stephen king - mist-第14部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


I　had　seen；　and　I　could　imagine　them　twisting　and　climbing　over　the　corrugated　steel　surface　of　the　door　like　living　vines。
　〃What　do　you　think　now？　Totally　beyond　belief？〃
　Brown　licked　his　lips　and　looked　at　the　littered　confusion　of　boxes　and　bags。　〃They　did　this？〃
　〃Some　of　it。　Most　of　it。　e　over　here。〃
　He　came…reluctantly。　I　spotted　the　flashlight　on　the　shriveled　and　curled　section　of　tentacle；　still　lying　by　the　push　broom。　Brown　bent　toward　it。
　〃Don't　touch　that；〃　I　said。　〃It　may　still　be　alive。〃
　He　straightened　up　quickly。　I　picked　up　the　broom　by　the　bristles　and　prodded　the　tentacle。　The　third　or　fourth　poke　caused　it　to　unclench　sluggishly　and　reveal　two　whole　suckers　and　a　ragged　segment　of　a　third。　Then　the　fragment　coiled　again　with　muscular　speed　and　lay　still。　Brown　made　a　gagging；　disgusted　sound。
　〃Seen　enough？〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃Let's　get　out　of　here。〃
　We　followed　the　bobbing　light　back　to　the　double　doors　and　pushed　through　them。　All　the　faces　turned　toward　us；　and　the　hum　of　conversation　died。　Norton's　face　was　like　old　cheese。　Mrs。　Carmody's　black　eyes　glinted。　Ollie　was　drinking　beer；　his　face　was　still　running　with　trickles　of　perspiration；　although　it　had　gotten　rather　chilly　in　the　market。　The　two　girls　with　CAMP　WOODLANDS　on　their　shirts　were　huddled　together　like　young　horses　before　a　thunderstorm。　Eyes。　So　many　eyes。　I　could　paint　them；　I　thought　with　a　chill。　No　faces；　only　eyes　in　the　gloom。　I　could　paint　them　but　no　one　would　believe　they　were　real。
　Bud　Brown　folded　his　long…fingered　hands　primly　in　front　of　him。　〃People；〃　he　said。　〃It　appears　we　have　a　problem　of　some　magnitude　here。〃
　　
　VI。　Further　Discussion。　Mrs。　Carmody。Fortifications。What　Happened　to　the　Flat…　Earth　Society。
　The　next　four　hours　passed　in　a　kind　of　dream。　There　was　a　long　and　semihysterical　discussion　following　Brown's　confirmation；　or　maybe　the　discussion　wasn't　as　long　as　it　seemed；　maybe　it　was　just　the　grim　necessity　of　people　chewing　over　the　same　information；　trying　to　see　if　from　every　possible　point　of　view；　working　it　the　way　a　dog　works　a　bone；　trying　to　get　at　the　marrow。　It　was　a　slow　ing　to　belief。　You　can　see　the　same　thing　at　any　New　England　town　meeting　in　March。
　There　was　the　Flat…Earth　Society；　headed　by　Norton。　They　were　a　vocal　minority　of　about　ten　who　believed　none　of　it。　Norton　pointed　out　over　and　over　again　that　there　were　only　four　witnesses　to　the　bag…boy　being　carried　off　by　what　he　called　the　Tentacles　from　Planet　X　（it　was　good　for　a　laugh　the　first　time；　but　it　wore　thin　quickly；　Norton；　in　his　increasing　agitation；　seemed　not　to　notice）。　He　added　that　he　personally　did　not　trust　one　of　the　four。　He　further　pointed　out　that　fifty　percent　of　the　witnesses　were　now　hopelessly　inebriated。　That　was　unquestionably　true。　Jim　and　Myron　LaFleur；　with　the　entire　beer　cooler　and　wine　rack　at　their　disposal；　were　abysmally　shitfaced。　Considering　what　had　happened　to　Norm；　and　their　part　in　it；　I　didn't　blame　them。　They　would　sober　off　all　too　soon。
　Ollie　continued　to　drink　steadily；　ignoring　Brown's　protests。　After　a　while　Brown　gave　up；　contenting　himself　with　an　occasional　baleful　threat　about　the　pany。　He　didn't　seem　to　realize　that　Federal　Foods；　Inc。；　with　its　stores　in　Bridgton；　North　Windham；　and　Portland；　might　not　even　exist　anymore。　For　all　we　knew；　the　Eastern　Seaboard　might　no　longer　exist。　Ollie　drank　steadily；　but　didn't　get　drunk。　He　was　sweating　it　out　as　rapidly　as　he　could　put　it　in。
　At　last；　as　the　discussion　with　the　Flat…Earthers　was　being　acrimonious；　Ollie　spoke　up。　〃If　you　don't　believe　it；　Mr。　Norton；　that's　fine。　I'll　tell　you　what　to　do。　You　go　on　out　that　front　door　and　walk　around　to　the　back。　There's　a　great　big　pile　of　returnable　beer　and　soda　bottles　there。　Norm　and　Buddy　and　I　put　them　out　this　morning。　You　bring　back　a　couple　of　those　bottles　so　we　know　you　really　went　back　there。　You　do　that　and　I'll　personally　take　my　shirt　off　and　eat　it。〃
　Norton　began　to　bluster。
　Ollie　cut　him　off　in　the　same　soft；　even　voice。　〃I　tell　you；　you're　not　doing　anything　but　damage　talking　the　way　you　are。　There's　people　here　that　want　to　go　home　and　make　sure　their　families　are　okay。　My　sister　and　her　year…old　daughter　are　at　home　in　Naples　right　now。　I'd　like　to　check　on　them；　sure。　But　if　people　start　believing　you　and　try　to　go　home；　what　happened　to　Norm　is　going　to　happen　to　them。〃
　He　didn't　convince　Norton；　but　he　convinced　some　of　the　leaners　and　fence　sitters…it　wasn't　what　he　said　so　much　as　it　was　his　eyes；　his　haunted　eyes。　I　think　Norton's　sanity　hinged　on　not　being　convinced；　or　that　he　thought　it　did。　But　he　didn't　take　Ollie　up　on　his　offer　to　bring　back　a　sampling　of　returnables　from　out　back。　None　of　them　did。　They　weren't　ready　to　go　out；　at　least　not　yet。　He　and　his　little　group　of　Flat…Earthers　（reduced　by　one　or　two　now）　went　as　far　away　from　the　rest　of　us　as　they　could　get；　over　by　the　prepared…meats　case。　one　of　them　kicked　my　sleeping　son　in　the　leg　as　he　went　past；　waking　him　up。
　I　went　over；　and　Billy　clung　to　my　neck。　When　I　tried　to　put　him　down；　he　clung　tighter　and　said；　〃Don't　do　that；　Daddy。　Please。〃
　I　found　a　shopping　cart　and　put　him　in　the　baby　seat。　He　looked　very　big　in　there。　It　would　have　been　ical　except　for　his　pale　face；　the　dark　hair　brushed　across　his　forehead　just　above　his　eyebrows；　his　woeful　eyes。　He　probably　hadn't　been　up　in　the　baby　seat　of　the　shopping　cart　for　as　long　as　two　years。　These　little　things　slide　by　you；　you　don't　realize　at　first；　and　when　what　has　changed　finally　es　to　you；　it's　always　a　nasty　shock。
　Meanwhile；　with　the　Flat…Earthers　having　withdrawn；　the　argument　had　found　another　lightning　rod…this　time　it　was　Mrs。　Carmody；　and　understandably　enough；　she　stood　alone。
　In　the　faded；　dismal　light　she　was　witchlike　in　her　blazing　canary　pants；　her　bright　rayon　blouse；　her　armloads　of　clacking　junk　jewelry　…　copper；　tortoiseshell；　adamantine…and　her　thyroidal　purse。　Her　parchment　face　was　grooved　with　strong　vertical　lines。　Her　frizzy　gray　hair
　was　yanked　flat　with　three　horn　bs　and　twisted　in　the　back。　Her　mouth　was　a　line　of　knotted　rope。
　〃There　is　no　defense　against　the　will　of　God。　This　has　been　ing。　I　have　seen　the　signs。　There　are　those　here　that　I　have　told；　but　there　are　none　so　blind　as　those　who　will　not　see。〃
　〃Well；　what　are　you　saying？　What　are　you　proposing？〃　Mike　Haden　broke　in　impatiently。　He　was　a　town　selectman；　although　he　didn't　look　the　part　now；　in　his　yachtsman's　cap　and　saggy…seated　Bermudas。　He　was　sipping　at　a　beer；　a　great　many　men　were　doing　it　now。　Bud　Brown　had　given　up　protesting；　but　he　was　indeed　taking　names…keeping　a　rough　tab　on　everyone　he　could。
　〃Proposing？〃　Mrs。　Carmody　echoed；　wheeling　toward　Haden。　〃Proposing？　Why；　I　am　proposing　that　you　prepare　to　meet　your　God；　Michael　Haden。〃　She　gazed　around　at　all　of　us。　〃Prepare　to　meet　your　God！〃
　〃Prepare　to　meet　shit；〃　Myron　LaFleur　said　in　a　drunken　snarl　from　the　beer　cooler。　〃Old　woman；　I　believe　your　tongue　must　be　hung　in　the　middle　so　it　can　run　on　both　ends。〃
　There　was　a　rumble　of　agreement。　Billy　looked　around　nervously；　and　I　slipped　an　arm　around　his　shoulders。
　〃I'll　have　my　say！〃　she　cried。　Her　upper　lip　curled　back；　revealing　snaggle　teeth　that　were　yellow　with　nicotine。　I　thought　of　the　dusty　stuffed　animals　in　her　shop；　drinking　eternally　at　the　mirror　that　served　as　their　creek。　〃Doubters　will　doubt　to　the　end！　Yet　a　monstrosity　did　drag　that　poor　boy　away！　Things　in　the　mist！　Every　abomination　out　of　a　bad　dream！　Eyeless　freaks！　Pallid　horrors！　Do　you　doubt？　Then　go　on　out！　Go　on　out　and　say　howdy…do！　〃
　〃Mrs。　Carmody；　you'll　have　to　stop；〃　I　said。　〃You're　scaring　my　boy。〃
　The　man　with　the　little　girl　echoed　the　sentiment。　She；　all　plump　legs　and　scabby　knees；　had　hidden　her　face　against　her　father's　stomach　and　put　her　hands　over　her　cars。　Big　Bill　wasn't　crying；　but　he　was　close。
　〃There's　only　one　chance；〃　Mrs。　Carmody　said。
　〃What's　that；　ma'am？〃　Mike　Haden　asked　politely。
　〃A　sacrifice；〃　Mrs。　Carmody　said…she　seemed　to　grin　in　the　gloom。　〃A　blood　sacrifice。〃
　Blood　sacrifice　…　the　words　hung　there；　slowly　turning。　Even　now；　when　I　know　better；　I　tell　myself　that　then　what　she　meant　was　someone's　pet　dog　…　there　were　a　couple　of　them　trotting　around　the　market　in　spite　of　the　regulations　against　them。　Even　now　I　tell　myself　that。　She　looked　like　some　crazed　remnant　of　New　England　Puritanism　in　the　gloom　。。。　but　I　suspect　that　something　deeper　and　darker　than　mere　Puritanism　motivated　her。　Puritanism　had　its　own　dark　grandfather；　old　Adam　with　bloody　hands。
　She　opened　her　mouth　to　say　something　more；　and　a　small；　neat　man　in　red　pants　and　a　natty　sport　shirt　struck　her　openhanded　across　the　face。　His　hair　was　parted　with　ruler　evenness　on　the　left。　He　wore　glasses。　He　also　wore　the　unmistakable　look　of　the　summer　tourist。
　〃You　shut　up　that　bad　talk；〃　he　said　softly　and　tonelessly。
　Mrs。　Carmody　put　her　hand　to　her　mouth　and　then　held　it　out　to　us；　a　wordless　accusation。　There　was　blood　on　the　palm。　But　her　black　eyes　seemed　to　dance　with　mad　glee。
　〃You　had　it　ing！〃　a　woman　cried　out。　〃I　would　have　done　it　myself！　〃
　〃They'll　get　hold　of　you；〃　Mrs。　Carmody　said；　showing　us　her　bloody　palm。　The　trickle　of　blood　was　now　running　down　one　of　the　wrinkles　from　her　mouth　to　her　chin　like　a　droplet　of　rain　down　a　gutter。　〃Not　today；　maybe。　Tonight。　Tonight　when　the　dark　es。　They'll　e　with　the　night　and　take　someone　else。　With　the　night　they'll　e。　You'll　hear　them　ing；　creeping　and　crawling。　And　when　they　e；　you'll　beg　for　Mother　Carmody　to　show　you　what　to　do。〃
　The　man　in　the　red　pants　raised　his　hand　slowly。
　〃You　e　on　and　hit　me；〃　she　whispered；　and　grinned　her　bloody　grin　at　him。　His　hand　wavered。　〃Hit　me　if　you　dare。〃　His　hand　dropped。　Mrs。　Carmody　walked　away　by　herself。　Then　Billy　did　begin　to　cry；　hiding　his　face　against　me　as　the　little　girl　had　done　with　her　father。
　〃I　want　to　go　home；〃　he　said。　〃I　want　to　see　my　mommy。；；
　I　forted　him　as　best　I　could。　Which　probably　wasn't　very　well。
　The　talk　finally　turned　into　less　frightening　and　destructive　channels。　The　plate…glass　windows；　the　market's　obvious　weak　point；　were　m