cpike.thelastvampire-第23部分

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usy；　he　took　an　immediate　liking　to　me。　He　asked　me　to　help　him；　which　I　did；　and　when　the　child　was　born；　he　handed　it　to　the　mother　and　we　went　for　a　walk。　He　explained　that　he　had　worked　out　a　better　way　to　deliver　babies　and　had　wanted　to　test　his　theories。　He　also　admitted　that　he　was　the　father　of　the　infant；　but　that　was　not　important　to　him。
　〃Cleo　was　a　great　doctor；　but　he　was　never　recognized　by　his　peers。　He　was　ahead　of　his　time。　He　refined　the　technique　of　the　Caesarean　delivery。　He　experimented　with　magnets　and　how　they　could　restore　ailing　organs：　the　positive　pole　of　the　magnet　to　stimulate　an　organ；　the　negative　pole　to　pacify　it。　He　had　an　understanding　of　how　the　aromas　of　certain　flowers　could　affect　health。　He　was　also　the　first　chiropractor。　He　was　always　adjusting　people's　bodies；　cracking　their　necks　and　backs。　He　tried　to　adjust　me　once　and　sprained　his　wrists。　You　can　see　why　I　liked　him。〃
　I　went　on　to　explain　how　I　knew　Cleo　for　many　years；　and　spoke　of　his　one　fatal　flaw：　his　obsession　with　seducing　the　wives　of　Athens'　powerful　men。　How　he　was　eventually　caught　in　bed　with　the　wife　of　an　important　general；　and　beheaded　with　a　smile　on　his　face；　while　many　of　the　women　of　Athens　wept。　Wonderful　Cleo。
　I　talk　of　a　life　I　had　as　an　English　duchess　in　the　Middle　Ages。　What　it　was　like　to　live　in　a　castle。　My　words　bring　back　the　memories。　The　constant　drafts。　The　stone　walls。　The　roaring　fires…at　night；　how　black　those　nights　could　be。　My　name　was　Melissa　and　in　the　summer　months　I　would　ride　a　white　horse　through　the　green　countryside　and　laugh　at　the　advances　made　to　me　by　the　knights　in　shining　armor。　I　even　accepted　a　couple　of　offers　to　jostle；　offers　the　men　later　regretted　making。
　I　speak　of　a　life　in　the　South　during　the　American　Civil　War。　The　burning　and　pillaging　of　the　Yankees　as　they　stormed　across　Mississippi。　A　note　of　bitterness　enters　my　voice；　but　I　do　not　tell　Ray　everything。　Not　how　I　was　abducted　by　a　battalion　of　twenty　soldiers　and　tied　at　the　neck　with　a　rope　and　forced　to　grovel　through　a　swamp；　while　the　men　joked　about　what　pleasure　I　would　give　them　e　sunset。　I　do　not　want　to　scare　Ray；　so　I　do　not　explain　how　each　of　those　men　died；　how　they　screamed；　especially　the　last　ones；　as　they　tried　to　flee　from　the　swamp　in　the　dark；　from　the　swift　white　hands　that　tore　off　their　limbs　and　crushed　their　skulls。
　Finally　I　tell　him　of　how　I　was　in　Cape　Canaveral　when　Apollo　11　was　launched　toward　the　moon。　How　proud　I　was　of　humanity　then；　that　they　had　finally　reclaimed　the　adventurous　spirit　they　had　known　so　well　in　their　youth。　Ray　takes　joy　in　my　pleasure　of　the　memory。　It　makes　him　forget　the　horror　that　awaits　us；　which　is　part　of　the　reason　I　share　the　story。
　〃Did　you　ever　want　to　go　to　the　moon？〃　he　asks。
　〃Pluto。　Much　farther　from　the　sun；　you　know。　More　fortable　for　a　vampire。〃
　〃Did　you　grieve　when　Cleo　died？〃
　I　smile；　although　there　is　suddenly　a　tear　in　my　eye。　〃No。　He　lived　the　life　he　wanted。　Had　he　lived　too　long；　he　would　have　begun　to　bore　himself；〃
　〃I　understand。〃
　〃Good；〃　I　say。
　But　Ray　doesn't　really　understand。　He　misconstrues　the　sentiment　I　show。　My　tear　is　not　for　Cleo。　It　is　for　my　long　life；　the　totality　of　it；　all　the　people　and　places　that　are　a　part　of　it。　Such　a　rich　book　of　history　to　slam　shut　and　store　away　in　a　forgotten　corner。　I　grieve　for　all　the　stories　I　will　never　have　a　chance　to　tell　Seymour　and　Ray。　I　grieve　for　the　vow　I　have　broken。　I　grieve　for　Yaksha　and　the　love　I　could　never　give　him。　Most　of　all　I　grieve　for　my　soul　because　even　though　I　do；　finally；　believe　that　there　is　a　God；　and　that　I　have　met　him；　I　do　not　know　if　he　has　given　me　an　immortal　soul；　but　only　one　that　was　to　last　me　as　long　as　my　body　lasted。　I　do　not　know　if　when　the　last　page　of　my　book　is　closed；　that　will　be　the　end　of　me。
　Darkness　approaches　from　outside。
　I　feel　no　light　inside　me　strong　enough　to　resist　it。
　〃He　is　ing；〃　I　say。
　
　
　13
　
　
　There　is　a　knock　at　the　door。　I　call　out　to　e　in。　He　enters；　he　is　alone；　dressed　in　black；　a　cape；　a　hat…he　makes　a　stunning　figure。　He　nods　and　I　gesture　for　him　to　take　the　chair　across　from　us。　He　has　not　brought　his　flute。　He　sits　in　the　chair　near　the　crate　of　dynamite　and　smiles　at　both　of　us。　But　there　is　no　joy　in　the　smile；　and　I　think　he　truly　does　regret　what　is　about　to　happen。　Outside；　behind　us　through　the　broken　windows；　a　hint　of　light　enters　the　black　sky。　Ray　sits　silently　staring　at　our　visitor。　It　is　up　to　me　to　make　conversation。
　〃Are　you　happy？〃　I　ask。
　〃I　have　known　happiness　at　times；〃　Yaksha　says。　〃But　it　has　been　a　long　time。〃
　〃But　you　have　what　you　want；〃　I　insist。　〃I　have　broken　my　vow。　I　have　made　another　evil　creature；　another　thing　for　you　to　destroy。〃
　〃I　feel　no　pulsions　these　days；　Sita；　except　to　rest。〃
　〃I　want　to　rest　as　well。〃
　He　raises　an　eyebrow。　〃You　said　you　wanted　to　live？〃
　〃It　is　my　hope　there　will　be　life　for　me　after　this　life　is　over。　I　assume　that　is　your　hope　as　well。　I　assume　that　is　why　you　are　going　to　all　this　trouble　to　wreck　my　night。〃
　〃You　always　had　a　way　with　words。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃
　Yaksha　hesitates。　〃Do　you　have　any　last　words？〃
　〃A　few。　May　I　decide　how　we　die？〃
　〃You　want　us　to　die　together？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　I　say。
　Yaksha　nods。　〃I　prefer　it　that　way。〃　He　glances　at　the　crate　of　dynamite　beside　him。　〃You　have　made　us　a　bomb；　I　see。　I　like　bombs。〃
　〃I　know。　You　can　be　the　one　to　light　it。　You　see　the　fuse　there；　the　lighter　beside　it？　Go　ahead；　old　friend；　strike　the　flame。　We　can　burn　together。〃　I　lean　forward。　〃Maybe　we　should　have　burned　a　long　time　ago。〃
　Yaksha　picks　up　the　lighter。　He　considers　Ray。　〃How　do　you　feel；　young　man？〃
　〃Strange；〃　Ray　says。
　〃I　would　set　you　free　if　I　could；〃　Yaksha　says；　〃I　would　leave　you　both　alone。　But　it　has　to　end；　one　way　or　the　other。〃
　This　is　a　Yaksha　I　have　never　heard　before。　He　never　explained　himself　to　anyone。
　〃Sita　has　told　me　your　reasons；〃　Ray　says。
　〃Your　father　is　dead；〃　Yaksha　says。
　〃I　know。〃
　Yaksha　pulls　his　thumb　across　the　lighter　and　stares　at　it。　〃I　never　knew　my　father。〃
　〃I　saw　him　once；〃　I　say。　〃Ugly　bastard。　Are　you　going　to　do　it　or　do　you　want　me　to　do　it？〃
　〃Are　you　so　anxious　to　die？〃　Yaksha　asks。
　〃I　never　could　wait　for　the　excitement　to　begin；〃　I　say　sarcastically。
　He　nods　and　moves　the　flame　to　the　end　of　the　fuse。　It　begins　to　fizzle；　it　begins　to　shorten…quickly。　There　are　three　minutes　of　time　coiled　in　that　bustible　string。　Yaksha　sits　back　in　his　chair。
　〃I　had　a　dream　as　I　walked　by　the　ocean　tonight；〃　he　says。　〃Listening　to　the　sound　of　the　waves；　it　seemed　I　entered　a　dimension　where　the　water　was　singing　a　song　that　no　one　had　ever　heard　before。　A　song　that　explained　everything　in　the　creation。　But　the　magic　of　the　song　was　that　it　could　never　be　recognized　for　what　it　was；　not　by　any　living　soul。　If　it　was；　if　the　truth　was　brought　out　into　the　open　and　discussed；　then　the　magic　would　die　and　the　waters　would　evaporate。　And　that　is　what　happened　in　my　dream　as　this　realization　came　to　me。　I　came　into　the　world。　I　killed　all　the　creatures　the　waters　had　given　life　to；　and　then　one　day　I　woke　up　and　realized　I　had　been　listening　to　a　song。　Just　a　sad　song。〃
　〃Played　on　a　flute？〃　I　ask。
　The　fuse　burns。
　There　is　no　reason　for　me　to　delay。　Yet　I　do。
　His　dream　moves　me。
　〃Perhaps；〃　Yaksha　says　softly。　〃In　the　dream　the　ocean　vanished　from　my　side。　I　walked　along　an　endless　barren　plain　of　red　dust。　The　ground　was　a　dark　red；　as　if　a　huge　being　had　bled　over　it　for　centuries　and　then　left　the　sun　to　parch　dry　what　the　being　had　lost。〃
　〃Or　what　it　had　stolen　from　others；〃　I　say。
　〃Perhaps；〃　Yaksha　says　again。
　〃What　does　this　dream　mean？〃　I　ask。
　〃I　was　hoping　you　could　tell　me；　Sita。〃
　〃What　can　I　tell　you？　I　don't　know　your　mind。〃
　〃But　you　do。　It　is　the　same　as　yours。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Yes。　How　else　could　I　know　your　mind？〃
　I　tremble。　His　voice　has　changed。　He　is　alert；　he　always　was；　to　everything　that　was　happening　around　him。　I　was　a　fool　to　think　I　could　trick　him。　Yet　I　do　not　reach　for　the　metal　rod　that　will　detonate　the　bomb。　I　try　to　play　the　fool　a　little　longer。　I　speak。
　〃Maybe　your　dream　means　that　if　we　stay　on　earth；　and　once　more　multiply；　then　we　will　make　a　wasteland　of　this　world。〃
　〃How　would　we　multiply　this　late　in　the　game？〃　he　asks。　〃I　told　you　you　can　have　no　children。　Krishna　told　you　something　similar。〃　It　is　his　turn　to　lean　forward。　〃What　else　did　he　tell　you；　Sita？〃
　〃Nothing。〃
　〃You　are　lying。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Yes。〃　With　his　left　hand　he　reaches　for　the　burning　fuse；　his　fingers　hovering　over　the　sparks　as　if　he　intends　to　crush　them。　Yet　he　lets　the　countdown　continue。　〃You　cannot　trick　me。〃
　〃And　how　do　I　trick　you；　Yaksha？〃
　〃You　are　not　waiting　to　die。　I　see　it　in　your　eyes。〃
　〃Really？〃
　〃They　are　not　like　my　eyes。〃
　〃You　are　a　vampire；〃　I　say。　Casually；　as　if　I　am　stretching；　I　move　my　hand　toward　the　lamp　stand。　〃You　can't　look　in　a　mirror。　There　would　be　nothing　there。　What　do　you　know　about　your　own　eyes？〃　I　joke；　of　course。　I　am　one　bundle　of　laughs。
　He　smiles。　〃I　am　happy　to　see　time　has　not　destroyed　your　wit。　I　hope　it　has　not　destroyed　your　reason。　You　are　quick。　I　am　quicker。　You　can　do　nothing　that　I　cannot　stop。〃　He　pauses。　〃I　suggest　you　stop。〃
　My　hand　freezes　in　midair。　Damn；　I　think。　He　knows；　of　course　he　knows。
　〃I　cannot　remember　what　he　said；〃　I　say。
　〃Your　memory　is　perfect；　as　is　mine。〃
　〃Then　you　tell　me　what　he　said。〃
　〃I　cannot。　He　whispered　in　your　ear。　He　did　that　so　that　I　would　not　hear。　He　knew　I　was　listening；　even　though　I　was　lying　there　with　the　venom　in　my　veins。　Yes；　I　heard　your　original　vow　to　him。　But　he　did　not　want　me　to　hear　the　last　part。　He　would　have　had　his　reasons；　I'm　sure；　but　the　time　for　those　reasons　must　be　past。　We　are　both　going　to　die　in　a　few　seconds。　Did　he　make　you　take　a　second　vow？〃
　The　fuse　burns。
　〃No。〃
　Yaksha　sits　up。　〃Did　he　say　anything　about　me？〃
　Shorter　and　shorter　it　burns。
　〃No！〃
　〃Why　won't　you　answer　my　question？〃
　The　truth　bursts　out　of　me。　I　have　wanted　to　say　it　for　so　long。　〃Because　I　hate　you！〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Be