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Trev led the way through the Chidi house, Sandy and Rhonda close behind him. In the hallway, he glanced into the dark rooms until he came to a closed door. |
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He pressed his ear against it and heard soft mumbling sounds. |
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He looked over his shoulder. He nodded. |
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'Let's take him,' Sandy whispered. |
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With his left hand, Trev turned the knob and gently swung the door inward. Smoke, fanned by the opening door, rolled and swayed away in front of him. He smelled a terrible stench. He held his breath and tried not to gag. |
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He'd encountered the same odor last night. At the stadium. It had come from Maxwell Chidi. The reek of burnt hair and flesh. But Maxwell's stink had been mild compared to this. |
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What's the old bastard doing in here? |
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Trev could still hear the low, incoherent mumbling. It came from somewhere ahead and to his right. Through the swirling smoke, he saw the tongues of candle flames. Dozens of them. All around the room. In the direction of the voice, he saw a blur of slow movement. And a blaze too large for a candle. |
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He stepped silently toward it. He jerked to a halt as something brushed his arm. Turning his head, he saw Sandy beside him. She was squinting in the direction of the voice. Her eyes were red from the smoke, tears cutting pale streaks down her black face. Her left |
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