sk.thewastelands-第46部分

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　　〃e　on；　sugah！〃　Susannah　cried　from　behind　him。　〃You　weakenin　on　me！　Wassa　matta？　I　thought　you　was　some　kind　of　hot…shit　studboy！〃
　　Boy。　That　was　it。
　　Carefully；　he　wrote　THE　BOY　across　the　top　panel　of　the　door　with　the　tip　of　his　stick。　At　the　instant　he　finished　the　Y；　the　drawing　changed。　The　circle　of　rain…darkened　earth　he　had　drawn　suddenly　darkened　even　more　。　。　。　and　pushed　up　from　the　ground；　being　a　dark；　gleaming　knob。　And　instead　of　brown；　wet　earth　within　the　shape　of　the　keyhole；　he　could　see　dim　light。
　　Behind　him；　Susannah　shrieked　at　the　demon　again；　urging　it　on；　but　now　she　sounded　as　if　she　were　tiring。　This　had　to　end；　and　soon。
　　Eddie　bent　forward　from　the　waist　like　a　Muslim　saluting　Allah；　and　put　his　eye　to　the　keyhole　he　had　drawn。　He　looked　through　it　into　his　own　world；　into　that　house　which　he　and　Henry　had　gone　to　see　in　May　of　1977；　unaware　（except　he；　Eddie；　had　not　been　unaware；　no；　not　totally　unaware；　even　then）　that　a　boy　from　another　part　of　the　city　was　following　them。
　　He　saw　a　hallway。　Jake　was　down　on　his　hands　and　knees；　tugging　frantically　at　a　board。　Something　was　ing　for　him。　Eddie　could　see　it；　but　at　the　same　time　he　could　not…it　was　as　if　part　of　his　brain　refused　to　see　it；　as　if　seeing　would　lead　to　prehension　and　prehension　to　madness。
　　〃Hurry　up；　Jake！〃　he　screamed　into　the　keyhole。　〃For　Christ's　sake；　move　it！〃
　　Above　the　speaking　ring；　thunder　ripped　the　sky　like　cannon…fire　and　the　rain　turned　to　hail。
　　
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　　FOR　A　MOMENT　AFTER　the　key　fell；　Jake　only　stood　where　he　was；　staring　down　at　the　narrow　crack　between　the　boards。
　　Incredibly；　he　felt　sleepy。
　　That　shouldn't　have　happened；　he　thought。　It's　one　thing　too　much。　I　can't　go　on　with　this；　not　one　minute；　not　one　single　second　longer。　I'm　going　to　curl　up　against　that　door　instead。　I'm　going　to　go　to　sleep；　right　away；　all　at　once；　and　when　it　grabs　me　and　pulls　me　toward　its　mouth；　I'll　never　wake　up。
　　Then　the　thing　ing　out　of　the　wall　grunted；　and　when　Jake　looked　up；　his　urge　to　give　in　vanished　in　a　single　stroke　of　terror。　Now　it　was　all　the　way　out　of　the　wall；　a　giant　plaster　head　with　one　broken　wooden　eye　and　one　reaching　plaster　hand。　Chunks　of　lathing　stood　out　on　its　skull　in　random　hackles；　like　a　child's　drawing　of　hair。　It　saw　Jake　and　opened　its　mouth；　revealing　jagged　wooden　teeth。　It　grunted　again。　Plaster…dust　drifted　out　of　its　yawning　mouth　like　cigar　smoke。
　　Jake　fell　to　his　knees　and　peered　into　the　crack。　The　key　was　a　small　brave　shimmer　of　silvery　light　down　there　in　the　dark；　but　the　crack　was　far　too　narrow　to　admit　his　fingers。　He　seized　one　of　the　boards　and　yanked　with　all　his　might。　The　nails　which　held　it　groaned　。。。　but　held。
　　There　was　a　jangling　crash。　He　looked　down　the　hallway　and　saw　the　hand；　which　was　bigger　than　his　whole　body；　seize　the　fallen　chandelier　and　throw　it　aside。　The　rusty　chain　which　had　once　held　it　suspended　rose　like　a　bullwhip　and　then　came　down　with　a　heavy　crump。　A　dead　lamp　on　a　rusty　chain　rattled　above　Jake；　dirty　glass　chattering　against　ancient　brass。
　　The　doorkeeper's　head；　attached　only　to　its　single　hunched　shoulder　and　reaching　arm；　slid　forward　above　the　floor。　Behind　it；　the　remains　of　the　wall　collapsed　in　a　cloud　of　dust。　A　moment　later　the　fragments　humped　up　and　became　the　creature's　twisted；　bony　back。
　　The　doorkeeper　saw　Jake　looking　and　seemed　to　grin。　As　it　did；　splinters　of　wood　poked　out　of　its　wrinkling　cheeks。　It　dragged　itself　forward　through　the　dust…hazed　ballroom；　mouth　opening　and　closing。　Its　great　hand　groped　amid　the　ruins；　feeling　for　purchase；　and　ripped　one　of　the　French　doors　at　the　end　of　the　hall　from　its　track。
　　Jake　screamed　breathlessly　and　began　to　wrench　at　the　board　again。　It　wouldn't　e；　but　the　gunslinger's　voice　did：
　　〃The　other　one；　Jake！　Try　the　other　one！〃
　　He　let　go　of　the　board　he　had　been　yanking　at　and　grabbed　the　one　on　the　other　side　of　the　crack。　As　he　did；　another　voice　spoke。　He　heard　this　one　not　in　his　head　but　with　his　ears；　and　understood　it　was　ing　from　the　other　side　of　the　door…the　door　he　had　been　looking　for　ever　since　the　day　he　hadn't　been　run　over　in　the　street。
　　〃Hurry　up；　Jake！　For　Christ's　sake；　hurry　up！〃
　　When　he　yanked　this　other　board；　it　came　free　so　easily　that　he　almost　tumbled　over　backward。
　　
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　　Two　WOMEN　WERE　STANDING　in　the　doorway　of　the　used　appliance　shop　across　the　street　from　The　Mansion。　The　older　was　the　proprietor；　the　younger　had　been　her　only　customer　when　the　sounds　of　crashing　walls　and　breaking　beams　began。　Now；　without　knowing　they　were　doing　it；　they　linked　arms　about　each　other's　waists　and　stood　that　way；　trembling　like　children　who　hear　a　noise　in　the　dark。
　　Up　the　street；　a　trio　of　boys　on　their　way　to　the　Dutch　Hill　Little　League　field　stood　gaping　at　the　house；　their　Red　Ball　Flyer　wagon　filled　with　baseball　equipment　forgotten　behind　them。　A　delivery　driver　nosed　his　van　into　the　curb　and　got　out　to　look。　The　patrons　of　Henry's　Corner　Market　and　the　Dutch　Hill　Pub　came　straggling　up　the　street；　looking　around　wildly。
　　Now　the　ground　began　to　tremble；　and　a　fan　of　fine　cracks　started　to　spread　across　Rhinehold　Street。
　　〃Is　it　an　earthquake？〃　the　delivery　van　driver　shouted　at　the　women　standing　outside　the　appliance　shop；　hut　instead　of　waiting　for　an　answer　he　jumped　hack　behind　the　wheel　of　his　van　and　drove　away　rapidly；　swerving　to　the　wrong　side　of　the　street　to　keep　away　from　the　ruined　house　which　was　the　epicenter　of　this　convulsion。
　　The　entire　house　seemed　to　be　bowing　inward。　Boards　splintered；　jumped　off　its　face；　and　rained　down　into　the　yard。　Dirty　gray…black　waterfalls　of　slate　shingles　poured　down　from　the　eaves。　There　was　an　earsplitting　bang　and　a　long；　zigzagging　crack　shot　down　the　center　of　The　Mansion。　The　door　disappeared　into　it　and　then　the　whole　house　began　to　swallow　itself　from　the　outside　in。
　　The　younger　woman　suddenly　broke　the　older　one's　grip。　〃I'm　get…ting　out　of　here；〃　she　said；　and　began　to　run　up　the　street　without　looking　back。
　　
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　　A　HOT；　STRANGE　WIND　began　to　sigh　down　the　hallway；　blowing　Jake's　sweaty　hair　back　from　his　brow　as　his　fingers　closed　over　the　silver　key。　He　now　understood　on　some　instinctive　level　what　this　place　was；　and　what　was　happening。　The　doorkeeper　was　not　just　in　the　house；　it　was　the　house：　every　board；　every　shingle；　every　windowsill；　every　eave。　And　now　it　was　pushing　forward；　being　some　crazily　jumbled　representa…tion　of　its　true　shape　as　it　did。　It　meant　to　catch　him　before　he　could　use　the　key。　Beyond　the　giant　white　head　and　the　crooked；　hulking　shoul…der；　he　could　see　boards　and　shingles　and　wire　and　bits　of　glass…even　the　front　door　and　the　broken　banister…flying　up　the　main　hall　and　into　the　ballroom；　joining　the　form　which　bulked　there；　creating　more　and　more　of　the　misshapen　plaster…man　that　was　even　now　groping　toward　him　with　its　freakish　hand。
　　Jake　yanked　his　own　hand　out　of　the　hole　in　the　floor　and　saw　it　was　covered　with　huge　trundling　beetles。　He　slapped　it　against　the　wall　to　knock　them　off；　and　cried　out　as　the　wall　first　opened　and　then　tried　to　close　around　his　wrist。　He　yanked　his　hand　free　just　in　time；　whirled；　and　jammed　the　silver　key　into　the　hole　in　the　plate。
　　The　plaster…man　roared　again；　but　its　voice　was　momentarily　drowned　out　by　a　harmonic　shout　which　Jake　recognized：　he　had　heard　it　in　the　vacant　lot；　but　it　had　been　quiet　then；　perhaps　dreaming。　Now　it　was　an　unequivocal　cry　of　triumph。　That　sense　of　certainty…over…whelming；　inarguable…filled　him　again；　and　this　time　he　felt　sure　there　would　be　no　disappointment。　He　heard　all　the　affirmation　he　needed　in　that　voice。　It　was　the　voice　of　the　rose。
　　The　dim　light　in　the　hallway　was　blotted　out　as　the　plaster　hand　tore　away　the　other　French　door　and　squeezed　into　the　corridor。　The　face　socked　itself　into　the　opening　above　the　hand；　peering　at　Jake。　The　plas…ter　fingers　crawled　toward　him　like　the　legs　of　a　huge　spider。
　　Jake　turned　the　key　and　felt　a　sudden　surge　of　power　rush　up　his　arm。　He　heard　a　heavy；　muffled　thump　as　the　locked　bolt　inside　with…drew。　He　seized　the　knob；　turned　it；　and　yanked　the　door　open。　It　swung　wide。　Jake　cried　out　in　confused　horror　as　he　saw　what　lay　behind。
　　The　doorway　was　blocked　with　earth；　from　top　to　bottom　and　side　to　side。　Roots　poked　out　like　bunches　of　wire。　Worms；　seeming　as　con…fused　as　Jake　was　himself；　crawled　hither　and　thither　on　the　door…shaped　pack　of　dirt。　Some　dived　back　into　it；　others　only　went　on　crawling　about；　as　if　wondering　where　the　earth　which　had　been　below　them　a　moment　ago　had　gone。　One　dropped　onto　Jake's　sneaker。
　　The　keyhole　shape　remained　for　a　moment；　shedding　a　spot　of　misty　white　light　on　Jake's　shirt。　Beyond　it…so　close；　so　out　of　reach…he　could　hear　rain　and　a　muffled　boom　of　thunder　across　an　open　sky。　Then　the　keyhole　shape　was　also　blotted　out；　and　gigantic　plaster　fingers　curled　around　Jake's　lower　leg。
　　
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　　EDDIE　DID　NOT　FEEL　the　sting　of　the　hail　as　Roland　dropped　the　hide；　got　to　his　feet；　and　ran　to　where　Susannah　lay。
　　The　gunslinger　grabbed　her　beneath　the　arms　and　dragged　her…as　gently　and　carefully　as　he　could…across　to　where　Eddie　crouched。　〃Let　it　go　when　I　tell　you；　Susannah！〃　Roland　shouted。　〃Do　you　understand？　When　I　tell　you！〃
　　Eddie　saw　and　heard　none　of　this。　He　heard　only　Jake；　screaming　faintly　on　the　other　side　of　the　door。
　　The　time　had　e　to　use　the　key。
　　He　pulled　it　out　of　his　shirt　and　slid　it　into　the　keyhole　he　had　drawn。　He　tried　to　turn　it。　The　key　would　not　turn。　Not　so　much　as　a　millimeter。　Eddie　lifted　his　face　to　the　pelting　hail；　oblivious　to　the　iceballs　which　struck　his　forehead　and　cheeks　and　lips；　leaving　welts　and　red　blotches。
　　〃NO！〃　he　howled。　〃OH　GOD；　PLEASE！　NO！〃
　　But　there　was　no　answer　from　God；　only　another　crash　of　thunder　and　a　streak　of　lightning　across　a　sky　now　filled　with　racing　clouds。
　　
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　　JAKE　LUNGED　UPWARD；　CRABBED　the　chain　of　the　lamp　which　hung　above　him；　and　ripped　free　of　the　doorkeeper's　clutching　fingers。　He　swung　backward；　used　the　packed　earth　in　the　doorway　to　push　off；　and　then　swu