stephen king - mist-第21部分

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hit　the　windows　around　four。　Apparently　the　。。。　the　wildlife　。。。　is　a　lot　more　active　when　it's　dark。〃
　〃You　don't　want　to　tell　Brent　Norton　that；〃　I　said。　〃Or　Norm。〃
　He　nodded　again　and　didn't　say　anything　for　a　long　time。　Then　he　lit　a　cigarette　of　his　own　and　looked　at　me。　〃We　can't　stay　here；　Drayton；〃　he　said。
　〃There's　food。　Plenty　to　drink。〃
　〃The　supplies　don't　have　anything　to　do　with　it；　and　you　know　it。　What　do　we　do　if　one　of　the　big　beasties　out　there　decides　to　break　in　instead　of　just　going　bump　in　the　night？　Do　we　try　to　drive　it　off　with　broom　handles　and　charcoal　lighter　fluid　？〃
　Of　course　he　was　right。　Perhaps　the　mist　was　protecting　us　in　a　way。　Hiding　us。　But　maybe　it　wouldn't　hide　us　for　long；　and　there　was　more　to　it　than　that。　We　had　been　in　the　Federal　for　eighteen　hours；　more　or　less；　and　I　could　feel　a　kind　of　lethargy　spreading　over　me；　not　much　different　from　the　lethargy　I've　felt　on　one　or　two　occasions　when　I've　tried　to　swim　too　far。　There　was　an　urge　to　play　it　safe；　to　just　stay　put；　to　take　care　of　Billy　（and　maybe　to　bang　Amanda　Dumfries　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　a　voice　murmured）；　to　see　if　the　mist　wouldn't　just　lift；　leaving　everything　as　it　had　been。
　I　could　see　it　on　the　other　faces　as　well；　and　it　suddenly　occurred　to　me　that　there　were　people　now　in　the　Federal　who　probably　wouldn't　leave　under　any　circumstance。　The　very　thought　of　going　out　the　door　after　all　that　had　happened　would　freeze　them。
　Miller　had　been　watching　these　thoughts　cross　my　face；　maybe。　He　said；　〃There　were　about　eighty　people　in　here　when　that　damn　fog　came。　From　that　number　you　subtract　the　bag…boy；　Norton；　and　the　four　people　that　went　out　with　him；　and　that　man　Smalley。　That　leaves　seventythree。〃
　And　subtracting　the　two　soldiers；　now　resting　under　a　stack　of　Purina　Puppy　Chow　bags；　it　made　seventy…one。
　〃Then　you　subtract　the　people　who　have　just　opted　out；〃　he　went　on。　〃There　are　ten　or　twelve　of　those。　Say　ten。　That　leaves　about　sixty…three。　But…〃　He　raised　one　sugar…powdered　finger。　〃Of　those　sixty…three；　we've　got　twenty　or　so　that　just　won't　leave。　You'd　have　to　drag　them　out　kicking　and　screaming。〃
　〃Which　all　goes　to　prove　what？〃
　〃That　we've　got　to　get　out；　that's　all。　And　I'm　going。　Around　noon；　I　think。　I'm　planning　to　take　as　many　people　as　will　e。　I'd　like　you　and　your　boy　to　e　along。〃
　〃After　what　happened　to　Norton？〃
　〃Norton　went　like　a　lamb　to　the　slaughter。　That　doesn't　mean　I　have　to；　or　the　people　who　e　with　me。〃
　〃How　can　you　prevent　it？　We　have　exactly　one　gun。〃
　〃And　lucky　to　have　that。　But　if　we　could　make　it　across　the　intersection；　maybe　we　could　get　down　to　the　Sportsman's　Exchange　on　Main　Street。　They've　got　more　guns　there　than　you　could　shake　a　stick　at。〃
　〃That's　one　'if'　and　one　'maybe'　too　many。〃
　〃Drayton；〃　he　said；　〃it's　an　iffy　situation。〃
　That　rolled　very　smoothly　off　his　tongue；　but　he　didn't　have　a　little　boy　to　watch　out　for。
　〃Look；　let　it　pass　for　now；　okay？　I　didn't　get　much　sleep　last　night；　but　I　got　a　chance　to　think　over　a　few　things。　Want　to　hear　them？〃
　〃Sure。〃
　He　stood　up　and　stretched。　〃Take　a　walk　over　to　the　window　with　me。〃
　We　went　through　the　checkout　lane　nearest　the　bread　racks　and　stood　at　one　of　the　loopholes。　The　man　who　was　keeping　watch　there　said；　〃The　bugs　are　gone。〃
　Miller　slapped　him　on　the　back。　〃Go　get　yourself　a　coffee　…and；　fella。　I'll　keep　an　eye　out。〃
　〃Okay。　Thanks。〃
　He　walked　away；　and　Miller　and　I　stepped　up　to　his　loophole。　〃So　tell　me　what　you　see　out　there；〃　he　said。
　I　looked。　The　litter　barrel　had　been　knocked　over　in　the　night；　probably　by　one　of　the　swooping　bird…things；　spilling　a　trash　of　papers；　cans；　and　paper　shake　cups　from　the　Dairy　Queen　down　the　road　all　over　the　hottop。　Beyond　that　I　could　see　the　rank　of　cars　closest　to　the　market　fading　into　whiteness。　That　was　all　I　could　see；　and　I　told　him　so。
　〃That　blue　Chevy　pickup　is　mine；〃　he　said。　He　pointed　and　I　could　see　just　a　hint　of　blue　in　the　mist。　〃But　if　you　think　back　to　when　you　pulled　in　yesterday；　you'll　remember　that　the　parking　lot　was　pretty　jammed；　right？〃
　I　glanced　back　at　my　Scout　and　remembered　I　had　only　gotten　the　space　close　to　the　market　because　someone　else　had　been　pulling　out。　I　nodded。
　Miller　said；　〃Now　couple　something　else　with　that　fact；　Drayton。　Norton　and　his　four　。。。　what　did　you　call　them？〃
　〃Flat…Earthers。〃
　〃Yeah；　that's　good。　just　what　they　were。　They　go　out；　right？　Almost　the　full　length　of　that　clothesline。　Then　we　heard　those　roaring　noises；　like　there　was　a　goddam　herd　of　elephants　out　there。　Right？〃
　〃It　didn't　sound　like　elephants；〃　I　said。　〃It　sounded　like…〃　Like　something　from　the　primordial　ooze　was　the　phrase　that　came　to　mind；　but　I　didn't　want　to　say　that　to　Miller；　not　after　he　had　clapped　that　guy　On　the　back　and　told　him　to　go　get　a　coffee…and　like　the　coach　jerking　a　player　from　the　big　game。　I　might　have　said　it　to　Ollie；　but　not　to　Miller。　〃I　don't　know　what　it　sounded　like；〃　I　finished　lamely。
　〃But　it　sounded　big。〃
　〃Yeah。〃　It　had　sounded　pretty　goddam　big。
　〃So　how　e　we　didn't　hear　cars　getting　bashed　around　？　Screeching　metal？　Breaking　glass？〃
　〃Well　；　because…〃　I　stopped。　He　had　me。　〃I　don't　know。　〃
　Miller　said；　〃No　way　they　were　out　of　the　parking　lot　when　whatever…it…was　hit　them。　I'll　tell　you　what　I　think。　I　think　we　didn't　hear　any　cars　getting　around　because　a　lot　of　them　might　be　gone；　just　。。。　gone。　Fallen　into　the　earth；　vaporized；　you　name　it。　Strong　enough　to　splinter　these　beams　and　twist　them　out　of　shape　and　knock　stuff　off　the　shelves。　And　the　town　whistle　stopped　at　the　same　time。〃
　I　was　trying　to　visualize　half　the　parking　lot　gone。　Trying　to　visualize　walking　out　there　and　just　ing　to　a　brand…new　drop　in　the　land　where　the　hottop　with　its　neat　yellow…lined　parking　slots　left　off。　A　drop；　a　slope　。。。　or　maybe　an　out…and…out　precipice　falling　away　into　the　featureless　white　mist　。。。
　After　a　couple　of　seconds　I　said；　〃If　you're　right；　how　far　do　you　think　you're　going　to　get　in　your　pickup？〃
　〃I　wasn't　thinking　of　my　truck。　I　was　thinking　of　your　four…wheel…　drive。〃
　That　was　something　to　chew　over；　but　not　now。　〃What　else　is　on　your　mind？〃
　Miller　was　eager　to　go　on。　〃The　pharmacy　next　door；　that's　on　my　mind。　What　about　that？〃
　I　opened　my　mouth　to　say　I　didn't　have　the　slightest　idea　what　he　was　talking　about；　and　then　shut　it　with　a　snap。　The　Bridgton　Pharmacy　had　been　doing　business　when　we　drove　in　yesterday。　Not　the　laundromat；　but　the　drugstore　had　been　wide　open；　the　doors　chocked　with　rubber　doorstops　to　let　in　a　little　cool　air…the　power　outage　had　killed　their　air　conditioning；　of　course。　The　door　to　the　pharmacy　could　be　no　more　than　twenty　feet　from　the　door　to　the　Federal　market。　So　why
　〃Why　haven't　any　of　those　people　turned　up　over　here？〃　Miller　asked　for　me。　〃It's　been　eighteen　hours。　Aren't　they　hungry？　They're　sure　not　over　there　eating　Dristan　and　Stayfree　Mini…pads。〃
　〃There's　food；〃　I　said。　〃They're　always　selling　food　items　on　special。　Sometimes　it's　animal　crackers；　sometimes　it's　those　toaster　pastries；　all　sorts　of　things。　Plus　the　candy　rack。〃
　〃I　just　don't　believe　they'd　stick　with　stuff　like　that　when　there's　all　kinds　of　stuff　over　here。〃
　〃What　are　you　getting　at？〃
　〃What　I'm　getting　at　is　that　I　want　to　get　out　but　I　don't　want　to　be　dinner　for　some　refugee　from　a　grade…B　horror　picture。　Four　or　five　of　us　could　go　next　door　and　check　out　the　situation　in　the　drugstore。　As　sort　of　a　trial　balloon。〃
　〃That's　everything？〃
　〃No；　there's　one　other　thing。〃
　〃What's　that？〃
　〃Her；〃　Miller　said　simply；　and　jerked　his　thumb　toward　one　of　the　middle　aisles。　〃That　crazy　cunt。　That　witch。〃
　It　was　Mrs。　Carmody　he　had　jerked　his　thumb　at。　She　was　no　longer　alone；　two　women　had　joined　her。　From　their　bright　clothes　I　guessed　they　were　probably　tourists　or　summer　people；　ladies　who　had　maybe　left　their　families　to　〃just　run　into　town　and　get　a　few　things〃　and　were　now　eaten　up　with　worry　over　their　husbands　and　kids。　Ladies　eager　to　grasp　at　almost　any　straw。　Maybe　even　the　black　fort　of　a　Mrs。　Carmody。
　Her　pantsuit　shone　out　with　its　same　baleful　resplendence。　She　was　talking；　gesturing；　her　face　hard　and　grim。　The　two　ladies　in　their　bright　clothes　（but　not　as　bright　as　Mrs。　Carmody's　pantsuit；　no；　and　her　gigantic　satchel　of　a　purse　was　still　tucked　firmly　under　one　doughy　arm）　were　listening　raptly。
　〃She's　another　reason　I　want　to　get　out；　Drayton。　By　night　she'll　have　six　people　sitting　with　her。　If　those　pink　bugs　and　the　birds　e　back　tonight；　she'll　have　a　whole　congregation　sitting　with　her　by　tomorrow　morning。　Then　we　can　start　worrying　about　who　she'll　tell　them　to　sacrifice　to　make　it　all　better。　Maybe　me；　or　you；　or　that　guy　Hatlen。　Maybe　your　kid。〃
　〃That's　idiocy；〃　I　said。　But　was　it？　The　cold　chill　crawling　up　my　back　said　not　necessarily。　Mrs。　Carmody's　mouth　moved　and　moved。　The　eyes　of　the　tourist　ladies　were　fixed　on　her　wrinkled　lips。　Was　it　idiocy？　I　thought　of　the　dusty　stuffed　animals　drinking　at　their　looking…glass　stream。　Mrs。　Carmody　had　power。　Even　Steff；　normally　hardheaded　and　straight…from…the…shoulder；　invoked　the　old　lady's　name　with　unease。
　That　crazy　cunt；　Miller　had　called　her。　That　witch。
　〃The　people　in　this　market　are　going　through　a　section…eight　experience　for　sure；〃　Miller　said。　He　gestured　at　the　red…painted　beams　framing　the　show…window　segments　。。。　twisted　and　splintered　and　buckled　out　of　shape。　〃Their　minds　probably　feel　like　those　beams　look。　Mine　sure　as　shit　does。　I　spent　half　of　last　night　thinking　I　must　have　flipped　out　of　my　gourd；　that　I　was　probably　in　a　straitjacket　in　Danvers；　raving　my　head　off　about　bugs　and　dinosaur　birds　and　tentacles　and　that　it　would　all　go　away　just　as　soon　as　the　nice　orderly　came　along　and　shot　a　wad　of　Thorazine　into　my　arm。〃　His　small　face　wass　trained　and　white。　He　looked　at　Mrs。　Carmody　and　then　back　at　me；　；；　tell　you　it　might　happen。　As　people　get　flakier　she's　going　to　look　better　and　better　to　some　of　them。　And　I　don't　want　to　be　around　if　that　happens。〃　
　Mrs。　Carmody's　lips；　moving　and　moving。　Her　tongue　dancing　around　her　old　lady's　snaggle　teeth。　She　did　look　like　a　w