sk.thewastelands-第68部分

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fter　some　weird　brain…plague　had　killed　all　the　sane　people　in　the　world。
　　The　ancient；　rusty　hulks　of　what　had　once　surely　been　automobiles　stood　at　intervals　along　both　curbs。　Most　were　bubble…shaped　roadsters　that　looked　like　no　cars　Jake　had　ever　seen　before　（except；　maybe；　for　the　ones　the　white…gloved　creations　of　Walt　Disney　drove　in　the　ic　books）；　but　among　them　he　saw　an　old　Volkswagen　Beetle；　a　car　that　might　have　been　a　Chevrolet　Corvair；　and　something　he　believed　was　a　Model　A　Ford。　There　were　no　tires　on　any　of　these　eerie　hulks；　they　either　had　been　stolen　or　had　rotted　away　to　dust　long　since。　And　all　the　glass　had　been　broken；　as　if　the　remaining　denizens　of　this　city　abhorred　anything　which　might　show　them　their　own　reflections；　even　accidentally。
　　Beneath　and　between　the　abandoned　cars；　the　gutters　were　filled　with　drifts　of　unidentifiable　metal　junk　and　bright　glints　of　glass。　Trees　had　been　planted　at　intervals　along　the　sidewalks　in　some　long…gone；　happier　time；　but　they　were　now　so　emphatically　dead　that　they　looked　like　stark　metal　sculptures　against　the　cloudy　sky。　Some　of　the　warehouses　had　either　been　bombed　or　had　collapsed　on　their　own；　and　beyond　the　jumbled　heaps　of　bricks　which　was　all　that　remained　of　them　Jake　could　see　the　river　and　the　rusty；　sagging　underpinnings　of　the　Send　Bridge。　That　smell　of　wet　decay…a　smell　that　seemed　almost　to　snarl　in　the　nose…was　stronger　than　ever。
　　The　street　headed　due　east；　diverging　from　the　path　of　the　Beam；　and　Jake　could　see　it　became　more　and　more　choked　with　rubble　and　rickrack　as　it　went。　Six　or　seven　blocks　down　it　appeared　to　be　entirely　plugged；　but　it　was　in　this　direction　that　Gasher　pulled　him。　At　first　he　kept　up；　but　Gasher　was　setting　a　fearsome　pace。　Jake　began　to　pant　and　fell　a　step　behind。　Gasher　almost　jerked　him　off　his　feet　as　he　dragged　Jake　toward　the　barrier　of　junk　and　concrete　and　rusty　steel　beams　which　lay　ahead。　The　plug…which　looked　like　a　deliberate　construction　to　Jake…lay　between　two　broad　buildings　with　dusty　marble　facades。　In　front　of　the　one　on　the　left　was　a　statue　Jake　recognized　at　once：　it　was　the　woman　called　Blind　Justice；　and　that　almost　surely　made　the　building　she　guarded　a　courthouse。　But　he　only　had　a　moment　to　look；　Gasher　was　dragging　him　relentlessly　toward　the　barricade；　and　he　wasn't　slowing　down。
　　He'll　kill　us　if　he　tries　to　take　us　through　there！　Jake　thought；　but　Gasher…who　ran　like　the　wind　in　spite　of　the　disease　which　advertised　itself　on　his　face…simply　buried　his　fingers　deeper　in　Jake's　upper　arm　and　swept　him　along。　And　now　Jake　saw　a　narrow　alley　in　the　not…quite…haphazard　pile　of　concrete；　splintered　furniture；　rusted　plumbing　fixtures；　and　chunks　of　trucks　and　automobiles。　He　suddenly　understood。　This　maze　would　hold　Roland　up　for　hours　。　。　。　but　it　was　Gasher's　back　yard；　and　he　knew　exactly　where　he　was　going。
　　The　small　dark　opening　to　the　alley　was　on　the　left　side　of　the　tottery　pile　of　junk。　As　they　reached　it；　Gasher　tossed　the　green　object　back　over　his　shoulder。　〃Better　duck；　dearie！〃　he　cried；　and　voiced　a　series　of　shrill；　hysterical　giggles。　A　moment　later　a　huge；　crumping　explo…sion　shook　the　street。　One　of　the　bubble…shaped　cars　jumped　twenty　feet　into　the　air　and　then　came　down　on　its　roof。　A　hail　of　bricks　whistled　over　Jake's　head；　and　something　thumped　him　hard　on　the　left　shoulder…blade。　He　stumbled　and　would　have　fallen　if　Gasher　hadn't　yanked　him　upright　and　pulled　him　into　the　narrow　opening　in　the　rubble。　Once　they　were　in　the　passageway　which　lay　beyond；　gloomy　shadows　reached　out　eagerly　and　enfolded　them。
　　When　they　were　gone；　a　small；　furry　shape　crept　out　from　behind　a　concrete　boulder。　It　was　Oy。　He　stood　at　the　mouth　of　the　passage　for　a　moment；　neck　stretched　forward；　eyes　gleaming。　Then　he　followed　after；　nose　low　to　the　ground　and　sniffing　carefully。

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　　〃E　ON；〃　ROLAND　SAID　as　soon　as　Gasher　had　turned　tail。
　　〃How　could　you　do　it？〃　Eddie　asked。　〃How　could　you　let　that　freak　have　him？〃
　　〃Because　I　had　no　choice。　Bring　the　wheelchair。　We're　going　to　need　it。〃
　　They　had　reached　the　concrete　on　the　far　side　of　the　gap　when　an　explosion　shook　the　bridge；　spraying　rubble　into　the　darkening　sky。
　　〃Christ！〃　Eddie　said；　and　turned　his　white；　dismayed　face　to　Roland。
　　〃Don't　worry　yet；〃　Roland　said　calmly。　〃Fellows　like　Gasher　rarely　get　careless　with　their　high…explosive　toys。〃　They　reached　the　tollbooths　at　the　end　of　the　bridge。　Roland　stopped　just　beyond；　at　the　top　of　the　curving　ramp。
　　〃You　knew　the　guy　wasn't　just　bluffing；　didn't　you？〃　Eddie　said。　〃I　mean；　you　weren't　guessing…you　knew。〃
　　〃He's　a　walking　dead　man；　and　such　men　don't　need　to　bluff。〃　Roland's　voice　was　calm　enough；　but　there　was　a　deep　undertone　of　bitterness　and　pain　in　it。　〃I　knew　something　like　this　could　happen；　and　if　we'd　seen　the　fellow　earlier；　while　we　were　still　beyond　the　range　of　his　exploding　egg；　we　could　have　stood　him　off。　But　then　Jake　fell　and　he　got　too　close。　I　imagine　he　thinks　our　real　reason　for　bringing　a　boy　in　the　first　place　was　to　pay　for　safe　conduct　through　the　city。　Damn！　Damn　the　luck！〃　Roland　struck　his　fist　against　his　leg。
　　〃Well；　let's　go　get　him！〃
　　Roland　shook　his　head。　〃This　is　where　we　split　up。　We　can't　take　Susannah　where　the　bastard's　gone；　and　we　can't　leave　her　alone。〃
　　〃But…〃
　　〃Listen　and　don't　argue…not　if　you　want　to　save　Jake。　The　longer　we　stand　here；　the　colder　his　trail　gets。　Cold　trails　are　hard　to　follow。　You've　got　your　own　job　to　do。　If　there's　another　Blaine；　and　I　am　sure　Jake　believes　there　is；　then　you　and　Susannah　must　find　it。　There　must　be　a　station；　or　what　was　once　called　a　cradle　in　the　far　lands。　Do　you　understand？〃
　　For　once；　blessedly；　Eddie　didn't　argue。　〃Yeah。　We'll　find　it。　What　then？〃
　　〃Fire　a　shot　every　half　hour　or　so。　When　I　get　Jake；　I'll　e。〃
　　〃Shots　may　attract　other　people　as　well；〃　Susannah　said。　Eddie　had　helped　her　out　of　the　sling　and　she　was　seated　in　her　chair　again。
　　Roland　surveyed　them　coldly。　〃Handle　them。〃
　　〃Okay。〃　Eddie　stuck　out　his　hand　and　Roland　took　it　briefly。　〃Find　him；　Roland。〃
　　〃Oh；　I'll　find　him。　Just　pray　to　your　gods　that　I　find　him　soon　enough。　And　remember　the　faces　of　your　fathers；　both　of　you。〃
　　Susannah　nodded。　〃We'll　try。〃
　　Roland　turned　and　ran　light…footed　down　the　ramp。　When　he　was　out　of　sight；　Eddie　looked　at　Susannah　and　was　not　very　surprised　to　see　she　was　crying。　He　felt　like　crying　himself。　Half　an　hour　ago　they　had　been　a　tight　little　band　of　friends。　Their　fortable　fellowship　had　been　smashed　to　bits　in　the　space　of　just　a　few　minutes…Jake　abducted；　Roland　gone　after　him。　Even　Oy　had　run　away。　Eddie　had　never　felt　so　lonely　in　his　life。
　　〃I　have　a　feeling　we're　never　going　to　see　either　of　them　again；〃　Susannah　said。
　　〃Of　course　we　will！〃　Eddie　said　roughly；　but　he　knew　what　she　meant；　because　he　felt　the　same　way。　The　premonition　that　their　quest　was　all　over　before　it　was　fairly　begun　lay　heavy　on　his　heart。　〃In　a　fight　with　Attila　the　Hun；　I'd　give　you　three…to…two　odds　on　Roland　the　Barbar…ian。　e　on；　Suze…we've　got　a　train　to　catch。〃
　　〃But　where？〃　she　asked　forlornly。
　　〃I　don't　know。　Maybe　we　should　just　find　the　nearest　wise　old　elf　and　ask　him；　huh？〃
　　〃What　are　you　talking　about；　Edward　Dean？〃
　　〃Nothing；〃　he　said；　and　because　that　was　so　goddam　true　he　thought　he　might　burst　into　tears；　he　grasped　the　handles　of　her　wheelchair　and　began　to　push　it　down　the　cracked　and　glass…littered　ramp　that　led　into　the　city　of　Lud。
　　
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　　JAKE　QUICKLY　DESCENDED　INTO　a　foggy　world　where　the　only　landmarks　were　pain：　his　throbbing　hand；　the　place　on　his　upper　arm　where　Gasher's　fingers　dug　in　like　steel　pegs；　his　burning　lungs。　Before　they　had　gone　far；　these　pains　were　first　joined　and　then　overmatched　by　a　deep；　burning　stitch　in　his　left　side。　He　wondered　if　Roland　was　following　after　them　yet。　He　also　wondered　how　long　Oy　would　be　able　to　live　in　this　world　which　was　so　unlike　the　plains　and　forest　which　were　all　he　had　known　until　now。　Then　Gasher　clouted　him　across　the　face；　bloodying　his　nose；　and　thought　was　lost　in　a　red　wash　of　pain。
　　〃e　on；　yer　little　bastard！　Move　yer　sweet　cheeks！〃
　　〃Running　。。。　as　fast　as　I　can；〃　Jake　gasped；　and　just　managed　to　dodge　a　thick　shard　of　glass　which　jutted　like　a　long　transparent　tooth　from　the　wall　of　junk　to　his　left。
　　〃You　better　not　be；　because　I'll　knock　yer　cold　and　drag　yer　along　by　the　hair　o'　yer　head　if　y'are！　Now　hup；　you　little　barstard！〃
　　Jake　somehow　forced　himself　to　run　faster。　He'd　gone　into　the　alley　with　the　idea　that　they　must　shortly　re…emerge　onto　the　avenue；　but　he　now　reluctantly　realized　that　wasn't　going　to　happen。　This　was　more　than　an　alley；　it　was　a　camouflaged　and　fortified　road　leading　ever　deeper　into　the　country　of　the　Grays。　The　tall；　tottery　walls　which　pressed　in　on　them　had　been　built　from　an　exotic　array　of　materials：　cars　which　had　been　partially　or　pletely　flattened　by　the　chunks　of　granite　and　steel　placed　on　top　of　them；　marble　pillars；　unknown　factory　machines　which　were　dull　red　with　rust　wherever　they　weren't　still　black　with　grease；　a　chrome…and…crystal　fish　as　big　as　a　private　plane　with　one　cryptic　word　of　the　High　Speech…DELIGHT…carefully　incised　into　its　scaly　gleaming　side；　crisscrossing　chains；　each　link　as　big　as　Jake's　head；　wrapped　around　mad　jumbles　of　furniture　that　appeared　to　balance　above　them　as　precariously　as　circus　elephants　do　on　their　tiny　steel　platforms。
　　They　came　to　a　place　where　this　lunatic　path　branched；　and　Gasher　chose　the　left　fork　without　hesitation。　A　little　further　along；　three　more　alleyways；　these　so　narrow　they　were　almost　tunnels；　spoked　off　in　various　directions。　This　time　Gasher　chose　the　right…hand　branching。　The　new　path；　which　seemed　to　be　formed　by　banks　of　rotting　boxes　and　huge　blocks　of　old　paper…paper　that　might　once　have　been　books　or　maga…zines…was　too　narrow　for　them　to　run　in　side　by　side。　Gasher　shoved　Jake　into　the　lead　and　began　beating　him　relentlessly　on　the　back　to　make　him　go　faster。　This　is　how　a　steer　must　feel　when　it's　driven　down　the　chute　to　the　slaughtering　pen；　Jake　thought；　and　vowed　tha