stephen king - mist-第11部分

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nd　and　moved　sluggishly　toward　us　like　a　great　blind　earthworm。　I　gave　one　gigantic　tug；　and　the　tentacle　holding　Norm's　right　calf　slipped　a　little。　That　was　all。　But　before　it　reestablished　its　grip；　I　saw　that　the　thing　was　eating　him　away。
　One　of　the　tentacles　brushed　delicately　past　my　cheek　and　then　wavered　in　the　air；　as　if　debating。　I　thought　of　Billy　then。　Billy　was　lying　asleep　in　the　market　by　Mr。　McVey's　long　white　meat　cooler。　I　had　e　in　here　to　find
　something　to　cover　him　up　with。　If　one　of　those　things　got　hold　of　me；　there　would　be　no　one　to　watch　out　for　him…except　maybe　Norton。
　So　I　let　go　of　Norm　and　dropped　to　my　hands　and　knees。
　I　was　half　in　and　half　out；　directly　under　the　raised　door。　A　tentacle　passed　by　on　my　left；　seeming　to　walk　on　its　suckers。　It　attached　itself　to　one　of　Norm's　bulging　upper　arms；　paused　for　a　second；　and　then　slid　around　it　in　coils。
　Now　Norm　looked　like　something　out　of　a　madman's　dream　of　snake　charming。　Tentacles　twisted　over　him　uneasily　almost　everywhere　。。。　and　they　were　all　around　me；　as　well。　I　made　a　clumsy　leapfrog　jump　back　inside；　landed　on　my　shoulder；　and　rolled。　Jim；　Ollie　and　Myron　were　still　there。　They　stood　like　a　tableau　of　waxworks　in　Madame　Tussaud's；　their　faces　pale；　their　eyes　too　bright。　Jim　and　Myron　flanked　the　door　to　the　generator　partment。
　〃Start　the　generator！〃　I　yelled　at　them。
　Neither　moved。　They　were　staring　with　a　drugged；　thanatotic　avidity　at　the　loading　bay。
　I　groped　on　the　floor；　picked　up　the　first　thing　that　came　to　hand　…　a　box　of　Snowy　bleach…and　chucked　it　at　Jim。　It　hit　him　in　the　gut；　just　above　the　belt　buckle。　He　grunted　and　grabbed　at　himself。　His　eyes　flickered　back　into　some　semblance　of　normality。
　〃Go　start　that　fucking　generator！〃　I　screamed　so　loudly　it　hurt　my　throat。
　He　didn't　move；　instead　he　began　to　defend　himself；　apparently　having　decided　that；　with　Norm　being　eaten　alive　by　some　insane　horror　from　the　mist；　the　time　had　e　for　rebuttals。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　whined。　〃I　didn't　know；　how　the　hell　was　I　supposed　to　know？　You　said　you　heard　something　but　I　didn't　know　what　you　meant；　you　should　have　said　what　you　meant　better。　I　thought；　I　dunno；　maybe　a　bird；　or　something…〃
　So　then　Ollie　moved；　bunting　him　aside　with　one　thick　shoulder　and　blundering　into　the　generator　room。　Jim　stumbled　over　one　of　the　bleach　cartons　and　fell　down；　just　as　I　had　done　in　the　dark。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　said　again。　His　red　hair　had　tumbled　over　his　brow。　His　cheeks　were　cheese…white。　His　eyes　were　those　of　a　horrified　little　boy。　Seconds　later　the　generator　coughed　and　rumbled　into　life。
　I　turned　back　to　the　loading　door。　Norm　was　almost　gone；　yet　he　clung　grimly　with　one　hand。　His　body　boiled　with　tentacles；　and　blood　pattered　serenely　down　on　the　concrete　in　dime…size　droplets。　His　head　whipped　back　and　forth　and　his　eyes　bulged　with　terror　as　they　stared　off　into　the　mist。
　Other　tentacles　now　crept　and　crawled　over　the　floor　inside。　There　were　too　many　near　the　button　that　controlled　the　loading　door　to　even　think　of　approaching　it。　One　of　them　closed　around　a　half…liter　bottle　of　Pepsi　and　carried　it　off。　Another　slipped　around　a　cardboard　carton　and　squeezed。　The　carton　ruptured　and　rolls　of　toilet　paper；　two…packs　of　Delsey　wrapped　in　cellophane；　geysered　upward；　came　down；　and　rolled　everywhere。　Tentacles　seized　them　eagerly。
　One　of　the　big　ones　slipped　in。　its　tip　rose　from　the　floor　and　it　seemed　to　sniff　the　air。　it　began　to　advance　toward　Myron　and　he　stepped　mincingly　away　from　it；　his　eyes　rolling　madly　in　their　sockets。　A　high…pitched　little　moan　escaped　his　slack　lips。
　I　looked　around　for　something；　anything　at　all　long　enough　to　reach　over　the　questing　tentacles　and　punch　the　SHUT　button　on　the　wall。　I　saw　a　janitor's　push　broom　leaning　against　a　stack…up　of　beer　cases　and　grabbed　it。
　Norm's　good　hand　was　ripped　loose。　He　thudded　down　onto　the　concrete　loading　platform　and　scrabbled　madly　for　a　grip　with　his　one　free　hand。　His　eyes　met　mine　for　a　moment。　They　were　hellishly　bright　and　aware。　He　knew　what　was　happening　to　him。　Then　he　was　pulled；　bumping　and　rolling；　into　the　mist。　There　was　another　scream；　choked　off。　Norm　was　gone。
　I　pushed　the　tip　of　the　broom　handle　onto　the　button　and　the　motor　whined。　The　door　began　to　slide　back　down。　It　touched　the　thickest　of　the　tentacles　first；　the　one　that　had　been　investigating　in　Myron's　direction。　It　indented　its　hide…　skin；　whatever…and　then　pierced　it。　A　black　goo　began　to　spurt　from　it。　it　writhed　madly；　whipping　across　the　concrete　storage…area　floor　like　an　obscene　bullwhip；　and　then　it　seemed　to　flatten　out。　A　moment　later　it　was　gone。　The　others　began　to　withdraw。
　One　of　them　had　a　five…pound　bag　of　Gaines　dog　food；　and　it　wouldn't　let　go。　The　descending　door　cut　it　in　two　before　thumping　home　in　its　grooved　slot。　The　severed　chunk　of　tentacle　squeezed　convulsively　tighter；　splitting　the　bag　open　and　sending　brown　nuggets　of　dog　food　everywhere。　Then　it　began　to　flop　on　the　floor　like　a　fish　out　of　water；　curling　and　uncurling；　but　ever　more　slowly；　until　it　lay　still。　I　prodded　it　with　the　tip　of　the　broom。　The　piece　of　tentacle；　maybe　three　feet　long；　closed　on　it　savagely　for　a　moment；　then　loosened　and　lay　limp　again　in　the　confused　litter　of　toilet　paper；　dog　food；　and　bleach　cartons。
　There　was　no　sound　except　the　roar　of　the　generator　and　Ollie；　crying　inside　the　plywood　partment。　I　could　see　him　sitting　on　a　stool　in　there　with　his　face　clutched　in　his　hands。
　Then　I　became　aware　of　another　sound。　The　soft；　slithery　sound　I　had　beard　in　the　dark。　Only　now　the　sound　wasmultiplied　tenfold。　it　was　the　sound　of　tentacles　squirming　over　the　outside　of　the　loading　door；　trying　to　find　a　way　in。
　Myron　took　a　couple　of　steps　towards　me。　〃Look；〃　he　said。　〃You　got　to　understand…〃
　I　looped　a　fist　at　his　face。　He　was　too　surprised　to　even　try　to　block　it。　It　landed　just　below　his　nose　and　mashed　his　upper　lip　into　his　teeth。　Blood　flowed　into　his　mouth。
　〃You　got　him　killed〃'　I　shouted。　〃Did　you　get　a　good　look　at　it？　Did　you　get　a　good　look　at　what　you　did？〃
　I　started　to　pummel　him；　throwing　wild　rights　and　lefts；　not　punching　the　way　I　had　been　taught　in　my　college　boxing　classes　but　only　hitting　out。　He　stepped　back；　shaking　some　of　them　off；　taking　others　with　a　numbness　that　seemed　like　a　kind　of　resignation　or　penance。　That　made　me　angrier。　I　bloodied　his　nose。　I　raised　a　mouse　under　one　of　his　eyes　that　was　going　to　black　just　beautifully。　I　clipped　him　a　hard　one　on　the　chin。　After　that　one；　his　eyes　went　cloudy　and　semi…vacant。
　〃Look；〃　he　kept　saying；　〃look；　look；〃　and　then　I　punched　him　low　in　the　stomach　and　the　air　went　out　of　him　and　he　didn't　say　〃look；　look〃　anymore。　I　don't　know　how　long　I　would　have　gone　on　punching　him；　but　someone　grabbed　my　arms。　I　jerked　free　and　turned　around。　I　was　hoping　it　was　Jim。　I　wanted　to　punch　Jim　out；　too。
　But　it　wasn't　Jim。　It　was　Ollie；　his　round　face　dead　pale；　except　for　the　dark　circles　around　his　eyes…eyes　that　were　still　shiny　from　his　tears。　〃Don't；　David；〃　he　said。　〃Don't　hit　him　anymore。　it　doesn't　solve　anything。〃
　Jim　was　standing　off　to　one　side；　his　face　a　bewildered　blank。　I　kicked　a　carton　of　something　at　him。　It　struck　one　of　his　Dingo　boots　and　bounced　away。
　〃You　and　your　buddy　are　a　couple　of　stupid　assholes；〃　I　said。
　〃e　on；　David；〃　Ollie　said　unhappily。　〃Quit　it。〃
　〃You　two　assholes　got　that　kid　killed。〃
　Jim　looked　down　at　his　Dingo　boots。　Myron　sat　on　the　floor　and　held　his　beer　belly。　I　was　breathing　hard。　The　blood　was　roaring　in　my　ears　and　I　was　trembling　all　over。　I　sat　down　on　a　couple　of　cartons　and　put　my　head　down　between　my　knees　and　gripped　my　legs　hard　just　above　the　ankles。　I　sat　that　way　for　a　while　with　my　hair　in　my　face；　waiting　to　see　if　I　was　going　to　black　out　or　puke　or　what。
　After　a　bit　the　feeling　began　to　pass　and　I　looked　up　at　Ollie。　His　pinky　ring　flashed　subdued　fire　in　the　glow　of　the　emergency　lights。
　〃Okay；〃　I　said　dully。　〃I'm　done。〃
　〃Good；〃　Ollie　said。　〃We've　got　to　think　what　to　do　next。〃
　The　storage　area　was　beginning　to　stink　of　exhaust　again。　〃Shut　the　generator　down。　That's　the　first　thing。〃
　〃'Yeah；　let's　get　out　of　here；〃　Myron　said。　His　eyes　appealed　to　me。　〃I'm　sorry　about　the　kid。　But　you　got　to　understand…〃
　〃I　don't　got　to　understand　anything。　You　and　your　buddy　go　back　into　the　market；　but　you　wait　right　there　by　the　beer　cooler。　And　don't　say　a　word　to　anybody。　Not　yet。〃
　They　went　willingly　enough；　huddling　together　as　they　passed　through　the　swinging　doors。　Ollie　killed　the　generator；　and　just　as　the　lights　started　to　fail；　I　saw　a　quilted　rug…the　sort　of　thing　movers　use　to　pad　breakable　things…flopped　over　a　stack　of　returnable　soda　bottles。　I　reached　up　and　grabbed　it　for　Billy。
　There　was　the　shuffling；　blundering　sound　of　Ollie　ing　out　of　the　generator　partment。　Like　a　great　many　overweight　men；　his　breathing　had　a　slightly　heavy　wheezing　sound。
　〃David？〃　His　voice　wavered　a　little。　〃You　still　here？〃
　〃Right　here；　Ollie。　You　want　to　watch　out　for　all　those　bleach　cartons。〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　I　guided　him　with　my　voice　and　in　thirty　seconds　or　so　he　reached　out　of　the　dark　and　gripped　my　shoulder。　He　gave　a　long；　trembling　sigh。
　〃Christ；　let's　get　out　of　here。〃　I　could　smell　the　Rolaids　he　always　chewed　on　his　breath。　〃This　dark　is　。。。　is　bad。〃
　〃It　is；〃　I　said。　〃But　hang　tight　a　minute；　Ollie。　I　wanted　to　talk　to　you　and　I　didn't　want　those　other　two　fuckheads　listening。〃
　〃Dave　。。。　they　didn't　twist　Norm's　arm。　You　ought　to　remember　that。〃
　〃Norm　was　a　kid；　and　they　weren't。　But　never　mind；　that's　over。　We've　got　to　tell　them；　Ollie。　The　people　in　the　market。　〃
　〃If　they　panic…〃　Ollie's　voice　was　doubtful。
　〃Maybe　they　will　and　maybe　they　won't。　But　it　will　make　them　think　twice　about　going　out；　which　is　what　most　of　them　want　to　do。　Why　shouldn't　they？　Most　of　them　will　have　people　they　left　at　home。　I　do　myself。　We　have　to　make　them　understand　what　they're　risking　if　they　go　out　there。〃
　His　hand　was　gripping　my　arm　hard。　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃Yes；　I　just　keep　asking　myself　。。。　all　those　tentacles　。。。　like　a　squid　or　something　。。。　David；　what　were　they