cspector.worldwithoutend-第10部分

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　I　couldn't　stop。
　
　There's　a　car。　She's　driving　it　through　rain…slicked　streets。　The　headlights　make　yellow　beams　against　the　oily　pavement。　There's　no　other　traffic。　Everything　is　deserted。
　
　She　stops　for　a　red　light。　There's　a　tap　against　the　passenger…side　glass。　She　looks　up。　A　pockmarked　face　appears　at　the　window；　broken　fingernails　trail　across　the　wetness　down　to　the　door　handle。　Too　late；　she　realizes　that　the　doors　are　unlocked。
　
　She　can't　keep　him　out。
　
　Where　was　Caimbeui？
　
　I　couldn't　stop　dancing　now。　This　was　part　of　it。　Part　of　the　test。　And　perhaps　a　bit　of　revenge　at　the　same　time。　I　know　they　thought　they　had　just　cause；　but　that　was　part　of　the　past；　too。
　
　I　looked　down　and　saw　that　my　dress　had　changed　again。　Glamour。　Nasty　tricks　of　the　first　water。　I　wore　a　long　white　dress　made　of　rose　petals。　Not　unlike　the　ones　Alachia　had　favored　in　Blood　Wood。
　
　I　open　my　eyes。　The　faeries　are　gone。　about；　I　notice　that　the　trees　have　died。　nothing　more　than　hollowed…out　stumps。　83
　
　As　I　look　They　are　It's　cold。
　
　Colder　than　it　should　be　this　time　of　year。　Or　anytime　in　Tir　na　nog。
　
　Looking　up；　I　see　that　the　sky　has　turned　the　color　of　old　oysters。　And　the　air　smells　of　burnt　flesh。
　
　I　start　to　run　down　the　hill；　back　to　the　town　where　Caimbeui　and　I　left　the　car。　The　fields　I　run　through　are　fallow；　dead；　and　brown。　Where　there　was　once　a　cobblestone　road；　now　only　small　jagged　pieces　of　stone　show　against　the　dun…colored　earth。
　
　A　stillness　hangs　in　the　air。　But　this　is　not　the　silence　of　a　quiet　afternoon。
　
　The　buildings　I　pass　are　crumbling。　Finally；　I　e　to　the　tavern　where　we　stopped　for　lunch。　No　vehicles　are　parked　outside。　The　windows　are　boarded　up；　but　the　door　hangs　open；　listing　on　one　hinge。
　
　I　go　inside。
　
　It　takes　a　moment　for　my　eyes　to　adjust　to　the　dark。　Broken　chairs　litter　the　floor。　Glass　crunches　under　my　feet。　There's　no　one　here。
　
　I　walk　outside　again。
　
　All　around　me；　everything　crumbles　to　dust。
　
　And　I　am　alone。
　
　Tears　streamed　down　my　face。　The　spriggans　grabbed　my　hands　and　spun　me　about　harder　and　faster。　The　world　revolved　around　me　until　all　I　saw　was　a　blur　of　light　and　motion。　Shutting　my　eyes；　I　tried　to　block　it　out。
　
　I　open　my　eyes。
　
　We　spin　about　under　the　azure　sky；　hands　locked　with　one　another。
　
　〃Faster；〃　he　says。
　〃You'll　make　yourself　sick；〃　I　reply。
　〃Faster。〃
　
　So　we　turn　and　turn　until　we　both　fall　down　onto　the　soft　grass。
　
　〃The　sky　is　spinning；〃　he　says。
　
　I　put　my　hand　on　his　forehead。　He　is　warm；　but　not　unusually　so。　My　hand　looks　so　large　against　his　tiny　forehead。　I　can　hardly　believe　that　this　creature；　this　small　boy；　came　from　me。
　
　He　pushes　my　hand　away；　impatient　again　to　be　going。　In　a　flash　he　is　up　and　off　and　running。　Chubby　legs　pump　and　I　see　he's　beginning　to　lose　his　baby　fat。　In　another　few　months　he'll　be　a　little　boy；　a　baby　no　longer。　And　I　find　I　can't　bear　the　idea　of　his　growing　older。　I　would　keep　him　like　this　forever。
　
　From　high　in　the　sky；　a　bird　cries　out。　I　look　up；　shadowing　my　eyes　with　my　hand。　It　begins　a　slow　descent；　circling　around　and　around。　Black　with　yellow　wing…tips。
　
　I　hear　a　shout　and　turn。　The　sky　has　turned　dark　as　ink　and　rain　slices　down。
　
　Standing　next　to　our　small　stone　house　are　my　son　and　an　old　man。　Somehow　I　have　missed　something。　Something　important；　something　I　must　understand。　Then　the　man　drags　my　son　into　the　house。　The　door　slams　shut。　An　eternity　passes；　and　then　a　crimson　pool　seeps　slowly　under　the　door。
　
　Tears　ran　down　my　face。
　
　〃Mother；　did　we　make　you　weep？〃　asked　one　of　　the　spriggans。　He　looked　at　me　with　a　concerned　expression；　then　burst　into　laughter。
　〃No；　no；〃　said　another。　〃She　only　cries　for　her　dead　children。　The　rest　of　us　must　shift　for　ourselves。〃
　〃That's　enough　of　this　nonsense；〃　I　said　loudly。　I　was　having　trouble　breathing。　After　all；　I　was　getting　awfully　old　for　this　sort　of　thing。　〃This　is　a　ridicuious　game。　Tell　me　what　I　need　to　know。　Now。〃
　
　This　caused　nothing　but　giggles　from　them。
　
　〃You　know　it's　no　good　demanding　anything　from　us；〃　they　said。　〃We　always　do　what　we　will。　Disobedient　children。〃
　
　And　then　they　spun　me　around　faster。
　
　The　room　is　spinning。　The　fire　in　the　hearth　is　hot　and　I　feel　as　though　it's　burning　my　bare　skin。　I'm　burning　up。　Hotter　and　hotter　until　I　think　I'll　go　mad　from　it。　Maybe　I　already　have。
　
　Pain　blossoms　bright　inside　me。　I　shut　my　eyes　and　see　red　against　black。　Hands　touch　me　trying　to　soothe；　but　it　is　no　use。　There　are　some　things　for　which　there　is　no　balm。
　
　Then　the　pain　is　over。　They　bring　me　something　bundled　up。
　
　I　hold　my　arms　out　to　receive　this　gift。　I　pull　back　the　blanket。　Inside　is　a　horrible　apparition。
　
　〃This　is　not　my　baby；〃　I　cry。　〃What　have　you　done　with　my　baby？〃
　They　take　the　bundle　away　from　me。
　〃It's　a　changeling；〃　says　one　in　a　voice　she　thinks　is　too　soft　for　me　to　hear。　〃The　faeries　have　stolen　her　baby。〃
　〃You　can't　blame　us。　Mother；〃　said　the　spriggan。　〃That　was　your　own　doing。〃
　〃Oh；　be　quiet；〃　I　snapped。　The　spriggan　skulked　away。
　Sweat　ran　down　my　face。　I　was　growing　tired　of　their　games。
　〃Tell　me　where　they　are；〃　I　said。
　〃Patience；　Mother；〃　they　replied。
　
　I'm　running　away。　The　earth　rushes　below　me　as　I　fly。　Cradled　in　my　arms　is　a　child。　This　is　no　changeling；　but　my　own　flesh　and　blood。
　
　At　last　we　e　to　our　home。　Inside；　the　air　is　stale　and　musty。　But　that　doesn't　matter　because　we　are　home　and　safe。
　
　The　storms　e。　Rain　pounds　against　the　roof　and　makes　the　windows　〃rattle。　But　we　don't　mind；　we're　warm　and　dry。　Then　I　remember；　someone　is　ing。　ing　for　us。
　
　The　door　slams　open。　He　is　here。　But　he's　not　the　real　threat。　I　don't　realize　this　until　it's　too　late。
　
　Foolish　foolish　woman。
　
　Something　jerked　me。
　
　Someone。
　
　Caimbeui　had　hauled　me　from　the　dance。　Looking　down；　I　saw　I　no　longer　wore　the　petal　gown。　Just　my　own　gray　sweater　and　black　jeans。　Orange　streaks　colored　the　sky　to　the　east。　
　〃Why　did　you　do　that？〃　I　asked。
　〃I　just　now　found　you。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃You　went　running　off；　and　I　couldn't　find　you　for　three　days；〃　he　said　angrily。　〃Do　you　think　I　enjoyed　tramping　all　over　this　jerkwater　place？　I　used　up　a　hell　of　a　lot　of　goodwill　trying　to　figure　out　where　they　took　you。　Not　to　mention　the　energy。〃
　〃Thanks；〃　I　said。
　〃Thanks？　Thanks。　She　said；　'Thanks。'　Is　that　it？〃
　
　He　was　beginning　to　annoy　me。　I　was　searching　the　ground　trying　to　see　if　they'd　left　anything　behind　for　me　to　go　on。　And　all　he　was　doing　was　blathering　away。
　
　〃Yes；　thanks　for　ing　after　me。　What　do　you　want。　Harlequin？〃
　〃Perhaps　some　gratitude；〃　he　said。　〃I've　been　all　over　Connaught　looking　for　you。　It's　taken　a　hell　of　a　lot　of　casting　to　locate　you。〃
　〃I　hope　you're　up　to　some　more；〃　I　said。
　〃Why？〃　A　suspicious　look　crossed　his　face。
　〃Because　the　only　way　I　know　now　to　reach　the　Court　is　by　calling　up　the　Hunt。〃
　
　He　looked　a　little　pale。　I　was　glad　to　see　he　still　had　some　respect　for　the　old　ways。
　
　〃The　Chasse　Artu？〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said；　feeling　a　little　happier　at　the　thought。　〃The　Wild　Hunt。　It's　been　so　long　since　I've　called　one；　let　alone　two。　We　really　must　make　preparations。〃
　〃Are　you　mad？　You　can't　possibly　call　up　the　Hunt　yourself；〃　he　said。　There　was　a　frightened　look　in　his　eye。　〃It　would　take　more　power　than　you　or　I　possess；　even　bined；　not　to　mention　the　time　involved。〃
　
　I　smiled。　〃Of　course　I　can't　call　up　the　entire　Hunt　myself。　No　one　could。　But　I　can　bring　up　the　steeds。　e　along。　I'll　sleep　while　you　drive。　By　the　way；　where　are　we？〃
　
　There　is　a　barren　plain。　No　grass　grows　here。　No　tree　mars　the　vastness　of　land。　Only　the　long　unbroken　earth　stretching　out　beneath　the　sickly　yellow　sky。
　
　A　moon　hangs　large　and　low。　It　casts　a　green　glow　and　turns　her　skin　the　color　of　illness。
　Of　death。
　
　When　I　woke；　it　was　getting　near　dark。　The　sun　rested　low　on　the　horizon；　showing　its　face　for　the　first　time　since　we'd　e　to　the　Tir。　Caimbeui　had　turned　the　vid　to　some　music　station　as　he　drove。　The　vid　flickered　and　changed；　turning　his　pale　face　a　rainbow　of　colors。
　
　It　took　me　a　moment　to　orient　myself。　I　felt　groggy　and　irritated　at　the　sensation。　My　scalp　itched　and　my　eyes　felt　gritty。　A　few　hours　of　sleep　to　make　up　for　the　three　days　I'd　missed　weren't　enough。
　
　〃Where　are　we？〃　I　asked。
　〃Just　south　of　Galway　City；〃　he　replied。
　〃Has　it　changed　much？〃　I　asked。
　〃Has　what　changed？〃
　〃Galway　City。〃
　〃pared　to　what？〃
　〃pared　to　what　it　was　before　the　Awakening。〃　〃A　bit；〃　he　said。　〃The　old　ways　have　taken　hold　pretty　firmly　there。〃
　
　I　pulled　my　bag　out　from　under　the　front　seat　and　began　rummaging　through　it。　Gum　wrappers；　cigs…rates；　shoelaces…then　I　found　it：　a　small　tin　whistle。　It　rode　on　a　thin　copper　necklace　that　I　slipped　over　my　head　and　nestled　down　between　my　breasts。　I　looked　out　at　the　passing　countryside。
　
　It　had　gone　wild　here。　No　fences　marked　property　lines。　The　roads　were　mostly　unpaved；　little　more　than　dirt　ruts。　It　reminded　me　of　a　time　long　ago；　long　before　this　world。　Back　when　another　world　was　young。　No；　it　was　me　who　was　young　then。
　
　I　remembered　what　happened　in　that　place　so　long　ago。　How　could　I　ever　forget？　And　now　it　seemed　that　the　mistakes　of　the　past　would　be　repeated。　This　world　would　be　torn　apart　unless　I　stopped　them。　Unless　I　stopped　him。
　
　Just　as　the　sun　was　setting；　I　saw　the　place。　Stone　tombs　silhouetted　against　the　red　sky。
　
　〃Pull　over　here；〃　I　said。
　Caimbeui　slowed　the　car。
　〃Are　you　sure？〃　he　asked。　〃I　can't　feel　anything。。。〃
　〃It'll　do。　This　place　is　lousy　with　caims。　The　whole　area　is　Awakened。〃
　
　
　
　
　A　blast　of　cool　air　hit　me　when　I　opened　the　car　door。　The　magic　was　heavy　here。　It　made　the　hair　on　the　back　of　my　neck　stand　on　end。　Then　I　noticed　a　strange　feeling　I　hadn't　had　in　a　time　out　of　mind：　excitement。　Things　couldn't　be　worse；　yet　I　felt　alive　for　the　first　time　in　years。　Had　the　centuries　finally　worn　me　down？　I　knew　they　had　for　some　o