sk.thewastelands-第47部分

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then　swung　forward　again　like　Tarzan　on　a　vine。　He　raised　his　legs　and　kicked　out　at　the　clutching　fingers　as　he　closed　on　them。　Plaster　exploded　in　chunks；　revealing　a　crudely　jointed　skeleton　of　lathing　beneath。　The　plaster…man　roared；　a　sound　of　intermingled　hunger　and　rage。　Beneath　that　cry；　Jake　could　hear　the　whole　house　collapsing；　like　the　one　in　that　story　of　Edgar　Allan　Poe。
　　He　pendulumed　back　on　the　chain；　struck　the　wall　of　packed　earth　which　blocked　the　doorway；　then　swung　forward　again。　The　hand　reached　up　for　him　and　he　kicked　at　it　wildly；　legs　scissoring。　He　felt　a　stab　of　pain　in　his　foot　as　those　wooden　fingers　clutched。　When　he　swung　back　again；　he　was　minus　a　sneaker。
　　He　tried　for　a　higher　grip　on　the　chain；　found　it；　and　began　to　shinny　up　toward　the　ceiling。　There　was　a　muffled；　creaking　thud　above　him。　Fine　plaster　dust　had　begun　to　sift　down　on　his　upturned；　sweating　face。　The　ceiling　had　begun　to　sag；　the　lamp…chain　was　pulling　out　of　it　a　link　at　a　time。　There　was　a　thick　crunching　sound　from　the　end　of　the　hallway　as　the　plaster…man　finally　pushed　its　hungry　face　through　the　opening。
　　Jake　swung　helplessly　back　toward　that　face；　screaming。
　　
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　　EDDIE'S　TERROR　AND　PANIC　suddenly　fell　away。　The　cloak　of　coldness　dropped　over　him…a　cloak　Roland　of　Gilead　had　worn　many　times。　It　was　the　only　armor　the　true　gunslinger　possessed　。　。　。　and　all　such　a　one　needed。　At　the　same　moment；　a　voice　spoke　in　his　mind。　He　had　been　haunted　by　such　voices　over　the　last　three　months；　his　mother's　voice；　Roland's　voice；　and；　of　course；　Henry's。　But　this　one；　he　recognized　with　relief；　was　his　own；　and　it　was　at　last　calm　and　rational　and　courageous。
　　You　saw　the　shape　of　the　key　in　the　fire；　you　saw　it　again　in　the　wood；　and　both　times　you　saw　it　perfectly。　Later　on；　you　put　a　blindfold　of　fear　over　your　eyes。　Take　it　off。　Take　it　off　and　look　again。　It　may　not　be　too　late；　even　now。
　　He　was　faintly　aware　that　the　gunslinger　was　staring　at　him　grimly；　faintly　aware　that　Susannah　was　shrieking　at　the　demon　in　a　fading　but　still　defiant　voice；　faintly　aware　that；　on　the　other　side　of　the　door；　Jake　was　screaming　in　terror…or　was　it　now　agony？
　　Eddie　ignored　them　all。　He　pulled　the　wooden　key　out　of　the　key…hole　he　had　drawn；　out　of　the　door　which　was　now　real；　and　looked　at　it　fixedly；　trying　to　recapture　the　innocent　delight　he　had　sometimes　known　as　a　child…the　delight　of　seeing　a　coherent　shape　hidden　in　senselessness。　And　there　it　was；　the　place　he'd　gone　wrong；　so　clearly　visible　he　couldn't　understand　how　he'd　missed　it　in　the　first　place。　I　really　must　have　been　wearing　a　blindfold；　he　thought。　It　was　the　s…shape　at　the　end　of　the　key；　of　course。　The　second　curve　was　a　bit　too　fat。　Just　a　tiny　bit。
　　〃Knife；〃　he　said；　and　held　out　his　hand　like　a　surgeon　in　an　operating　room。　Roland　slapped　it　into　his　palm　without　a　word。
　　Eddie　gripped　the　top　of　the　blade　between　the　thumb　and　first　finger　of　his　right　hand。　He　bent　over　the　key；　unmindful　of　the　hail　which　pelted　his　unprotected　neck；　and　the　shape　in　the　wood　stood　out　more　clearly…stood　out　with　its　own　lovely　and　undeniable　reality。
　　He　scraped。
　　Once。
　　Delicately。
　　A　single　sliver　of　ash；　so　thin　it　was　almost　transparent；　curled　up　from　the　belly　of　the　s…shape　at　the　end　of　the　key。
　　On　the　other　side　of　the　door；　Jake　Chambers　shrieked　again。
　　
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　　THE　CHAIN　LET　GO　with　a　rattling　crash　and　Jake　fell　heavily；　landing　on　his　knees。　The　doorkeeper　roared　in　triumph。　The　plaster　hand　seized　Jake　about　his　hips　and　began　to　drag　him　down　the　hall。　He　stuck　his　legs　out　in　front　of　him　and　planted　his　feet；　but　it　did　no　good。　He　felt　splinters　and　rust…blunted　nails　digging　into　his　skin　as　the　hand　tightened　its　grip　and　continued　to　drag　him　forward。
　　The　face　appeared　to　be　stuck　just　inside　the　entrance　to　the　hallway　like　a　cork　in　a　bottle。　The　pressure　it　had　exerted　to　get　in　that　far　had　squeezed　the　rudimentary　features　into　a　new　shape；　that　of　some　mon…strous；　malformed　troll。　The　mouth　yawned　open　to　receive　him。　Jake　groped　madly　for　the　key；　wanting　to　use　it　as　some　last…ditch　talisman；　but　of　course　he　had　left　it　in　the　door。
　　'〃You　son　of　a　bitch！〃　he　screamed；　and　threw　himself　backward　with　all　his　strength；　bowing　his　back　like　an　Olympic　diver；　unmindful　of　the　broken　boards　which　dug　into　him　like　a　belt　of　nails。　He　felt　his　jeans　slide　down　on　his　hips；　and　the　grip　of　the　hand　slipped　momentarily。
　　Jake　lunged　again。　The　hand　clenched　brutally；　but　Jake's　jeans　slid　down　to　his　knees　and　his　back　slammed　to　the　floor；　with　the　pack　to　cushion　the　blow。　The　hand　loosened；　perhaps　wanting　to　secure　a　firmer　grip　upon　its　prey。　Jake　was　able　to　draw　his　knees　up　a　little；　and　when　the　hand　tightened　again；　Jake　drove　his　legs　forward。　The　hand　yanked　backward　at　the　same　time；　and　what　Jake　had　hoped　for　happened：　his　jeans　（and　his　remaining　sneaker）　were　peeled　from　his　body；　leaving　him　free　again；　at　least　for　the　moment。　He　saw　the　hand　rotate　on　his　wrist　of　boards　and　disintegrating　plaster　and　jam　his　dungarees　into　his　mouth。　Then　he　was　crawling　back　toward　the　blocked　doorway　on　his　hands　and　knees；　oblivious　of　the　glass　fragments　from　the　fallen　lamp；　wanting　only　to　get　his　key　again。
　　He　had　almost　reached　the　door　when　the　hand　closed　over　his　naked　legs　and　began　to　pull　him　back　once　more。
　　
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　　THE　SHAPE　WAS　THERE　now；　finally　all　there。
　　Eddie　put　the　key　back　into　the　keyhole　and　applied　pressure。　For　a　moment　there　was　resistance　。　。　。　and　then　it　revolved　beneath　his　hand。　He　heard　the　locking　mechanism　turn；　heard　the　bar　pull　back；　felt　the　key　crack　in　two　the　moment　it　had　served　its　purpose。　He　grasped　the　dark；　polished　knob　with　both　hands　and　pulled。　There　was　a　sense　of　great　weight　wheeling　on　an　unseen　pivot。　A　feeling　that　his　arm　had　been　gifted　with　boundless　strength。　And　a　clear　knowledge　that　two　worlds　had　suddenly　e　in　contact；　and　a　way　had　been　opened　between　them。
　　He　felt　a　moment　of　dizziness　and　disorientation；　and　as　he　looked　through　the　doorway　he　realized　why：　although　he　was　looking　down…vertically…he　was　seeing　horizontally。　It　was　like　a　strange　optical　illusion　created　with　prisms　and　mirrors。　Then　he　saw　Jake　being　pulled　backward　down　the　glass…　and　plaster…littered　hallway；　elbows　dragging；　calves　pinned…together　by　a　giant　hand。　And　he　saw　the　monstrous　mouth　which　awaited　him；　fuming　some　white　fog　that　might　have　been　either　smoke　or　dust。
　　〃Roland！〃　Eddie　shouted。　〃Roland；　it's　got　h…〃
　　Then　he　was　knocked　aside。
　　
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　　SUSANNAH　WAS　AWARE　OF　being　hauled　up　and　whirled　around。　The　world　was　a　carousel　blur：　standing　stones；　gray　sky；　hailstone…littered　ground。。。　and　a　rectangular　hole　that　looked　like　a　trapdoor　in　the　ground。　Screams　drifted　up　from　it。　Within　her；　the　demon　raved　and　struggled；　wanting　only　to　escape　but　helpless　to　do　so　until　she　allowed　it。
　　〃Now！〃　Roland　was　shouting。　〃Let　it　go　now；　Susannah！　For　your　father's　sake；　let　it　go　NOW！〃
　　And　she　did。
　　She　had　（with　Detta's　help）　constructed*　a　trap　for　it　in　her　mind；　something　like　a　net　of　woven　rushes；　and　now　she　cut　them。　She　felt　the　demon　fly　back　from　her　at　once；　and　there　was　an　instant　of　terrible　hollowness；　terrible　emptiness。　These　feelings　were　at　once　overshadowed　by　relief　and　a　grim　sense　of　nastiness　and　defilement。
　　As　its　invisible　weight　fell　away；　she　glimpsed　it…an　inhuman　shape　like　a　manta…ray　with　huge；　curling　wings　and　something　that　looked　like　a　cruel　baling　hook　curving　out　and　up　from　beneath。　She　saw/sensed　the　thing　flash　above　the　open　hole　in　the　ground。　Saw　Eddie　looking　up　with　wide　eyes。　Saw　Roland　spread　his　arms　wide　to　catch　the　demon。
　　The　gunslinger　staggered　back；　almost　knocked　off　his　feet　by　the　unseen　weight　of　the　demon。　Then　he　rocked　forward　again　with　an　armload　of　nothing。
　　Clutching　it；　he　jumped　through　the　doorway　and　was　gone。
　　
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　　SUDDEN　WHITE　LIGHT　FLOODED　the　hallway　of　The　Mansion；　hailstones　struck　the　walls　and　bounced　up　from　the　broken　boards　of　the　floor。　Jake　heard　confused　shouts；　then　saw　the　gunslinger　e　through。　He　seemed　to　leap　through；　as　if　he　had　e　from　above。　His　arms　were　held　far　out　in　front　of　him；　the　tips　of　the　fingers　locked。
　　Jake　felt　his　feet　slide　into　the　doorkeeper's　mouth。
　　〃Roland！〃　he　shrieked。　〃Roland；　help　me！〃
　　The　gunslinger's　hands　parted　and　his　arms　were　immediately　thrown　wide。　He　staggered　backward。　Jake　felt　serrated　teeth　touch　his　skin；　ready　to　tear　flesh　and　grind　bone；　and　then　something　huge　rushed　over　his　head　like　a　gust　of　wind。　A　moment　later　the　teeth　were　gone。　The　hand　which　had　pinned　his　legs　together　relaxed。　He　heard　an　unearthly　shriek　of　pain　and　surprise　begin　to　issue　from　the　doorkeeper's　dusty　throat；　and　then　it　was　muffled；　crammed　back。
　　Roland　grabbed　Jake　and　hauled　him　to　his　feet。
　　〃You　came！〃　Jake　shouted。　〃You　really　came！〃
　　〃I　came；　yes。　By　the　grace　of　the　gods　and　the　courage　of　my　friends；　I　came。〃
　　As　the　doorkeeper　roared　again；　Jake　burst　into　tears　of　relief　and　terror。　Now　the　house　sounded　like　a　ship　foundering　in　a　heavy　sea。　Chunks　of　wood　and　plaster　fell　all　around　them。　Roland　swept　Jake　into　his　arms　and　ran　for　the　door。　The　plaster　hand；　groping　wildly；　struck　one　of　his　booted　feet　and　spun　him　into　the　wall；　which　again　tried　to　bite。　Roland　pushed　forward；　turned；　and　drew　his　gun。　He　fired　twice　into　the　aimlessly　thrashing　hand；　vaporizing　one　of　the　crude　plaster　fingers。　Behind　them；　the　face　of　the　doorkeeper　had　gone　from　white　to　a　dingy　purplish…black；　as　if　it　were　choking　on　something…something　which　had　been　fleeing　so　rapidly　that　it　had　entered　the　monster's　mouth　and　jammed　in　its　gullet　before　it　realized　what　it　was　doing。
　　Roland　turned　again　and　ran　through　the　doorway。　Although　there　was　now　no　visible　barrier；　he　was　stopped　cold　for　a　moment；　as　if　an　unseen　meshwork　had　been　drawn　across　the　chair。
　　Then　he　felt　Eddie's　hands　in　his　hair　and　he　was　yanked　not　for…ward　but　upward。
　　
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　　THEY　EMERGED　INTO　WET　air　and　slackening　h