stephen king - mist-第22部分

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　Mrs。　Carmody's　lips；　moving　and　moving。　Her　tongue　dancing　around　her　old　lady's　snaggle　teeth。　She　did　look　like　a　witch。　Put　her　in　a　pointy　black　hat　and　she　would　be　perfect。　What　was　she　saying　to　her　two　captured　birds　in　their　bright　summer　plumage　？　
　Arrowhead　Project？　Black　Spring　the　Abominations　from　cellars　of　the　earth？　Human　sacrifice？
　Bullshit。
　All　the　same
　So　what　do　you　say。
　〃I'll　go　this　far；〃　I　answered　him。　〃We；ll　try　going　over　to　the　drug。　You；　me；　Ollie　if　he　wants　to　go；　one　or　two　others；　Then　we'll　talk　it　over　again。〃　Even　that　gave　me　the　feeling　of　walking　out　over　an　impossible　drop　on　a　narrow　beam。　I　wasn't　going　to　help　Billy　by　killing　myself。　on　the　other　hand；　I　wasn't　going　to　help　him　by　just　sitting　on　my　ass；　either。　Twenty　feet　to　the　drugstore。　That　wasn't　so　bad。　〃When？〃　he　asked。　〃Give　me　an　hour。〃　〃Sure；〃　he　said。
　　
　IX。　The　Expedition　to　the　pharmacy。
　I　told　Mrs。　Turman；　and　I　told　Amanda；　and　then　I　told　Billy。　He　seemed　better　this　morning；　he　had　eaten　two　donuts　and　a　bowl　of　Special　K　for　breakfast。　Afterward　I　raced　him　up　and　down　two　of　the　aisles　and　even　got　him　giggling　a　little。　Kids　are　so　adaptable　that　they　can　scar　the　living　shit　right　out　of　You。　He　was　too　pale；　the　flesh　under　his　eyes　was　still　puffed　from　the　tears　he　had　cried　in　the　night；　and　his　face　had　a　horribly　used　look。　In　a　way　it　had　bee　like　an　old　man's　face；　as　if　too　much　emotional　voltage　had　been　running　behind　it　for　too　long；　But　he　was　still　alive　and　still　able　to　laugh　。。。　at　least　until　he　remembered　where　he　was　and　what　was　happening。
　After　the　windsprints　we　sat　down　with　Amanda　and　Hattie　Turman　and　drank　Gatorade　from　paper　cups　and　I　told　him　I　was　going　over　to　the　drugstore　with　a　few　other　people。
　〃I　don't　want　you　to；〃　he　said　immediately；　his　face　clouding。
　〃It'll　be　all　right；　Big　Bill；　I'll　bring　you　a　Spiderman　ic　book。〃
　〃I　want　you　to　stay　here。〃　Now　his　face　was　not　just　cloudy；　it　was　thundery。　I　took　his　hand。　He　pulled　it　away。　I　took　it　again。
　〃Billy；　we　have　to　get　out　of　here　sooner　or　later。　You　see　that；　don't　you　？〃
　〃When　the　fog　goes　away　_…　But　he　spoke　with　no　conviction　at　all。　He　drank　his　Gatorade　slowly　and　without　relish。
　〃Billy；　it's　been　almost　one　whole　day　now。〃
　〃I　want　Mommy。〃
　〃Well；　maybe　this　is　the　first　step　on　the　way　to　getting　back　to　her。〃
　Mrs。　Turman　said；　〃Don't　build　the　boy's　hopes　up；　David。〃
　〃What　the　hell；〃　I　snapped　at　her；　〃the　kid's　got　to　hope　for　something。〃
　She　dropped　her　eyes。　〃Yes。　I　suppose　he　does。〃
　Billy　took　no　notice　of　this。　〃Daddy　。。。　Daddy；　there　are　things　out　there。　Things。〃
　〃Yes；　we　know　that。　But　a　lot　of　them　…　not　all；　but　a　lot　…don't　seem　to　e　out　until　it's　nighttime。〃
　〃They'll　wait；〃　he　said。　His　eyes　were　huge；　centered　on　mine。　〃They'll　wait　in　the　fog　。。。　and　when　you　can't　get　back　inside；　they'll　e　to　eat　you　up。　Like　in　the　fairy　stories。〃　He　hugged　me　with　fierce；　panicky　tightness。　〃Daddy；　please　don't　go。〃
　I　pried　his　arms　loose　as　gently　as　I　could　and　told　him　that　I　had　to。　〃But　I'll　be　back；　Billy。〃
　〃All　right；〃　he　said　huskily；　but　he　wouldn't　look　at　me　anymore。　He　didn't　believe　I　would　be　back。　It　was　on　his　face；　which　was　no　longer　thundery　but　woeful　and　grieving。　I　wondered　again　if　I　could　be　doing　the　right　thing；　putting　myself　at　risk。　Then　I　happened　to　glance　down　the　middle　aisle　and　saw　Mrs。　Carmody　there。　She　had　gained　a　third　listener；　a　man　with　a　grizzled　cheek　and　a　mean　and　rolling　bloodshot　eye。　His　haggard　brow　and　shaking　hands　almost　screamed　the　word　hangover。　It　was　none　other　than　your　friend　and　his；　Myron　LaFleur。　The　fellow　who　had　felt　no　punction　at　all　about　sending　a　boy　out　to　do　a　man's　job。
　That　crazy　cunt。　That　witch。
　I　kissed　Billy　and　hugged　him　hard。　Then　I　walked　down　to　the　front　of　the　store…but　not　down　the　housewares　aisle。　I　didn't　want　to　fall　under　her　eye。
　Three…quarters　of　the　way　down；　Amanda　caught　up　with　me。　〃Do　you　really　have　to　do　this？〃　she　asked。
　〃Yes；　I　think　so。〃
　〃Forgive　me　if　I　say　it　sounds　like　so　much　macho　bullshit　to　me。〃　There　were　spots　of　color　high　on　her　cheeks　and　her　eyes　were　greener　than　ever。　She　was　highly　…　no；　royally　…pissed。
　I　took　her　arm　and　recapped　my　discussion　with　Dan　Miller。　The　riddle　of　the　cars　and　the　fact　that　no　one　from　the　pharmacy　had　joined　us　didn't　move　her　much。　The　business　about　Mrs。　Carmody　did。
　〃He　could　be　right；〃　she　said。
　〃Do　you　really　believe　that？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　There's　a　poisonous　feel　to　that　woman。　And　if　people　are　frightened　badly　enough　for　long　enough；　they'll　turn　to　anyone　that　promises　a　solution。〃
　〃But　human　sacrifice；　Amanda？〃
　〃The　Aztecs　were　into　it；〃　she　said　evenly。　〃Listen；　David。　You　e　back。　If　anything　happens　。。。　anything　。。。　you　e　back。　Cut　and　run　if　you　have　to。　Not　for　me；　what　happened　last　night　was　nice；　but　that　was　last　night。　e　back　for　your　boy。〃
　〃Yes；　I　will。〃
　〃I　wonder；〃　she　said；　and　now　she　looked　like　Billy；　haggard　and　old。　it　occurred　to　me　that　most　of　us　looked　that　way。　But　not　Mrs。　Carmody。　Mrs。　Carmody　looked　younger　somehow；　and　more　vital。　As　if　she　had　e　into　her　own。　As　if。。。　as　if　she　were　thriving　on　it。
　We　didn't　get　going　until　9：30　A。M。　Seven　of　us　went：　Ollie；　Dan　Miller；　Mike　Hatlen；　Myron　LaFleur's　erstwhile　buddy　Jim　（also　hungover；　but　seemingly　determined　to　find　some　way　to　atone）；　Buddy　Eagleton；　myself。　The　seventh　was　Hilda　Reppler。　Miller　and　Hatlen　tried　halfheartedly　to　talk　her　out　of　ing。　She　would　have　none　of　it。　I　didn't　even　try。　I　suspected　she　might　be　more　petent　than　any　of　us；　except　maybe　for　Ollie。　She　was　carrying　a　small　canvas　shopping　basket；　and　it　was　loaded　with　an　arsenal　of　Raid　and　Black　Flag　spray　cans；　all　of　them　uncapped　and　ready　for　action。　In　her　free　hand　she　held　a　Spaulding　Jimmy　Connors　tennis　racket　from　a　display　of　sporting　goods　in　Aisle　2。
　〃What　you　gonna　do　with　that；　Mrs。　Reppler？〃　Jim　asked。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said。　She　had　a　low；　raspy；　petent　voice。　〃But　it　feels　right　in　my　hand。〃　She　looked　him　over　closely；　and　her　eye　was　cold。　〃Jim　Grondin；　isn't　it？　Didn't　I　have　you　in　school？〃
　Jim's　lips　stretched　in　an　uneasy　egg…suck　grin。　〃Yes'm。　Me　and　my　sister　Pauline。〃
　〃Too　much　to　drink　last　night？〃
　Jim；　who　towered　over　her　and　probably　outweighed　her　by　one　hundred　pounds；　blushed　to　the　roots　of　his　American　Legion　crewcut。　〃Aw；　no…〃
　She　turned　away　curtly；　cutting　him　off。　〃I　think　we're　ready；〃　she　said。
　All　of　us　had　something；　although　you　would　have　called　it　an　odd　assortment　of　weapons。　Ollie　had　Amanda's　gun；　Buddy　Eagleton　had　a　steel　pinchbar　from　out　back　somewhere。　I　had　a　broom　handle。
　〃Okay；〃　Dan　Miller　said；　raising　his　voice　a　bit。　〃You　folks　want　to　listen　up　a　minute？〃
　A　dozen　people　had　drifted　down　toward　the　OUT　door
　to　see　what　was　going　on。　They　were　loosely　knotted；　and　to　their　right　stood　Mrs。　Carmody　and　her　new　friends。
　〃We're　going　over　to　the　drugstore　to　see　what　the　situation　is　there。　Hopefully；　we'll　be　able　to　bring　something　back　to　aid　Mrs。　Clapham。〃　She　was　the　lady　who　had　been　trampled　yesterday；　when　the　bugs　came。　One　of　her　legs　had　been　broken　and　she　was　in　a　great　deal　of　pain。
　Miller　looked　us　over。　〃We're　not　going　to　take　any　chances；〃　he　said。　〃At　the　first　sign　of　anything　threatening；　we're　going　to　pop　back　into　the　market…〃
　〃And　bring　all　the　fiends　of　hell　down　on　our　heads！〃　Mrs。　Carmody　cried。
　〃She's　right！〃　one　of　the　summer　ladies　seconded。　〃You'll　make　them　notice　us！　You'll　make　them　e！　Why　can't　you　just　leave　well　enough　alone？〃
　There　was　a　murmur　of　agreement　from　some　of　the　people　who　had　gathered　to　watch　us　go。
　I　said；　〃Lady；　is　this　what　you　call　well　enough　？〃
　She　dropped　her　eyes；　confused。
　Mrs。　Carmody　marched　a　step　forward。　Her　eyes　were　blazing。　〃You'll　die　out　there；　David　Drayton！　Do　you　want　to　make　your　son　an　orphan　？〃　She　raised　her　eyes　and　raked　all　of　us　with　them。　Buddy　Eagleton　dropped　his　eyes　and　simultaneously　raised　the　pinchbar；　as　if　to　ward　her　off。
　〃All　of　you　will　die　out　there！　Haven't　you　realized　that　the　end　of　the　world　has　e？　The　Fiend　has　been　let　loose！　Star　Wormwood　blazes　and　each　one　of　you　that　steps　out　that　door　will　be　torn　apart！　And　they'll　e　for　those　of　us　who　are　left；　just　as　this　good　woman　said！　Are　you　people　going　to　let　that　happen　？〃　She　was　appealing　to　the　onlookers　now；　and　a　little　mutter　ran　through　them。　〃After　what　happened　to　the　unbelievers　yesterday？　it's　death！　It's　death！　It's…〃
　A　can　of　peas　flew　across　two　of　the　checkout　lanes　suddenly　and　struck　Mrs。　Carmody　on　the　right　breast。　She　staggered　backward　with　a　startled　squawk。
　Amanda　stood　forward。　〃Shut　up；〃　she　said。　〃Shut　up；　you　miserable　buzzard。〃
　〃She　serves　the　Foul　One！〃　Mrs。　Carmody　screamed。　A　jittery　smile　hung　on　her　face。　〃Who　did　you　sleep　with　last　night；　missus？　Who　did　you　lie　down　with　last　night？　Mother　Carmody　sees；　oh　yes；　Mother　Carmody　sees　what　others　miss。〃
　But　the　moment's　spell　she　had　created　was　broken；　and　Amanda's　eyes　never　wavered。
　〃Are　we　going　or　are　we　going　to　stand　here　all　day？〃　Mrs。　Reppler　asked。
　And　we　went。　God　help　us；　we　went。
　Dan　Miller　was　in　the　lead。　Ollie　came　second；　I　was　last；　with　Mrs。　Reppler　in　front　of　me。　I　was　as　scared　as　I've　ever　been；　I　think；　and　the　hand　wrapped　around　my　broom　handle　was　sweaty…slick。
　There　was　that　thin；　acrid；　and　unnatural　smell　of　the　mist。　By　the　time　I　got　out　the　door；　Miller　and　Ollie　had　already　faded　into　it；　and　Hatlen；　who　was　third；　was　nearly　out　of　sight。
　Only　twenty　feet；　I　kept　telling　myself。　Only　twenty　feet。
　Mrs。　Reppler　walked　slowly　and　firmly　ahead　of　me；　her　tennis　racket　swinging　lightly　from　her　right　hand。　To　our　left　was　a　red　cinderblock　wall。　To　our　right　the　first　rank　of　cars；　looming　out　of　the　the　mist　like　ghost　ships。　Another　trash　barrel　materialized　out　of　the　whiteness；　and　beyond　that　was　a　bench　where　people　sometimes　sat　to　wait　their　turn　at　the　pay　phone。　Only　twenty　feet；　Miller's　probably　the〃　by　now；　twenty　feet　is　only　ten　or　twelve　paces；　so
　〃Oh　my　God！〃　Miller　scream