BooksBarbecue
Back The Hollows
Chapters (77)
  1. Front Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Dedication
  5. PART I
  6. 1.
  7. 2.
  8. 3.
  9. 4.
  10. 5.
  11. 6.
  12. 7.
  13. 8.
  14. PART II
  15. 9.
  16. 10.
  17. 11.
  18. 12.
  19. 13.
  20. 14.
  21. 15.
  22. 16.
  23. 17.
  24. 18.
  25. 19.
  26. 20.
  27. 21.
  28. 22.
  29. 23.
  30. 24.
  31. 25.
  32. 26.
  33. 27.
  34. 28.
  35. 29.
  36. 30.
  37. 31.
  38. 32.
  39. 33.
  40. 34.
  41. 35.
  42. 36.
  43. PART III
  44. 37.
  45. 38.
  46. 39.
  47. 40.
  48. 41.
  49. 42.
  50. 43.
  51. 44.
  52. 45.
  53. 46.
  54. 47.
  55. 48.
  56. 49.
  57. 50.
  58. 51.
  59. 52.
  60. 53.
  61. 54.
  62. 55.
  63. 56.
  64. 57.
  65. 58.
  66. 59.
  67. 60.
  68. 61.
  69. 62.
  70. 63.
  71. 64.
  72. 65.
  73. PART IV
  74. 66.
  75. 67.
  76. 68.
  77. Acknowledgements

Liz buried her face in her coat-sleeve and bit down on it, simultaneously experiencing both terror and the urge to hysterically laugh.

They’d known. Of course They’d known – They, or Their masters. Ridiculous to think an enemy could intrude here undetected, or that They’d have no defences prepared. And so now Judas Jess, Ellie fucking Cheetham and the others were trapped, and if they were lucky the four of them would only suffocate or starve. If not, They’d come – Them, or something worse.

Or Liz could do it, as she was trapped there too, hidden in the shadows at the end of their little tomb, hidden by the darkness and still-settling dust.

She could end things for herself now, if she wanted: a quick death, guaranteed, and leave the rest to her gods. But Ellie Cheetham was a cunning, dangerous enemy, and besides, Liz wasn’t about to let her traitor child outlive her, not when the little whore had already outlived so many loyal ones. Keira: if only Keira had been her blood child, not Jess.

Besides, mightn’t Liz’s gods show her mercy for this one last service? It wasn’t impossible she might find her way out of here, not if she dealt with Cheetham and her crew.

Who knew? They might even give her good children back to her. They were gods, after all. What couldn’t gods do?

Liz itched to kill Jess first. She was the traitor, the one Liz hated most of all now (and it had taken some doing to outstrip Ellie Cheetham in that regard). And what greater loyalty could she show Them than to sacrifice her child? But Ellie was the most dangerous. Kill her first. Then – assuming the propane tank didn’t blow them all to hell – Liz would deal with Judas Jess.

Liz hunched down and took aim at Ellie Cheetham’s back.

Madeleine turned and smiled; a pretty ghastly sight, as the dust had caked so thickly on her face it resembled a cracked ceremonial mask, through which only her fevered eyes and yellowed teeth showed. Oh Christ, had she snapped? Or had something else taken possession of her?

Ellie could believe anything now; rationality crumbled away in this ancient dark, especially when you already knew the old tales of giants, goblins and gods were true, when you looked to dying women’s visions for guidance. No great stretch to imagine that, if Madeleine’s mind could seek out things hidden in the depths, what lay hidden in the depths might seek her out in return.

“It’s all right, wack,” said Madeleine, and coughed, wafting the loose dust away. “It’s still me. It’s okay, Ell. Everybody. This was meant to happen. We’re gonna be –”

“Ellie,” screamed Jess.