rm.thenightboat-第40部分

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　would　be　long　dead　and　corroded　with　salt。　But　then　he　remembered　the　marine　batteries　Langstree　said　had　been　stolen。　If　enough　power　could　be　coaxed　from　them；　if　the　diesels　could　be　brought　up　even　to　a　fraction　of　power。。。　The　images　ate　at　him。　If　the　U…boat　ever　reached　the　sea　lanes　between　Coquina　and　Jamaica。。。
　　〃First　they've　tried　to　quench　their　thirsts　for　the　fluids　of　life；〃　Boniface　said。　〃But　they　have　failed；　and　now　their　fury　will　be　uncontrollable。　They　will　try　to　kill　as　many　as　they　can。〃
　　〃I　saw　one　today…dead…in　a　house　a　mile　or　so　from　the　village。〃
　　Boniface　nodded。　〃The　air　is　taking　its　toll　on　them；　but　very　slowly。　Too　slowly　to　save　us。〃　He　stared　at　the　constable；　his　expression　clouded　and　distant。
　　〃I　will　not　last　this　night；〃　he　whispered。　〃I　close　my　eyes…like　this…and　I　see　the　moment　of　my　death　fast　approaching。　It　is　taking　shape　now；　grasping　for　me。。。〃　He　turned　his　head　and　peered　through　the　shutter　slats。　Then　he　garnered　his　strength　again。　〃The　fire　is　dying。　They　fear　the　flames；　I've　got　to　build　it　back。〃　He　took　a　few　pieces　of　shattered　wood；　opened　the　door；　and　went　outside。　The　fire　had　burned　down　dangerously　low。
　　Kip　was　transfixed；　unable　to　think　clearly。　There　were　Myra　and　Mindy。。。　He　had　to　get　them　off　the　island　somehow；　get　them　to　safety。　But　what　about　all　the　others；　the　people　who　looked　to　him　for　protection？　How　to　save　their　lives？　How　to　shield　them　from　the　onrushing　evil？
　　Outside；　Boniface　bent　down　and　threw　the　wood　into　the　smoldering　red　and　orange　ashes。　Build　it　back；　he　told　himself。　Build　it　huge　and　roaring；　hot　and　vivid　in　the　night！　The　flames　began　to　grow　back；　licking　at　the　new　timbers。
　　Boniface　stepped　away　from　the　circle；　the　eye　hanging　on　his　neck　flared　blood　scarlet；　cooled　to　a　violet；　darker；　darker；　to　a　deep　gray；　and　finally　to　ebony。
　　And　he　felt　the　coarse；　ancient　hand　of　Death　on　him；　it　touched　his　neck　very　lightly；　but　it　was　enough　to　send　an　electric　chill　of　warning　through　him。　He　twisted　around；　looking　toward　the　jungle；　and　as　the　shadows　fell　upon　him　he　knew　the　moment　had　finally　e。　And　though　he　saw　his　fate　clearly　he　would　not　give　himself　up　to　them。
　　〃KIP！〃　he　shouted；　his　voice　breaking。　He　turned　toward　the　open　church　door。
　　Before　he　had　taken　more　than　a　step　he　tripped　over　an　exposed　root　and　fell　to　the　ground；　the　glass　eye　shattering　to　bits　beneath　him。　〃KIP！〃　he　screamed；　feeling　the　shadows　reach　him。
　　Boniface's　glasses　had　fallen　off；　almost　blind；　he　crawled　away　from　the　things；　his　mouth　trying；　but　unable　now；　to　make　a　sound；　his　fingers　gripping　into　sand　and　earth。　And　then　one　of　them　placed　a　booted　foot　on　the　old　man's　throat　and　crunched　down。　Boniface　tried　to　fight　back；　but　his　strength　was　rapidly　fading；　he　was　choking　on　his　own　blood。　The　living　corpses　hissed　all　around　him；　illuminated　by　the　building　fire；　and　their　claws　flashed　down　to　rend　him　apart。
　　When　Kip　reached　the　door；　he　stood　paralyzed　with　shock　at　what　he　saw。　The　things　turned　their　heads　toward　him；　the　fiery　caverns　of　their　eyes　seeking　fresh　blood。
　　Kip　saw　the　faces　of　Hell's　warriors；　things　that　had　crewed　a　boat　through　the　dark　currents　of　the　underworld。　There　were　five；　and　more　ing　through　the　jungle。　The　one　that　had　crushed　the　reverend's　throat　had　a　face　half　covered　with　a　yellowish　fungus；　white　tufts　of　hair　clung　to　the　head；　and　the　sunken　remains　of　its　eyes　burned　into　Kip　with　a　searing　hatred。　When　the　thing's　tight　gray　lips　parted　in　a　death's…head　grin；　Kip　heard　it　hiss。　A　ring　emblazoned　with　a　swastika　on　its　right　hand　caught　the　firelight。
　　And　then　they　came　for　Kip；　their　talons　groping　for　his　throat；　teeth　bared。
　　Kip　steeled　himself。　When　they　were　almost　upon　him　he　raised　the　ax　he'd　taken　from　the　corner　of　the　church　and　brought　it　smashing　down　onto　a　grisly　skull　of　a　head。
　　The　thing　shrieked；　a　high　rattle　of　reed…dry　cords；　and　fell　backward。　The　others　were　ing　for　him；　moving　so　fast　he　had　no　time　to　think；　no　time　to　step　back；　slam　and　bolt　the　door　to　gain　a　few　extra　minutes。　He　clenched　his　teeth；　smelling　their　dead　reek；　and　swung　back　and　forth　with　the　ax；　wading　into　their　midst　as　they　grasped　at　his　chest　and　arms　and　legs；　tearing　at　his　clothing　and　then　his　skin。　The　ones　he　struck　down　dragged　themselves　back　to　grasp　at　his　legs；　he　kicked　at　them；　staggering　and　almost　falling。　A　hideous　face　streaked　with　fungus　hissed　at　him；　he　chopped　at　it　with　the　ax　and　it　smashed　into　fragments。　Something　caught　at　his　knees　and　he　almost　fell　forward　into　their　midst。　He　knew　that　if　he　fell　he　was　dead。
　　He　fought　for　balance；　swinging　wildly；　listening　to　their　evil　rattles　and　high；　eerie　moans。　A　claw　emerged　from　the　mass　of　bodies；　probing　for　his　eyes；　he　ducked　his　head；　began　to　fight　with　fists；　feet；　elbows；　and　knees；　kicking　them　back；　hammering　at　them；　crushing　their　skulls　with　the　gleaming　blade。　One　of　them　leaped　forward；　seizing　him　around　the　throat；　another　grasped　his　back　and　began　to　chew　at　his　exposed　shoulder；　making　hungry　grunting　noises。　Powerful　fingers　caught　at　the　ax；　trying　to　wrench　it　away　from　him。　They　closed　in　on　all　sides；　flinging　themselves　at　him；　trying　to　tear　through　his　throat　with　teeth　and　nails。　A　wrench　glittered　in　the　light；　ing　straight　at　him；　but　he　caught　the　shock　of　the　blow　with　the　ax　handle　and　then　slammed　the　blade　into　an　arm　socket。
　　Panic　choked　him；　there　were　too　many。　TOO　MANY！　he　shrieked。　The　ones　with　crushed　faces　and　broken　bones　would　not　give　up；　they　still　struggled　to　devour　him。　He　fought　away　from　the　thing　on　his　back；　and　another　took　its　place；　sucking　at　the　blood　that　trickled　from　his　shoulder　gash。　THE　JEEP！　he　heard　himself　cry　out。　The　jeep！　Get　to　the　jeep！　He　caught　on　to　the　side　of　his　vehicle　for　support；　holding　his　arms　over　his　face　to　ward　off　the　claws；　then　battering　with　the　blade　left　and　right。　He　fought　away；　dragging　himself　into　the　back　of　the　jeep；　feeling　the　things　grasping　at　his　legs　to　pull　him　into　their　ravenous　midst。　Kicking　at　them；　wrenching　his　legs　free；　Kip　watched　them　ring　the　jeep　to　prevent　his　escape；　saw　the　terrible　fury　in　their　mad　eyes。
　　A　thing　with　a　remnant　of　a　red　beard　started　to　climb　up　after　him；　but　Kip　brought　the　ax　down　with　all　his　strength。　The　head　was　almost　torn　from　the　body；　the　mummy　fell　backward；　yellow　bone　glinting　in　the　gaping　wound。　More　claws　reached　for　him；　the　dead　eyes　were　cunning　and　desperate。
　　Kip　backed　away；　his　muscles　throbbing；　sweat　streaming　from　his　body　and　the　blood　dripping　from　his　fingertips。
　　And　then　his　foot　bumped　the　gas　can　he'd　brought　along。
　　He　slammed　the　ax　into　it；　ripping　it　open；　he　lifted　it；　splattering　gasoline　over　the　things　and　throwing　the　rest　of　it　into　the　fire　just　behind　them。
　　The　explosion　threw　him　over　the　front　seat　against　the　windshield。　The　flames　roared　into　the　sky；　embers　swirling　in　a　whirlwind。　Several　of　the　things　burst　into　flame；　the　fire　caused　a　panic　among　the　others。　They　fought　away　from　each　other　and　began　to　run　toward　the　green　wall　of　the　jungle；　flaking　into　ashes　with　each　step。　They　crawled　across　the　ground　like　maddened　animals；　screaming　and　moaning　under　the　fire's　blazing　touch。　A　few　of　them　reached　the　jungle　and　crashed　through　into　the　foliage；　the　others　lay　where　they　had　fallen；　melting　like　waxwork　figures。
　　Kip　threw　himself　behind　the　wheel　and　roared　away　from　the　church；　feeling　that　in　another　moment　he　might　go　totally　mad；　his　entire　body　shook；　his　heart　pounded；　and　cold　sweat　dripped　from　every　pore。
　　The　village　lay　ahead；　dark　and　quiet；　peaceful　and　unaware　in　the　night。
　　And　a　long　time　yet　before　morning。
　　　
　　　Twenty…one
　　
　　DAVID　MOORE　THREW　the　sodden　sheet　off　and　leaped　from　his　bed；　he　was　awake　as　soon　as　his　feet　hit　the　floor。　He　stood　in　the　hot　darkness；　his　mind　a　nightmare　landscape；　trying　to　pinpoint　what　it　was　that　had　filled　him　with　terrible　alarm。
　　Moore　opened　the　terrace　doors　and　stepped　out；　gripping　the　railing。　On　the　horizon　there　was　a　brief　flash　of　lightning；　followed　by　the　hollow；　still…distant　rumbling　of　thunder。　The　ocean　was　churned　high　and　white；　and　somewhere　the　storm　was　building。　Moore　stood　where　he　was　a　moment　longer；　listening；　wondering　if　it　was　the　thunder　that　had　awakened　him；　he　went　back　into　the　room；　switched　on　a　lamp；　and　hurriedly　dressed　in　a　cotton　shirt　and　jeans。
　　There　was　an　insistent　knock　at　his　door。　〃Who　is　it？〃　he　said。
　　〃Jana。　Let　me　in；　please。〃
　　He　opened　the　door。　She　came　in；　wearing　the　same　clothes　she'd　fallen　asleep　in；　her　eyes　were　red…rimmed；　and　beneath　them　there　were　dark　hollows。
　　〃I　heard　something；〃　she　said。　〃I　know　I　heard　something。〃　She　had　rested　for　only　moments　at　a　time；　and　in　her　nightmares　were　things　that　watched　her　from　thick　shadows；　licking　their　lips　with　bloated　tongues。
　　〃Thunder；〃　he　said　quickly。　〃It　woke　me　too。。。〃
　　〃No！〃　She　shook　her　head　and　moved　past　him　to　the　terrace；　where　she　peered　down　into　the　darkness。　〃I　thought　I　heard　a　woman's　scream。〃
　　Lightning　flashed；　making　Jana　wince。　Moore　came　up　beside　her。　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　he　asked。
　　〃I　think　so。　I　don't　know。　I　tell　you；　I　heard　a　woman's　scream！〃　She　rubbed　her　arms；　as　if　to　get　the　circulation　going。
　　〃The　man　who　was　here。。。　when　we　came　in；〃　Jana　went　on。　〃Who　is　he？〃
　　〃His　name　is　Schiller；　he　was　on　the　U…boat　when　it　went　down。〃
　　〃Then。。。　he　knows？　About　what's　happened？〃
　　Moore　shook　his　head。　〃No；　I　didn't　tell　him。〃
　　In　the　darkness　there　was　a　sharp；　distant　sound　of　breaking　glass。　Moore　grasped　the　railing；　straining　to　see。　The　next　streak　of　lightning　cast　strange；　long　shadows　across　the　streets　of　the　village；　there　were　no　lights　on；　and　nothing　moved。
　　〃What　is　it？〃　Jana　was　tense　beside　him；　her　voice　a　taut　whisper。
　　〃I　don't　know。。。〃　Thunder　boomed　across　the　sea；　but　behind　it　Moore　thought　he　heard　the　sudden　splitting　of　timber。　A　light　switched　on；　almost　at　the　farthest　fringe　of　the　village；　and　he　could　hear