jefflong.yearzero-第67部分

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e　pumpkin　pie；　she　counted　every　piece　of　candy；　then　started　over　again　at　one　hundred。
　〃I've　never　seen　a　Halloween　like　this；〃　said　the　Captain。　〃Look　at　all　that　loot。〃
　〃That　means　the　people　loved　Madeline；〃　his　wife　declared。
　Down　on　the　floor　with　her　candy；　Tara　smiled　broadly。
　Ever　since　Tara　had　moved　in　with　them；　the　Captain　and　his　wife　had　grown　younger。　The　framed　pictures　of　their　own　daughter…dressed　for　prom；　on　a　river　rafting　trip；　holding　a　fish；　standing　beside　a　Navy　jet　in　her　flight　suit…had　been　crowded　out　by　Tara's　artwork。　Tara　filled　their　quiet　with　songs。　There　was　life　in　the　house　again。
　〃。。。eight；　nine；　ten。。。。〃　Tara　was　dividing　her　bounty　between　five　dolls；　who　sat　side　by　side　along　the　wall。　She　kept　sneaking　looks　at　Nathan　Lee。　Miranda　nudged　him　with　mock　jealousy。
　Nathan　Lee　was　happy　tonight；　and　also　sad。　He　didn't　say　what　he　was　thinking；　that　Los　Alamos　was　starting　to　face　up　to　its　end。　Thiswas　the　best　Halloween　ever；　but　for　a　reason。　The　great　pretending　had　begun。　He'd　seen　it　last　summer　in　towns　across　America；　the　grownups　beguiling　their　children；　making　believe　the　good　times　had　no　end。
　*　　*　　*
　NOVEMBER　UNFOLDED。　Since　the　halt　to　trucking　in　August；　the　citizens　had　grown　steadily　shabbier；　their　sleeves　and　collars　more　frayed　and　greasy　by　the　day。　Stores　displayed　more　empty　shelves。　European…style　kiosks　sold　oldNewsweek　andThe　Observer　andScientific　American　magazines。　Yellowed　copies　of　theNew　York　Times　dated　back　to　the　1990s。　Used　bookstores　flourished。
　It　was　basketball　season。　Every　Friday　night　the　stands　were　packed　as　Los　Alamos's　two　high　schools　vied　in　lively；　if　redundant；　petition。　The　city　continued　to　swim　in　electricity　thanks　to　their　nuclear　reactor　plant。　Street　and　porch　lights　stayed　on　all　night。
　It　was　as　if　the　city　were　floating　in　air。
　Then　one　morning；　they　woke　to　find　themselves　besieged。
　Overnight；　the　few　hundred　pilgrims　along　the　Rio　Grande　swelled　to　twenty　thousand。　A　day　later；　they　were　thirty　thousand。　The　citizens　of　Los　Alamos　were　appalled。　These　were　plague　victims　at　their　doorstep。　Cavendish　helpfully　declared　this　was　the　beginning　of　the　end。
　Curiously；　the　generals　did　nothing。　Even　more　curiously；　their　restraint　calmed　the　city。　It　seemed　to　enunciate　their　power。　Remembering　that　the　pilgrims　had　been　dispersed　once　before；　people　decided　they　could　be　dispersed　again。　For　now；　so　long　as　the　horde　stayed　on　its　own　side　of　the　river；　they　were　left　alone。
　These　new　pilgrims　coiled　down　through　the　wine　country　by　the　thousands；　through　old　villages　wheresantoses　were　still　carved　from　the　heart　of　cottonwoods　and　the　cemeteries　dated　back　to　Spanish　colonial　times。　They　streamed　in　from　the　deserts　of　Texas　and　Mexico；　and　south　from　mountain　fortresses　bunkered　upon　ski　mountains　and　in　extinct　gold　mines　in　Colorado　and　Utah；　and　out　from　tornado　shelters　and　missile　silos　and　train　tunnels。　Wherever　they　had　been　hiding；　they　emerged。　Slouching　toward　the　city　of　light。
　Remote　surveillance　cameras　watched　them　day　and　night。　It　helped　ease　the　city's　anxiety　that　the　vagabond　camp　resembled　old；　fabled　hippie　munes；　right　down　to　their　guitars；　soup　lines；　andagape。　They　showed　no　inclination　to　violence。　To　the　contrary；　they　signaled　their　desire　for　peace。　They　knew　they　were　being　watched。　Some　had　relatives　within　Los　Alamos。　They　held　up　signs　to　the　cameras　across　the　river　with　people's　names；　or　with　peace　signs；　or　with　references　to　scripture。
　The　Rio　was　their　Jordan。　They　pitched　their　tents　on　soil　painted　orange　with　Vietnam…era　poison。　They　were　explicit　about　their　intent　to　remain　along　the　river　banks。　They　wanted　a　miracle；　not　bloodshed。
　It　was　a　plague　camp　down　there。　Satellite　photos　showed　a　great　red　tumor　along　the　eastern　banks　of　the　river。　The　plasma　rods　for　detecting　deposition　gases　read　off　the　scale。　Downstream；　the　Rio　ran　hot　with　virus。
　By　Thanksgiving；　their　camp　was　two　miles　long　and　growing。　Military　intelligence　estimated　their　numbers　at　nearly　a　hundred　thousand。　In　another　week；　they　would　be　double　that。　The　high…altitude　photos　taken　at　night　were　most　telling。　You　could　see　their　candles　and　fires　reaching　backwards　in　long　thick　veins　that　forked　and　thinned　and　forked　again　and　became　capillaries　and　finally　just　dots　of　light　at　their　distant　origins。　They　were　the　last　of　their　kind。　America　was　ing　to　celebrate　Christmas。
　As　the　days　passed　by；　the　pilgrims　asked　for　nothing。　At　night；　their　campfires　turned　the　valley　red。　The　pilgrims　who　arrived　healthy　were　quickly　infected。　They　didn't　seem　to　mind。　Christ　had　arisen　at　Los　Alamos。
　Miranda　convoked　an　emergency　session　with　the　generals　and　lab　directors。
　〃We　should　have　evacuated　while　it　was　still　possible；〃　cried　a　scientist。
　〃The　time　is　not　right；〃　a　general　responded。
　〃What　are　you　waiting　for？〃　an　administrator　demanded。　〃They'll　outnumber　us　two　to　one　in　a　week。〃
　〃Four　to　one　in　two　weeks；〃　someone　added。　〃How　are　we　supposed　to　do　our　work　with　people　dying　down　there？〃
　〃We're　monitoring　the　situation；〃　the　general　told　them。　The　generals　sat　side　by　side；　hands　folded；　inscrutable。　They　were　serene。　Nathan　Lee　was　perplexed。　They　didn't　seem　to　care。
　〃They　could　e　storming　up　here　any　minute。　You're　supposed　to　be　protecting　us。〃
　〃The　situation　is　under　control；〃　the　general　said。
　〃They're　a　clear　and　present　danger；〃　someone　protested。
　A　minister　from　one　of　the　local　churches　tapped　on　his　microphone。　He　was　an　older　man　with　a　cloud　of　white　hair　and　highlander　sideburns。　He　leaned　forward。　〃They　are　the　lilies　of　the　field；〃　he　said。
　People　waited　impatiently。
　〃They're　hungry　and　thirsty；〃　the　minister　continued。　〃Christians　in　need。〃
　〃They're　carriers；〃　a　woman　barked　at　him。　〃They're　already　dead。　We　have　to　break　them　up　before　it's　too　late。　How　will　we　ever　be　able　to　evacuate　with　them　blocking　the　highway？〃
　The　generals　looked　like　a　row　of　Buddhas；　not　a　worry。　〃When　the　time　es；〃　one　said；　〃we　will　part　the　waters。〃
　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　The　general　smiled。　〃Just　Bible　talk。〃　He　offered　no　other　explanations。
　〃Feed　them；〃　the　minister　argued。　〃We　have　plenty。　Give　them　the　bread　of　life。〃
　〃And　encourage　more　to　e？〃　someone　said。
　〃They　e　in　peace；〃　said　the　minister。　He　sounded　like　an　old　movie；The　Day　the　Earth　Stood　Still。
　〃They　may　have　e　in　peace；〃　a　woman　said；　〃but　they'll　never　leave　that　way。　They've　e　too　far　with　nothing　to　lose。　They　have　nowhere　to　return　to。　They're　contaminating　each　other。　They're　never　going　home。　They've　got　Los　Alamos　in　their　sights。〃
　〃Show　them　mercy；〃　said　the　minister；　〃and　they　will　do　the　same。〃
　They　heckled　him。　〃You're　out　of　your　tree；　reverend。〃
　Miranda　intervened。　She　looked　at　the　generals。　〃What　do　you　remend？〃
　The　generals　put　their　hands　over　their　microphones　and　spoke　among　themselves。　They　nodded　their　heads。　Finally　one　general　spoke。　〃We're　better　off　knowing　where　they　are　than　trying　to　figure　out　where　they're　hiding。　Let　them　e。　All　of　them。　As　long　as　they　don't　cross　the　river；　we're　safe。〃
　〃You're　not　going　to　do　anything？〃　a　molecular　engineer　plained。　〃Strafe　them。〃　People　booed　his　suggestion。　〃I　mean　along　the　edges；〃　he　qualified。　〃Drop　a　few　bombs　on　our　side　of　the　valley。　Shake　them　up。　Back　them　off。〃
　〃We're　not　in　the　business　of　bluffing；〃　said　the　general。
　〃But　we　have　to　do　something。〃
　〃We　will　watch　and　wait。　And　feed　them；〃　said　the　general。
　〃What！〃
　The　minister　closed　his　eyes　in　thanksgiving。
　〃The　reverend　has　a　good　idea。　It　works　in　our　favor；〃　the　general　continued。　〃Give　them　food　and　supplies。　Keep　them　in　place。〃
　〃You　sound　like　peaceniks　out　of　Santa　Fe；〃　said　a　lab　chief。　〃Love　and　charity。　They're　an　army　gathering　down　there。　I've　seen　guns　and　rogue　soldiers　on　the　remote　cams。　Every　day　they're　getting　stronger。〃
　The　general　hunched　upon　the　table　and　his　shoulders　were　like　wings。　〃Everyday　they　get　weaker；〃　he　clarified。　〃If　they　sit　there　long　enough；　they'll　die　off　by　themselves。〃
　They　considered　that。　Their　charity　would　be　their　weapon。　It　satisfied　them。　Deeply。
　And　so　they　began　to　feed　their　enemy。
　
　32
　Penitentes
　
　DECEMBER
　It　was　that　time　of　year　when　little　girls　and　boys　became　sugar　plum　fairies　and　mice。　The　Bolshoi's　second　annual　presentation　ofThe　Nutcracker　was　right　around　the　corner。　The　remnants　of　the　Denver　symphony　dug　up　its　Tchaikovsky。　A　famous　Broadway　producer　who　had　taken　shelter　here　warred　with　a　famous　Hollywood　producer　over　the　staging；　lights；　and　credit。
　Wreaths　of　evergreen　boughs　appeared。　The　trees　in　the　park　sprouted　red　bows　and　Styrofoam　candycanes。　Thousands　offarolitos　lined　the　walkways；　paper　bags　weighted　with　sand　and　each　holding　a　candle。　Nathan　Lee　didn't　think　there　could　be　so　many　candles　left　in　all　of　Los　Alamos。　Like　the　children　at　school；　Tara　learned　about　Hanukah　and　dreidels；　Kwanzaa；　the　baby　Jesus　in　a　manger；　and　Santa。　She　was　kept　at　home；　of　course；　a　shy　girl　still　given　to　dark　outbursts。　Thanks　to　the　Captain's　old　record　collection；　she　was　crooning　carols　from　Perry　o。
　Researchers　showed　up　for　work　with　pink　cheeks　and　thick　sweaters。　The　microwaves　smelled　like　apple　cider。　In　lieu　of　mistletoe；　a　few　red　chilies　hung　over　office　doors。　Out　came　the　beakers　of　home…brew　lovingly　distilled　in　lab　glassware。　Everyone　was　determined　not　to　have　the　holiday　spoiled。
　And　yet　the　invaders　were　there。
　In　the　space　of　a　few　weeks；　the　plague　camp　along　the　Rio　had　grown　to　epic　proportions。　Earlier　military　estimates　were　off　by　magnitudes　of　ten。　There　were　nearly　a　million　people　down　there；　with　more　on　the　way；　America's　last　spasm　of　colonial　movement；　bony　and　wind…chapped；　squatting　on　the　edge　of　Oz。　From　the　air；　they　looked　like　a　great　migratory　herd　of　animals。　Or　Woodstock。
　The　city　resented　their　siege。　Weren't　the　scientists　working　night　and　day　to　find　a　cure　for　them？　Didn't　the　people　of　Los　Alamos　deserve　their　own　Christmas；　one　free　of　the　primal　Christ　lurking　in　those　fevered　imaginations　below？　They　were　li