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its。 But breaking point was closer than anyone would have dared to admit。 The citizens were not as resilient as they had been in previous contests。 A bad decade for crops had produced bodies less well…nourished； spines less supple； wills less resolute。 The badly knitted flank might not have caused an accident in itself； but further weakened by the frailty of the petitors it set a scene for death on an unprecedented scale。
They stopped the car。
〃Hear that？〃 Mick shook his head。 His hearing hadn't been good since he was an adolescent。 Too many rock shows had blown his eardrums to hell。
Judd got out of the car。
The birds were quieter now。 The noise he'd heard as they drove came again。 It wasn't simply a noise： it was almost a motion in the earth； a roar that seemed seated in the substance of the hills。
Thunder； was it？
No； too rhythmical。 It came again； through the soles of the feet…Boom。
Mick heard it this time。 He leaned out of the car window。
〃It's up ahead somewhere。 I hear it now。〃 Judd nodded。
Boom。
The earth…thunder sounded again。 〃What the hell is it？〃 said Mick。 〃Whatever it is； I want to see it…； Judd got back into the Volkswagen； smiling。
〃Sounds almost like guns；〃 he said； starting the car。 〃Big guns。〃
Through his Russian…made binoculars Vaslav Jelovsek watched the starting…official raise his pistol。 He saw the feather of white smoke rise from the barrel； and a second later heard the sound of the shot across the valley。
The contest had begun。
He looked up at twin towers of Popolac and Podujevo。 Heads in the clouds…well almost。 They practically stretched to touch the sky。 It was an awesome sight； a breath…stopping； sleep…stabbing sight。 Two cities swaying and writhing and preparing to take their first steps towards each other in this ritual battle。
Of the two； Podujevo seemed the less stable。 There was a slight hesitation as the city raised its left leg to begin its march。 Nothing serious； just a little difficulty in co…ordinating hip and thigh muscles。 A couple of steps and the city would find its rhythm； a couple more and its inhabitants would be moving as one creature； one perfect giant set to match its grace and power against its mirror…image。
The gunshot had sent flurries of birds up from the trees that banked the hidden valley。 They rose up in celebration of the great contest； chattering their excitement as they swooped over the stamping…ground。
〃Did you hear a shot？〃 asked Judd。
Mick nodded。
〃Military exercises 。 。 。？〃 Judd's smile had broadened。 He could see the headlines already…exclusive reports of secret manoeuvres in the depths of the Yugoslavian countryside。 Russian tanks perhaps； tactical exercises being held out of the West's prying sight。 With luck； he would be the carrier of this news。
Boom。
Boom。
There were birds in the air。 The thunder was louder now。
It did sound like guns。
〃It's over the next ridge 。 。 。〃 said Judd。
〃I don't think we should go any further。〃
〃I have to see。〃
〃I don't。 We're not supposed to be here。〃
〃I don't see any signs。〃
〃They'll cart us away； deport us…I don't know…I just think …； Boom。
〃I've got to see。〃 The words were scarcely out of his mouth when the screaming started。
Podujevo was screaming： a death…cry。 Someone buried in the weak flank had died of the strain； and had begun a chain of decay in the system。 One man loosed his neighbour and that neighbour loosed his； spreading a cancer of chaos through the body of the city。 The coherence of the towering structure deteriorated with terrifying rapidity as the failure of one part of the anatomy put unendurable pressure on the other。
The masterpiece that the good citizens of Podujevo had constructed of their own flesh and blood tottered and then …a dynamited skyscraper； it began to fall。
The broken flank spewed citizens like a slashed artery spitting blood。 Then； with a graceful sloth that made the agonies of the citizens all the more horrible； it bowed towards the earth； all its limbs dissembling as it fell。
The huge head； that had brushed the clouds so recently； was flung back on its thick neck。 Ten thousand mouths spoke a single scream for its vast mouth； a wordless； infinitely pitiable appeal to the sky。 A howl of loss； a howl of anticipation； a howl of puzzlement。 How； that scream demanded； could the day of days end like this； in a welter of falling bodies？
〃Did you hear that？〃 It was unmistakably human； though almost deafeningly loud。 Judd's stomach convulsed。 He looked across at Mick； who was as white as a sheet。
Judd stopped the car。
〃No；〃 said Mick。
〃Listen…for Christ's sake…； The din of dying moans； appeals and imprecations flooded the air。 It was very close。
〃We've got to go on now；〃 Mick implored。
Judd shook his head。 He was prepared for some military spectacle…all the Russian army massed over the next hill …but that noise in his ears was the noise of human flesh …too human for words。 It reminded him of his childhood imaginings of Hell； the endless； unspeakable torments his mother had threatened him with if he failed to embrace Christ。 It was a terror he'd forgotten for twenty years。 But suddenly； here it was again； fresh…faced。 Maybe the pit itself gaped just over the next horizon； with his mother standing at its lip； inviting him to taste its punishments。
〃If you won't drive； I will。〃 Mick got out of the car and crossed in front of it； glancing up the track as he did so。 There was a moment's hesitation； no more than a moment's； when his eyes flickered with disbelief； before he turned towards the windscreen； his face even paler than it had been previously and said： 〃Jesus Christ。 。 。〃 in a voice that was thick with suppressed nausea。
His lover was still sitting behind the wheel； his head in his hands； trying to blot out memories。
〃Judd。。 。〃 Judd looked up； slowly。 Mick was staring at him like a wildman； his face shining with a sudden； icy sweat。 Judd looked past him。 A few metres ahead the track had mysteriously darkened； as a tide edged towards the car； a thick； deep tide of blood。 Judd's reason twisted and turned to make any other sense of the sight than that inevitable conclusion。 But there was no saner explanation。 It was blood； in unendurable abundance； blood without end…And now； in the breeze； there was the flavour of freshly…opened carcasses： the smell out of the depths of the human body； part sweet； part savoury。
Mick stumbled back to the passenger's side of the VW and fumbled weakly at the handle。 The door opened suddenly and he lurched inside； his eyes glazed。
〃Back up；〃 he said。
Judd reached for the ignition。 The tide of blood was already sloshing against the front wheels。 Ahead； the world had been painted red。
〃Drive； for fuck's sake； drive！〃 Judd was making no attempt to start the car。
〃We must look；〃 he said； without conviction； 〃we have to。〃
〃We don't have to do anything；〃 said Mick； 〃but get the hell out of here。 It's not our business 。 。 。〃
〃Plane…crash…； 〃There's no smoke。〃
〃Those are human voices。〃 Mick's instinct was to le