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

They weren’t moving. They were at the edge of the light. He remembered how the first thing, if he hadn’t imagined it – but by now he knew he hadn’t – had bolted when the headlights came on. Didn’t like the light. If he reversed quickly, they might scatter from the tail lights.

Although those weren’t as bright as the headlights. And maybe the first thing had only been startled by the light, rather than actually afraid of it.

Tom looked forward, through the windscreen, and could no longer deny another thin shape was indeed crouching in front of the car. Or, moments later, several others.

Reverse at full speed towards the road – that seemed the best option. Even so, he glanced left and right, out of habit, only to see there were more of them. They were much closer on either side of the car.

Tom shifted gears into reverse; as he did, something hit the rear of the Land Rover, shattering glass. When he looked back, he saw one of the tail lights was out, the darkness behind the car thicker, and that the thin things were moving.

Then something hit the front of the car, and one of the headlights went.

Looking ahead, he saw the crouched shapes stir into spiderlike motion. Tom flung the gear into reverse, but as he did so a thin limb jerked and a third blow struck the front of the Land Rover. Glass shattered again, and the last of the light extending ahead of the Land Rover collapsed in on itself into snow-swirling darkness. With a blur of scuttling motion, a horde of pale shapes engulfed the car.

22.

22.

The Assemblies of God church was almost empty when Ellie got there, with only a few hangers-on who preferred its light and warmth to the prospect of heading home through the billowing snow. Matt was in his office upstairs, overlooking Halliwell Way, which was all to the good. If Ellie was going to start discussing Devil-worship, she’d rather do so privately.

“Hi, Ellie.” He smiled and did his best to look friendly, but Ellie picked up a distinct Oh God what now vibe from him. For all that Milly thought the sun shone out of his backside, Ellie had never taken to Matt Williams. There’d always been something soft about him: less a lack of fire and brimstone than a more fundamental lack of substance. “Can I do for you?”

“Wanted to ask you something in confidence.”

“Oh. Okay.” He looked, if possible, even less enthused than before. “Cup of tea?”

“Not right now.” Ellie took her phone out. “Milly reckoned I should talk to you.”

“Oh?” He looked a little more perky, maybe seeing a potential new addition to his flock. “What can I –?”

“What do you know about Satanism?”

Matt blinked. “In what sense?” Maybe he thought she planned on joining the opposition and was hoping he had their contact details.