sk.dreamcatcher-第89部分

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entical　ponytails　that　have　been　threaded　through　the　backs　of　their　caps。　Most　have　braces　on　their　teeth。　'My；　my　…　they　flubbin　and　dubbin；'　Pete　says；　and　maybe　they　are；　but　they　sure　look　like　they're　having　fun。　Henry　is　having　no　fun　at　all；　his　stomach　is　full　of　butterflies；　and　he's　glad　to　see　Jonesy　at　least　looks　the　same；　solemn　and　scared。　Pete　and　Beaver　don't　have　a　whole　lot　of　imagination　between　them；　he　and　old　Gariella　have　too　much。　To　Pete　and　the　Beav；　this　is　just　Frank　and　Joe　Hardy　stuff；　Danny　Dunn　stuff。　But　to　Henry　it's　different。　　
　　　　To　not　find　Josie　Rinkenhauer　would　be　bad　（because　they　could；　he　knows　they　could）；　but　to　find　her　dead　。　。　。
　　　　'Beav；'　he　says。
　　　　Beaver　has　been　watching　the　girls。　Now　he　turns　to　Henry。　'What？'
　　　　'Do　you　still　think　she's　alive？'
　　　　'I　。　。　。'　Beav's　smile　fades；　and　he　looks　troubled。　'I　dunno；　man。　Pete？'
　　　　But　Pete　shakes　his　head。　'I　thought　she　was；　back　at　school　…　shit；　that　picture　almost　talked　to　me　…　but　now　。　。　。'　He　shrugs。
　　　　Henry　looks　at　Jonesy；　who　also　shrugs；　then　spreads　his　hands：　Dunno。　So　Henry　turns　to　Duddits。
　　　　Duddits　is　looking　at　everything　from　behind　what　he　calls　his　ooo　ays；　Duddits…ese　for　cool　shades　…　wraparounds　with　silver　mirrored　surfaces。　Henry　thinks　the　ooo　ays　make　Duddits　look　like　Ray　Walston　in　My　Favorite　Martian；　but　he'd　never　say　such　a　thing　to　Duds；　or　think　it　at　him。　Duds　is　also　wearing　Beaver's　mortarboard　hat；　he　particularly　likes　to　blow　the　tassel。
　　　　Duddits　has　no　selective　perception；　to　him　the　wino　looking　for　returnables　over　by　the　trash　barrels；　the　girls　playing　softball；　and　the　squirrels　running　around　on　the　branches　of　the　trees　are　equally　fascinating。　It　is　part　of　what　makes　him　special。　'Duddits；'　Henry　says。　'There's　this　girl　you　went　to　school　with　at　the　Academy；　her　name　was　Josie？　Josie　Rinkenhauer？'
　　　　Duddits　looks　politely　interested　because　his　friend　Henry　is　talking　to　him；　but　there　is　no　recognition　of　the　name；　and　why　would　there　be？　Duds　can't　remember　what　he　had　for　breakfast；　so　why　would　he　remember　a　little　girl　he　went　to　school　with　three　or　four　years　ago？　Henry　feels　a　wave　of　hopelessness；　which　is　strangely　mixed　with　amusement。　What　were　they　thinking　about？
　　　　Josie；'　Pete　says；　but　he　doesn't　look　very　hopeful；　either。　'We　used　to　tease　you　about　how　she　was　your　girlfriend；　remember？　She　had　brown　eyes　。　。　。　all　this　blonde　hair　sticking　out　from　her　head　。　。　。　and　。　。　。'　He　sighs　disgustedly。　'Fuck。'
　　　　'Ay　ih；　iffun…nay；'　Duddits　says；　because　this　usually　makes　them　smile：　same　shit；　different　day。　It　doesn't　work；　so　Duddits　tries　another　one：　'No…wounce；　no…lay。'
　　　　'Yeah；'　Jonesy　says。　'No　bounce；　no　play；　that's　right。　We　might　as　well　take　him　home；　guys；　this　isn't　gonna…'
　　　　'No；'　Beaver　says；　and　they　all　look　at　him。　Beaver's　eyes　are　both　bright　and　troubled。　He's　chewing　on　the　toothpick　in　his　mouth　so　fast　and　hard　that　it　jitters　up　and　down　between　his　lips　like　a　piston。　'Dreamcatcher；'　he　says。


13

'Dreamcatcher？'　Owen　asked。　His　voice　seemed　to　e　from　far　away；　even　to　his　own　ears。　The　Humvee's　headlights　conned　the　endless　snowy　wasteland　ahead；　which　resembled　a　road　only　because　of　the　marching　yellow　reflectors。　Dreamcatcher；　he　thought；　and　once　more　his　head　filled　up　with　Henry's　past；　almost　drowning　him　in　the　sights　and　sounds　and　smells　of　that　day　on　the　edge　of　summer：
　　　　Dreamcatcher。


14

'Dreamcatcher；'　Beav　says；　and　they　understand　each　other　as　they　sometimes　do；　as　they　think　（mistakenly；　Henry　will　later　realize）　all　friends　do。　Although　they　have　never　spoken　directly　of　the　dream　they　all　shared　on　their　first　hunting　trip　to　Hole　in　the　Wall；　they　know　Beaver　believed　that　it　had　somehow　been　caused　by　Lamar's　dreamcatcher。　None　of　the　others　have　tried　to　tell　him　differently；　partly　because　they　don't　want　to　challenge　Beaver's　superstition　about　that　harmless　little　string　spiderweb　and　mostly　because　they　don't　want　to　talk　about　that　day　at　all。　But　now　they　understand　that　Beaver　has　latched　onto　at　least　half　a　truth。　A　dreamcatcher　has　indeed　bound　them；　but　not　Lamar's。
　　　　Duddits　is　their　dreamcatcher。
　　　　'e　on；'　Beaver　says　quietly。　'e　on；　you　guys；　don't　be　afraid。　Grab　hold　of　him。'
　　　　And　so　they　do；　although　they　are　afraid　a　little　anyway；　Beaver。；　too。
　　　　Jonesy　takes　Duddits's　right　hand；　which　has　bee　so　clever　with　machinery　out　there　at　Voke。　Duddits　looks　surprised；　then　smiles　and　closes　his　fingers　over　Jonesy's。　Pete　takes　Duddits's　left　hand。　Beaver　and　Henry　crowd　in　and　slip　their　arms　around　Duddits's　waist。
　　　　And　so　the　five　of　them　stand　beneath　one　of　Strawford　Park's　vast　old　oaks；　with　a　lace　of　Junelight　and　shadows　dappling　their　faces。　They　are　like　boys　in　a　huddle　before　some　big　game。　The　softball　girls　in　their　bright　yellow　shirts　ignore　them；　so　do　the　squirrels；　so　does　the　industrious　wino；　who　is　putting　together　a　bottle　of　dinner　one　empty　soda…can　at　a　time。
　　　　Henry　feels　the　light　steal　into　him　and　understands　that　the　light　is　his　friends　and　himself；　they　make　it　together；　that　lovely　lace　of　light　and　green　shadow；　and　of　them　all；　Duddits　shines　brightest。　He　is　their　hall；　without　him　there　is　no　bounce；　there　is　no　play。　He　is　their　dreamcatcher；　he　makes　them　one。　Henry's　heart　fills　up　as　it　never　will　again　（and　the　void　of　that　lack　will　grow　and　darken　as　the　years　pile　up　around　him）；　and　he　thinks：　Is　it　to　find　one　lost　retarded　girl　who　probably　matters　to　no　one　but　her　parents？　Was　it　to　kill　one　brainless　bully…boy；　joining　together　to　somehow　make　him　drive　off　the　road；　doing　it；　oh　for　God's　sake　doing　it　in　our　sleep？　Can　that　be　all？　Something　so　great；　something　so　wondrous；　for　such　tiny　matters？　Can　that　be　all？
　　　　Because　if　it　is　…　he　thinks　this　even　in　the　ecstasy　of　their　joining　…　then　what　is　the　use？　What　can　anything　possibly　mean？
　　　　Then　that　and　all　thought　is　swept　away　by　the　force　of　the　experience。　The　face　of　Josie　Rinkenhauer　rises　in　front　of　them；　a　shifting　image　that　is　posed　first　of　four　perceptions　and　memories　。　。　。　then　a　fifth；　as　Duddits　understands　who　it　is　they're　making　all　this　fuss　about。
　　　　When　Duddits　weighs　in；　the　image　grows　a　hundred　times　brighter；　a　hundred　times　sharper。　Henry　hears　someone　…　Jonesy　…　gasp；　and　he　would　gasp　himself；　if　he　had　the　breath　to　do　so。　Because　Duddits　may　be　retarded　in　some　ways；　but　not　in　this　way；　in　this　way；　they　are　the　poor　stumbling　enfeebled　idiots　and　Duddits　is　the　genius。
　　　　'Oh　my　God；'　Henry　hears　Beaver　cry；　and　in　his　voice　there　are　equal　parts　ecstasy　and　dismay。
　　　　Because　Josie　is　standing　here　with　them。　Their　differing　perceptions　of　her　age　have　turned　her　into　a　child　of　about　twelve；　older　than　she　was　when　they　first　encountered　her　waiting　outside　The　Retard　Academy；　surely　younger　than　she　must　be　now。　They　have　settled　on　a　sailor　dress　with　an　unsteady　color　that　cycles　from　blue　to　pink　to　red　to　pink　to　blue　again。　She　is　holding　the　great　big　plastic　purse　with　BarbieKen　peeking　out　the　top　and　her　knees　are　splendidly　scabby。　Ladybug　earrings　appear　and　disappear　below　her　lobes　and　Henry　thinks　Oh　yeah；　I　remember　those　and　then　they　steady　into　the　mix。
　　　　She　opens　her　mouth　and　says；　Hi；　Duddie。　Looks　around　and　says；　Hi；　you　guys。
　　　　Then；　just　like　that；　she's　gone。　Just　like　that　they　are　five　instead　of　six；　five　big　boys　standing　under　the　old　oak　with　June's　ancient　light　printing　their　faces　and　the　excited　cries　of　the　softball　girls　in　their　cars。　Pete　is　crying。　So　is　Jonesy。　The　wino　is　gone　…　he's　apparently　collected　enough　for　his　bottle　…　but　another　man　has　e；　a　solemn　man　dressed　in　a　winter　parka　in　spite　of　the　day's　warmth。　His　left　check　is　covered　with　red　stuff　that　could　be　a　birthmark；　except　Henry　knows　it　isn't。　It's　byrus。　Owen　Underhill　has　joined　them　in　Strawford　Park；　is　watching　them；　but　that's　all　right；　no　one　sees　this　visitor　from　the　far　side　of　the　dreamcatcher　except　for　Henry　himself。
　　　　Duddits　is　smiling；　but　he　looks　puzzled　at　the　tears　on　two　of　his　friends'　cheeks。　'Eye…ooo　ine？'　he　asks　Jonesy　…　why　you　cryin？
　　　　'It　doesn't　matter；'　Jonesy　says。　When　he　slips　his　hand　out　of　Duddits's；　the　last　of　the　connection　breaks。　Jonesy　wipes　at　his　face　and　so　does　Pete。　Beav　utters　a　sobbing　little　laugh。
　　　　'I　think　I　swallowed　my　toothpick；'　he　says。
　　　　'Nah；　there　it　is；　ya　fag；'　Henry　says；　and　points　to　the　grass；　where　the　chewed…up　pick　is　lying。
　　　　'Fine　Osie？'　Duddits　asks。
　　　　'Can　you；　Duds？'　Henry　asks。
　　　　Duddits　walks　toward　the　softball　field；　and　they　follow　him　in　a　respectful　little　cluster。　Duds　walks　right　past　Owen　but　of　course　doesn't　see　him；　to　Duds；　Owen　Underhill　doesn't　exist；　at　least　not　yet。　He　walks　past　the　bleachers；　past　third　base；　past　the　little　snackbar。　Then　he　stops。
　　　　Beside　him；　Pete　gasps。
　　　　Duddits　turns　and　looks　at　him；　bright…eyed　and　interested；　almost　laughing。　Pete　is　holding　out　one　finger；　ticking　it　back　and　forth；　looking　past　the　moving　finger　at　the　ground。　Henry　follows　his　gaze　and　for　a　moment　thinks　he　sees　something　…　a　bright　flash　of　yellow　on　the　grass；　like　paint　…　and　then　it's　gone。　There's　only　Pete；　doing　what　he　does　when　he's　using　his　special　remembering　gift。
　　　　'Ooo　you　eee…a　yine；　Eete？'　Duddits　inquires　in　a　fatherly　way　that　almost　makes　Henry　laugh　…　Do　you　see　the　line；　Pete？
　　　　'Yeah；'　Pete　says；　bug…eyed。　'Fuck；　yeah。'　He　looks　up　at　the　others。　'She　was　here；　you　guys！　She　was　right　here！'
　　　　They　walk　across　Strawford　Park；　following　a　line　only　Duddits　and　Pete　can　see　while　a　man　only　Henry　can　see　follows　along　behind　them。　At　the　north　end　of　the　park　is　a　rickety　board　fence　with　a　sign　on　it：　D。B。&A。　P；。R。　PROPERTY　KEEP　OUT！　Kids　have　been　ignoring　this　sign　for　years；　and　it's　been　years　since　the　Derry；　Bangor；　and　Aroostook　actually　ran　freights　along　the　spur　through　The　Barrens；　anyway。　But　they　see　the　train…tracks　when　they　push　through　a　break　in　the　fence；　they　are　down　at　the　bottom　of　the　slope；　gleaming　rustily　in　the　sun。
　　　　The　slope　is　steep；　a…riot　with　poison　sumac　and　poison　ivy；　and