dk.watchers-第57部分

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　〃Men　from　the　lab？〃　One　bark。　No。
　〃The　other　experimental　animal　you　told　us　about？〃　Yes。
　〃The　thing　that　was　in　the　woods？〃
　Yes。
　〃All　right；　I'm　going　in　there。〃
　No。
　〃Yes；〃　Travis　insisted。　〃It's　my　house；　and　we're　not　going　to　run　from　this；　whatever　the　hell　it　is。〃
　Nora　remembered　the　magazine　photograph　of　the　movie　monster　to　which　Einstein　had　reacted　so　strongly。　She　did　not　believe　anything　even　remotely　like　that　creature　could　actually　exist。　She　believed　that　Einstein　was　exaggerating　or　that　they　had　misunderstood　what　he　had　been　trying　to　tell　them　about　the　photo。　Nevertheless；　she　suddenly　wished　they　had　not　only　the　revolver　but　a　shotgun。
　〃This　is　a　。357　Magnum；〃　Travis　told　the　dog；　〃and　one　shot；　even　if　it　hits　an　arm　or　a　leg；　will　knock　down　the　biggest；　meanest　man　and　keep　him　down。　He'll　feel　as　if　he's　been　hit　by　a　cannonball。　I've　taken　firearms　training　from　the　best；　and　I've　done　regular　target　practice　over　the　years　to　keep　my　edge。　I　really　know　what　I'm　doing；　and　I'll　be　able　to　handle　myself　in　there。　Besides；　we　can't　just　call　the　cops；　can　we？　Because　whatever　they　find　in　there　is　going　to　raise　eyebrows；　lead　to　a　lot　of　questions；　and　sooner　or　later　they'll　have　you　back　in　that　damn　lab　again。〃
　Einstein　was　clearly　unhappy　with　Travis's　determination；　but　the　dog　padded　up　the　front　steps　to　the　stoop　and　looked　back　as　if　to　say；　All　right；　okay；　but　I'm　not　letting　you　go　in　there　alone。
　Nora　wanted　to　go　in　with　them；　but　Travis　was　adamant　that　she　remain　in　the　front　yard。　She　reluctantly　admitted　that…since　she　lacked　both　a
　weapon　and　the　skill　to　use　it…there　was　nothing　she　could　do　to　help　and　that　she　would　most　likely　only　get　in　the　way。
　Holding　the　revolver　at　his　side；　Travis　joined　Einstein　on　the　stoop　and　inserted　his　key　in　the　door。
　　　
　7
　Travis　disengaged　the　lock；　pocketed　the　key；　and　pushed　the　door　inward；　covering　the　room　beyond　with　the　。357。　Warily；　he　stepped　across　the　threshold；　and　Einstein　entered　at　his　side。
　The　house　was　silent；　as　it　should　have　been；　but　the　air　reeked　of　a　bad　smell　that　did　not　belong。
　Einstein　growled　softly。
　Little　of　the　fast…fading　sunlight　entered　the　house　through　the　windows；　many　of　which　were　partly　or　entirely　covered　with　drapes。　But　it　was　bright　enough　for　Travis　to　see　that　the　sofa's　upholstery　was　slashed。　Shredded　foam　padding　spilled　onto　the　floor。　A　wooden　magazine　rack　had　been　hammered　to　pieces　against　the　wall；　gouging　holes　in　the　plasterboard。　The　TV　screen　had　been　smashed　in　with　a　floor　lamp；　which　still　protruded　from　the　set。　Books　had　been　taken　off　the　shelves；　torn　apart；　and　scattered　across　the　living　room。
　In　spite　of　the　breeze　blowing　in　through　the　door；　the　stench　seemed　to　be　getting　worse。
　Travis　flicked　the　wall　switch。　A　corner　lamp　came　on。　It　did　not　shed　much　light；　just　enough　to　reveal　more　details　of　the　rubble。
　Looks　like　somebody　went　through　here　with　a　chainsaw　and　then　a　power　mower；　he　thought。
　The　house　remained　silent。
　Leaving　the　door　open　behind　him；　he　took　a　couple　of　steps　into　the　room；　and　the　crumpled　pages　of　the　ruined　books　crunched　crisply　underfoot。　He　noticed　dark；　rusty　stains　on　some　of　the　paper　and　on　the　bone…white　foam　padding；　and　suddenly　he　stopped；　realizing　the　stains　were　blood。
　A　moment　later；　he　spotted　the　corpse。　It　was　that　of　a　big　man；　lying　on　his　side　on　the　floor　near　the　sofa；　half…covered　by　gore…smeared　book　pages；　book　boards；　and　dust　jackets。
　Einstein's　growling　grew　louder；　meaner。
　Moving　closer　to　the　body；　which　was　just　a　few　feet　from　the　dining…room　archway；　Travis　saw　that　it　was　his　landlord；　Ted　Hockney。　Beside　him　was　his　Craftsman　toolbox。　Ted　had　a　key　to　the　house　and　Travis　had　no　objections　to　his　entering　at　any　time　to　make　repairs。　Lately　there　had　been　a　number　of　repairs　required；　including　a　leaky　faucet　and　broken　dishwasher。　Evidently；　Ted　had　walked　down　the　block　from　his　own　house　and　entered　With　the　intention　of　fixing　something。　Now　Ted　was　broken；　too；　and　beyond　repair。
　Because　of　the　ripe　stink；　Travis　first　thought　the　man　must　have　been　killed　at　least　a　week　ago。　But　on　closer　inspection；　the　corpse　proved　to　be　neither　bloated　with　the　gas　of　deposition　nor　marked　by　any　signs　of　decay；　so　it　could　not　have　been　there　for　very　long。　Perhaps　only　a　day；　perhaps　less。　The　hideous　stench　had　two　other　sources：　for　one　thing；　the　landlord　had　been　disemboweled；　furthermore；　his　killer　had　apparently　defecated　and　urinated　on　and　around　the　body。
　Ted　Hockney's　eyes　were　gone。
　Travis　felt　sick；　and　not　only　because　he　had　liked　Ted。　He　would　have　been　sickened　by　such　insane　violence　regardless　of　who　the　dead　man　had　been。　A　death　like　this　left　the　victim　no　dignity　whatsoever　and　somehow　diminished　the　entire　human　race。
　Einstein's　low　growling　gave　way　to　ugly　snarling　punctuated　with　hard；　sharp　barks。
　With　a　nervous　twitch　and　a　sudden　hammering　of　his　heart；　Travis　turned　from　the　corpse　and　saw　that　the　retriever　was　facing　into　the　nearby　dining　room。　The　shadows　were　deep　in　there　because　the　drapes　were　drawn　shut　over　both　windows；　and　only　a　thin　gray　light　passed　through　from　the　kitchen　beyond。
　Go；　get　out；　leave！　an　inner　voice　told　him。
　But　he　did　not　turn　and　run　because　he　had　never　run　away　from　anything　in　his　life。　Well；　all　right；　that　was　not　quite　true：　he　had　virtually　run　away　from　life　itself　these　past　few　years　when　he　had　let　despair　get　the　best　of　him。　His　descent　into　isolation　had　been　the　ultimate　cowardice。　However；　that　was　behind　him；　he　was　a　new　man；　transformed　by　Einstein　and　Nora；　and　he　was　not　going　to　run　again；　damned　if　he　was。
　Einstein　went　rigid。　He　arched　his　back；　thrust　his　head　down　and　forward；　and　barked　so　furiously　that　saliva　flew　from　his　mouth。
　Travis　took　a　step　toward　the　dining…room　arch。
　The　retriever　stayed　at　Travis's　side；　barking　more　viciously。
　Holding　the　revolver　in　front　of　him；　trying　to　take　confidence　from　the　powerful　weapon；　Travis　eased　forward　another　step；　treading　cautiously　in　the　treacherous　rubble。　He　was　only　two　or　three　steps　from　the　archway。　He　squinted　into　the　gloomy　dining　room。
　Einstein's　barking　resounded　through　the　house　until　it　seemed　as　if　a　whole　pack　of　dogs　must　be　loose　in　the　place。
　Travis　took　one　more　step；　then　saw　something　move　in　the　shadowy　dining　room。
　He　froze。
　Nothing。　Nothing　moved。　Had　it　been　a　phantom　of　the　mind？
　Beyond　the　arch；　layered　shadows　hung　like　gray　and　black　crepe。
　He　wasn't　sure　if　he　had　seen　movement　or　merely　imagined　it。
　Back　off；　get　out；　now！　the　inner　voice　said。
　In　defiance　of　it；　Travis　raised　one　foot；　intending　to　step　into　the　archway。
　The　thing　in　the　dining　room　moved　again。　This　time　there　was　no　doubt　of　its　presence；　because　it　rushed　out　of　the　deepest　darkness　at　the　far　side
　of　that　chamber；　vaulted　onto　the　dining…room　table；　and　came　straight　at　Travis；　emitting　a　blood…freezing　shriek。　He　saw　lantern　eyes　in　the　gloom；　and　a　nearly　man…size　figure　that…in　spite　of　the　poor　light…gave　an　impression　of　deformity。　Then　the　thing　was　ing　off　the　table；　straight　at　him。
　Einstein　charged　forward　to　engage　it；　but　Travis　tried　to　step　back　and　gain　an　extra　second　in　which　to　squeeze　off　a　shot。　As　he　pulled　the　trigger；　he　slipped　on　the　ruined　books　that　littered　the　floor；　and　fell　backward。　The　revolver　roared；　but　Travis　knew　he　had　missed；　had　fired　into　the　ceiling。　For　an　instant；　as　Einstein　scrambled　toward　the　adversary；　Travis　saw　the　lantern…eyed　thing　more　clearly；　saw　it　work　alligator　jaws　and　crack　open　an　impossibly　wide　mouth　in　a　lumpish　face；　revealing　wickedly　hooked　teeth。
　〃Einstein；　no！〃　he　shouted；　for　he　knew　the　dog　would　be　torn　to　pieces　in　any　confrontation　with　this　hellish　creature；　and　he　fired　again；　twice；　wildly；　from　his　position　on　the　floor。
　His　cry　and　the　shots　not　only　brought　Einstein　to　a　halt　but　gave　the　enemy　second　thoughts　about　going　up　against　an　armed　man。　The　thing　turned…　it　was　quick；　far　quicker　than　a　cat…and　crossed　the　unlighted　dining　room　to　the　kitchen　doorway。　For　a　moment；　he　saw　it　silhouetted　in　the　murky　light　from　the　kitchen；　and　he　had　the　impression　of　something　that　had　never　been　meant　to　stand　erect　but　was　standing　erect　anyway；　something　with　a　misshapen　head　twice　as　large　as　it　ought　to　have　been；　a　hunched　back；　arms　too　long　and　terminating　in　claws　like　the　tines　of　a　garden　rake。
　He　fired　again　and　came　closer　the　mark。　The　bullet　tore　out　a　chunk　of　the　door　frame。
　With　a　shriek；　the　beast　disappeared　into　the　kitchen。
　What　in　the　name　of　God　was　it？　Where　had　it　e　from？　Had　it　really　escaped　from　the　same　lab　that　had　produced　Einstein？　But　how　had　they　made　this　monstrosity？　And　why？　Why？
　He　was　a　well…read　man：　in…fact；　for　the　last　few　years；　most　of　his　time　was　devoted　to　books；　so　possibilities　began　to　occur　to　him。　Rebinant…DNA　research　was　foremost　among　them。
　Einstein　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　dining　room；　barking；　facing　the　doorway　where　the　thing　had　vanished。
　Lurching　to　his　feet　in　the　living　room；　Travis　called　the　dog　back　to　his　side；　and　Einstein　returned　quickly；　eagerly。
　He　shushed　the　dog；　listened　intently。　He　heard　Nora　frantically　calling　his　name　from　the　yard　out　front；　but　he　heard　nothing　in　the　kitchen。
　For　Nora's　benefit；　he　shouted；　〃I'm　okay！　I'm　all　right！　Stay　out　there！〃
　Einstein　was　shivering。
　Travis　could　hear　the　loud　two…part　thudding　of　his　own　heart；　and　he　could　almost　hear　the　sweat　trickling　down　his　face　and　down　the　small　of　his　back；　but　he　could　hear　nothing　whatsoever　to　pinpoint　that　escapee　from　a　nightmare。　He　did　not　think　it　had　gone　out　the　back　door　into　the　rear　yard。　For　One　thing；　he　figured　the　creature　did　not　want　to　be　seen　by　a　lot　of　people　and；　therefore；　only　went　outside　at　night；　traveled　exclusively　in　the　dark；　When　it　could　slip　even　into　a　fair…sized　town　like　Santa　Barbara　without　being
　spotted。　The　day　was　still　light　enough　to　make　the　thing　leery　of　the　outdoors。　Furthermore；　Travis　could　sense　its　presence　nearby；　the　wa