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been a throng of refugees around them。 Now he was alone； and though he had no other weight to carry besides his own； he knew the trek ahead of him would exhaust what little sum of will was left to him。 He wasn't much concerned at this。 If he perished on the way； it scarcely mattered。 Whatever Jude had said； his pilgrimage was at an end。
As he reached the crossroads where he'd encountered Floccus Dado； he heard a shout behind him and turned to see a bare…chested Monday galloping towards him through the dwindling light； mounted on a mule； or a striped variation thereof。
〃What were you doing； going without me？〃 he demanded when he reached Gentle's side。
〃I looked for you； but you weren't around。 1 thought you'd gone off to start a family with Hoi…Polloi。〃
〃Nah！〃 said Monday。 〃She's got funny ideas； that girl。 She said she wanted to introduce me to some fish。 I said I wasn't too keen on fish； 'cause the bones get stuck in your throat。 Well； that's right； innit？ People choke on fish； regular。 Anyhow； she looks at me like I just farted and says maybe I should go with you after all。 An' I said； I didn't even know you was leaving。 So she finds me this ugly little fuck〃…he slapped the hybrid's flank…〃and points me in this direction。〃 He glanced back at the city。 〃I think we're well out of there；〃 he said； dropping his voice。 〃There was too much water； if you ask me。 D'you see it at the gate？ A great fuckin' fountain。〃
〃No； I didn't。 That must be recent。〃
〃See？ The whole place is going to drown。 Let's get the fuck out of here。 Hop on。〃
〃What's the beast called？〃
〃Tolland；〃 Monday said with a grin。 〃Which way are we headed？〃
Gentle pointed towards the horizon。
〃I don't see nothin'。〃
〃Then that must be the right direction。〃
Ever the pragmatist； Monday hadn't left the city without supplies。 He'd made a sack of his shirt and filled it to bursting with succulent fruits； and it was these that sustained them as they traveled。 They didn't halt when night came； but kept up their steady pace； taking turns to walk beside the beast so as not to exhaust it and giving it at least as much of the fruit as they ate themselves； plus the piths； cores； and skins of their own portions。
Monday slept much of the time that he rode； but Gentle； despite his fatigue； remained wide awake； too vexed by the problem of how he was going to set this wasteland down in his book of maps to indulge himself in slumber。 The stone Huzzah had given him was constantly in his hand； coaxing so much sweat from his pores that several times a little pool gathered in the cup of his palm。 Discovering this； he would put the stone away； only to find a few minutes later that he'd taken it out of his pocket without even realizing that he'd done so； and his fingers were once again making play with it。
Now and then he'd cast a backward glance towards Yzordderrex； and it made quite a sight； the benighted flanks of the city glittering in countless places； as though the waters in its streets had bee perfect mirrors for the stars。 Nor was Yzordderrex the only source of such splendor。 The land between the gates of the city and the track that they were following also gleamed here and there； catching its own fragments of the sky's display。
But all such enchantments were gone by the first sign of dawn。 The city had long since disappeared into the distance behind them； and the thunderheads in front were lowering。 Gentle recognized the baleful color of this sky from the glimpse he and Tick Raw had snatched of the First； Though the Erasure still sealed Hapexamendios' pestilence from the Second； its taint was too persuasive to be obliterated； and the bruisy heavens loomed vaster as they traveled； lying along the entire horizon and climbing to their zenith。
There was some good news； however： they weren't alone。 As the wretched remains of the Dearthers' tents appeared on the horizon； so too did a congregation of God spotters； thirty or so； watching the Erasure。 One of them saw Gentle and Monday approaching； and word of their arrival passed through the small crowd until it reached one who instantly pelted in the travelers' direction。
〃Maestro！ Maestro！〃 he yelled as he came。
It was Chicka Jackeen； of course； and he was in a fair ecstasy to see Gentle； though after the initial flood of greetings the talk became grim。
〃What did we do wrong； Maestro？〃 he wanted to know。 〃This isn't the way it was meant to be； is it？〃
Gentle did his weary best to explain； astonishing and appalling Chicka Jackeen by turns。
〃So Hapexamendios is dead？〃
''Yes； he is。 And everything in the First is His body。 And it's rotting to high heaven。〃
〃What happens when the Erasure decays？〃
〃Who knows？ I'm afraid there's enough rot to stink out the Dominion。〃
〃So what's your plan？〃 Chicka Jackeen wanted to know。
〃I don't have one。〃
The other looked confounded at this。 〃But you came all the way here；〃 he said。 〃You must have had some notion or other。〃
〃I'm sorry to disappoint you；〃 Gentle replied； 〃but the truth is； this was the only place left for me to go。〃 He stared at the Erasure。 〃Hapexamendios was my Father； Lucius。 Perhaps in my heart of hearts I believe I should be in the First with Him。〃
〃If you don't mind me saying so； boss…〃 Monday broke in。
〃Yes？〃
〃That's a bloody stupid idea。〃
〃If you're going to go in； so am I；〃 Chicka Jackeen said。 〃I want to see for myself。 A dead God's something to tell your children about； eh？〃
〃Children？〃
〃Well；〃 said Jackeen； 〃it's either that or write my memoirs； and I haven't got the patience for that。〃
〃You？〃 Gentle said。 〃You waited two hundred years for me； and you say you haven't got patience？〃
〃Not any more；〃 came the reply。 〃I want a life； Maestro。〃
〃I don't blame you。〃
〃But not before I've seen the First。〃
They'd reached the Erasure by now； and while Chicka Jackeen went among his colleagues to tell them what he and the Reconciler were going to do； Monday once again piped up with his opinion on the venture。
〃Don't do it； boss；〃 he said。 〃You've got nothing to prove。 I know you were pissed off that they didn't throw a party in Yzordderrex； but fuck 'em； I say…or； rather； don't。 Let 'em have their fish。〃
Gentle laid his hands on Monday's shoulders。 〃Don't worry；〃 he said。 〃This isn't a suicide mission。〃
〃So what's the big hurry？ You're dead beat； boss。 Have a sleep。 Eat something。 Get strong。 There's all of tomorrow not touched yet。〃
〃I'm fine；'1 Gentle said。 〃I've got my talisman。〃
〃What's that？〃
Gentle opened his palm and showed Monday the blue stone。
〃A fuckin' egg？〃
〃An egg； eh？〃 Gentle said； tossing the stone in his hand。 〃Maybe it is。〃
He threw it up into the air a second time； and it rose； far higher than his muscle had propelled it； way up above their heads。 At the summit of its ascent it seemed to hover for a beat and then returned into his hand at leisure； defying the claim of gravity。 As it descended it brought the faintest drizzle down with it； cooling their upturned faces。
Monday cooed with pleasure。 〃Rain out of nowhere；〃 he said。 〃I remember that。〃
Gentle left him bathing the grime from his face and went to join Chicka Jackeen； who had finished explaining his intentions to his colleagues。 They all hung back； watching the Maestros with uneasy stares。
〃They think we're going to die；〃 Chicka Jackeen explained。
〃They may very well be right；〃 Gentle said quietly。 〃Are you certain you want to e with me？〃
〃I was never more certain of anything。〃 … With that they started towards the ambiguous ground that lay between the solidity of the Second and the Erasure's vacancy。 As they went； one of Jackeen's friends began to call after him； in distress at his departure。 The cry was taken up by several others； their shouts too mingled to be interpreted。 Jackeen halted for a moment and glanced back towards the pany he was leaving。 Gentle made no attempt to urge him on。 He ignored the shouts and picked up his speed； the Erasure thickening around him and the smell of the devastation that lay on the other side growing stronger with every step he took。 He was prepared for it； however。 Instead of holding his breath； he drew the stench of his Father's rot d