was in on the joke

"My father is a holy man, and he says that the world is both heaven and hell and Gaatory"

Someone in the back of the crowd actually yelled, "Hallelujah!"

Benny felt outrage bubbling in his chest He was not the oer, but even he knew that this was no kind of religion Preacher Jack h to believe some of this, but for White Bear it was all about atory sinners get a chance at redeht to be part of New Eden"

Soan a chant of "New Eden!" and soon the whole croas shouting it out as if it was soht Just sheep

Nix laughed aloud, but only Benny heard her It scared hihta ne, and ill be the first to abide by it!"

"Tell us, White Bear!" someone shouted, and everyone claot two sinners here Two murderers They led an attack on the camp of Charlie Matthias You all knew Charlie, and you knew hiood and decent man" If the applause was not as enthusiastic, Benny saw, it was at least very loud "They o they participated in the murder of my other brother, Zak, and his son The blood of my family is on their hands!"

The crowd booed and called for blood to pay for blood

Here it coht, and braced himself

White Bear quieted the crowd once er zoain These are the Pits of Judgo in there to face their crimes Heaven itself decides the truth If the accused is innocent, or if there is true repentance in his heart, then he will ee unharmed from the pit And if not …"

The croaited for it

"… then the Children of Lazarus will make a sacrament of their flesh!"

The croild Benny stared Maybe some of them had started to believe this nonsense, or ame to them Either way, they were totally sold on it

White Bear, as grand a showman as his father, held one hand aloft so that the audience held their breath, and with the other he pointed at Benny and Nix "It is tier and Heap pushed hie was, Oh, brother

Then he and Nix were falling into darkness

71

CHONG TRIED TO FIGHT THE HANDS THAT PULLED HIM FROM THE PIT, BUT his attacker bent close and in a fierce whisper said, "Chong--it’s o of hian to cry out, but To nodded "How’d you find me?" he whispered

Tom quickly explained how he’d left Benny, Nix, and Lilah back at the way station, and about his encounter with Sally Two-Knives

"I--I’m … Tom, I’m so sorry--"