sk.carrie-第29部分

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k。　I　screamed　at　her　to　stop　…　there　was　one　of　those　heavy　main　cables　broken　off　right　in　front　of　us　…　but　she　didn't　listen。　And　she　。。。　she。。。　oh；　I　could　smell　her　when　she　started　to　burn。　Smoke　just　seemed　to　burst　out　of　her　clothes　and　I　thought：　that's　what　it　must　be　like　when　someone　gets　electrocuted。　The　smell　was　sweet　like　pork。　Have　any　of　you　ever　smelled　that？　Sometimes　I　smell　it　in　my　dreams。　I　stood　still；　watching　Georgette　Shyres　turn　black。　There　was　a　big　explosion　over　in　the　West　End…the　gas　main；　I　suppose　…　but　I　never　even　noticed　it。　I　looked　around　and　I　was　all　alone。　Everyone　else　had　either　run　away　or　was　burning。　I　saw　maybe　six　bodies。　They　were　like　piles　of　old　rags。　One　of　the　cables　had　fallen　on　to　the　porch　of　a　house　to　the　left；　and　it　was　catching　on　fire。　I　could　hear　the　old…fashioned　shake　shingles　popping　like　Corn。　it　seemed　like　I　stood　there　a　long　time；　telling　myself　to　keep　my　head。　It　seemed　like　hours。　I　began　to　be　afraid　that　I　would　faint　and　fall　on　one　of　the　cables；　or　that　I　would　panic　and　start　to　run。　Like　。。。　like　Georgette。　So　then　I　started　to　walk。　One　step　at　a　time。　'Me　street　got　even　brighter；　because　of　the　burning　house。　I　stepped　over　two　live　wires　and　went　around　a　body　that　wasn't　much　more　than　a　puddle。　I…I…I　had　to　look　to　see　where　I　was　going。　There　was　a　wedding　ring　on　the　body's　hand；　but　it　was　all　black。　All　black。　Jesus；　I　was　Oh　dear　Lord。　I　stepped　over　another　one　and　then　there　were　three；　all　at　once。　I　just　stood　there　looking　at　them。　I　thought　if　I　got　over　those　I'd　be　all　right　but　。。。　I　didn't　dare。　Do　you　know　what　I　kept　thinking　of？　That　game　you　play　when　you're　kids；　Giant　Step。　A　voice　in　my　mind　was　saying；　Cora；　take　one　giant　step　over　the　live　wires　in　the　street。　And　I　was　thinking　May　P　May　P　One　of　them　was　still　spitting　a　few　sparks；　but　the　other　two　looked　dead。　But　you　can't　tell。　The　third　rail　looks　dead　too。　So　I　stood　there；　waiting　for　someone　to　e　and　nobody　did。　The　house　was　still　burning　and　the　flames　had　spread　to　the　lawn　and　the　trees　and　the　hedge　beside　it。　But　no　fire　trucks　came。　Of　course　they　didn't。　The　whole　west　side　was　burning　up　by　that　time。　And　I　felt　so　faint。　And　at　last　I　knew　it　was　take　the　giant　step　or　faint　and　so　I　took　it；　as　big　a　giant　step　as　I　could；　and　the　heel　of　my　slipper　came　down　not　an　inch　from　the　last　wire。　Then　I　got　over　and　went　around　the　end　of　one　more　wire　and　then　I　started　to　run。　And　that's　all　I　remember。　When　morning　came　I　was　lying　on　a　blanket　in　the　police　station　with　a　lot　of　other　people。　Some　of　them　…　a　few…were　kids　in　their　prom　get…ups　and　I　started　to　ask　them　if　they　had　seen　Rhonda。　And　said　。。。　they　s…s…said　。。。
（A　short　recess）
Q。　You　are　personally　sure　that　Carrie　White　did　this？　A。　Yes。
Q。　Thank　you；　Mrs　Simard。
A。　I'd　like　to　ask　a　question；　if　you　please。　
Q。　Of　course。
A。　What　happens　if　there　are　others　like　her？　What　happens　to　the　world？　
From　The　Shadow　Exploded　（p。　15　1）：
By　12：45　on　the　morning　of　May　28；　the　situation　in　Chamberlain　was　critical。　The　school　had　burned　itself　out　on　a　fairly　isolated　piece　of　ground；　but　the　entire　downtown　area　was　ablaze。　Almost　all　the　city　water　in　that　area　had　been　tapped；　but　enough　was　available　（at　low　pressure）　from　Deighan　Street　water　mains　to　save　the　business　buildings　below　the　intersection　of　Main　and　Oak　a~。
The　explosion　of　Tony's　Citgo　on　upper　Summer　Street　had　resulted　in　a　ferocious　fire　that　was　not　to　be　controlled　until　nearly　ten　o'clock　that　morning。　There　was　water　on　Summer　Street；　there　simply　were　no　firemen　or　fire…fighting　equipment　to　utilize　it。　Equipment　was　then　on　its　way　from　Lewiston；　Auburn；　Lisbon　and　Brunswick；　but　nothing　arrived　until　one　o'clock。
On　Carlin　Street；　an　electrical　fire；　caused　by　downed　power　lines；　had　begun。　It　was　eventually　to　gut　the　entire　north　side　of　the　street；　including　the　bungalow　where　Margaret　White　gave　birth　to　her　daughter。
On　the　west　end　of　town；　just　below　what　is　monly　caned　Brickyard　Hill；　the　worst　disaster　had　taken　place。　The　explosion　of　a　gas　main　and　a　resulting　fire　that　raged　out　of　control　through　most　of　the　next　day。
And　if　we　look　at　these　flash　points　on　a　municipal　map　（see　page　facing）；　we　can　pick　out　Carrie's　route　…　a　wandering；　looping　path　of　destruction　through　the　town；　but　one　with　an　almost　certain　destination：　home　。。。
Something　toppled　over　in　the　living　room；　and　Margaret　White　straightened　up；　cocking　her　head　to　one　side。　The　butcher　knife　glittered　dully　in　the　light　of　the　flames。　The　electric　power　had　gone　off　sometime　before；　and　the　only　fight　in　the　house　came　from　the　fire　up　the　street。
One　of　the　pictures　fell　from　the　wall　with　a　thump。　A　moment　later　the　Black　Forest　cuckoo　clock　fell。　The　mechanical　bird　gave　a　small；　strangled　squawk　and　was　still。
From　the　town　the　sirens　whooped　endlessly；　but　she　could　still　hear　the　footsteps　when　they　turned　up　the　walk。
The　door　blew　open。　Steps　in　the　hall。
She　heard　the　plaster　plaques　in　the　living　room　（CHRIST；　THE　UNSEEN　GUEST；　WHAT　WOULD　JESUS　DO；　THE　HOUR　DRAWETH　NIGH；　IF　TONIGHT　BECAME　JUDGMENT；　WOULD　YOU　BE　READY）　explode　one　after　the　other；　like　plaster　birds　in　a　shooting　gallery。
（o　i've　been　there　and　seen　the　harlots　shimmy　on　wooden　stages）
She　sat　up　on　her　stool　like　a　very　bright　scholar　who　has　gone　to　the　head　of　the　class；　but　her　eyes　were　deranged。
The　living…room　windows　blew　outward。
The　kitchen　door　dammed　and　Carrie　walked　in。
Her　body　seemed　to　have　bee　twisted；　shrunken；　cronelike。　The　prom　dress　was　in　tatters　and　flaps；　and　the　pig　blood　had　began　to　clot　and　streak。　There　was　a　smudge　of　grease　on　her　forehead　and　both　knees　were　scraped　and　raw…looking。
'Momma；'　she　whispered。　Her　eyes　were　preternaturally　bright；　hawklike；　but　her　mouth　was　trembling。　If　someone　had　been　them　to　watch；　he　would　have　been　struck　by　the　resemblance　between　them。
Margaret　White　sat　on　her　kitchen　stool；　the　carving　knife　hidden　among　the　folds　of　her　dress　in　her　lap。
'I　should　have　killed　myself　when　he　put　it　in　me；'　she　said　clearly。　'After　the　first　time；　before　we　were　married；　he　promised。　Never　again。　He　said　we　just　。。。　slipped。　I　believed　him。　I　fell　down　and　I　lost　the　baby　and　that　was　God's　judgment。　I　felt　that　the　sin　had　been　expiated。　By　blood。　But　sin　never　dies。　Sin　。。。　never　。。。　dies。'　Her　eyes　glittered。
'Momma'
'At　first　it　was　all　right。　We　lived　sinlessly。　We　slept　in　the　same　bed；　belly　to　belly　sometimes；　and　O；　I　could　feel　the　presence　of　the　Serpent；　but　we　never　did　until。'　She　began　to　grin；　and　it　was　a　hard；　terrible　grin。　'And　that　night　I　could　see　him　looking　at　me　That　Way。　We　got　down　on　our　knees　to　pray　for　strength　and　he。。。　touched　me。　In　that　place。　That　woman　place。　And　I　sent　him　out　of　the　house。　He　was　gone　for　hours；　and　I　prayed　for　him。　I　could　see　him　in　my　mind's　eye；　walking　the　midnight　streets；　wrestling　with　the　devil　as　Jacob　wrestled　with　the　Angel　of　the　Lord。　And　when　he　came　back；　my　heart　was　filled　with　thanksgiving。'
She　paused；　grinning　her　dry；　spitless　grin　into　the　shifting　shadows　of　the　room。
'Momma；　I　don't　want　to　hear　it！'
Plates　began　to　explode　in　the　cupboards　like　clay　pigeons。
'It　wasn't　until　he　came　in　that　I　smelled　the　whiskey　on　his　breath。　And　he　took　me。　Took　me！　With　the　stink　of　filthy　roadhouse　whiskey　still　on　him　he　took　me　。。。　and　I　liked　it　She　screamed　out　the　last　words　at　the　ceiling。　'I　liked　it　o　all　that　dirty　fucking　and　his　hands　on　me　ALL　OVER　ME！'
'MOMMA！'
（MOMMA！！）
She　broke　off　as　if　slapped　and　blinked　at　her　daughter　'I　almost　killed　myself；'　she　said　in　a　more　normal　tone　of　voice。　'And　Ralph　wept　and　talked　about　atonement　and　I　didn't　and　then　he　was　dead　and　then　I　thought　God　had　visited　me　with　cancer；　that　He　was　turning　my　female　parts　into　something　as　black　and　rotten　as　my　sinning　soul。　But　that　would　have　been　too　easy。　The　Lord　works　in　mysterious　ways；　His　wonders　to　perform。　I　see　that　now。　When　the　pains　began　I　went　and　got　a　knife　…　this　knife…'　she　held　it　up　'…and　waited　for　you　to　e　so　I　could　make　my　sacrifice。　But　I　was　weak　and　backsliding。　I　took　this　knife　in　hand　again　when　you　were　three；　and　I　backslid　again。　So　now　the　devil　has　e　home。'
She　held　the　knife　up；　and　her　eyes　fastened　hypnotically　on　the　glittering　hook　of　its　blade。
Carrie　took　a　slow；　blundering　step　forward。
'I　came　to　kill　you；　Momma。　And　you　were　waiting　here　to　kill　me。　Momma；　I　。。。　it's　not　right；　Momma。　It's　not　。。。　'
'Let's　pray；'　Momma　said　softly。　Her　eyes　fixed　on　Carrie's　and　there　was　a　crazed；　awful　passion　in　them。　The　fire　light　was　brighter　now；　dancing　on　the　walls　Up　dervishes。　'For　the　last　time；　let　us　pray。'
'Oh　Momma　help　me！'　Carrie　cried　out。
She　fell　forward　on　her　knees；　head　down；　hands　raised　in　supplication。
Momma　leaned　forward；　and　the　knife　came　down　in　a　shining　arc。
Carrie；　perhaps　seeing　out　of　the　tail　of　her　eye；　jerked　back；　and　instead　of　penetrating　her　back；　the　knife　went　into　her　shoulder　to　the　hilt。　Momma's　feet　tangled　in　the　legs　of　her　chair；　and　she　collapsed　in　a　sitting　sprawl。
They　stared　at　each　other　in　silent　tableau。
Blood　began　to　ooze　from　around　the　handle　of　the　knife　and　to　splash　on　to　the　floor。
Then　Carrie　said　softly：　'I'm　going　to　give　you　a　present；　Momma。'
Margaret　tried　to　get　up；　staggered；　and　fell　back　on　her　hands　and　knees。　'What　are　you　doing？'　she　croaked　hoarsely。
'I'm　picturing　your　heart；　Momma；'　Carrie　said。　'It's　easier　when　you　see　things　in　your　mind。　Your　heart　is　a　big　red　muscle。　Mine　goes　faster　when　I　use　my　power。　But　your　is　going　a　little　slower　now。　A　little　slower。'
Margaret　tried　to　get　up　again；　failed；　and　forked　the　sign　of　the　evil　eye　at　her　daughter。
'A　little　slower；　Momma。　Do　you　know　what　the　present　is；　Momma？　What　you　always　wanted。　Darkness。　And　whatever　God　lives　there。'
Margaret　White　whispered：　'Our　father；　Who　art　in　heaven…'
'Slower；　Momma。　Slower。'
'…hallowed　be　Thy　name…'
'I　can　see　the　blood　draining　back　into　you。　Slower。'
'…Thy　Kingdom　e…'
'Your　feet　and　hands　like　marble；　like　alabaster。　White。'
'…Thy　will　be　done…'
'My　will；　Momma。　Slower！'
'…on　e