فصل 69

CHAPTER 69

THE FOUR

THE CELL DOOR BANGED OPEN. James, lying huddled on the dirt floor with the other ten prisoners, sat up, squinting as the light of an electric torch flashed across his face.

“I need four,” said a distorted, rasping voice. James, realizing that it was the Skeleton, turned away to hide his face, wanting nothing to do with this hideous creature.

Too late.

“That one,” the Skeleton said, pointing his claw of a hand at James. A guard yanked James roughly to his feet. The Skeleton selected three more men. The four of them were herded out into the tunnel, where six guards surrounded them. The cell door clanged shut. Skeleton stepped close to the four men, his yellow eye peering out from his hood, inspecting them by the light of a bare electric bulb.

“I have selected you to perform a task,” the Skeleton said. “If you do exactly as I say, you will not suffer. If you disobey me, or even hesitate …” He reached out his claw and touched the shoulder of the man next to James. The man screamed and fell to the floor.

Without another word the Skeleton turned and started down the hall. The guards yanked the fallen man to his feet and shoved the four prisoners forward. They were shaken, and hunger had weakened their legs, but they did not stumble. They did not dare.