dk.watchers-第32部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　An　almost　crippling　pang　of　fear　flashed　through　her　as　she　thought　of　Goodheart　out　there　in　the　stable　all　by　himself。　For　a　moment；　she　could　not　move。
　Around　her；　the　night　seemed　even　quieter　than　it　had　been。
　It　was　quieter。　The　crickets　were　no　longer　chirruping。　The　frogs　had　stopped　croaking；　too。
　The　galleon　clouds　seemed　to　have　dropped　anchor　in　the　sky；　and　the　night　appeared　to　have　frozen　in　the　ice…pale　glow　of　the　moon。
　Something　moved　in　the　shrubbery。
　Most　of　the　enormous　lot　was　devoted　to　open　expanses　of　lawn；　but　a　score　of　trees　stood　in　artfully　placed　groups…mostly　Indian　laurels　and　jacarandas；　plus　a　couple　of　corals…and　there　were　beds　of　azaleas；　California　lilac　bushes；　Cape　honeysuckles。
　Tracy　distinctly　heard　shrubbery　rustling　as　something　pushed　roughly　and　hurriedly　through　it。　But　when　she　switched　on　the　flashlight　and　swept　the　beam　around　the　nearest　plantings；　she　could　not　see　anything　moving。
　The　night　was　silent　again。
　Hushed。
　Expectant。
　She　considered　returning　to　the　house；　where　either　she　could　wake　her　father　to　ask　him　to　investigate；　or　she　could　go　to　bed　and　wait　until　morning　to　investigate　the　situation　herself。　But　what　if　it　was　only　a　coyote　in　the　shrubbery？　In　that　case；　she　was　in　no　danger。　Though　a　hungry　coyote　would　attack　a　very　young　child；　it　would　run　from　anyone　Tracy's　size。　Besides；　she　was　too　worried　about　her　noble　Goodheart　to　waste　any　more　time；　she　had　to　be　sure　that　the　horse　was　all　right。
　Using　the　flashlight　to　avoid　any　more　dead　cats　that　might　be　strewn　about；　she　headed　toward　the　stable。　She　had　taken　only　a　few　steps　when　she　heard　the　rustling　again　and；　worse；　an　eerie　growling　that　was　unlike　the　sound　of　any　animal　she'd　ever　heard　before。
　She　began　to　turn；　might　have　run　for　the　house　then；　but　in　the　stable　Goodheart　whinnied　shrilly；　as　if　in　fear；　and　kicked　at　the　board　walls　of　his　stall。　She　pictured　a　leering　psycho　going　after　Goodheart　with　hideous　instruments　of　torture。　Her　concern　for　her　own　welfare　was　not　half　as　strong　as　her　fear　that　something　terrible　would　happen　to　her　beloved　breeder　of　champions；　so　she　sprinted　to　his　rescue。
　Poor　Goodheart　began　kicking　even　more　frantically。　His　hooves　slammed　repeatedly　against　the　walls；　drummed　furiously；　and　the　night　seemed　to　echo　with　the　thunder　of　an　oning　storm。
　She　was　still　about　fifteen　yards　from　the　stable　when　she　heard　the　strange　guttural　growling　again　and　realized　that　something　was　ing　after　her；　bearing　down　on　her　from　behind。　She　skidded　on　the　damp　grass；　whirled；　and　brought　up　her　flashlight。
　Rushing　toward　her　was　a　creature　that　had　surely　escaped　from　Hell。　It　let　out　a　shriek　of　madness　and　rage。
　In　spite　of　the　flashlight；　Tracy　did　not　get　a　clear　look　at　the　attacker。　The　beam　wavered；　and　the　night　grew　darker　as　the　moon　slipped　behind　a　cloud；　and　the　hateful　beast　was　moving　fast；　and　she　was　too　scared　to　understand　what　she　was　seeing。　Nevertheless；　she　saw　enough　to　know　it　was　nothing　she　had　ever　seen　before。　She　had　an　impression　of　a　dark；　misshapen　head　with　asymmetrical　depressions　and　bulges；　enormous　jaws　full　of　sharp　curved　teeth；　and　amber　eyes　that　blazed　in　the　flashlight　beam　the　way　a　dog's　or　a　cat's　eyes　will　glow　in　a　car's　headlights。
　Tracy　screamed。
　The　attacker　shrieked　again　and　leaped　at　her。
　It　hit　Tracy　hard　enough　to　knock　the　breath　clear　out　of　her。　The　flashlight　flew　from　her　hand；　tumbled　across　the　lawn。　She　fell；　and　the　creature　came　down　on　top　of　her；　and　they　rolled　over　and　over　toward　the　stable。　As　they　rolled；　she　flailed　desperately　at　the　thing　with　her　small　fists；　and　she　felt　its
　claws　sinking　into　the　flesh　along　her　right　side。　Its　gaping　mouth　was　at　her　face；　she　felt　its　hot　rank　breath　washing　her　over；　smelled　blood　and　decay　and　worse；　and　she　sensed　that　it　was　going　for　her　throat…she　thought；　I'm　dead；　oh　God；　it's　going　to　kill　me；　I'm　dead；　like　the　cat…and　she　would　have　been　dead　in　seconds；　for　sure；　if　Goodheart；　less　than　fifteen　feet　away　now；　had　not　kicked　out　the　latched　half…door　of　his　stall　and　bolted　straight　at　them　in　panic。
　The　stallion　screamed　and　reared　up　on　its　hind　feet　when　it　saw　them；　as　if　it　would　trample　them　underfoot。
　Tracy's　monstrous　attacker　shrieked　again；　though　not　in　rage　this　time　but　in　surprise　and　fear。　It　released　her　and　flung　itself　to　one　side；　out　from　under　the　horse。
　Goodheart's　hooves　slammed　into　the　earth　inches　from　Tracy's　head；　and　he　reared　up　again；　pawing　at　the　air；　screaming；　and　she　knew　that　in　his　terror　he　might　unwittingly　trample　her　skull　to　mush。　She　threw　herself　out　from　under　him；　and　also　away　from　the　amber…eyed　beast；　which　had　disappeared　in　the　darkness　on　the　other　side　of　the　stallion。
　Still；　Goodheart　reared　and　screamed；　and　Tracy　was　screaming　as　well；　and　dogs　were　howling　all　over　the　neighborhood；　and　now　lights　appeared　in　the　house；　which　gave　her　hope　of　survival。　However；　she　sensed　that　the　attacker　wasn't　ready　to　give　up；　that　it　was　already　circling　the　frantic　stallion　to　make　another　try　for　her。　She　heard　it　snarling；　spitting。　She　knew　she　would　never　reach　the　distant　house　before　the　thing　dragged　her　down　again；　so　she　scrambled　toward　the　nearby　stable；　to　one　of　the　empty　stalls。　As　she　went；　she　heard　herself　chanting；　〃Jesus；　oh　Jesus；　Jesus；　Jesus；　Jesus　。　。
　The　two　halves　of　the　Dutch…style　stall　door　were　bolted　firmly　together。　Another　bolt　fastened　the　entire　door　to　the　frame。　She　unlatched　that　second　bolt；　pulled　open　the　door；　rushed　into　the　straw…scented　darkness；　shut　the　door　behind　her；　and　held　it　with　all　the　strength　she　possessed；　for　it　could　not　be　latched　from　inside。
　An　instant　later；　her　assailant　slammed　into　the　other　side　of　the　door；　trying　to　knock　it　open；　but　the　frame　prevented　that。　The　door　would　only　move　outward；　and　Tracy　hoped　the　amber…eyed　creature　was　not　smart　enough　to　figure　out　how　the　door　worked。
　But　it　was　smart　enough…　（Dear　Lord　in　Heaven；　why　wasn't　it　as　dumb　as　it　was　ugly！）
　…and　after　hitting　the　barrier　only　twice；　it　began　to　pull　instead　of　push。　The　door　was　almost　yanked　out　of　Tracy's　grasp。
　She　wanted　to　scream　for　help；　but　she　needed　every　ounce　of　energy　to　dig　in　her　heels　and　hold　the　stall　door　shut。　It　rattled　and　thumped　against　the　frame　as　her　demonic　assailant　wrestled　with　it。　Fortunately；　Goodheart　was　still　letting　loose　shrill　squeals　and　whinnies　of　terror；　and　the　assailant　was　also　shrieking…a　sound　that　was　strangely　animal　and　human　at　the　same　time…so　her　father　could　have　no　doubt　where　the　trouble　was。
　The　door　jerked　open　a　few　inches。
　She　yelped　and　pulled　it　shut。
　Instantly　the　attacker　yanked　it　partway　open　again　and　held　it　ajar；　striving　to　pull　the　door　wider　even　as　she　struggled　to　reclose　it。　She　was　losing。　The　door　inched　open。　She　saw　the　shadowy　outline　of　the　malformed　face。　The　sharply　pointed　teeth　gleamed　dully。　The　amber　eyes　were　faint　now；　barely　visible。　It　hissed　and　snarled　at　her；　and　its　pungent　breath　was　stronger　than　the　scent　of　straw。
　Whimpering　in　terror　and　frustration；　Tracy　drew　back　on　the　door　with　all　of　her　strength。
　But　it　opened　another　inch。
　And　another。
　Her　heart　was　hammering　loud　enough　to　muffle　the　first　shotgun　blast。　She　didn't　know　what　she'd　heard　until　a　second　shot　boomed　through　the　night；　and　then　she　knew　her　father　had　grabbed　his　12…gauge　on　the　way　out　of　the　house。
　The　stall　door　slammed　shut　in　front　of　her　as　the　attacker；　frightened　by　the　gunfire；　let　go　of　it。　Tracy　held　fast。
　Then　she　thought　that　maybe；　in　all　the　confusion；　Daddy　might　believe　that　Goodheart　was　to　blame；　that　the　poor　horse　had　gone　loco　or　something。　From　within　the　stall　she　cried　out；　〃Don't　shoot　Goodheart！　Don't　shoot　the　horse！〃
　No　more　shots　rang　out；　and　Tracy　immediately　felt　stupid　for　thinking　her　father　would　blow　away　Goodheart。　Daddy　was　a　cautious　man；　especially　with　loaded　guns；　and　unless　he　knew　exactly　what　was　happening；　he　wouldn't　fire　anything　but　warning　shots。　More　likely　than　not；　he'd　just　blasted　some　shrubbery　to　bits。
　Goodheart　was　probably　all　right；　and　the　amber…eyed　assailant　was　surely　hightailing　it　for　the　foothills　or　the　canyons　or　back　to　wherever　it　had　e　from…　（What　was　that　crazy　damn　thing？）
　…and　the　ordeal　was　over；　thank　God。
　She　heard　running　footsteps；　and　her　father　called　her　name。
　She　pushed　open　the　stall　door　and　saw　Daddy　rushing　toward　her　in　a　pair　of　blue　pajama　bottoms；　barefoot；　with　the　shotgun　cradled　in　his　arm。　Mom　was　there　too；　in　a　short　yellow　nightie；　hurrying　behind　Daddy　with　a　flashlight。
　Up　near　the　top　of　the　sloped　yard　stood　Goodheart；　the　sire　of　future　champions；　his　panic　gone；　unhurt。
　Tears　of　relief　sprang　from　Tracy　at　the　sight　of　the　unharmed　stallion；　and　she　stumbled　out　of　the　stall；　wanting　to　go　have　a　closer　look　at　him。　With　her　second　or　third　step；　a　fiercely　hot　pain　flamed　along　her　entire　right　side；　and　she　was　suddenly　dizzy。　She　staggered；　fell；　put　one　hand　to　her　side；　felt　something　wet；　and　realized　that　she　was　bleeding。　She　remembered　the　claws　sinking　into　her　just　before　Goodheart　had　burst　from　his　stall；　frightening　off　the　assailant；　and　as　if　from　a　great　distance　she　heard　herself　saying；　〃Good　horse　。　。　。　what　a　good　horse　。　。
　Daddy　dropped　to　his　knees　beside　her。　〃Baby；　what　the　hell　happened；　what's　wrong？〃
　Her　mother　arrived；　too。
　Daddy　saw　the　blood。　〃Call　an　ambulance！〃
　Her　mother；　not　given　to　hesitation　or　hysterics　in　time　of　trouble；　turned　immediately　and　ran　back　toward　the　house。
　Tracy　was　getting　dizzier。　Creeping　in　at　the　edges　of　her　vision　was　a　darkness　that　was　not　part　of　the　night。　She　wasn't　afraid　of　it。　It　seemed　like　a　weling；　healing　darkness。
　〃Baby；〃　her　father　said；　putting　a　hand　on　her　wounds。
　Weakly；　realizing　she　was　slightly　delirious　and　wondering　what　she　was　going　to　say；　she　said；　〃Remember　when　I　was　very　little　。　。　。　just　a　little　girl　。　。　。　and　I　thought　some　horrible　thing。　。　。　lived　in　my　closet。　。　。　at　night？〃
　He　frowned　worriedly。　〃Honey；　maybe　you'd　better　be　s