sk.thewastelands-第5部分

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ing　Henry　nervous。
　　Another　tree　fell　with　a　ratcheting；　coughing　crash。　Looking　down　a　ragged　aisle　between　the　tall　firs；　Eddie　saw　a　cloud　of　sawdust　rise　in　the　still　air。　The　creature　responsible　for　that　cloud　suddenly　bellowed…a　raging；　gut…freezing　sound。
　　It　was　one　huge　motherfucker；　whatever　it　was。
　　He　dropped　the　chunk　of　wood；　then　flipped　Roland's　knife　at　a　tree　fifteen　feet　to　his　left。　It　somersaulted　twice　in　the　air　and　then　stuck　halfway　to　the　hilt　in　the　wood；　quivering。　He　grabbed　Roland's　。45　from　the　place　where　it　hung　and　cocked　it。
　　Stand　or　run？
　　But　he　discovered　he　no　longer　had　the　luxury　of　that　question。　The　thing　was　fast　as　well　as　huge；　and　it　was　now　too　late　to　run。　A　gigantic　shape　began　to　disclose　itself　in　that　aisle　of　trees　north　of　the　clearing；　a　shape　which　towered　above　all　but　the　tallest　trees。　It　was　lumbering　directly　toward　him；　and　as　its　eyes　fixed　upon　Eddie　Dean；　it　gave　voice　to　another　of　those　cries。
　　〃Oh　man；　I'm　fucked；〃　Eddie　whispered　as　another　tree　bent；　cracked　like　a　mortar；　then　crashed　to　the　forest　floor　in　a　cloud　of　dust　and　dead　needles。　Now　it　was　lumbering　straight　toward　the　clearing　where　he　stood；　a　bear　die　size　of　King　Kong。　Its　footfalls　made　the　ground　shake。
　　What　will　you　do；　Eddie？　Roland　suddenly　asked。　Think！　It's　the　only　advantage　you　have　over　yon　beast。　What　will　you　do？
　　He　didn't　think　he　could　kill　it。　Maybe　with　a　bazooka；　hut　probably　not　with　the　gunslinger's　。45。　He　could　run；　but　had　an　idea　that　the　oning　beast　might　be　pretty　fast　when　it　wanted　to　be。　He　guessed　the　chances　of　ending　up　as　jam　between　the　great　bear　s　toes　might　be　as　high　as　fifty…fifty。
　　So　which　one　was　it　going　to　be？　Stand　here　and　start　shooting　or　run　like　his　hair　was　on　fire　and　his　ass　was　catching？
　　It　occurred　to　him　that　there　was　a　third　choice。　He　could　climb。
　　He　turned　toward　the　tree　against　which　he　had　been　leaning。　It　was　a　huge；　hoary　pine；　easily　the　tallest　tree　in　this　part　of　the　woods。　The　first　branch　spread　out　over　the　forest　floor　in　a　feathery　green　fan　about　eight　feet　up。　Eddie　dropped　the　revolver's　hammer　and　then　jammed　the　gun　into　the　waistband　of　his　pants。　He　leaped　for　the　branch；　grabbed　it；　and　did　a　frantic　chin…up。　Behind　him；　the　bear　gave　voice　to　another　bellow　as　it　burst　into　the　clearing。
　　The　bear　would　have　had　him　just　the　same；　would　have　left　Eddie　Dean's　guts　hanging　in　gaudy　strings　from　the　lowest　branches　of　the　pine；　if　another　of　those　sneezing　fits　had　not　e　on　it　at　that　moment。　It　kicked　the　ashy　remains　of　the　campfire　into　a　black　cloud　and　then　stood　almost　doubled　over；　huge　front　paws　on　its　huge　thighs；　looking　for　a　moment　like　an　old　man　in　a　fur　coat；　an　old　man　with　a　cold。　It　sneezed　again　and　again…AH…CHOW！　AH…CHOW！　AH…CHOW！…and　clouds　of　parasites　blew　out　of　its　muzzle。　Hot　urine　flowed　in　a　stream　between　its　legs　and　hissed　out　the　campfire's　scattered　embers。
　　Eddie　did　not　waste　the　few　crucial　extra　moments　he　had　been　given。　He　went　up　the　tree　like　a　monkey　on　a　stick；　pausing　only　once　to　make　sure　the　gunslinger's　revolver　was　still　seated　firmly　in　the　waist…band　of　his　pants。　He　was　in　terror；　already　half　convinced　that　he　was　going　to　die　（what　else　could　he　expect；　now　that　Henry　wasn't　around　to　Watch　Out　for　him？）；　but　a　crazy　laughter　raved　through　his　head　just　the　same。　Been　treed；　he　thought。　How　bout　that；　sports　fans？　Been　treed　by　Bearzilla。
　　The　creature　raised　its　head　again；　the　thing　turning　between　its　ears　catching　winks　and　flashes　of　sunlight　as　it　did　so；　then　charged　Eddie's　tree。　It　reached　high　with　one　paw　and　slashed　forward；　meaning　to　knock　Eddie　loose　like　a　pinecone。　The　paw　tore　through　the　branch　he　was　standing　on　just　as　he　lunged　upward　to　the　next。　That　paw　tore　through　one　of　his　shoes　as　well；　pulling　it　from　his　foot　and　sending　it　flying　in　two　ragged　pieces。
　　That's　okay；　Eddie　thought。　You　can　have　em　both；　Br'er　Bear；　if　you　want。　Goddam　things　were　worn　out；　anyway。
　　The　bear　roared　and　lashed　at　the　tree；　cutting　deep　wounds　in　its　ancient　bark；　wounds　which　bled　clear；　resinous　sap。　Eddie　kept　on　yanking　himself　up。　The　branches　were　thinning　now；　and　when　he　risked　a　glance　down　he　stared　directly　into　the　bear's　muddy　eyes。　Below　its　cocked　head；　the　clearing　had　bee　a　target　with　the　scattered　smudge　of　campfire　as　its　bullseye。
　　〃Missed　me；　you　hairy　motherf…〃　Eddie　began；　and　then　the　bear；　its　head　still　cocked　back　to　look　at　him；　sneezed。　Eddie　was　immediately　drenched　in　hot　snot　that　was　filled　with　thousands　of　small　white　worms。　They　wriggled　frantically　on　his　shirt；　his　forearms；　his　throat　and　face。
　　Eddie　screamed　in　mingled　surprise　and　revulsion。　He　began　to　brush　at　his　eyes　and　mouth；　lost　his　balance；　and　just　managed　to　hook　an　arm　around　the　branch　beside　him　in　time。　He　held　on　and　raked　at　his　skin；　wiping　off　as　much　of　the　wormy　phlegm　as　he　could。　The　bear　roared　and　hit　the　tree　again。　The　pine　rocked　like　a　mast　in　a　gale　。　。　。　but　the　fresh　claw…marks　which　appeared　were　at　least　seven　feet　below　the　branch　on　which　Eddie's　feet　were　planted。
　　The　worms　were　dying；　he　realized…must　have　begun　dying　as　soon　as　they　left　the　infected　swamps　inside　the　monster's　body。　It　made　him　feel　a　little　better；　and　he　began　to　climb　again。　He　stopped　twelve　feet　further　up；　daring　to　go　no　higher。　The　trunk　of　the　pine；　easily　eight　feet　in　diameter　at　its　base；　was　now　no　more　than　eighteen　inches　through　the　middle。　He　had　distributed　his　weight　on　two　branches；　but　he　could　feel　both　of　them　bending　springily　beneath　him。　He　had　a　crow's　nest　view　of　the　forest　and　foothills　to　the　west　now；　spread　out　below　him　in　an　undulating　carpet。　Under　other　circumstances；　it　would　have　been　a　view　to　relish。
　　Top　of　the　world；　Ma；　he　thought。　He　looked　down　into　the　bear's　upturned　face　again；　and　for　a　moment　all…coherent　thought　was　driven　from　his　mind　by　simple　amazement。
　　There　was　something　growing　out　of　the　bear's　skull；　and　to　Eddie　it　looked　like　a　small　radar…dish。
　　The　gadget　turned　jerkily；　kicking　up　flashes　of　sun　as　it　did；　and　Eddie　could　hear　it　screaming　thinly。　He　had　owned　a　few　old　cars　in　his　time…the　kind　that　sat　in　the　used…car　lots　with　the　words　HANDYMAN'S　SPECIAL　soaped　on　the　windshields…and　he　thought　the　sound　ing　from　that　gadget　was　the　sound　of　bearings　which　will　freeze　up　if　they　are　not　replaced　soon。
　　The　bear　uttered　a　long；　purring　growl。　Yellowish　foam；　thick　with　worms；　squeezed　between　its　paws　in　curdled　gobbets。　If　he　had　never　looked　into　the　face　of　utter　lunacy　（and　he　supposed　he　had；　having　been　eyeball　to　eyeball　with　that　world…class　bitch　Detta　Walker　on　more　than　one　occasion）；　Eddie　was　looking　into　it　now　。　。　。　but　that　face　was；　thankfully；　a　good　thirty　feet　below　him；　and　at　their　highest　reach　those　killing　talons　were　fifteen　feet　under　the　soles　of　his　feet。　And；　unlike　the　trees　upon　which　the　bear　had　vented　its　spleen　as　it　approached　the　clearing；　this　one　was　not　dead。
　　〃Mexican　standoff；　honey；　Eddie　panted。　　He　wiped　sweat　from　his　forehead　with　one　sap…sticky　hand　and　flicked　the　mess　down　into　the　bugbear's　face。
　　Then　the　creature　the　Old　People　had　called　Mir　embraced　the　tree　with　its　great　forepaws　and　began　to　shake　it。　Eddie　grabbed　the　trunk　and　held　on　for　dear　life；　eyes　squeezed　into　grim　slits；　as　the　pine　began　to　sway　back　and　forth　like　a　pendulum。
　　
　　　6
　　ROLAND　HALTED　AT　THE　EDGE　of　the　clearing。　Susannah；　perched　on　his　shoulders；　stared　unbelievingly　across　the　open　space。　The　creature　stood　at　the　base　of　the　tree　where　Eddie　had　been　when　the　two　of　them　left　the　clearing　forty…five　minutes　ago。　She　could　see　only　chunks　and　sections　of　its　body　through　the　screen　of　branches　and　dark　green　needles。　Roland's　other　gunbelt　lay　beside　one　of　the　monster's　feet。　The　holster；　she　saw；　was　empty。
　　〃My　God；〃　she　murmured。
　　The　bear　screamed　like　a　distraught　woman　and　began　shaking　the　tree。　The　branches　lashed　as　if　in　a　high　wind。　Her　eyes　skated　upward　and　she　saw　a　dark　form　near　the　top。　Eddie　was　hugging　the　trunk　as　the　tree　rocked　and　rolled。　As　she　watched；　one　of　his　hands　slipped　and　flailed　wildly　for　purchase。
　　〃What　do　we　do？〃　she　screamed　down　at　Roland。　〃It's　goan　shake　him　loose！　What　do　we　do？〃
　　Roland　tried　to　think　about　it；　but　that　queer　sensation　had　returned　again…it　was　always　with　him　now；　but　stress　seemed　to　make　it　worse。　He　felt　like　two　men　existing　inside　one　skull。　Each　man　had　his　own　set　of　memories；　and　when　they　began　to　argue；　each　insisting　that　his　memories　were　the　true　ones；　the　gunslinger　felt　as　if　he　were　being　ripped　in　two。　He　made　a　desperate　effort　to　reconcile　these　two　halves　and　succeeded　。。。　at　least　for　the　moment。
　　〃It's　one　of　the　Twelve！〃　he　shouted。　〃One　of　the　Guardians！　Must　be！　But　I　thought　they　were…〃
　　The　bear　bellowed　up　at　Eddie　again。　Now　it　began　to　slap　at　the　tree　like　a　punchy　fighter。　Branches　snapped　and　fell　around　its　feet　in　a　tangle。
　　〃What？〃　Susannah　screamed。　〃What's　the　rest？〃
　　Roland　closed　his　eyes。　Inside　his　head；　a　voice　shouted；　The　boy's　name　was　Jake！　Another　voice　shouted　back；　There　WAS　no　boy！　There　WAS　no　boy；　and　you　know　it！
　　Get　away；　both　of　you！　he　snarled；　and　then　called　out　aloud：　〃Shoot　it！　Shoot　it　in　the　ass；　Susannah！　It'll　turn　and　charge！　When　it　does；　look　for　something　on　its　head！　It…〃
　　The　bear　squalled　again。　It　gave　up　slapping　the　tree　and　went　back　to　shaking　it。　Ominous　popping；　grinding　sounds　were　now　ing　from　the　upper　part　of　the　trunk。
　　When　he　could　be　heard　again；　Roland　shouted：　〃I　think　it　looks　like　a　hat！　A　little　steel　hat！　Shoot　it；　Susannah！　And　don't　miss！〃
　　Terror　suddenly　filled　her…terror　and　another　emotion；　one　she　would　never　have　expected：　crushing　loneliness。
　　〃No！　I'll　miss！　You　do　it；　Roland！〃　She　began　to　fumble　his　revolver　out　of　the　belt　she　wore；　meaning　to　give　it　to　him。
　　〃Can't！〃　Roland　shouted。　〃The　angle's　bad！　You　have　to　do　it；　Susan…nah！　This　is　the　real　test；　and　you'd　better　pass　it！〃
　　〃Roland…〃
　　〃It　means　to　snap　the　to