sk.carrie-第25部分

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outh　swerved　on　to　the　road；　almost　fishtailing　on　to　the　shoulder　and　making　her　feel　sick　to　her　stomach。　It　was　only　at　this　point　that　she　realized　she　was　moaning　deep　in　her　throat；　like　an　animal　in　a　trap。
She　did　not　pause　at　the　stop　sign　that　marked　the　intersection　of　Route　6　and　the　Back　Chamberlain　Road。　Fire　sirens　filled　the　night　in　the　cast；　where　Chamberlain　bordered　Westover；　and　from　the　south　behind　herMotton。
She　was　almost　at　the　base　of　the　hill　when　the　school　exploded。
She　jammed　on　the　power　brakes　with　both　feet　and　was　thrown　into　the　steering　wheel　like　a　rag　doll。　The　tyres　wailed　on　the　pavement。　Somehow　she　fumbled　the　door　open　and　was　out；　shading　her　eyes　against　the　glare。
A　gout　of　flame　had　ripped　skyward；　trailing　a　nimbus　of　fluttering　steel　roof　panels；　wood；　and　paper。　The　smell　was　thick　and　oily。　Main　Street　was　lit　as　if　by　a　flashgun。　In　that　terrible　hallway　between　seconds；　she　saw　that　the　entire　gymnasium　wing　of　Ewen　High　was　a　gutted；　flaming　ruin。
Concussion　struck　a　moment　later；　knocking　her　backwards。　Road　litter　blew　past　her　on　a　sudden　and　tremendous　rush；　along　with　a　blast　of　warm　air　that　reminded　her　fleetingly　of
（the　smell　of　subways）
a　trip　she　had　taken　to　Boston　the　year　before。　The　windows　of　Bill's　Home　Drugstore　and　the　Kelly　Fruit　pany　jingled　and　fell　inward。
She　had　fallen　on　her　side；　and　the　fire　lit　the　street　with　hellish　noonday。　What　happened　next　happened　in　slow　motion　as　her　mind　ran　steadily　onward
（dead　are　they　all　dead　carrie　why　think　carrie）
at　its　own　clip。　Cars　were　rushing　toward　the　scene；　and　some　people　were　running　in　robes；　nightshorts；　pyjamas。　She　saw　a　man　e　out　of　the　front　door　of　Chamberlain's　bined　police　station　and　courthouse。　He　was　moving　slowly。　The　cars　were　moving　slowly。　Even　the　people　running　were　moving　slowly。
She　saw　the　man　on　the　police…station　steps　cup　his　hands　around　his　mouth　and　scream　something；　unclear'　over　the　shrieking　town　whistle；　the　fire　sirens；　the　monster…mouth　of　fire。　Sounded　like：
'Heyret！　Don't　hey　that　ass！'
The　street　was　all　wet　down　there。　The　light　danced　on　the　water'　Down　by　Teddy's　Amoco　station。
'…hey；　that's…'
And　then　the　world　exploded。
From　the　sworn　testimony　of　Thomas　K。　Quillan；　taken　before　The　State　Investigatory　Board　of　Maine　in　connection　with　the　events　of　May　27…28　in　Chamberlain；　Maine　（abridged　version　which　follows　is　from　Black　Prom：　The　White　mission　Report；　Signet　Books：　New　York；　1980）：
Q。　Mr　Quillan；　are　you　a　resident　of　Chamberlain？
A。　Yes。
Q。　What　is　your　address？
A。　I　got　a　room　over　the　pool　hall。　That's　where　I　work。　I　mop　the　floors；　vacuum　the　tables；　work　on　the　machines…pinball　machines；　you　know。
Q。　Where　were　you　on　the　night　of　May　twenty…seventh　at　10。30　P。M。；　Mr　Quillan？
A。　Well　。　。　。　actually；　I　was　in　a　detention　cell　at　the　police　station。　I　get　paid　on　Thursdays；　see。　And　I　always　go　out　and　get　bombed。　I　go　out　to　The　Cavalier；　drink　some　Schlitz；　play　a　little　poker　out　back。　But　I　get　mean　when　I　drink。　Feels　Eke　the　Roller　Derby's　going　on　in　my　head。　Bummer；　hub？　Once　I　conked　a　guy　over　the　head　with　a　chair　and
Q。　Was　it　your　habit　to　go　to　the　police　station　when　you　felt　these　fits　of　temper　ing　on？
A。　Yeah。　Big　Otis；　he's　a　friend　of　mine。
Q。　Are　you　referring　to　Sheriff　Otis　Doyle　of　this　county？
A。　Yeah。　He　told　me　to　pop　in　any　time　I　started　feeling　mean。　The　night　before　the　prom；　a　bunch　of　us　guys　were　in　the　back　room　down　at　The　Cavalier　playing　stud　poker　and　I　got　to　thinking　Fast　Marcel　Dubay　was　cheating。　I　would　have　known　better　sober　…　a　Frenchman's　idea　of　pullin'　a　fast　one　is　to　look　at　his　own　cards　…　but　that　got　me　going。　I'd　had　a　couple　of　beers；　you　know；　so　I　folded　my　hand　and　went　on　down　to　the　station。　Plessy　was　catching；　and　he　locked　me　right　up　in　Holding　Cell　number　1。　Plessy's　a　good　boy。　I　knew　his　mom；　but　that　was　many　years　ago。
Q。　Mr　Quillan；　do　you　suppose　we　could　discuss　the　night　of　the　twenty…seventh？　10：30　P。M。？
A。　Ain't　we？
Q。　I　devoutly　hope　so。　Continue。
A。　Well；　Plessy　locked　me　up　around　quarter　to　two　on　Friday　morning；　and　I　popped　right　Off　to　sleep。　Passed　out；　you　might　say。　Woke　up　around　four　o'clock　the　next　afternoon；　took　three　Alka…Seltzers；　and　went　back　to　sleep。　I　got　a　knack；　that　way。　I　can　sleep　until　my　hangover's　all　gone。　Big　Otis　says　I　should　find　out　how　I　do　it　and　take　out　a　patent。　He　says　I　could　save　the　world　a　lot　of　pain。
Q。　I'm　sure　you　could；　Mr　Quillan。　Now　when　did　you　wake　up　again？
A。　Around　ten　o'clock　on　Friday　night。　I　was　pretty　hungry；　so　I　decided　to　go　get　some　chow　down　at　the　diner。
Q。　They　left　you　all　alone　in　an　open　cell？
A。　Sure。　I'm　a　fantastic　guy　when　I'm　sober。　In　fact；　one　time
Q。　Just　tell　the　mittee　what　happened　when　you　left　the　cell。
A。　The　fire　whistle　went　of；　that's　what　happened。　Scared　the　beJesus　out　of　me。　I　ain't　heard　that　whistle　at　night　since　the　Viet　Nam　war　ended。　So　I　ran　upstairs　and　sonofabitch；　there's　no　one　in　the　office。　I　say　to　myself；　hot　damn；　Plessy's　gonna　get　it　for　this。　There's　always　supposed　to　be　somebody　catching；　in　case　there's　a　callin。　So　I　went　over　to　the　window　and　looked　out。
Q。　Could　the　school　be　seen　from　that　window？
A。　Yeah。　People　were　running　around　and　yelling。　And　that's　when　I　saw　Carrie　White。
Q。　Had　you　ever　seen　Carrie　White　before？
A。　Nope。
Q。　Then　how　did　you　know　it　was　she？
A。　That's　hard　to　explain。
Q。　Could　you　see　her　clearly？
A。　She　was　standing　under　a　street　light；　by　the　fire　hydrant　on　the　corner　of　Main　and　Spring。
Q。　Did　something　happen？
A。　I　guess　to　Christ。　The　whole　top　of　the　hydrant　exploded　of　three　different　ways。　Left；　right；　and　straight　up　to　heaven。
Q。　What　time　did　this　。。。　uh　。。。　malfunction　occur？
A。　Around　twenty　to　eleven。　Couldn't　have　been　no　later。
Q。　What　happened　then？
A。　She　started　downtown。　Mister；　she　looked　awful。　She　was　wearing　some　kind　of　party　dress；　what　was　left　of　it；　and　she　was　all　wet　from　that　hydrant　and　covered　with　blood。　She　looked　like　she　just　crawled　out　of　a　car　accident。　But　she　was　grinning。　I　never　saw　such　a　grin。　It　was　like　a　death's　head。　And　she　kept　looking　at　her　hands　and　rubbing　them　on　her　dress；　trying　to　get　the　blood　off　and　thinking　she'd　never　get　it　off　and　how　she　was　going　to　pour　blood　on　the　whole　town　and　make　them　pay。　It　was　awful　stuff
Q。　How　would　you　have　any　idea　what　she　was　thinking？
A。　I　don't　know。　I　can't　explain。
Q。　For　the　remainder　of　your　testimony；　I　wish　you　would　stick　to　what　you　saw；　Mr　Quillan。
A。　Okay。　There　was　a　hydrant　on　the　corner　of　Grass　Plaza；　and　that　one　went；　too。　I　could　see　that　one　better。　The　big　lug　nuts　on　the　sides　were　unscrewing　themselves。　I　saw　that　happening。　It　blew；　just　like　the　other　one。　And　she　was　happy。　She　was　saying　to　herself；　that'll　give　'em　a　shower；　that'll　。。。　whoops；　sorry。　The　fire　trucks　started　to　go　by　then；　and　I　lost　track　of　her。　The　new　pumper　pulled　up　to　the　school　and　they　started　on　those　hydrants　and　saw　they　wasn't　going　to　get　no　water。　Chief　Burton　was　hollering　at　them；　and　that's　when　the　school　exploded。　Je…sus。
Q。　Did　you　leave　the　police　station？
A。　Yeah。　I　wanted　to　find　Plessy　and　tell　him　about　that　crazy　broad　and　the　fire　hydrants。　I　glanced　over　at　Teddy's　Amoco；　and　I　seen　something　that　made　my　blood　run　cold。　All　six　gas　pumps　was　off　their　hooks。　Teddy　Duchamp's　been　dead　since　1968；　God　love　him　but　his　boy　locked　those　pumps　up　every　night　just　like　Teddy　himself　used　to　do。　Every　one　of　them　Yale　padlocks　was　hanging　busted　by　their　hasps。　The　nozzles　were　laying　on　the　tarmac；　and　the　automatic　feeds　was　set　on　every　one。　Gas　was　pouring　out　on　to　the　sidewalk　and　into　the　street。　Holy　mother　of　God；　when　I　seen　that；　my　balls　drew　right　up。　Then　I　saw　this　gay　running　along　with　a　lighted　cigarette。
Q。　What　did　you　do？
A。　Hollered　at　him。　Something　like　Hey！　Watch　that　cigarette！　Hey；　don't；　that's　gas！　He　never　heard　me。　Fire　wrens　and　the　town　whistle　and　cars　rip…assing　up　and　down　the　street；　I　don't　wonder。　I　saw　he　was　going　to　pitch　it；　so　I　started　to　duck　back　inside。
Q。　What　happened　next？
A。　Next？　Why；　next　thing；　the　Devil　came　to　Chamberlain　。。。
When　the　buckets　fell；　she　was　at　first　only　aware　of　a　loud；　metallic　clang　cutting　through　the　music；　and　then　she　was　deluged　in　warmth　and　wetness。　She　closed　her　eyes　instinctively。　There　was　a　grunt　from　beside　her；　and　in　the　part　of　her　mind　that　had　e　so　recently　awake；　she　sensed　brief　pain。
（tommy）
The　music　came　to　a　crashing；　discordant　halt；　a　few　voices　hanging　on　after　it　like　broken　strings；　and　in　the　sudden　deadness　of　anticipation；　filling　the　gap　between　event　and　realization；　like　doom；　she　beard　someone　say　quite　clearly：
'My　God；　that's　blood。'
A　moment　later；　as　if　to　ram　the　truth　of　it　home；　to　make　it　utterly　and　exactly　clear；　someone　screamed。
Carrie　sat　with　her　eyes　closed　and　felt　the　black　bulge　of　terror　rising　in　her　mind。　Momma　had　been　right；　after　all。　They　had　taken　her　again　gulled　her　again；　made　her　the　butt　again。　The　horror　of　it　should　have　been　monotonous；　but　it　was　not；　they　had　gotten　her　up　here；　up　here　in　front　of　the　whole　school；　and　had　repeated　the　shower…room　scene　。。。　only　the　voice　had　said
（my　god　that's　blood）
something　too　awful　to　be　contemplated。　If　she　opened　her　eyes　and　it　was　true；　oh；　what　then？　What　then？
Someone　began　to　laugh；　a　solitary；　affrightened　hyena　sound；　and　she　did　open　her　eyes；　opened　them　to　see　who　it　was　and　it　was　true；　the　final　nightmare；　she　was　red　and　dripping　with　it；　they　had　drenched　her　in　the　very　secretness　of　blood；　in　front　of　all　of　them　and　her　thought
（oh。。。i　。。。　COVERED…　with　it）
was　coloured　a　ghastly　purple　with　her　revulsion　and　her　shame。　She　could　smell　herself　and　it　was　the　stink　of　blood。　the　awful　wet；　coppery　smell。　In　a　flickering　kaleidoscope　of　images　she　saw　the　blood　running　thickly　down　her　naked　thighs；　hear　the　constant　beating　of　the　shower　on　the　tiles；　felt　the　soft　patter　of　tampons　and　napkins　against　her　skin　as　voices　exhorted　her　to　plug　it　UP；　tasted　the　plump；　fulsome　bitterness　of　horror。　They　had　finally　given　her　the　shower　they　wanted。
A　s