sk.thewastelands-第12部分

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　it　over。　The　chunk　of　wood　he　had　been　working　on　lay　nearby；　he　grabbed　it　and　tucked　it　into　the　pocket　in　the　hack　of　Susannah's　wheelchair　as　the　gunslinger　slowly　buckled　the　wide　leather　belt　around　his　waist　and　cinched　the　rawhide　tiedown。
　　〃…IN　SHUTDOWN　PHASE；　ONE　SUBNUCLEAR　CELL　OPERATING　AT　ONE　PER　CENT　CAPACITY。　THESE　CELLS…〃
　　Susannah　followed　Eddie；　holding　in　her　lap　a　carry…all　bag　she　had　sewn　herself。　As　Eddie　handed　her　the　hides；　she　stuffed　them　into　the　bag。　When　all　of　them　were　stored　away；　Roland　tapped　Eddie　on　the　arm　and　handed　him　a　shoulderpack。　What　it　contained　mostly　was　deer…meat；　heavily　salted　from　a　natural　lick　Roland　had　found　about　three　miles　up　the　little　creek。　The　gunslinger　had　already　donned　a　similar　pack。　His　purse…restocked　and　once　again　bulging　with　all　sorts　of　odds　and　ends…hung　from　his　other　shoulder。
　　A　strange；　home…made　harness　with　a　seat　of　stitched　deerskin　dan…gled　from　a　nearby　branch。　Roland　plucked　it　off；　studied　it　for　a　moment；　and　then　draped　it　over　his　back　and　knotted　the　straps　below　his　chest。　Susannah　made　a　sour　face　at　diis；　and　Roland　saw　it。　He　did　not　try　to　speak…this　close　to　the　bear；　he　couldn't　have　made　himself　heard　even　by　shouting　at　the　top　of　his　voice…but　he　shrugged　sympatheti…cally　and　spread　his　hands：　You　know　well　need　it。
　　She　shrugged　back。　/　know　。　。　。　but　that　doesn't　mean　I　like　it。
　　The　gunslinger　pointed　across　the　clearing。　A　pair　of　leaning；　splin…tered　spruce　trees　marked　the　place　where　Shardik；　who　had　once　been　known　as　Mir　in　these　parts；　had　entered　the　clearing。
　　Eddie　leaned　toward　Susannah；　made　a　circle　with　his　thumb　and　forefinger；　then　raised　his　eyebrows　interrogatively。　Okay？
　　She　nodded；　then　pressed　the　heels　of　her　palms　against　her　ears。　Okay…but　let's　get　out　of　here　before　I　go　deaf。
　　The　three　of　them　moved　across　the　clearing；　Eddie　pushing　Susan…nah；　who　held　the　bag　of　hides　in　her　lap。　The　pocket　in　the　back　of　her　wheelchair　was　stuffed　with　other　items；　die　piece　of　wood　with　the　slingshot　still　mostly　hidden　inside　it　was　only　one　of　them。
　　From　behind　them　the　bear　continued　to　roar　out　its　final　muni…cation　to　the　world；　telling　them　shutdown　would　be　plete　in　forty　minutes。　Eddie　couldn't　wait。　The　broken　spruces　leaned　in　toward　each　other；　forming　a　rude　gate；　and　Eddie　thought：　This　is　where　the　quest　for　Roland's　Dark　Tower　really　begins；　at　least　for　us。
　　He　thought　of　his　dream　again…the　spiraling　windows　issuing　their　unfurling　flags　of　darkness；　flags　which　spread　over　the　field　of　roses　like　a　stain…and　as　they　passed　beneath　the　leaning　trees；　a　deep　shudder　gripped　him。
　　
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　　THEY　WERE　ABLE　TO　use　the　wheelchair　longer　than　Roland　had　expected。　The　firs　of　this　forest　were　very　old；　and　their　spreading　branches　had　created　a　deep　carpet　of　needles　which　discouraged　most　undergrowth。　Susannah's　arms　were　strong…stronger　than　Eddie's；　although　Roland　did　not　think　that　would　be　true　much　longer…and　she　wheeled　herself　along　easily　over　the　level；　shady　forest　floor。　When　they　came　to　one　of　the　trees　the　bear　had　pushed　over；　Roland　lifted　her　out　of　the　chair　and　Eddie　boosted　it　over　the　obstacle。
　　From　behind　them；　only　a　little　deadened　by　distance；　the　bear　told　them；　at　the　top　of　its　mechanical　voice；　that　the　capacity　of　its　last　operating　nuclear　subcell　was　now　negligible。
　　〃I　hope　you　keep　that　damn　harness　lying　empty　over　your　shoulders　all　day！〃　Susannah　shouted　at　the　gunslinger。
　　Roland　agreed；　but　less　than　fifteen　minutes　later　the　land　began　to　slope　downward　and　this　old　section　of　the　forest　began　to　be　invaded　with　smaller；　younger　trees：　birch；　alder；　and　a　few　stunted　maples　scrab…bling　grimly　in　the　soil　for　purchase。　The　carpet　of　needles　thinned　and　the　wheels　of　Susannah's　chair　began　to　catch　in　the　low；　tough　bushes　which　grew　in　the　alleys　between　the　trees。　Their　thin　branches　boinged　and　rattled　in　the　stainless　steel　spokes。　Eddie　threw　his　weight　against　the　handles　and　they　were　able　to　go　on　for　another　quarter　of　a　mile　that　way。　Then　the　slope　began　to　grow　more　steep；　and　the　ground　underfoot　became　mushy。
　　〃Time　for　a　pig…back；　lady；〃　Roland　said。
　　〃Let's　try　the　chair　a　little　longer；　what　do　you　say？　Going　might　get　easier…〃
　　Roland　shook　his　head。　〃If　you　try　that　hill；　you'll　。　。　。　what　did　you　call　it；　Eddie？　。。。　do　a　dugout？〃
　　Eddie　shook　his　head；　grinning。　〃It's　called　doing　a　doughnut；　Roland。　A　term　from　my　misspent　sidewalk…surfing　days。〃
　　〃Whatever　you　call　it；　it　means　landing　on　your　head。　e　on；　Susannah。　Up　you　e。〃
　　〃I　hate　being　a　cripple；〃　Susannah　said　crossly；　but　allowed　Eddie　to　hoist　her　out　of　the　chair　and　worked　with　him　to　seat　herself　firmly　in　the　harness　Roland　wore　on　his　back。　Once　she　was　in　place；　she　touched　the　butt　of　Roland's　pistol。　〃Y'all　want　this　baby？〃　she　asked　Eddie。
　　He　shook　his　head。　〃You're　faster。　And　you　know　it；　too。〃
　　She　grunted　and　adjusted　the　belt；　settling　the　gunbutt　so　it　was　easily　accessible　to　her　right　hand。　〃I'm　slowing　you　boys　down　and　I　know　that　。　。　。　but　if　we　ever　make　it　to　some　good　old　two…lane　blacktop；　I'll　leave　the　both　of　you　kneelin　in　the　blocks。〃
　　〃I　don't　doubt　it；〃　Roland　said　。　。　。　and　then　cocked　his　head。　The　woods　had　fallen　silent。
　　〃Br'er　Bear　has　finally　given　up；〃　Susannah　said。　〃Praise　God。〃
　　〃I　thought　it　still　had　seven　minutes　to　go；〃　Eddie　said。
　　Roland　adjusted　the　straps　of　the　harness。　〃Its　clock　must　have　started　running　a　little　slow　during　the　last　five　or　six　hundred　years。〃
　　〃You　really　think　it　was　that　old；　Roland？〃
　　Roland　nodded。　〃At　least。　And　now　it's　passed　。　。　。　the　last　of　the　Twelve　Guardians；　for　all　we　know。〃
　　〃Yeah；　ask　me　if　I　give　a　shit；〃　Eddie　replied；　and　Susannah　laughed。
　　〃Are　you　fortable？〃　Roland　asked　her。
　　〃No。　My　butt　hurts　already；　but　go　on。　Just　try　not　to　drop　me。〃
　　Roland　nodded　and　started　down　the　slope。　Eddie　followed；　pushing　the　empty　chair　and　trying　not　to　bang　it　too　badly　on　the　rocks　which　had　begun　to　jut　out　of　the　ground　like　big　white　knuckles。　Now　that　the　bear　had　finally　shut　up；　he　thought　the　forest　seemed　much　too　quiet…it　almost　made　him　feel　like　a　character　in　one　of　those　hokey　old　jungle　movies　about　cannibals　and　giant　apes。
　　
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　　THE　BEAR'S　BACKTRAIL　WAS　easy　to　find　but　tougher　to　follow。　Five　miles　or　so　out　of　the　clearing；　it　led　them　through　a　low；　boggy　area　that　was　not　quite　a　swamp。　By　the　time　the　ground　began　to　rise　and　firm　up　a　little　again；　Roland's　faded　jeans　were　soaked　to　the　knees　and　he　was　breathing　in　long；　steady　rasps。　Still；　he　was　in　slightly　better　shape　than　Eddie；　who　had　found　wrestling　Susannah's　wheelchair　through　the　muck　and　standing　water　hard　going。
　　〃Time　to　rest　and　eat　something；〃　Roland　said。
　　〃Oh　boy；　gimme　eats；〃　Eddie　puffed。　He　helped　Susannah　out　of　the　harness　and　set　her　down　on　the　bole　of　a　fallen　tree　with　claw…marks　slashed　into　its　trunk　in　long　diagonal　grooves。　Then　he　half…sat；　half…collapsed　next　to　her。
　　〃You　got　my　wheelchair　pretty　muddy；　white　boy；〃　Susannah　said。　〃It's　all　goan　be　in　my　repote。〃
　　He　cocked　an　eyebrow　at　her。　〃Next　carwash　we　e　to；　I'll　push　you　through　myself。　I'll　even　Turtle…wax　the　goddamn　thing。　Okay？〃
　　She　smiled。　〃You　got　a　date；　handsome。〃
　　Eddie　had　one　of　Roland's　waterskins　cinched　around　his　waist。　He　tapped　it。　〃Okay？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　Roland　said。　〃Not　too　much　now；　a　little　more　for　all　of　us　before　we　set　out　again。　That　way　no　one　takes　a　cramp。〃
　　〃Roland；　Eagle　Scout　of　Oz；〃　Eddie　said；　and　giggled　as　he　unslung　the　waterskin。
　　〃What　is　this　Oz？〃
　　〃A　make…believe　place　in　a　movie；〃　Susannah　said。
　　〃Oz　was　a　lot　more　than　that。　My　brother　Henry　used　to　read　me　the　stories　once　in　a　while。　I'll　tell　you　one　some　night；　Roland。〃
　　〃That　would　be　fine；〃　the　gunslinger　replied　seriously。　〃I　am　hungry　to　know　more　of　your　world。〃
　　〃Oz　isn't　our　world；　though。　Like　Susannah　said；　it's　a　make…believe　place…〃
　　Roland　handed　them　chunks　of　meat　which　had　been　wrapped　in　broad　leaves　of　some　sort。　〃The　quickest　way　to　learn　about　a　new　place　is　to　know　what　it　dreams　of。　I　would　hear　of　this　Oz。〃
　　〃Okay；　that's　a　date；　too。　Suze　can　tell　you　the　one　about　Dorothy　and　Toto　and　the　Tin　Woodman；　and　I'll　tell　you　all　the　rest。〃　He　bit　into　his　piece　of　meat　and　rolled　his　eyes　approvingly。　It　had　taken　the　flavor　of　the　leaves　in　which　it　had　been　rolled；　and　was　delicious。　Eddie　wolfed　his　ration；　stomach　gurgling　busily　all　the　while。　Now　that　he　was　getting　his　breath　back；　he　felt　good…great；　in　fact。　His　body　was　growing　a　solid　sheath　of　muscle；　and　every　part　of　it　felt　at　peace　with　every　other　part。
　　Don't　worry；　he　thought。　Everything　will　be　arguing　again　by　tonight。　I　think　he's　gonna　push　on　until　I'm　ready　to　drop　in　my　tracks。
　　Susannah　ate　more　delicately；　chasing　every　second　or　third　bite　with　a　little　sip　of　water；　turning　the　meat　in　her　hands；　eating　from　the　outside　in。　〃Finish　what　you　started　last　night；〃　she　invited　Roland。　〃You　said　you　thought　you　understood　these　conflicting　memories　of　yours。〃
　　Roland　nodded。　〃Yes。　I　think　both　memories　are　true。　One　is　a　little　truer　than　the　other；　but　that　does　not　negate　the　truth　of　that　other。〃
　　〃Makes　no　sense　to　me；〃　Eddie　said。　〃Either　this　boy　Jake　was　at　the　way　station　or　he　wasn't；　Roland。〃
　　〃It　is　a　paradox…something　that　is　and　isn't　at　the　same　time。　Until　it's　resolved；　I　will　continue　divided。　That's　bad　enough；　but　the　basic　split　is　widening。　I　can　feel　that　happening。　It　is　。。。　unspeakable。〃
　　〃What　do　you　think　caused　it？〃　Susannah　asked。
　　〃I　told　you　the　boy　was　pushed　in　front　of　a　car。　Pushed。　Now；　who　do　we　know　who　liked　to　push　people　in　front　of　things？〃
　　Understanding　dawned　in　her　face。　〃Jack　Mort。　Do　you　mean　he　was　the　one　who　pushed　this　boy　into　the　street？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃But　you　said　the　man　in　black　did　it；〃　Eddie　objected。　〃Your　buddy　Walter。　You　said　that　the　boy　saw　him…a　man　who　looked　like　a　priest。　Didn't　the　kid　even　hear　him　say　he　was？　'Let　me　through；　I'm　a　priest；'　something　like　t