sk.thetalisman-第138部分

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ned　to　Jack。　The　sunlight　flashed　off　the　shooter's　riflescope　again。　The　ray　of　reflected　light　this　time　struck　the　Talisman。　And　the　Talisman　reflected　it　back　directly　at　the　shooter。　This　was　what　Richard　later　told　Jack；　but　that　was　like　saying　the　Empire　State　Building　is　a　few　stories　high。
　　The　Talisman　did　not　just　reflect　the　sunflash；　it　boosted　it　somehow。　It　sent　back　a　thick　ribbon　of　light　like　a　deathray　in　a　space　movie。　It　was　there　only　for　a　second；　but　it　imprinted　Richard's　retinas　for　almost　an　hour　afterward；　first　white；　then　green；　then　blue；　and　finally；　as　it　faded；　the　lemony　yellow　of　sunshine。
　　　
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　　'He's　dead　meat；'　Gardener　whispered；　and　then　the　scope　was　full　of　living　fire。　Its　thick　glass　lenses　shattered。　Smoking　fused　glass　was　driven　backward　into　Gardener's　right　eye。　The　shells　in　the　Weatherbee's　magazine　exploded；　tearing　its　mid…section　apart。　One　of　the　whickers　of　flying　metal　amputated　most　of　Gardener's　right　cheek。　Other　hooks　and　twists　of　steel　flew　around　Sloat　in　a　storm；　leaving　him　incredibly　untouched。　Three　Wolfs　had　remained　through　everything。　Now　two　of　them　took　to　their　heels。　The　third　lay　dead　on　his　back；　glaring　into　the　sky。　The　Weatherbee's　trigger　was　planted　squarely　between　his　eyes。
　　'What？'　Morgan　bellowed。　His　bloody　mouth　hung　open。　'What？　What？'
　　Gardener　looked　weirdly　like　Wile　E。　Coyote　in　the　Road…runner　cartoons　after　one　of　his　devices　from　the　Acme　pany　has　misfired。
　　He　cast　the　gun　aside；　and　Sloat　saw　that　all　the　fingers　had　been　torn　from　Gard's　left　hand。
　　Gardener's　right　hand　pulled　out　his　shirt　with　effeminate　tweezing　delicacy。　There　was　a　knife…case　clipped　to　the　inner　waistband　of　his　pants…a　narrow　sleeve　of　fine…grained　kid　leather。　From　it　Gardener　took　a　piece　of　chrome…banded　ivory。　He　pushed　a　button；　and　a　slim　blade　seven　inches　long　shot　out。
　　'Bad；'　he　whispered。　'Bad！'　His　voice　began　to　rise。　'All　boys！　Bad！　It's　axiomatic！　IT'S　AXIOMATIC！'　He　began　to　run　up　the　beach　toward　the　Agincourt's　walk；　where　Jack　and　Richard　stood。　His　voice　continued　to　rise　until　it　was　a　thin　febrile　shriek。
　　'BAD！　EVIL！　BAD！　EEVIL！　BAAAD！　EEEEEEEEEEEE…EEEEE…'
　　Morgan　stood　a　moment　longer；　then　grasped　the　key　around　his　neck。　By　grasping　it；　he　seemed　also　to　grasp　his　own　panicked；　flying　thoughts。
　　He'll　go　to　the　old　nigger。　And　that's　where　I'll　take　him。
　　'EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE…'　Gardener　shrieked；　his　killer　knife　held　out　before　him　as　he　ran。
　　Morgan　turned　and　ran　down　the　beach。　He　was　vaguely　aware　that　the　Wolfs；　all　of　them；　had　fled。　That　was　all　right。
　　He　would　take　care　of　Jack　Sawyer…and　the　Talisman…all　by　himself。
　　
　　　CHAPTER　45
　　　In　Which　Many　Things　Are
　　　Resolved　on　the　Beach
　　　
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　　Sunlight　Gardener　ran　dementedly　toward　Jack；　blood　streaming　down　his　mutilated　face。　He　was　the　center　of　a　devastated　madness。　Under　bright　blistering　sunshine　for　the　first　time　in　what　must　have　been　decades；　Point　Venuti　was　a　ruin　of　collapsed　buildings　and　broken　pipes　and　sidewalks　heaved　up　like　books　tilting　and　leaning　on　a　shelf。　Actual　books　lay　here　and　there；　their　ripped　jackets　fluttering　in　raw　seams　of　earth。　Behind　Jack　the　Agincourt　Hotel　uttered　a　sound　uncannily　like　a　groan；　then　Jack　heard　the　sound　of　a　thousand　boards　collapsing　in　on　themselves；　of　walls　tipping　over　in　a　shower　of　snapped　lath　and　plaster…dust。　The　boy　was　faintly　conscious　of　the　beelike　figure　of　Morgan　Sloat　slipping　down　the　beach　and　realized　with　a　stab　of　unease　that　his　adversary　was　going　toward　Speedy　Parker…or　Speedy's　corpse。
　　'He's　got　a　knife；　Jack；'　Richard　whispered。
　　Gardener's　ruined　hand　carelessly　smeared　blood　on　his　once…spotless　white　silk　shirt。　'EEEEEEVIL！'　he　screeched；　his　voice　still　faint　over　the　constant　pounding　of　the　water　on　the　beach　and　the　continuing；　though　intermittent；　noises　of　destruction。　'EEEEEEEEEEE　。　。　。'
　　'What　are　you　going　to　do？'　Richard　asked。
　　'How　should　I　know？'　Jack　answered…it　was　the　best；　truest　answer　he　could　give。　He　had　no　idea　of　how　he　could　defeat　this　madman。　Yet　he　would　defeat　him。　He　was　certain　of　that。　'You　shoulda　killed　both　of　the　Ellis　brothers；'　Jack　said　to　himself。
　　Gardener；　still　shrieking；　came　racing　across　the　sand。　He　was　even　now　a　good　distance　away；　about　halfway　between　the　end　of　the　fence　and　the　front　of　the　hotel。　A　red　mask　covered　half　his　face。　His　useless　left　hand　leaked　a　steady　spattering　stream　of　blood　onto　the　sandy　ground。　The　distance　between　the　madman　and　the　boys　seemed　to　halve　in　a　second。　Was　Morgan　Sloat　on　the　beach　by　now？　Jack　felt　an　urgency　like　the　Talisman's；　pushing　him　forward；　pushing　him　on。
　　'Evil！　Axiomatic！　Evil！'　Gardener　screamed。
　　'Flip！'　Richard　loudly　said…
　　and　Jack
　　sidestepped
　　as　he　had　inside　the　black　hotel。
　　And　then　found　himself　standing　in　front　of　Osmond　in　blistering　Territories　sunlight。　Most　of　his　certainty　abruptly　left　him。　Everything　was　the　same　but　everything　was　different。　Without　looking；　he　knew　that　behind　him　was　something　much　worse　than　the　Agincourt…he　had　never　seen　the　exterior　of　the　castle　the　hotel　became　in　the　Territories；　but　he　suddenly　knew　that　through　the　great　front　doors　a　tongue　was　coiling　out　for　him　。　。　。　and　that　Osmond　was　going　to　drive　him　and　Richard　back　toward　it。
　　Osmond　wore　a　patch　over　his　right　eye　and　a　stained　glove　on　his　left　hand。　The　plicated　tendrils　of　his　whip　came　slithering　off　his　shoulder。　'Oh；　yes；'　he　half…hissed；　half…whispered。　'This　boy。　Captain　Farren's　boy。'　Jack　pulled　the　Talisman　protectively　into　his　belly。　The　intricacies　of　the　whip　slid　over　the　ground；　as　responsive　to　Osmond's　minute　movements　of　hand　and　wrist　as　is　a　racehorse　to　the　hand　of　the　jockey。　'What　does　it　profit　a　boy　to　gain　a　glass　bauble　if　he　loses　the　world？'　The　whip　seemed　almost　to　lift　itself　off　the　ground。　'NOTHING！　NAUGHT！'　Osmond's　true　smell；　that　of　rot　and　filth　and　hidden　corruption；　boomed　out；　and　his　lean　crazy　face　somehow　rippled；　as　if　a　lightning…bolt　had　cracked　beneath　it。　He　smiled　brightly；　emptily；　and　raised　the　coiling　whip　above　his　shoulder。
　　'Goat's…penis；'　Osmond　said；　almost　lovingly。　The　thongs　of　the　whip　came　singing　down　toward　Jack；　who　stepped　backward；　though　not　far　enough；　in　a　sudden　sparkling　panic。
　　Richard's　hand　gripped　his　shoulder　as　he　flipped　again；　and　the　horrible；　somehow　laughing　noise　of　the　whip　instantly　erased　itself　from　the　air。
　　Knife！　he　heard　Speedy　say。
　　Fighting　his　instincts；　Jack　stepped　inside　the　space　where　the　whip　had　been；　not　backward　as　almost　all　of　him　wished　to　do。　Richard's　hand　fell　away　from　the　ridge　of　his　shoulder；　and　Speedy's　voice　went　wailing　and　lost。　Jack　clutched　the　glowing　Talisman　into　his　belly　with　his　left　hand　and　reached　up　with　his　right。　His　fingers　closed　magically　around　a　bony　wrist。
　　Sunlight　Gardener　giggled。
　　'JACK！'　Richard　bellowed　behind　him。
　　He　was　standing　in　this　world　again；　under　streaming　cleansing　light；　and　Sunlight　Gardener's　knife　hand　was　straining　down　toward　him。　Gardener's　ruined　face　hung　only　inches　from　his　own。　A　smell　as　of　garbage　and　long…dead　animals　left　on　the　road　blanketed　them。　'Naught；'　Gardener　said。　'Can　you　give　me　hallelujah？'　He　pushed　down　with　the　elegant　lethal　knife；　and　Jack　managed　to　hold　it　back。
　　'JACK！'　Richard　yelled　again。
　　Sunlight　Gardener　stared　at　him　with　a　bright　birdlike　air。　He　continued　to　push　down　with　his　knife。
　　Don't　you　know　what　Sunlight　done？　said　Speedy's　voice。　Don't　you　yet？
　　Jack　looked　straight　into　Gardener's　crazily　dancing　eye。　Yes。
　　Richard　rushed　in　and　kicked　Gardener　in　the　ankle；　then　clouted　a　weak　fist　into　his　temple。
　　'You　killed　my　father；'　Jack　said。
　　Gardener's　single　eye　sparkled　back。　'You　killed　my　boy；　baddest　bastard！'
　　'Morgan　Sloat　told　you　to　kill　my　father　and　you　did。'
　　Gardener　pushed　the　knife　down　a　full　two　inches。　A　knot　of　yellow　gristly　stuff　and　a　bubble　of　blood　squeezed　out　of　the　hole　that　had　been　his　right　eye。
　　Jack　screamed…with　horror；　rage；　and　all　the　long…hidden　feelings　of　abandonment　and　helplessness　which　had　followed　his　father's　death。　He　found　that　he　had　pushed　Gardener's　knife　hand　all　the　way　back　up。　He　screamed　again。　Gardener's　fingerless　left　hand　battered　against　Jack's　own　left　arm。　Jack　was　just　managing　to　twist　Gardener's　wrist　back　when　he　felt　that　dripping　pad　of　flesh　insinuate　itself　between　his　chest　and　his　arm。　Richard　continued　to　skirmish　about　Gardener；　but　Gardener　was　managing　to　get　his　finger…less　hand　very　near　the　Talisman。
　　Gardener　tilted　his　face　right　up　to　Jack's。
　　'Hallelujah；'　he　whispered。
　　Jack　twisted　his　entire　body　around；　using　more　strength　than　he'd　known　he　had。　He　hauled　down　on　Gardener's　knife　hand。　The　other；　fingerless　hand　flew　to　the　side。　Jack　squeezed　the　wrist　of　the　knife　hand。　Corded　tendons　wriggled　in　his　grasp。　Then　the　knife　dropped；　as　harmless　now　as　the　fingerless　cushion　of　skin　which　struck　repeatedly　at　Jack's　ribs。　Jack　rolled　his　whole　body　into　the　off…center　Gardener　and　sent　him　lurching　away。
　　He　shoved　the　Talisman　toward　Gardener。　Richard　squawked；　What　are　you　doing？　This　was　right；　right；　right。　Jack　moved　in　toward　Gardener；　who　was　still　gleaming　at　him；　though　with　less　assurance；　and　thrust　the　Talisman　out　toward　him。　Gardener　grinned；　another　bubble　of　blood　bulging　fatly　in　the　empty　eye…socket；　and　swung　wildly　at　the　Talisman。　Then　he　ducked　for　the　knife。　Jack　rushed　in　and　touched　the　Talisman's　grooved　warm　skin　against　Gardener's　own　skin。　Like　Reuel；　like　Sunlight。　He　jumped　back。
　　Gardener　howled　like　a　lost；　wounded　animal。　Where　the　Talisman　had　brushed　against　him；　the　skin　had　blackened；　then　turned　to　a　slowly　sliding　fluid；　skimming　away　from　the　skull。　Jack　retreated　another　step。　Gardener　fell　to　his　knees。　All　the　skin　on　his　head　turned　waxy。　Within　half　a　second；　only　a　gleaming　skull　protruded　through　the　collar　of　the　ruined　shirt。
　　That's　you　taken　care　of；　Jack　thought；　and　good　riddance！
　　　
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　　'All　right