stephen king - mist-第10部分

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e　story　…and　I　illustrated　a　series　of　them　while　I　was　still　in　college。　Pirates　burying　their　bloody　gold　at　midnight；　or　maybe　the　mad　doctor　and　his　assistant　snatching　a　body。　Shadows；　made　twisted　and　monstrous　by　the　shifting；　conflicting　flashlight　beams；　bobbed　on　the　walls。　The　generator　ticked　irregularly　as　it　cooled。
　The　bag…boy　was　walking　toward　the　loading　door；　flashing　his　light　ahead　of　him。　〃I　wouldn't　go　over　there；〃　I　said。
　〃No；　I　know　you　wouldn't。〃
　〃Try　it　now；　Ollie；〃　one　of　the　men　said。　The　generator　wheezed；　then　roared。
　〃Jesus！　Shut　her　down！　Holy　crow；　don't　that　stink！〃
　The　generator　died　again。
　The　bag…boy　walked　back　from　the　loading　door　just　as　they　came　out。　〃Something's　plugged　that　exhaust；　all　right；〃　one　of　the　men　said。
　〃I'll　tell　you　what；〃　the　bag…boy　said。　His　eyes　were　shining　in　the　glow　of　the　flashlights；　and　there　was　a　devil…may…care　expression　on　his　face　that　I　had　sketched　too　many　times　as　part　of　the　frontispieces　for　my　boys'　adventure　series。　〃Get　it　running　long　enough　for　me　to　raise　the　loading　door　back　there。　I'll　go　around　and　clear　away　whatever　it　is。〃
　〃Norm；　I　don't　think　that's　a　very　good　idea；〃　Ollie　said　doubtfully：
　〃Is　it　an　electric　door？〃　the　one　called　Jim　asked。
　〃Sure；〃　Ollie　said。　〃But　I　just　don't　think　it　would　be　wise　for…〃
　〃That's　okay；〃　the　other　guy　said。　He　tipped　his　baseball　cap　back　on　his　head。　〃I'll　do　it。〃
　〃No；　you　don't　understand；〃　Ollie　began　again。　〃I　really　don't　think　anyone　should…〃
　〃Don't　worry；〃　he　said　indulgently　to　Ollie；　dismissing　him。
　Norm；　the　bag…boy；　was　indignant。　〃Listen；　it　was　my　idea；〃　he　said。
　All　at　once；　by　some　magic；　they　had　gotten　around　to　arguing　about　who　was　going　to　do　it　instead　of　whether　or　not　it　should　be　done　at　all。　But　of　course；　none　of　them　had　heard　that　nasty　slithering　sound。　〃Stop　it！〃　I　said　loudly。
　They　looked　around　at　me。
　〃You　don't　seem　to　understand；　or　you're　trying　as　hard　as　you　can　not　to　understand。　This　is　no　ordinary　fog。　Nobody　has　e　into　the　market　since　it　hit。　If　you　open　that　loading　door　and　something　es　in…〃
　〃Something　like　what？〃　Norm　said　with　perfect　eighteen…year…old　macho　contempt。
　〃Whatever　made　the　noise；　I　heard。〃
　〃Mr。　Drayton；〃　Jim　said。　〃Pardon　me；　but　I'm　not　convinced　you　heard　anything。　I　know　you're　a　big…shot　artist　with　connections　in　New　York　and　Hollywood　and　all；　but　that　doesn't　make　you　any　different　from　anyone　else；　in　my　book。　Way　I　figure；　you　got　in　here　in　the　dark　and　maybe　you　just　。。。　got　a　little　confused。〃
　〃Maybe　I　did；〃　I　said。　〃And　maybe　if　you　want　to　start　screwing　around　outside；　you　ought　to　start　by　making　sure　that　lady　got　home　safe　to　her　kids。〃　His　attitude…and　that　of　his　buddy　and　of　Norm　the　bag…boy　…　was　making　me　mad　and　scaring　me　more　at　the　same　time。　They　had　the　sort　of　light　in　their　eyes　that　some　men　get　when　they　go　shooting　rats　at　the　town　dump。
　〃Hey；〃　Jim's　buddy　said。　〃When　any　of　us　here　want　your　advice；　we'll　ask　for　it。〃
　Hesitantly；　Ollie　said：　〃The　generator　really　isn't　that　important；　you　know。　The　food　in　the　cold　cases　will　keep　for　twelve　hours　or　more　with　absolutely　no…〃
　〃Okay；　kid；　you're　it；〃　Jim　said　brusquely。　〃I'll　start　the　motor；　you　raise　the　door　so　that　the　place　doesn't　stink　up　too　bad。　Me　and　Myron　will　be　standing　by　the　exhaust　outflow。　Give　us　a　yell　when　it's　clear。。〃
　〃Sure；〃　Norm　said；　and　bustled　excitedly　away。
　〃This　is　crazy；〃　I　said。　〃You　let　that　lady　go　by　herself…〃
　〃I　didn't　notice　you　breaking　your　ass　to　escort　her；〃　Jim's　buddy　Myron　said。　A　dull；　brick…colored　flush　was　creeping　out　of　his　collar。
　〃…but　you're　going　to　let　this　kid　risk　his　life　over　a　generator　that　doesn't　even　matter？〃
　〃Why　don't　you　just　shut　the　fuck　up！〃　Norm　yelled。
　〃Listen；　Mr　Drayton；〃　Jim　said；　and　smiled　at　me　coldly。　〃I'll　tell　you　what。　If　you've　got　anything　else　to　say；　I　think　you　better　count　your　teeth　first；　because　I'm　tired　of　listening　to　your　bullshit。〃
　Ollie　looked　at　me；　plainly　frightened。　I　shrugged。　They　were　crazy；　that　was　all。　Their　sense　of　proportion　was　temporarily　gone。　Out　there　they　had　been　confused　and　scared。　In　here　was　a　straight…　forward　mechanical　problem：　a　balky　generator。　It　was　possible　to　solve　this　problem。　Solving　the　problem　would　help　make　them　feel　less　confused　and　helpless。　Therefore　they　would　solve　it。
　Jim　and　his　friend　Myron　decided　I　knew　when　I　was　licked　and　went　back　into　the　generator　partment。　〃Ready；　Norm？〃　Jim　asked。
　Norm　nodded；　then　realized　they　couldn't　hear　a　nod。　〃Yeah；〃　he　said。
　〃Norm；〃　I　said。　〃Don't　be　a　fool。〃
　〃It's　a　mistake；〃　Ollie　added。
　He　looked　at　us；　and　suddenly　his　face　was　much　younger　than　eighteen。　it　was　the　face　of　a　boy。　His　Adam's　apple　bobbed　convulsively；　and　I　saw　that　he　was　scared　green。　He　opened　his　mouth　to　say　something　…　I　think　he　was　going　to　call　it　off…and　then　the　generator　roared　into　life　again；　and　when　it　was　running　smoothly；　Norm　lunged　at　the　button　to　the　right　of　the　door　and　it　began　to　rattle　upward　on　its　dual　steel　tracks。　The　emergency　lights　had　e　back　on　when　the　generator　started。　Now　they　dimmed　down　as　the　motor　which　lifted　the　door　sucked　away　the　juice。
　The　shadows　ran　backward　and　melted。　The　storage　area　began　to　fill　with　the　mellow　white　light　of　an　overcast　late…winter　day。　I　noticed　that　odd；　acrid　smell　again。
　The　loading　door　went　up　two　feet；　then　four。　Beyond　I　could　see　a　square　cement　platform　outlined　around　the　edges　with　a　yellow　stripe。　The　yellow　faded　and　washed　out　in　just　three　feet。　The　fog　was　incredibly　thick。
　〃Ho　up！〃　Norm　yelled。
　Tendrils　of　mist；　as　white　and　fine　as　floating　lace；　eddied　inside。　The　air　was　cold。　It　had　been　noticeably　cool　all　morning　long；　especially　after　the　sticky　heat　of　the　last　three　weeks；　but　it　had　been　a　summery　coolness。　This　was　cold。　It　was　like　March。　I　shivered。　And　I　thought　of　Steff。
　The　generator　died。　Jim　came　out　just　as　Norm　ducked　under　the　door。　He　saw　it。　So　did　I。　So　did　Ollie。
　A　tentacle　came　over　the　far　lip　of　the　concrete　loading　platform　and　grabbed　Norm　around　the　calf。　My　mouth　dropped　wide　open。　Ollie　made　a　very　short　glottal　sound　of　surprise　…　uk！　The　tentacle　tapered　from　a　thickness　of　a　foot…the　size　of　a　grass　snake…at　the　point　where　it　had　wrapped　itself　around　Norm's　lower　leg　to　a　thickness　of　maybe　four　or　five　feet　where　it　disappeared　into　the　mist。　It　was　slate　gray　on　top；　shading　to　a　fleshy　pink　underneath。　And　there　were　rows　of　suckers　on　the　underside。　They　were　moving　and　writhing　like　hundreds　of　small；　puckering　mouths。
　Norm　looked　down。　He　saw　what　had　him。　His　eyes　bulged。　〃Get　it　off　me！　Hey；　get　it　off　me！　Christ　Jesus；　get　this　frigging　thing　off　me！〃
　〃Oh　my　God；〃　Jim　whimpered。
　Norm　grabbed　the　bottom　edge　of　the　loading　door　and　yanked　himself　back　in。　The　tentacle　seemed　to　bulge；　the　way　your　arm　will　when　you　flex　it。　Norm　was　yanked　back　against　the　corrugated　steel　door…his　bead　clanged　against　it。　The　tentacle　bulged　more；　and　Norm's　legs　and　torso　began　to　slip　back　out。　The　bottom　edge　of　the　loading　door　scraped　the　shirttails　out　of　his　pants。　He　yanked　savagely　and　pulled　himself　back　in　like　a　man　doing　a　chin…up。
　〃Help　me；〃　he　was　sobbing。　〃Help　me；　you　guys；　please；　please。〃
　〃Jesus；　Mary　and　Joseph；〃　Myron　said。　He　had　e　out　of　the　generator　partment　to　see　what　was　going　on。
　I　was　the　closest；　and　I　grabbed　Norm　around　the　waist　and　yanked　as　hard　as　I　could；　rocking　back　on　my　heels。　For　a　moment　we　moved　backward；　but　only　for　a　moment。　it　was　like　stretching　a　rubber　band　or　pulling　taffy。　The　tentacle　yielded　but　gave　up　its　basic　grip　not　at　all。　Then　three　more　tentacles　floated　out　of　the　mist　towards　us。　One　curled　around　Norm's　flapping　red　Federal　apron　and　tore　it　away。　It　disappeared　back　into　the　mist　with　the　red　cloth　curled　in　its　grip　and　I　thought　of　something　my　mother　used　to　say　when　my　brother　and　I　would　beg　for　something　she　didn't　want　us　to　have…candy；　a　ic　book；　some　toy。　〃You　need　that　like　a　hen　needs　a　flag；〃　she'd　say。　I　thought　of　that；　and　I　thought　of　that　tentacle　waving　Norm's　red　apron　around；　and　I　got　laughing。　I　got　laughing；　except　my　laughter　and　Norm's　screams　sounded　about　the　same。　Maybe　no　one　even　knew　I　was　laughing　except　me。
　The　other　two　tentacles　slithered　aimlessly　back　and　forth　on　the　loading　platform　for　a　moment；　making　those　low　scraping　sounds　I　had　heard　earlier。　Then　one　of　them　slapped　against　Norm's　left　hip　and　slipped　around　it。　I　felt　it　touch　my　arm。　It　was　warm　and　pulsing　and　smooth。　I　think　now　that　if　it　had　gripped　me　with　those　suckers；　I　would　have　gone　out　into　the　mist　too。　But　it　didn't。　It　grabbed　Norm。　And　the　third　tentacle　ringleted　his　other　ankle。
　Now　he　was　being　pulled　away　from　me。　〃Help　me！〃　I　shouted。　〃Ollie！　Someone！　Give　me　a　hand　here！〃
　But　they　didn't　e。　I　don't　know　what　they　were　doing；　but　they　didn't　e。
　I　looked　down　and　saw　the　tentacle　around　Norm's　waist　working　into　his　skin。　The　suckers　were　eating　him　where　his　shirt　had　pulled　out　of　his　pants。　Blood；　as　red　as　his　missing　apron；　began　to　seep　out　of　the　trench　the　pulsing　tentacle　had　made　for　itself。
　I　banged　my　head　on　the　lower　edge　of　the　partly　raised　door。
　Norm's　legs　were　outside　again。　One　of　his　loafers　had　fallen　off。　A　new　tentacle　came　out　of　the　mist；　wrapped　its　tip　firmly　around　the　shoe；　and　made　off　with　it。　Norm's　fingers　clutched　at　the　door's　lower　edge。　He　had　it　in　a　death　grip。　His　fingers　were　livid。　He　was　not　screaming　anymore；　he　was　beyond　that。　His　head　whipped　back　and　forth　in　an　endless　gesture　of　negation；　and　his　long　black　hair　flew　wildly。
　I　looked　over　his　shoulder　and　saw　more　tentacles　ing；　dozens　of　them；　a　forest　of　them。　Most　were　small　but　a　few　were　gigantic；　as　thick　as　the　moss…corseted　tree　that　had　been　lying　across　our　driveway　that　morning。　The　big　ones　had　candy…pink　suckers　that　seemed　the　size　of　manhole　covers。　One　of　these　big　ones　struck　the　concrete　loading　platform　with　a　loud　and　rolling　thrrrrp！　sound　and　moved　sluggishly　toward　us　like　a　great　blind　earthworm。　I　gave　one　gigantic　tug；　and　the　ten