A young mexican guy was running an upright vacuum cleaner in the lobby.When I tapped on the glass he shrugged, let me in, and pointed down along dark ...allway to a door with light shining from under it and throughthe spy hole.Just as I was out of range of the noise from the vacuum cleaner, my cellphone rang."Is this, uh, Veronica Nelson?" asked a man's voice. He told me he'dfound my purse, and asked me when I could get down to the theater."Actually I'm in the building. I think I'm heading your. Instead, they flared even brighter than the sunlight, sparkling and writhing furiously. Only Eldred's upraised staff deflected a lance of light that sought the crowding audience, its impact staggering him."Get back!" he shouted frantically, and the villagers melted away from around him. "Get indoors, out of the sun. This thing feeds on light!"It was swirling and growing as it absorbed the sunlight. The tattered bodies of its victims faded into it, along with everything living, until only bare,. The third week of August a number of people in her office would be taking a vacation and going to Atlantic City for four days. The company was having a conference and would be paying for the price of the rooms for the employees plus they would be eating most meals free. She said she was planning on going."What about our family? We can't take two little kids to Atlantic City. Besides I can't get off work. I took my vacation when the kids were born." You don't have to go. Julie, one of the girls. " Bottom dollar?" Huh?" How badly do you want this out of here?" Pretty bad ... Chicago school starts in two weeks, boating season is over in less than a month ... the Almanac is predicting a very bad November and there's all those boats," he gave a sweep of his hand at half a million small craft scattered all over Pentwater Lake, "That need to be hauled, prepped and stored. I need this out of here."Andrea got an evil gleam and said, "I wonder what scrap aluminum is bringing in?" Oh my god ....