Chapter 35I thought of Carmen’s statement aboutarmy ants as the Molochs, flames burning the first rows ofwarriors, marched ever so steadily through the valley. They werewithin a hundred yards of the canyon now. The fires turned theirflesh and faces black. Their noses and mouths burned and twisted inthe cackling red. They said nothing. No moans, no cries, no pleas.Chests and arms simply turned black and fell off, whole or inpieces.When the fires consumed the Molochs’ legs, they collapsed. The nextMolochs’ huge boot pushed the fallen deeper into the ground. Tenrows back the flames had diminished. The back soldiers graduallyslowed their pace putting space between them and their flamingcomrades. They waited until the fires had consumed the first tenrowsin a crackling heap.
“How many are left?
