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PART ONE

THE HOLLOW MEN

All concerns ofwhen they wish to cure with evil

—Sophocles

CHAPTER ONE

This is how the world ends

CHAPTER TWO

HARTNUP’S TRANSITION ESTATE

STEBBINS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

He was sure that he was dying It was how he iined death would be

Cold

Darkness flowed slowly into the edges of everything As if the shadows under tables and behind cabinets were leaking out to fill the room Soft Not painful

That part was odd In his dreams—and Lee Hartnup often dreamed of death—there was pain Broken bones Bullet wounds Deep knife cuts

But this … this wasn’t painful

Not anymore Not after that first bite