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“Cowards!”
BLAM! BLAM!
Someone firing methodically now, working the shotgun pump.
Sam felt a sharp sting in the meat of his shoulder. He hit the dirt, knocking the wind from his lungs.
People running past. He rolled onto his back, hands at the ready.
BLAM!
The pellets hit the sand near enough for Sam to hear the impact.
He rolled away, over and over.
BLAM! BLAM!
Then a click. A curse. More feet running, pummeling the sand.
He leaped up, aimed and fired. The killing green light drew a scream of pain or fear, but the retreating figure didn’t stop.
Sam got up more slowly this time. Sand was in his shirt, his mouth, his ears. In his eyes. Smoke and sand and his eyes were streaming. He saw nothing but blurs.
Now the light was working against him, making him an easy target. He waved and the tiny sun blinked out. The beach was dark again, though a faint hint of gray pearled the sky over the ocean.
He spit, trying to get the sand out of his mouth. Rubbed his eyes gently, trying to dislodge the grit.
Someone behind him!
The pain was like fire. A lash that cut through his shirt and tore his flesh.
Sam spun from the impact.
A dark shape.
A razor-sharp whistling sound and Sam, too stunned to move, felt the lash on his shoulder.
“Hey there, Sammy. Long time, huh?”
“No,” Sam gasped.
“Oh, yes,” the voice snarled. The voice Sam knew. The voice he dreaded. The voice that had laughed and crowed as he lay on the polished floor of the power plant, screaming in agony.
Sam blinked, struggled to open one eye, to see what could not possibly be real. He raised his hands and fired blind.
The whistling, whooshing sound. Sam ducked instinctively and the blow went harmlessly by.
“The demon!” a girl’s voice cried.
But it came from behind Sam because he had turned and run.
He ran. Ran blindly down the sand.
Ran and fell and jumped up to run again.
He didn’t stop until he hit the concrete beach wall, smashing his calves. He landed facedown on the ground and lay there, panting.
Quinn had turned the boats to shore, dreading what he would find when they reached land.
