el.the miko-第25部分

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　He　was　still　wet；　and　the　wind　crawling　through　the　rents　and　gaps　in　his　uniform　caused　his　skin　to　raise　itself　in　gooseflesh。　His　bladder　was　unfortably　full　and；　grunting　with　the　effort；　he　turned　heavily　away　from　Gotaro；　urinated　awkwardly；　trusting　for　the　wind　and　the　motion　to　take　it　away　from　them。
　It　was　true；　something　was　wrong　with　his　legs。　He　willed　them　to　work　and　they　would　not。　Painfully　he　raised　himself　up　and　grabbed　at　his　flesh。　He　could　feel　nothing；　his　legs　might　have　been　made　of　wood。
　To　take　his　mind　off　the　numbing　thought　of　paralysis；　he　began　to　look　around　him。　For　the　first　time　he　noticed　what　it　was　they　were　riding　on。　It　was　part　of　the　heavily　baffled　bulkhead　from　the　Mitsubishi。　In　this　case　the　modifications　had　worked　to　their　advantage。　All　the　heavy　insulation　against　ground　and　air　fire　which　would　have　pulled　them　down　into　the　sea　had　been　stripped　away；　replaced　by　lightweight　baffling　that　trapped　air　in　its　webbing。
　Nangi　grunted　to　himself。　Noguchi　and　the　admirals　would　be　happy　with　that　knowledge；　he　thought　ironically。　Even　if　their　precious　Cherry　Blossom　refused　to　fall。
　Exhausted；　he　lay　back　down；　closing　his　eyes；　but　the　lurch　and　drag　of　the　heaving　tide　was　not　conducive　to　rest。　He　looked　at　Gotaro。　He　was　sitting　cross…legged；　still　as　a　statue。　Perhaps　he　was　praying。　Perhaps　he　felt　no　fear。　If　that　were　the　case；　Nangi　envied　him。
　Fatigue　and　shock　caused　his　mind　to　wander。　He　was　no　longer　aware　of　whether　he　was　awake　or　asleep。　On　the　borderline；　in　twilight　cerebration；　all　the　black　unnameable　fears　he　had　been　harboring　took　hold；　gaining　ascendancy　in　his　world。
　He　was　aware　of　his　own　isolation；　of　himself　as　a　lone　bobbing　speck；　totally　exposed　and　defenseless。　He　saw　himself　on　the　makeshift　raft；　felt　the　pain　of　his　wounds；　even　the　intermittent　bursts　of　warmth　amid　the　otherwise　chill　of　the　unforgiving　wind。
　And　abruptly　he　was　no　longer　alone；　for　rising　like　some　demon　phantasm　from　the　bottomless　depths　of　the　sea　below　him　was　a　terrifying　shape。　Oh；　and　how　the　waves　rose　higher　all　about　him　as　if　an　invisible　storm　had　e　up。　Great　black　pyramids　built　and　crested　dangerously　high；　pulling　him　downward；　spinning　him　into　cavernous　troughs　as　endless　as　tunnels。
　Terrified；　he　clung　to　the　rough　surface　of　his　raft；　his　heart　beating　triphammer　hard；　paining　his　chest；　as　he　waited　for　what　he　knew　must　e。
　And　then　it　did　breach　the　water；　a　monstrous　creature　from　the　lightless　ocean　depths；　so　enormous　it　blotted　out　the　stars　in　the　sky：　a　kraken　with　glowing　eyes　and　gaping　jaws　and　long　writhing　tentacles　like　cables。
　Nangi's　eyes　bulged　and　he　screamed。
　Gotaro　shook　him　awake。　〃Tanzan。　Tanzan！〃　he　called　urgently　in　his　ear。　〃Wake　up！　Wake　up　now！〃
　Nangi's　eyes　flew　open。　He　was　drenched　in　sweat　which；　cooling　in　the　gusting　wind；　sent　chill　shivers　running　through　him。　It　took　him　several　minutes　to　focus　his　good　eye。　Then　he　saw　the　look　on　his　friend's　face。
　〃We're　in　trouble。〃
　〃What　is　it？〃　Nangi　had　to　talk　around　his　tongue　which　seemed　swollen　and　recalcitrant。　〃The　enemy？〃
　〃I　wish　I　had　made　a　sighting；〃　Gotaro　said。　〃Anyone。〃　His　arms　held　Nangi　close；　his　warmth　calming　the　other's　almost　constant　shivers。　〃I　held　off　telling　you　because　I　thought　I　could　do　something　about　it。　But　now。。。〃　He　shrugged。　〃You　have　some　wounds。　How　serious　they　are　I　cannot　tell。　But　you've　been　losing　some　blood。〃
　Of　course；　Nangi　thought；　angry　that　he　had　not　realized　it　himself。　That　explained　the　weakness；　the　brief　periods　of　warmth　he　felt。
　〃I've　tried　everything　I　know　to　staunch　the　loss　of　blood。　I've　brought　it　down　to　a　trickle　but　still。。。〃　His　eyes　were　very　sad。
　〃I　don't　understand；〃　Nangi　said。　〃Am　I　dying？〃
　At　that　moment　their　makeshift　raft　gave　a　shuddering　lurch。　Apparently　Gotaro　was　prepared　for　it　because　he　grabbed　Nangi　hard　with　one　arm；　held　on　with　the　other。　Still；　such　was　the　force　of　the　jar　that　they　both　slewed　around　on　the　hard　surface　of　the…bulkhead。
　Gotaro's　face　was　very　close　to　Nangi's。　Nangi　could　see　the　reflection　of　his　own　frightened　face　in　the　curve　of　the　ebon　iris。
　〃Look　out　there。〃
　Gotaro's　voice　sounded　like　a　death　knell　to　Nangi　as　his　gaze　followed　his　friend's　lead。
　〃No！〃　His　voice　was　a　sharp　bark；　a　terror…filled　exhalation。　For　there　just　off　their　starboard　flank　was　the　great　black　triangular　fin　of　a　hunting　shark。　As　Nangi　watched；　bile　caught　in　his　throat；　the　slightly　curved　fin　swung　around；　and　now　it　headed　straight　toward　them。　It　loomed　large；　so　large。　And　Nangi　could　imagine　the　size　of　the　beast　beneath。　Thirty　feet；　forty。　Its　gaping　jaws。。。
　His　eyes　squeezed　shut　at　the　next　lurch；　his　stomach　turning　over　and　he　was　retching　again；　what　little　there　was　left　in　him　spewing　up　all　over　himself　and　Gotaro。
　〃No；〃　he　moaned。　〃Oh；　no。〃　But　he　was　far　too　weak　to　raise　his　voice。　It　was　his　worst　nightmare　e　to　life。　Death　held　no　terror　for　him。　But　this。。。
　〃That's　why　I　was　trying　to　stop　the　bleeding　so　pletely。　He　picked　us　up　over　an　hour　ago；　when　you　were　still　gushing。　I　thought　if　I　could　stop　it　in　time　he'd　get　tired　of　hanging　around　and　go　after　something　else。　I　couldn't。〃
　On　the　shark's　third　pass；　a　section　of　three　tubular　baffles；　already　weakened　by　the　crash；　broke　away。　Something　at　least　ten　feet　in　front　of　the　slashing　dorsal　fin　snapped　the　baffles　in　two　beneath　the　unquiet　surface　of　the　ocean。
　Nangi　began　to　shiver　anew；　and　this　time　even　Gotaro's　human　warmth　couldn't　deflect　him。　His　teeth　began　to　chatter　and　he　felt　blood　leaking　from　his　ruined　eye。
　〃This　is　no　way　for　a　warrior　to　die；〃　he　whispered。　The　wind　took　his　words；　flung　them　away　from　him　like　a　hateful　child。　He　put　his　weary　head　against　Gotaro's　shoulder　and　at　last　broke　down　fully。　〃I'm　afraid；　Sato…san。　Not　of　death　itself。　But　the　manner　in　which　it　has　e。　Ever　since　I　was　a　child　the　depths　of　the　sea　have　terrified　me。　It　is　an　uncontrollable　fear。〃
　〃Even　a　warrior　must　feel　fear。〃　Gotaro's　deep　rumbling　voice　filled　Nangi's　ear。　〃A　samurai　must　have　his　nemesis；　just　as　he　must　do　battle。〃　His　arms　closed　more　tightly　about　his　friend　as　the　bulkhead　rocked　and　shuddered。　Metal　shrieked　and　then　was　silent。　The　sea　climbed　around　them。　The　fin　moved　away　from　them　and　swung　in　a　tight　arc。
　〃This　nemesis　may　e　in　many　forms；　many　guises；〃　Gotaro　continued　as　if　nothing　at　all　had　happened。　〃He　may　be　a　human　foe　of　flesh　and　blood。　Or　then　again　he　may　be　the　force　of　an　avenging　kami。　Or　even　a　demon。〃
　Light　was　fast　going　out　of　the　sky；　the　encroaching　night　seemed　vast　and　close　at　the　same　time　so　that　one　had　the　unfortable　sensations　of　utter　isolation　and　intense　claustrophobia　at　the　same　time。　The　clouds　were　too　near　for　there　to　be　any　stars　visible。　The　darkness；　when　it　came；　would　be　absolute。
　〃The　world　is　full　of　demons；〃　Gotaro　said；　his　eyes　on　the　approaching　fin；　〃because　life　is　haunted　by　creatures　who　cannot　experience　it　as　we　can。　As　their　envy　turns　inevitably　to　hatred；　they　gain　in　evil　power。〃　One　hand　reached　out　like　a　bar　of　iron　to　grip　the　bafflings　as　tightly　as　he　could。　〃Or　so　my　grandmother　would　tell　me　at　night。　I　could　never　understand　whether　it　was　to　frighten　me　or　to　make　me　more　aware　that　one　must　fight　in　life。　Always　fight　to　get　what　one　wants。〃
　It　was　very　bad　this　time；　the　bulkhead　screaming　and　canting　at　an　extreme　enough　angle　to　allow　a　wave　to　wash　over　them。　Nangi　felt　them　sliding　sideways；　and　beside　him　Gotaro　desperately　scrabbling　to　halt　their　slide。　Nangi；　too；　did　what　he　could　to　help。　It　did　not　seem　much　to　him。
　When　they　were　righted；　Gotaro　gathered　Nangi　back　to　him；　as　protectively　as　a　mother　will　a　small　child。　The　raft　still　shuddered　and　groaned；　plaining　in　the　aftermath。
　Gotaro　felt　for　the　rift　forming　beneath　them　as　he　said；　〃I　thank　God　now　that　my　younger　brother；　Seiichi；　is　being　taken　care　of　by　her。　She's　very　old　now　but　so　very　wise。　I　think　she's　the　only　one　with　enough　force　of　will　to　stop　him　from　illegally　enlisting。　He's　almost　sixteen；　and　God　knows　the　war　would　chew　him　up　and　destroy　him　utterly。〃
　Abruptly；　his　voice　changed　and　he　said；　〃Tanzan；　you　must　promise　me　you　will　look　Seiichi　up　when　you　get　home。　My　grandmother's　house　in　Higashiyama…Ku　in　Kyoto；　just　off　the　southern　edge　of　Maruyama　Park。〃
　Nangi's　vision　was　going　in　and　out　of　focus。　There　was　a　pain　in　his　head　like　a　steel　spike　hammered　home　and　it　made　all　coherent　thought　an　effort。　〃I　know　it　well。　The　park。〃　He　could　see　the　cryptomeria　and　cherry　trees；　youthful　and　vibrant；　their　myriad　leaves　shivering　in　the　warm　breeze　of　summer。　Bright　shirts　of　the　children　contrasting　with　the　precise　patterns　of　kimonos　and　oiled　paper　parasols。　Music　drifting　over　the　carefully　mowed　grass；　mingling　with　the　laughter。
　〃The　Lord　is　my　shepherd；　I　shall　not　want。'〃　Nangi　heard　the　strange　litany　as　if　from　a　great　distance　yet　he　felt　the　vibrations　from　Gotaro　running　through　him　as　if　they　were　connected；　and　some　of　his　terror　abated；　knowing　that　this　great　bear　of　a　man　was　here　beside　him。　And　he　thought；　Somehow；　some　way；　we'll　make　it　until　Noguchi　finds　us。
　〃Pray　for　me；　my　friend。〃
　And　abruptly　Gotaro　was　no　longer　beside　him。　Nangi　felt　the　chill　wind　tearing　at　him　mercilessly　and　he　rocked　alone　on　the　baffled　bulkhead。　A　muffled　splash　came　to　him；　and　his　good
　eye　began　to　burn　as　he　turned　his　head　this　way　and　that。　There　was　just　enough　illumination　to　see　the　foam　from　Gotaro's　powerful　kicks　as　he　swam　away　from　the　rocking　raft。
　〃e　back！〃　Nangi　called。　〃Oh；　Sato…san；　please　e　back！〃
　Then　he　gasped；　his　ragged　breath　ing　like　fire；　as　he　spotted　the　great　curved　dorsal　fin　rising　out　of　the　water。　It　drew　him　as　it　repulsed　him；　and　the　fear　and　loathing　stuck　in　his　throat　as　if　it　were　a　physical　thing。　He　wanted　nothing　more　in　the　world　than　to　kill　the　monster　and　he　cried　aloud；　his　fists　beating　impotently　against　his　useless　thighs　as　he　saw　the　black　shape　cutting　through　the　crests　of　the　waves。
　Gotaro　reared　up　once　as　the　thing　hit；　spinning　up