cpike.thelastvampire-第21部分

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of　classic　horror　films。　It　is　a　room　I　am　fortable　in。　I　often　go　to　the　movies；　the　late　shows。
　〃A　story　about　me？〃　I　ask。　I　glance　at　his　puter　screen；　but　he　has　returned　to　the　word　processor　menu。
　〃Yes。　Well；　no；　not　really。　But　you　inspired　the　story。　It　es　to　me　in　waves。　It's　about　this　girl　our　age　who's　a　vampire。〃
　〃I　am　a　vampire。〃
　He　fixes　his　bulky　glasses　on　his　nose。　〃What？〃
　〃I　said；　I　am　a　vampire。〃
　He　glances　at　the　mirror　above　his　chest　of　drawers。　〃I　can　see　your　reflection。〃
　〃So　what？　I　am　what　I　say　I　am。　Do　you　want　me　to　drink　your　blood　to　prove　it？〃
　〃That's　all　right；　you　don't　have　to。〃　He　takes　a　deep　breath。　〃Wow；　I　knew　you　were　an　interesting　girl；　but　I　never　guessed。。。〃　He　stops　himself。　〃But　I　suppose　that's　not　true；　is　it？　I　have　been　writing　about　you　all　along；　haven't　I？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃But　how　is　that　possible？　Can　you　explain　that　to　me？〃
　〃No。　It's　one　of　those　mysteries。　You　run　into　them　every　now　and　then；　if　you　live　long　enough。〃
　〃How　old　are　you？〃
　〃Five　thousand　years。〃
　Seymour　holds　up　his　hand。　〃Wait；　wait。　Let's　slow　down　here。　I　don't　want　to　be　a　pest　about　this；　and　I　sure　don't　want　you　to　drink　my　blood；　but　before　we　proceed　any　further；　I　wouldn't　mind　if　you　showed　me　some　of　your　powers。　It　would　help　with　my　research；　you　understand。〃
　I　smile。　〃You　really　don't　believe　me；　do　you？　That's　OK。　I　don't　know　if　I　want　you　to；　not　now。　But　I　do　want　your　advice。〃　I　lose　my　smile。　〃I　am　getting　near　the　end　of　things　now。　An　old　enemy　has　e　for　me；　and　for　the　first　time　in　my　long　life　I　am　vulnerable　to　attack。　You　are　the　smart　boy　with　the　prophetic　dreams。　Tell　me　what　to　do。〃
　〃I　have　prophetic　dreams？〃
　〃Yes。　Trust　me　or　I　wouldn't　be　here。〃
　〃What　does　this　old　enemy　want？　To　kill　you？〃
　〃To　kill　both　of　us。　But　he　doesn't　want　to　die　until　I　am　gone。〃
　〃Why　does　he　want　to　die？〃
　〃He　is　tired　of　living；〃
　〃Been　around　for　a　while；　I　guess。〃　Seymour　thinks　a　moment。　〃Would　he　mind　dying　at　the　same　time　as　you？〃
　〃I'm　sure　that　would　be　satisfactory。　It　might　even　appeal　to　him。〃
　〃Then　that's　the　answer　to　your　problem。　Place　him　in　a　situation　where　he　is　convinced　you're　both　goners。　But　arrange　it　ahead　of　time　so　that　when　you　do　push　the　button…or　whatever　you　do…that　only　he　is　destroyed　and　not　you。〃
　〃That's　an　interesting　idea*〃
　〃Thank　you。　I　was　thinking　of　using　it　in　my　story。〃
　〃But　there　are　problems　with　it。　This　enemy　is　extremely　shrewd。　It　will　not　be　easy　to　convince　him　that　I　am　going　to　die　with　him　unless　it　is　pretty　certain　that　I　am　going　to　die。　And　I　don't　want　to　die。〃
　〃There　must　be　a　way。　There　is　always　a　way。〃
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　in　your　story？〃
　〃I　haven't　worked　out　that　little　detail　yet。〃
　〃That　detail　is　not　little　to　me　at　the　moment。〃
　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　〃That's　all　right。〃　I　listen　to　his　parents　watching　TV　in　the　other　room。　They　talk　about　their　boy；　hisr　health。　The　mother　is　grief…stricken。　Seymour　watches　me　through　his　thick　lenses。
　〃It's　hardest　on　my　mother；〃　he　says。
　〃The　AIDS　virus　is　not　new。　A　form　of　it　existed　in　the　past；　not　exactly　the　same　as　what　is　going　around　now；　but　close　enough。　I　saw　it　in　action。　Ancient　Rome；　in　its　decline；　was　stricken　with　it。　Many　people　died。　Whole　villages。　That's　how　it　was　stopped。　The　mortality　rate　in　certain　areas　was　so　high　that　there　was　no　one　left　alive　to　pass　it　on。〃
　〃That's　interesting。　There　is　no　mention　of　that　in　history　books。〃
　〃Do　not　trust　in　your　books　too　much。　History　is　something　that　can　only　be　lived；　it　cannot　be　read　about。　Look　at　me；　I　am　history。〃　I　sigh。　〃The　stories　I　could　tell　you。〃
　〃Tell　me。〃
　I　yawn；　something　I　never　do。　Ray　has　drained　me　more　than　I　realized。　〃I　don't　have　time。〃
　〃Tell　me　how　you　managed　to　survive　the　AIDS　epidemic　of　the　past。〃
　〃My　blood　is　potent。　My　immune　system　is　impenetrable。　I　have　not　just　e　here　to　seek　your　help；　although　you　have　helped　me。　I　have　e　here　to　help　you。　I　want　to　give　you　my　blood。　Not　enough　to　make　you　a　vampire；　but　enough　to　destroy　the　virus　in　your　system。〃
　He　is　intrigued。　〃Will　that　work？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I　have　never　done　it　before。〃
　〃Could　it　be　dangerous？〃
　〃Sure。　It　might　kill　you。〃
　He　hesitates　only　a　moment。　〃What　do　I　have　to　do？〃
　〃e　sit　beside　me　on　the　bed。〃　He　does　so。
　〃Give　me　your　arm　and　close　your　eyes。　I　am　going　to　open　up　one　of　your　veins。　Don't　worry；　I　have　had　a　lot　of　practice　with　this。〃
　〃I　can　imagine。〃　He　lets　his　arm　rest　in　my　lap；　but　he　does　not　close　his　eyes。
　〃What's　the　matter？〃　I　ask。　〃Are　you　afraid　I　will　try　to　take　advantage　of　you？〃
　〃I　wish　you　would。　It's　not　every　day　the　school　nerd　has　the　most　beautiful　girl　in　the　school　sitting　on　his　bed。〃　He　clears　his　throat。　〃I　know　that　you're　in　a　hurry；　but　I　wanted　to　tell　you　something　before　we　begin。〃
　〃What's　that？〃
　〃I　wanted　to　thank　you　for　being　my　friend　and　letting　me　play　a　part　in　your　story。〃
　I　think　of　Krishna；　always　of　him；　how　he　stood　near　me　and　I　saw　the　whole　universe　as　his　play。　〃Thank　you；　Seymour；　for　writing　about　me；〃　I　lean　over　and　kiss　his　lips。　〃If　I　die　tonight；　at　least　others　will　know　I　once　lived。〃　I　stretch　out　my　nails。　〃Close　your　eyes。　You　do　not　want　to　watch　this。〃
　I　place　a　measured　amount　of　blood　inside　him。　His　breath　quickens；　it　burns；　but　not　so　fast　or　hot　as　Ray's　had。　Yet；　like　Ray；　Seymour　quickly　falls　into　a　deep　slumber。　I　turn　off　his　puter　and　put　out　the　light。　There　is　a　blanket　on　the　bed　that　looks　as　if　it　was　knitted　by　his　mother；　and　I　cover　him　with　it。　Before　I　leave；　I　put　my　palm　on　his　forehead　and　listen　and　feel　as　deep　as　my　senses　will　allow。
　The　virus；　I　am　almost　sure　of　this；　is　gone。
　I　kiss　him　once　more　before　I　leave。
　〃Give　me　credit　if　you　get　your　story　published；〃　I　whisper　in　his　ear。　〃Or　else　there　will　be　no　sequels。〃
　I　return　to　my　car。
　Giving　out　so　much　blood；　taking　none　back　in　return。
　I　feel　weaker　than　I　have　in　centuries。
　'There　will　be　no　sequels；〃　I　repeat　to　myself。
　I　start　the　car。　I　drive　into　the　night。
　I　have　work　to　do。
　
　
　12
　
　
　Seymour　has　given　me　an　idea。　But　even　with　his　inspiration；　and　mine；　even　if　everything　goes　exactly　as　planned；　the　chances　of　it　working　are　fifty…fifty　at　best。　In　all　probability　much　less　than　that。　But　at　least　the　plan　gives　me　hope。　For　myself　and　Ray。　He　is　like　my　child　now；　as　well　as　my　lover。　I　cannot　stand　the　thought　that　he　is　to　be　snuffed　out　so　young。　He　was　wrong　to　say　I　would　give　up　without　a　fight。　I　fight　until　the　end。
　There　is　a　concept　NASA　is　entertaining　to　launch　huge　payloads　into　space。　It　is　called　Orion；　the　idea　is　revolutionary。　Many　experts；　in　fact；　say　it　won't　work　in　practice。　Yet　there　are　large　numbers　of　respected　physicists　and　engineers　who　believe　it　is　the　wave　of　the　future　in　space　transport。　Essentially　it　involves　constructing　a　huge　heavily　plated　platform　with　cannons　on　the　bottom　that　can　fire　miniature　nuclear　bombs。　It　is　believed　that　the　shock　waves　from　the　blasts　of　the　bombs　detonating…if　their　timing　and　power　is　perfectly　balanced…can　lift　the　platform；　steadily　into　the　sky；　until　eventually　escape　velocity　is　achieved。　The　advantage　of　this　idea　over　traditional　rockets　is　that　tremendous　tonnage　could　be　shot　into　space。　The　primary　problem　is　obvious：　who　wants　to　strap　themselves　atop　a　platform　that　is　going　to　have　nuclear　bombs　going　off　beneath　it？　Of　course；　I　would　enjoy　such　a　ride。　Extreme　radiation　bothers　me　no　more　than　a　sunny　day。
　Even　with　my　great　resources；　I　do　not　have　a　nuclear　bomb　at　my　disposal。　But　the　idea　of　the　Orion　project　inspires　a　plan　in　me。　Seymour　hit　the　nail　on　the　head　when　he　said　Yaksha　must　be　placed　in　a　situation　where　he　thinks　all　three　of　us　will　perish。　That　will　satisfy　Yaksha。　He　will　then　go　to　Krishna　believing　all　vampires　are　destroyed。　I　theorize　that　I　can　build　my　own　Orion　with　dynamite　and　a　heavy　steel　platform；　and　use　it　to　allow　Ray　and　me　to　escape　while　a　secondary　blast　kills　Yaksha。
　This　is　how　I　see　the　details。　I　let　Yaksha　into　my　house。　I　tell　him　that　I　will　not　fight　him；　that　we　can　all　go　out　together　in　one　big　blast。　I　know　the　possibility　will　entice　Yaksha。　We　can　sit　in　the　living　room　around　a　crate　of　dynamite。　I　can　even　let　Yaksha　light　the　fuse。　He　will　see　that　the　bomb　is　big　enough　to　kill　us　all。
　But　what　he　will　not　see　is　the　six　inches　of　steel　sheeting　under　the　carpet　beneath　my　chair　and　Ray's。　Our　two　chairs　will　be　bolted　to　the　steel　sheet…　through　the　carpet。　The　chairs　will　be　part　of　the　metal　plate…one　unit。　Yaksha　will　not　see　a　smaller　bomb　beneath　the　floor　of　the　plate。　This　bomb　I　will　detonate；　before　Yaksha's　fuse　burns　down。　This　bomb　will　blast　my　amateur　Orion　toward　the　wide　skylights　in　my　ceiling。　The　shock　wave　from　it　will　also　trigger　the　larger　bomb。
　Simple。　Yes？　There　are　problems；　I　know。
　The　blast　from　the　hidden　bomb　will　trigger　the　larger　bomb　before　we　can　fly　clear。　I　estimate　that　the　two　bombs　should　go　off　almost　simultaneously。　But　Ray　and　I　need　rise　up　only　fifteen　feet　on　our　Orion。　Then　the　blast　from　the　larger　bomb　should　propel　us　through　the　skylights。　If　the　two　bombs　are　more　than　fifteen　feet　apart…ideally　twice　that　distance…then　the　shock　wave　from　the　hidden　bomb　should　not　get　to　the　larger　bomb　before　we　have　achieved　our　fifteen　feet　elevation。
　Our　heads　will　heal　quickly　after　we　smash　through　the　skylights　as　long　as　we　are　in　one　piece。
　The　physics　are　simple　in　theory；　but　in　practice　they　are　filled　with　the　possibility　for　limitless　error。　For　that　reason　I　figure　Ray　and　I　will　be　dead　before　sunrise。　But　any　odds　are　good　odds　for　the　damned；　and　I　will　play　them　out　as　best　I　can。
　I　stop　at　a　phone　booth　and　call　my　primary　troubleshooter　in　North　America。　I　tell　him　I　need　dynamite　and　thick　sheets　of　steel　in　two　hours。　Where　can　I　get　them？　He　is　used　to　my　unusual　requests。　He　says　he'll　call　back　in　twenty　minutes。
　Fifteen　minutes　later　he　is　back　on　the　line。　He　sounds　relieved　because　he　knows　it's　not　good　to　bring　me　disappointing　information。　He