rm.thenightboat-第32部分

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ed　burned　into　his　brain。　The　enemy　has　reached　us；　Kip　thought；　and　there　is　no　escape。
　　He　ate　his　breakfast　quickly；　barely　hearing　what　Myra　was　saying　to　him；　she　knew　his　way　of　working　out　problems　was　often　to　draw　inside　himself　until　he　had　found　a　solution。　He　helped　her　with　the　dishes；　kissed　her　and　the　still…sleeping　child；　and　then　left　the　house　for　his　morning　rounds。
　　He　wondered　how　he　was　going　to　handle　the　Thornton　woman。　She　would　never　understand　his　reasoning；　she　couldn't　see　what　he　had　seen　or　feel　what　he　felt；　and　there　was　no　use　trying　to　talk　to　her。　He　would　have　to　do　what　he　felt　was　right；　because　he　was　the　law　and　he　was　responsible　for　all　of　them。
　　And　he　was　still　pondering　the　problem　when　he　saw　a　man　running　wildly　toward　him；　almost　tripping　over　himself。　He　waved　his　arms；　calling　out　frantically；　it　was　Andrew　Cale；　co…manager　of　the　boatyard。　The　man　was　almost　hysterical；　his　eyes　were　sunken；　glassy　hollows；　and　tears　streamed　down　his　face。　There　were　marks　on　his　bare　arms　where　thorns　had　scratched　him。
　　〃KIP！〃　he　cried　out；　his　chest　heaving。　〃Oh；　mon；　thank　God　I　find　you！〃　He　grasped　the　constable's　arm　and　pulled　at　him。
　　〃What's　wrong　with　you？〃　Kip　asked。　〃What's　happened？〃
　　〃My　house。。。〃　he　said；　unable　to　catch　his　breath。　〃Oh　God。。。　my　house。。。〃
　　Kip's　spine　went　rigid。　〃Get　in；〃　he　said；　and　reached　over　to　help　the　man。
　　〃Me。。。　and　Mr。　Langstree　just　got　back。。。　from　Steele　Cay。。。　and　my　house。。。　I　can't　go　in　there。。。　I　doan　know。。。　I　doan　know。。。〃　Cale　whimpered。
　　Kip　turned　on　the　road　that　would　take　them　to　the　man's　home。　He　stopped　the　jeep　next　to　the　cinderblock　steps　leading　to　the　door　and　Cale　struggled　out。　〃e　on；　Kip！〃　he　said　breathlessly。　〃Please；　mon！〃
　　Kip　stared　at　the　house。　The　front　door　had　been　torn　off　its　hinges　and　lay　against　the　porch　railing。　Windows　had　been　shattered；　the　pieces　of　glass　speckling　the　yard。　Floral…printed　curtains　still　hung　in　the　remnants　of　the　frames。　They　had　been　shredded　into　strips。　Cale　grasped　at　him。　〃Please。。。〃
　　As　soon　as　Kip　stepped　across　the　threshold　into　the　house　he　smelled　it：　the　reek　of　blood　and　above　that　another　smell。　Rotting　flesh。
　　Cale　pushed　ahead　of　him　and　started　down　the　hallway。　The　man　stopped　and　stood　framed　in　a　doorway　staring　at　something。　〃NORA！〃　he　called　out　suddenly；　his　voice　trembling。　But　he　did　not　move；　even　as　Kip　reached　him　and　put　a　hand　on　his　shoulder。
　　〃There；〃　Cale　said；　pointing　a　finger。
　　Kip's　eyes　followed　his　finger；　and　he　froze　in　horror　at　what　he　saw。
　　On　the　floor；　amid　shattered　wood　and　glass；　was　something　that　at　one　time　had　been　a　man。
　　Now　bare；　savaged　bone　glistened。　The　eyes　were　gone；　as　was　the　nose；　and　the　teeth　seemed　oddly　white　and　perfect　in　the　remains　of　the　head。　On　the　torso；　arms；　and　legs　there　were　innumerable　sickle…shaped　wounds；　where　hunks　of　flesh　had　been　ripped　away　right　down　to　the　bone。　Bites；　Kip　thought　suddenly。　Rat　bites。　There　was　nothing　left　of　the　throat；　it　had　been　peeled　and　stripped　away　down　to　the　spinal　cord；　all　the　veins　brutally　torn。　The　body　lay　in　a　clotted；　wine…red　ooze。　Cale　choked　and　turned　away；　staggering　for　the　door　but　unable　to　keep　from　vomiting。　Kip　used　all　his　strength　to　control　the　wave　of　nausea　that　surged　inside　him；　but　he　felt　dizzy　and　off…balance。
　　When　the　sickness　had　passed　he　forced　himself　to　go　into　the　bedroom。　The　window　had　been　broken　open；　in　one　corner　of　the　room　there　was　a　blood…matted　sheet；　and　droplets　spattered　the　mattress。　Kip　steeled　himself；　bent　down；　groped　in　the　corpse's　rear　pocket　and　found　a　wallet。　He　opened　it　and　looked　for　identification。
　　Johnny　Majors。　Jesus　Christ　in　Heaven！
　　〃WHERE'S　MY　WIFE？〃　Cale　asked；　wiping　his　mouth；　his　eyes　swollen　and　heavy…lidded。　〃Where　is　she？〃
　　〃I。。。　don't　know；〃　Kip　said；　surprised　at　the　hollowness　of　his　own　voice。　One　of　the　man's　hands　lay　beside　the　head；　it　had　been　gnawed　or　broken　from　the　wrist；　exposed　bones　licked　clean。
　　〃WHAT　DID　THIS？〃　Cale　screamed　suddenly。　He　backed　away　from　Kip；　his　hands　clawing　at　the　corridor　wall。
　　Kip　bent　to　the　floor；　swatting　at　flies　that　whirled　around　the　body。　There　were　boot　marks　in　the　liquid　pools。　He　caught　the　tremble　of　panic　that　welled　within　him。　Covering　the　corpse　with　the　sheet　and　struggling　to　control　himself；　he　quickly　made　his　way　out　of　the　house　and　supported　himself　against　the　hood　of　the　jeep。　Cale　came　out　on　the　porch；　his　eyes　glazed　and　lost。　〃Where's　Nora？〃　Cale　said　hoarsely；　in　a　voice　barely　audible。　〃What　happened　to　her？〃
　　But　Kip　hadn't　heard。　He　was　staring　off　into　the　jungle；　not　really　knowing　what　he　was　seeing；　at　last　his　mind　cleared　and　he　was　aware　that　vegetation　had　been　crushed　in　a　path　that　led　away　from　the　house。　Approaching　the　jungle　fringe；　he　saw　the　impression　of　a　boot　in　the　still…damp　earth。　Then　three　others。　Cale　called　out　again；　〃Where's　my　wife？〃　but　then　the　constable　was　out　of　earshot；　following　the　path　of　crushed　thorns　and　snapped　vines。
　　Every　few　feet　there　were　drops　of　blood；　and　ahead　the　pathway　turned　through　a　grove　of　dead；　rotting　trees。　He　followed　it　for　perhaps　twenty　minutes；　knowing　he　was　insane　for　going　alone　and　without　a　weapon；　but　still；　he　was　pelled　to　follow。　And　then；　breaking　through　a　high　growth　of　thorns；　he　saw　he　had　e　to　one　of　the　old；　decaying　plantation　great　houses；　a　square　slab　of　a　structure　over　which　dead　trees　hung　in　a　tangle　of　shriveled　branches。　The　roof　had　collapsed　into　the　second　floor；　and　black　timbers　protruded　from　the　open　sockets　of　windows。　A　second…floor　balcony　sagged；　its　supports　fallen　away；　and　vines　crept　along　the　gray；　weather…battered　wood。
　　And　here　the　boot　marks　ended。
　　In　the　distance　a　bird　shrieked　sharply；　then　was　silent。　Kip　looked　around；　found　a　branch　he　could　use　as　a　club　if　necessary；　and　walked　toward　the　concrete　stairs　leading　up　to　the　massive　doorway。　There　were　more　droplets　of　dried　blood；　Kip　stopped　just　in　front　of　the　door；　listening；　but　he　heard　nothing。　He　tightened　his　grip　around　the　club　and　kicked　the　door　open；　it　swung　out；　ripping　off　its　hinges　and　falling　to　the　bare　floor　with　a　loud；　echoing　crash。　Kip　stepped　into　the　cold　dampness　of　the　room；　his　skin　crawling　as　he　saw　the　puddles　of　blood　and　a　bloody　smear　where　something…the　woman's　body？…had　been　dragged。　He　stood　in　a　huge；　high…ceilinged　room　with　corridors　branching　off　on　all　sides；　a　wide　stairway　with　a　broken　banister　reached　the　second　floor　before　plummeting　into　darkness。　Kip　could　see　the　tree　limbs　through　the　holes　above。
　　He　moved　slowly　along　one　of　the　halls；　the　club　held　up　before　him；　his　free　hand　feeling　the　way。　A　few　feet　farther　and　something　streaked　across　his　hand：　a　lizard　scrambling　for　the　safety　of　a　hole。　He　pulled　his　arm　back；　stifling　a　cry；　and　waited　until　his　pulse　had　calmed　down　before　going　on。　He　heard　the　lizard　racing　along　the　corridor。　At　his　feet　there　were　more　droplets　and　smears　of　blood；　leading　him　into　another　room。　Get　out　of　this　place；　he　told　himself。　Get　a　gun；　bring　back　more　men　to　help；　but　get　out　of　here　before　it's　too　late！　But　then　the　next　step　brought　him　into　the　room；　and　the　terrible　stench　of　rot　choked　him。　Timbers　had　fallen　in　from　the　ceiling；　littering　the　floor；　there　were　square　windows；　devoid　of　glass；　from　ceiling　to　floor；　and　through　them　streamed　thick　columns　of　gray　light。
　　A　body　lay　on　its　back　in　a　corner。
　　Kip　moved　forward；　slowly；　his　eyes　widening　and　his　teeth　gritted　against　the　stench。
　　It　was　not　the　corpse　of　Nora　Cale。　It　was　a　skeleton　from　which　almost　all　trace　of　flesh　had　fallen　away；　it　wore　the　tatters　of　a　uniform…brown；　matted　with　grime　and　fungus　like　the　cloth　Turk　had　clutched　in　his　death…grip…and　its　arms　were　outstretched　as　if　seeking　either　death　or　mercy。。。　or　perhaps　both。　Kip　stared　down　into　the　empty　eye　sockets；　feeling　his　practical；　trained　resolve　seep　away。
　　It　was　madness；　he　thought；　the　real　world　was　a　place　of　boundaries；　of　blue　sea　and　sky；　green　jungle；　clapboard　and　stucco　buildings；　flesh…and…blood　people。　There　was　no　Damballah；　nor　Baron　Samedi；　nor　jumbies　that　haunted　the　village。　But　what　was　this；　then；　this　skeleton　in　the　remnants　of　a　Nazi　uniform？　His　soul　cringed　away　from　the　things　that　lurked　beyond　the　edge　of　the　fire；　all　his　life　he　had　tried　to　reach　a　balance；　to　make　reality　his　base　and　core。　But　that　central　part　of　him；　hidden　from　all　others　and　often　even　from　himself；　did　believe。　It　had　faith　in　the　same　superstitions；　the　power　of　voodoo；　the　evil　things　that　sucked　life　from　night　sleepers；　that　moved　through　graveyards　carrying　cold　steel　scythes；　that　stood　in　shadows　and　regarded　the　world　of　light　through　hooded　eyes。
　　And　now　here　this　dead　thing　lay；　miles　from　the　risen　U…boat；　time　had　finally　caught　up　with　it；　collapsing　its　bones　and　flesh　with　a　touch　of　sea　air。　Kip　backed　away　from　it；　he　had　seen　more　blood　on　a　windowsill　and　he　knew　the　things　had　taken　whatever　was　left　of　the　woman　with　them。　NO！　NO　IT　CANNOT　BE！　Yes；　the　voice　whispered；　the　voice　of　his　〃uncle；〃　his　teacher；　yes；　it　is　true　remember　the　forces　of　a　man　live　on　after　death　after　death　after　death　after　death。。。
　　These　things　that　he　had　feared　all　his　life；　that　he　had　buried　at　the　back　of　his　mind；　were　real。
　　And　suddenly　the　brick　wall　he　had　built　inside　him　so　long　ago　broke　open；　a　cracking　of　mortar　grown　weak　and　useless；　and　the　howling　dark　forms　swept　over　him。
　　　
　　　Seventeen
　　
　　THEY　DID　NOT　LIKE　the　foreigner。　If　he　had　approached　any　of　them；　if　he　had　sat　in　on　any　of　their　card　games；　or　taken　a　shot　of　rum　or　even　talked　to　them；　perhaps　their　feelings　might　have　been　different。　But　he　had　locked　himself　away　in　his　below…decks　cabin；　not　speaking　to　anyone；　even　paying　extra　to　have　a　steward　bring　his　meals　to　him。　The　black；　hard…eyed　seamen　didn't　like　that；　he　would　only　be　on　board　for　a　three…day　trip；　but　they　didn't　trust　whites　anyway；　and　this　foreigner　was　very　strange。
　　The　man　seemed　to　dislike　the　sun；　his