Tanner rounded up more dogs on Cable Street, then continued working his way down the list until he reached an odd little church in Shadwell. Even in the night’s gloom it was possible to see that it was deeply infected. It was the worst he had seen. He scribbled an i next to the name on the list, tied up the other dogs and picked up Lil’ Mags to take a closer look. As he got nearer she barked and snarled at it.
‘Don’t worry. You ain’t going in there,’ said Tanner. ‘I’m just having a look.’
The church virtually pulsated with Black Rot. Tanner felt as if the actual building was watching. Lil’ Mags growled fearfully.
‘Hush now,’ said Tanner, but nothing would silence her. ‘Calm down, girl.’ He placed his hand over her mouth but she bit down on it.
‘Ouch.’ He loosened his grip for a moment and she wriggled free. She ran towards the church.
The other dogs were barking too.
‘No, Lil’ Mags. No.’ Tanner charged after her but he wasn’t quick enough to stop her leaping straight through the door, disappearing into the blackened church.
‘Lil’ Mags,’ he screamed, falling to his knees. ‘Lil’ Mags!’
Why had she left him? It was his fault. He should have kept her on the lead. He cursed himself for naming her at all. The dead weren’t supposed to get attached to things. And why call her Mags of all names? Why had he named her after the mother who had also abandoned him in life? Stupid, sentimental boy, he thought. What were you thinking?
Tanner covered his eyes, but ghosts were not afforded the luxury of actual tears. He lowered his hands and, to his astonishment, saw that the Black Rot was receding. Vanishing. The substance was disappearing into the bricks. It was releasing the building from its corrosive grip. The building was healing itself. Tanner stared in amazement as the normal colour returned to the church and the black sludge that had covered it vanished. A few minutes and the building was back to normal.
The other dogs barked furiously. Tanner ran back and grabbed one, a whippet with dried blood down the side of its face. He hastily released it. There was no need to throw anything because the freed dog followed Lil’ Mags into the building.
For a moment, Tanner waited anxiously, then there was a sudden barking and the dog returned, running straight past him and away across the road into the darkness. The building was safe. The Black Rot had gone.
‘Lil’ Mags,’ called Tanner. ‘I’m coming in to get you.’
He approached but, seeing the door rattle, stopped dead. Something was behind it. After a moment the doors burst open and a great cloud of black smoke rushed out, swirling around him. Tanner coughed and spluttered and covered his mouth. The smoke had an acidic bitter taste and an unworldly stench. Tanner was used to passing through people, getting that brief glimpse into the insides of their bodies. But this was different. The smoke, whatever it was, passed through him, giving him a vision into the utter darkness of it. It felt like being embodied by a scream. A world of horror and torment passed through Tanner’s head and then was suddenly gone. He turned and watched as the black smoke vanished.