cp.creaturesofforever-第3部分
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〃Agreed。〃 She pushes Seymour forward so that he stands midway between us。
〃Seymour；〃 I say quickly。 〃Leave this place。〃
He has been hurt and frightened； but he is no coward。
〃Will you be all right？〃 he asks。 He does not want to leave。
〃Yes；〃 I say firmly。 〃You cannot help me by remaining。 Leave。〃
He turns toward the door。
〃No；〃 Heidi says。 Seymour stops…there is strength in her tone。 〃He is not to leave。 He is to be your sacrifice。〃
〃We have an agreement；〃 I say bitterly。 〃He is to be let go。〃
〃No；〃 Heidi repeats； and there is cold evil in her voice。 〃I agreed only to release him。 I have done so。 But to join us you must sacrifice him。 It is part of your initiation。〃
My tone is scornful。 〃Is this the way of your people？ You splice words so thinly they bee lies。〃
Heidi points the matrix at Seymour's back。 〃Your choice remains the same。 You have five seconds to make it。〃
I imagine she is good at keeping time。 Seymour's face is ashen。 He believes； either way； that he is a goner。 But I have not lived five thousand years to be so easily tricked。 Clearly this creature knows a great deal about me； but not everything。 Since the recent infusion of Kalika's blood into my system； I have the ability to move things with my mind； as well as read minds。 I have no doubt my daughter could effortlessly affect objects from immense distances。 This psychokinesis； however； requires great concentration on my part and I have never used it under adverse conditions。 Up at Lake Tahoe； where my friend Paula lives with the divine child； I have only practiced pushing rocks and sticks from place to place。
But now I must move a knife。
Push it through Heidi's throat。
The blade is above and behind her。 I can see it； she cannot。 Yet I am afraid to focus pletely on it； afraid Heidi will guess what I am up to。 Instead I must continue to stare at Heidi； while I think of the knife； only of the knife。 Rising up on its own； flying through the air； digging deep into her soft flesh； slicing open her veins； ripping to pieces her nerves。 Yes； I tell myself； the knife will fly。 It can fly。 The very magnetism of my mind mands it to do so now。 At this very moment。
〃You have two seconds；〃 Heidi says。
〃You have only one；〃 I whisper as I feel my thoughts snatch hold of the cold alloy； a special blend of metals； far more powerful than steel； an edge far sharper than that of a razor。 For me； it is almost as if I hold the blade in my fingers。 There is pleasure for me in this killing。 But for her； there is only surprise。
The blade swishes through the air。
Heidi hears it； turns； but too late。
The knife sinks into the side of her neck and suddenly her blood is pouring onto the dirty floor。 Yet I do not take this to mean my victory is plete。 Heidi's will is strong； she will not die easily。 Even as her left hand rises up to remove the blade； her right hand brings up the matrix and aims it at both Seymour and me。 We are standing in a straight line in front of her。 I anticipate this move； and already am flying toward my friend。 I hit him in the knees just as a flash of red light stabs the air where he was standing。 Together Seymour and I roll on the floor。 But I am quickly up and kick the matrix from Heidi's hand before she can get off another shot。 My knife in her neck has slowed her down some； but she almost has it out； and perhaps she is capable of healing even fatal wounds； as I can。 But I will not give her the chance。 Before she can totally remove the knife； I reach out and grab her head and twist it all the way around； breaking every bone in her neck。 She sags lifeless in my arms； dead； but still I am not finished with her。 Ripping off her head； I throw it into the far corner。 Now there is no way she can recover。
〃Nice；〃 Seymour says behind me。
〃Get those two weapons；〃 I say as I drop to my knees and examine Heidi's headless corpse。 〃We are leaving here in a few seconds。 Her partners must be nearby。〃
〃Understood。〃
While Seymour goes off to collect the two ray guns； I rifle through Heidi's clothes； ing up with a wallet and a passport。 These I will study later。 Feeling her from neck to foot； I find nothing else on her person。 Seymour is quick on his feet。 Already he stands behind me with the matrixes in his hand。
〃Who was she？〃 he asks。
〃I haven't the slightest idea。〃 I stand。 〃Let's get out of here。〃
2
The following morning I sit beside Paula Ramirez on the edge of Emerald Bay in the area of Lake Tahoe。 The sun is brilliant in a clear cerulean sky。 Inside Paula's house； Seymour sleeps； a young vampire still allergic to the sun。 Now the sun doesn't affect me in the slightest； and again I must credit this to my daughter's blood。 Even the burning Surya； the sun god； could not intimidate the Dark Mother； Kali。 Kalika's ashes rest in a vase that sits beside me in the sand。 I have brought the vase with me from the house。 I don't know why。 Except I still miss her so； my beautiful； mysterious daughter； killed by a Setian。
Paula holds her three…month…old son； John； and listens as I describe what happened in Los Angeles。 I have driven all night to reach Paula。 The infant kicks his bare feet in the cold water。 He looks and sounds happy。 I am happy just to see him。 He always has that effect on me。 It was this child's blood that brought Seymour back from the dead。 Yet I did not take John's blood…once I had saved him from the Setians…to save my daughter。 I knew it was not what she wanted。 But I ask myself over and over how I could not have wanted it。
Unfathomable Kalika； Kali Ma； where are you now？
I finish my tale and Paula sits quietly staring at me with her warm eyes。
〃She said she saw you before；〃 she finally says。 〃Do you think she was lying？〃
〃It was impossible for me to tell if she was telling the truth or not；〃 I explain。 〃She seemed to operate under a psychic shield。 It was very strong…even I could not penetrate it。 Certainly I could not bend her will to mine。〃
〃But there wouldn't be any reason for her to lie about such a detail。〃
〃Perhaps。 But still； I don't remember her。〃
Paula stares out over the sparkling water at the small island in the center of the bay where Kalika met her end。 〃You know I have begun to remember many things； Sita；〃 she says softly。
I nod。 I've suspected for a while that certain memories were returning to her； but I have waited until she felt ready to talk about them。
〃Suzama？〃 I say。
〃Yes。 I remember Suzama。〃
I suspected this； but still the statement is stunning to me。 Paula remembers Suzama； my mentor from my time in ancient Egypt； because she is the reincarnation of Suzama。 It is the only logical explanation； and I ask her to confirm the truth for me。 Paula shakes her head。
〃We may be the same from life to life；〃 she says。 〃But we are also different。 Do not expect Suzama to answer when you speak to me。 Her time was long ago。〃
I probe deep into Paula's brown eyes and feel a rush of joy； and of sorrow。 〃But she is in you；〃 I protest。 〃A part of me must have known that from the beginning。 When I met you at the bookstore； I knew I could not leave you。 You are Suzama； the great oracle。 Can't you just admit it？〃
She is flattered by my praise； and yet unmoved as well。 〃Perhaps I can't because I'm not able to see what happens next。〃 She pauses。 〃Yet I knew； when you were down in Los Angeles； that you would confront something very old。〃
I lower my voice。 〃Then you know who she was？〃
She shakes her head。 〃I have a feel for her； that is all。〃 Reaching down； she touches the clear water； then feels John's feet to see if they are getting cold。 She adds in a serious voice。 〃Interesting how she mentioned the harvest。〃
〃Yes。 I didn't understand that。 What harvest was she talking about？〃
Paula is thoughtful； her eyes focused far away； as Suzama often was。
〃There is a time ing soon；〃 she says； 〃when everything will change。 I have seen this in what people call visions； but which aren't visions at all。 People will either move forward or else repeat what they have already done。
I have to think about this。
Suzama never made casual prophecies。
〃What will people move forward to？〃 I ask。
〃An entirely different type of life。 One we cannot even imagine as we sit here。 Those who do go forward will live in light and bliss。〃
〃But Heidi was wicked。 Why would she want to increase such a harvest？〃
Paula wipes the water off John's feet and warms them in her lap。 〃There are two kinds of harvests；〃 she says。 〃There are two kinds of people。 Those who serve others and those who serve themselves。 You know this…it is nothing new。 Of course； no one is one hundred percent one way or the other。 No one is a perfect sinner or a perfect saint。 But where there is a dominance of self…interest； a negative harvest will e about for that person。 Where there is a dominance of love； a positive harvest will happen。〃
〃You know these things for fact？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Suzama 。。。〃 I begin。
She smiles。 〃Paula。 Please？〃
〃Paula。 When will the harvest occur？〃
〃The date is not set。 But some time in the next twenty…five years the change will occur。〃
〃Will everyone be harvested？〃
〃Not at all。〃
〃What is the criteria？〃
〃I knew you would ask that。 The criteria； I believe； is the same for both sides； positive and negative。 Yet it has nothing to do with religious persuasion； higher learning； physical health or beauty； relative importance in society。 None of these qualities will matter。〃
〃Then what will the criteria be？〃 I repeat。
〃It is difficult to describe。〃
I am frustrated。 〃Try。〃
Paula laughs； and so does her child。 John is for the most part a happy baby； but he can cry in the middle of the night with the best of them。 Many times I have changed his diapers to allow Paula to sleep。 Since drinking my daughter's blood； I seldom need to rest。 〃Life is the criteria；〃 she says finally。 〃Who is alive； who is not。 Remember； those who are negative can be more full of life than the most positive of people。〃 She punches me in the arm。 〃Take you for example。〃
I am her naive student； from long ago； and her remark wou
