rm.thenightboat-第28部分

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k　arms　ing　up　to　embrace　him。　He　felt　his　back　against　the　door；　felt　the　hardness　of　the　wood　pressing　into　his　spine。　The　thing's　hot　breath　touched　his　cheek　and　he　began　to　shout　for　help；　over　and　over；　it　neared　him；　smelling　of　age　and　rot；　uncoiling　like　a　black　mamba。
　　And　then　the　door　behind　him　came　open。　He　fell　backward；　still　screaming。
　　Opened　his　eyes。
　　A　hand　ing　for　him；　brown　and　withered。　A　craggy；　staring　face　behind　it。　He　recoiled；　the　hand　grasped　his　shoulder　and　shook　him　fully　awake。
　　In　the　corner　the　lizard　had　shifted；　tiny　pinpoints　of　gleaming　red　still　unblinking。
　　His　uncle　stood　over　him；　wiping　sweat　from　his　cheeks。　〃Your　future　is　not　with　me；〃　he　said。
　　And　suddenly　the　figure　of　the　hand　on　the　green　door　trembled。　The　door　came　open　and　a　man　in　dungarees　peered　out　at　the　constable。
　　Kip　stared　at　him　for　a　few　seconds；　then　posed　himself　and　drove　on　to　the　Square；　the　memories　whirling　inside　his　head：　bits　of　remembered　faces　and　colors；　sights　and　smells。　He　had　labored　long　and　hard　to　wall　off　that　part　of　his　life。　He'd　thought　the　bricks　were　firmly　mortared　into　place。　Until　the　U…boat　had　e。
　　I　know　what　you　could　have　been；　Boniface　had　told　him。
　　Bullshit；　Kip　muttered　between　clenched　teeth。　Bullshit。
　　The　evening　shadows　fell　across　Coquina。　The　moon　rose；　glittering　silver　on　the　waves　that　surged　over　Kiss　Bottom。　The　breeze　began　to　pick　up；　gently　at　first；　then　strengthening　and　finally　sweeping　up　sand　in　the　streets；　swirling　it　in　gritty　puffs　that　stung　the　shuttered　windows。　A　dog　bayed　at　the　moon　until　someone　cursed　and　threw　a　shoe　to　quiet　him。
　　And　no　one　heard　the　sound　of　hammers　ringing　against　iron　down　in　the　boatyard。
　　　
　　　Fifteen
　　
　　JOHNNY　MAJORS　STRETCHED；　feeling　the　ripple　of　muscles　up　and　down　his　back。　He　got　out　of　bed　and　moved　in　the　dark　toward　a　chair　in　one　corner　of　the　bedroom　where　his　clothes　had　been　thrown　down　in　hasty　disarray。　As　he　buttoned　his　shirt　he　looked　across　at　the　woman's　nude　form　sprawled　on　the　bed；　her　black　body　still　glistening　from　their　heated　lovemaking。　She　said　softly；　〃It　early　yet。　You　don't　have　to　go。〃
　　〃Ten　to　eight；〃　he　said；　struggling　into　his　jeans。　〃Old　lady'll　be　wonderin'　where　I　am。　Someday　she　gonna　go　over　to　the　Landfall　and　see　I　ain't　there　and　then　what　gonna　happen？〃
　　〃You　scared？〃　she　asked；　a　mocking　question　she　knew　would　get　to　him。
　　〃No。　Hell；　no。　But　I　smart　too。　I　ain't　gonna　play　her　to　the　limit。〃　He　zipped　his　fly　and　buckled　his　belt。
　　〃Cale　and　Langstree　won't　be　back　'til　tomorrow　sometime。　You　could　spend　the　night。〃
　　He　grinned；　his　teeth　gleaming　in　the　darkness。　〃The　hell　you　say。　If　your　man　found　us　here　in　the　mornin'。。。　uh　uh；　no。　And　my　old　lady　wouldn't　be　so　damn　happy　about　it　neither。　No；　baby；　we　got　to　play　it　smart。　There　enough　of　you　for　both　me　and　Cale。〃
　　〃Mebbe　not；〃　she　said　petulantly；　drawing　herself　up　on　the　pillows；　her　heavy　breasts　hanging　over　the　sheet。
　　He　came　and　sat　on　the　bed　beside　her。　〃Hey。　Your　old　man　and　Langstree'll　have　more　trips　to　make。　Hell；　he's　gone　most　all　the　time　as　it　is　now。　So。。。〃　He　stroked　the　smooth　flesh　between　her　breasts。　〃Damn　me；　you're　a　fine　woman；　Nora；〃　he　said　in　a　husky　voice。
　　〃I　need　you　to　stay　with　me；　Johnny。　I　don't　like　to　be　alone　at　night。〃
　　Leaning　over；　licking　beneath　a　nipple；　he　realized　he　was　hard　again；　but　he　couldn't　spend　the　time。　He　had　been　with　Cale's　wife　for　over　an　hour　tonight；　and　two　hours　the　night　before；　there　was　no　use　in　pressing　his　luck。　But　damn；　what　a　woman　she　was。　She　twisted　those　soft；　beautiful　hips　a　thousand　different　ways　when　he　was　inside　her；　wringing　him　out　and　exhausting　him　and　driving　him　wild　with　excitement。　But　Christ　Almighty；　if　that　sonofabitch　Cale　ever　found　out　his　woman　was　making　time　there'd　be　hell　to　pay。。。
　　She　reached　out　to　cling　to　him；　her　hands　grasping　his　belt　buckle；　but　he　stood　up　and　moved　away。　〃No；　baby；　no。　I　got　to　go　now。〃　He　slipped　his　shoes　on。　〃There'll　be　more　times。〃
　　She　smiled　at　him　seductively　and　he　looked　at　her　appreciatively…she　was　still　warm　and　glowing　from　the　merging　of　their　heated　flesh。　He　stood　over　by　the　room's　single　window；　the　moonlight　streaming　in　through　a　broken　red　shutter。　When　he　bent　down　to　lace　his　shoes　she　saw　something；　a　brief　glimpse　of　a　dark　form　moving　past　the　window。　She　sat　up　in　bed；　catching　her　breath　in　a　sudden　gulp　of　air。
　　〃What's　wrong？〃　he　asked；　thinking　she　was　playing　with　him　again。　〃Hey；　what's　the　matter　with　you？〃
　　Nora　sat　motionless；　not　knowing　if　she　had　really　seen　something　there　or　not。　Had　someone　been　spying　on　them　through　the　shutter？　Someone　her　husband　sent　to　keep　a　watch　on　her？　She　reached　down　for　the　sodden　sheet　and　drew　it　around　her　like　a　shroud。　Maybe　it　was　even　Cale　himself；　the　bastard　e　back　early？
　　Johnny　hurriedly　finished　lacing　his　shoes；　eager　to　be　going。　The　house　was　a　mile　or　so　from　the　village；　and　he　had　a　long　ride　in　the　dark　on　his　bicycle。　The　look　in　the　woman's　eyes　was　giving　him　the　creeps　and；　only　half…joking；　he　demanded；　〃Hey。　What　you　lookin'　at；　damn　jumbies？〃
　　The　shadow　fell　across　the　shutter　slats。　She　raised　a　hand；　palm　out　as　if　to　ward　it　off。　Her　mouth　opened；　and　her　voice　came　out　as　an　eerie　whine。
　　Even　as　Johnny　Majors　whirled　around；　sensing　the　presence　of　something　beyond　the　window；　there　was　a　sharp　crack　of　splintering　wood　as　a　blow　struck　the　front　door。　He　cried　out　in　fear；　his　mind　racing。　It　was　Cale　e　back；　either　that　or　some　of　Cale's　friends　e　to　make　him　pay　for　screwing　the　woman。
　　Glass　and　wood　shattered；　exploding　into　the　bedroom。　The　shadow　was　battering　its　way　through　the　window；　and　Johnny　caught　the　brief　flash　of　a　wrench　in　the　moonlight。　There　were　more　shadows　out　there；　two；　three；　four；　five；　all　merging　into　one　pulsating　darkness　that　ripped　at　the　shutter　and　tore　the　glass　away。　Nora　screamed；　and　backed　into　a　far　corner；　Johnny　looked　around　desperately　for　a　weapon；　hearing　the　front　door　being　broken　open。　He　picked　up　the　chair　beside　the　window　and　struck　at　the　shadows；　again　and　again；　and　for　a　moment　they　backed　away。
　　〃Jesus；〃　he　cried　out；　his　chest　heaving；　holding　the　chair　before　him　like　a　shield。　〃Jesus　God　who　is　that　out　there　WHO　IS　THAT　OUT　THERE？〃
　　And　in　the　sudden　silence　he　heard　them。
　　Their　breathing　was　ragged；　painful；　as　if　they　were　unused　to　the　air；　as　if　each　lungful　was　raging　fire。　He　could　hear　no　voices；　no　movement；　only　the　breathing　of　men　suffering　from　a　hideous；　torturous　disease；　and　that　alone　was　enough　to　make　him　think　he　was　going　mad。
　　One　of　the　shadows　moved　forward；　reaching　slowly　through　the　remnants　of　the　window。　The　hand　grasped　a　broken　slat　and　began　to　pull　it　away。
　　Johnny　stood　transfixed；　the　woman　whined　like　a　child　from　her　corner。　The　hand；　illuminated　by　the　moonlight；　looked　gnarled　and　brown；　the　skeletal　fingers　like　the　claws　of　an　animal。　The　nails　were　long　and　filthy；　they　scratched　at　the　glass；　a　tiny　noise　which　seemed　tremendous　to　the　trapped　couple。　And　swirling　about　the　room；　borne　in　by　the　moist　Caribbean　winds；　was　the　stench　of　rot；　it　caught　them　in　smoky　folds　like　some　ancient　fungus；　or　slime　vomited　up　from　the　guts　of　the　sea。
　　In　the　next　instant　the　shadow　hurtled　itself　through　the　rest　of　the　glass；　its　arms　outstretched；　black　talons　groping　for　the　man。　The　woman　screamed；　a　pitched；　terrified　noise…oh　God；　why　wasn't　this　Cale　not　Cale　NOT　CALE。。。
　　The　man　raised　the　chair　and　brought　it　down　upon　the　reeking　thing　that　had　crawled　over　the　windowsill；　he　struck　something　as　solid　as　bone　but　could　not　stop　the　phantom。　He　realized　too　late　that　the　others　had　broken　through　the　door　and　were　now　behind　him。　Something　caught　him　around　the　throat：　a　hand；　cold　and　bony；　and　another　hand　gripped　his　hair。　Nora's　scream　broke　through　the　ceiling　of　her　throat；　then　fell　away　to　bee　a　childish；　insane　babble。　Johnny　tried　to　fight　free　of　the　things；　flailing　with　his　arms　and　legs；　but　now　they　were　all　around　him；　the　shadows　pressing　close；　those　terrible　hands　sharp　icicles　on　his　face；　his　throat；　his　arms。
　　He　threw　out　an　elbow；　striking　one　of　them；　and　he　heard　the　hissing　of　foul　breath　close　to　his　ear；　a　tremendous　strength　picked　him　up　and　flung　him　into　a　wall；　where　he　crashed　headlong。　He　felt　the　searing　pain　of　a　broken　shoulder　as　he　slid　helplessly　to　the　floor。　He　twisted　around；　his　heart　hammering　and　the　panic　chewing　at　his　insides；　to　face　the　shadows　as　they　approached。　The　woman；　crazed　with　fear；　was　crawling　on　the　floor　on　her　stomach　toward　a　closet。　He　lay　with　his　back　against　the　wall；　blood　dripping　from　a　broken　nose；　and　saw　the　things　as　they　reached　out　for　him。
　　The　darkness　covered　them；　but　he　could　see　their　eyes。　Red　pinpoints　of　hate；　they　burned　deep　within　withered　skulls；　unblinking　and　penetrating。　The　shadows　breathed　like　the　rising　and　falling　of　the　elbows　that　fanned　Hell's　blaze。　Johnny　Majors　held　up　his　hands　in　horror　and　supplication；　for　he　knew　the　hour　of　his　death　had　arrived。
　　〃Please；〃　he　pleaded。　He　could　not　hear　his　voice　over　the　din　of　his　bursting　heart。　〃Please　don't　kill　meeeeeeeee。。。〃
　　One　of　the　things　grinned；　moonlight　glittered　off　rotted；　broken　teeth；　and　a　black　tongue　licked　along　what　remained　of　lips。
　　〃Please　don't　kill。。。〃　Johnny　Majors　whispered。
　　Two　claws　descended；　they　grasped　the　man's　face；　nails　biting　deep　and　drawing　blood。　And　slowly；　very　slowly；　they　began　to　pull　the　man's　face　apart；　even　as　he　screamed　in　pure　cold　pain。　Fingers　ripped　away　the　nose　in　tatters　of　dripping　flesh；　a　hand　clamped　around　the　throat；　the　strong　hard　nails　plunging　deep；　choking　off　the　screams；　puncturing　the　jugular　vein　and　releasing　a　dark　red　river。　Johnny　Majors　lay　paralyzed　against　the　splattered　wall；　his　eyes　glazed　in　shock；　unseeing；　his　nerves　feeling　the　agony　but　his　brain　gone　and　unable　to　respond。　The　hand　at　his　throat　began　to　peel　the　flesh　away；　exposing　veins　and　cords。　The　shadows　moved　closer