The first reddish rays of the setting sun strike the bullet-ridden door of the cruiser I am sitting in. Tiny dots of red light appear on my faded jeans. I look up just in time to see Deputy Wheeler hurrying in my direction. He stops short of the driver's door and looks at me with strangely hopeful eyes.

"We ready to go yet?"

"Just about," I reply hurriedly. I jump out of the cruiser and continue my repairs under the hood. "Needed to strip and repair a few wires. But I think...Yes....Okay. I think we should be on our way pretty soon. Give me another sec."

A shudder goes through Deputy Wheeler's entire body and he hugs his midsection. A sad look transforms his face.

"I didn't want to leave those little ones like that. They deserve to be buried proper. This place should be swarming with State Troopers by now. Where the hell are they? You're probably right...They didn't make it. Oh, god....They didn't make it. Oh, Loranne. Oh, god!"

I look around the hood of the cruiser and point my pliers at Deputy Wheeler. Remembering back to all of the speeches my late father ever gave me, I affect my most authoritative voice.

"Hey now, Deputy....None of that sitting around feeling sorry for yourself bullcrap! We've got plenty of things that need doin'. And none of them involve cryin' crocodile tears about things we can't change. Now, saddle up like you've got a pair...And get your lanky ass in the car! We're out of here. I'm done."

Slamming the hood down, I am in the cruiser before Deputy Wheeler. No sooner does he shut the passenger door, then I am burning rubber out of the Crawfords' yard.

*************************************

"What in the hell?" Deputy Wheeler exclaims and leans forward in his seat.

I bring the cruiser to a near crawl and also stare around with disbelief. On either side of the roadway are several burned out vehicles. Some of the vehicles are still smoking. At least two charred bodies are sprawled in the roadway. What appears to be the upper torso of a third body lies partially underneath one of the smoking vehicles.

"What the hell is really goin' on here?" Wheeler asks. His voice has begun to shake.

"Damn, if I know!" I respond with only a hint of sarcasm. I try to keep my own voice from wavering. "Let's just keep going."

I pick up speed. Soon, the sight of burning cars and trucks is behind us. But the memory of it, is seared into our minds.

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**************************************

As we pull into town, a man nearly hurls himself in front of the cruiser. He waves both arms above his head, motioning for me to stop. I slam on the brakes and swerve to miss him. Deputy Wheeler places his left hand on the roof of the car, grips the grab handle above the passenger door, and braces himself against his seat. The cruiser's front passenger tire shimmies off of the curb-- before briefly going over it. Sliding off of the curb, the tire slams back down onto the pavement. The impact is so hard that Wheeler bites down on his tongue. He issues a gruff curse. The cruiser rolls to a stop only a second later. The man who stepped into the road rushes to the driver's side of the cruiser. He leans into the window. It is Reverend Cox.

"My goodness, James. It's you! What are you doin' in a Sheriff's car? I thought you were....Oh....Deputy Wheeler? Thank goodness! We're in need of some assistance. Please....Come with me to the church!"

Deputy Wheeler leans toward the driver's window and directs his speech at Reverend Cox.

"Reverend Cox! Have you seen Richard....Uh...Deputy Nesmith? We got into a firefight up at the Crawfords' place and Loranne was hurt bad. Have you seen 'em? Richard should have been this way by now? Have you seen 'em?"

"Uh....No, son. Haven't seen 'em. You're the first LEO I've seen up here since afternoon. That's why I flagged you down. Did I hear you right? You say you got in some kind of firefight at the Crawfords'?"

"Yes, Reverend. John Crawford....And Mel...They went pure crazy and shot up everyone and everything that moved up there. Killed all the young'uns and the women too. It was horrible, Reverend. Like you've been sayin' things would be. Like demons walkin' among men. John and Mel were like demons....Pure evil. All they cared about was killin'! Little April was doin' laundry when she was killed. She was just lyin' there....On a mountain of clothes. It was terrible, Reverend. Like you said. They devoured the flesh of their loins. They killed the little ones."

Deputy Wheeler's rant has begun to unnerve me. I fear he is becoming unhinged. I turn the subject of our conversation to whatever drove the reverend to nearly get himself run over.

"And what were you doing, Reverend? I nearly ran you over. Why did you run out in the road like that?"

"Right....Well, a few of us are holed up at the church. We were in a committee meeting when some of the members started actin'....Well...Crazy. Fell on the floor screamin' and mutilating themselves. Priscilla Tanner actually pulled one of her eyes out of the socket and....ate it. Then, she started yanking chunks of hair out of her own scalp and crawling around on all fours. Miles Kauffman stripped naked and started scratching the skin off of his face and arms....'Til he drew blood. Danny Porter started banging his head against the organ 'til he busted his forehead open. Blood was all over the keys. Samantha Rollins....She wouldn't stop screaming and banging her ear against the wall. I've never seen such madness. I rounded up all the remaining members of the committee and locked the others up. I heard a window break. They might not be in there anymore. But, I want a police escort before I go back there. I kept lookin' for somebody....Anybody. I was so happy to see you drive up, I kinda lost my senses. I want to return to the church. I need to make sure the others are okay. I only left them to look for help. Can you give me a ride back?"

Deputy Wheeler nods.

"Sure, Reverend. Hop in."

Reverend Cox climbs in the cruiser and we head for the church.