cspector.worldwithoutend-第2部分

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　And　the　sweetmeats　dance　in　nightclubs　with　rags　on　their　backs　sewn　in　sweatshops　during　the　eighties。　But　that　was　just　a　momentary　madness。　A　fad。　A　passing　whimsy　of　fashion。
　The　things　I'd　distract　myself　with　at　times　like　that。
　And　here　too　were　memories　from　a　place　and　time　out　of　mind。　A　place　as　unreal　to　this　world　as　　any　trideo　fantasy。　What　possessed　me　to　recreate　what　I　could　remember？　That　time　was　done。　Over。　Dust。　Right。
　Then　why　were　there　pictures　painted　by　artists　far　greater　than　I；　depicting　places　described　by　me？　Why　had　I　done　it？　Why　had　I　asked　Francisco　Lucientes　to　recreate　those　nightmare　visions？　What　madness　had　I　unlocked　from　his　mind？　For　surely　he　saw　them…saw　the　demons。
　His　painting　leaned　against　the　wall；　face　down。　I　reached　out　and　turned　it　around。　Curators　from　every　museum　of　the　world　would　kill　to　have　this　lost　treasure。　Could　they　have　understood　it　came　not　from　Goya's　demented　vision；　but　from　mine？
　It　showed　a　forest　of　such　expanse　that　it　fled　from　the　viewer's　sight　back　into　a　ghostly　oblivion。　Standing　in　the　foreground　were　two　people：　a　male　and　a　female。　She　was　human；　slight　of　build　with　a　curious　face。　He　was　an　elf；　tall　and　lithe　with　dark　hair　and　a　small　goatee。　Growing　from　his　body　were　thorns。
　The　skin　was　puckered　where　the　thorns　protruded　from　his　flesh。　They　ran　across　his　face　and　showed　as　stark　points　across　the　back　of　his　hands。　A　thousand　slashes　rent　his　tunic；　letting　the　thorns　escape。
　I　reached　out　and　almost　touched　their　faces　with　my　fingertips。
　Tears　were　streaming　down　my　cheeks　as　hot　and　warm　on　my　face　as　the　blood　that　once　fed　that　great　forest。　Blood　poured　from　the　wounds　of　my　people。
　But　that　wasn't　the　worst　of　what　had　been　in　that　time。
　My　own　plicity。　Could　such　acts　of　evil　ever　be　forgiven？　Or　forgotten？
　I　tried　to　push　these　dark　thoughts　away。　But　the　dream　wouldn't　let　me　go。　Wouldn't　let　me　forget。　I'd　let　myself　bee　distracted　by　worldly　matters。　I'd　forgotten　why　I　was　here。
　I　swallowed　the　last　of　the　scotch。　A　pleasant　heat　had　settled　into　my　limbs。　Perhaps　now　I　would　be　able　to　sleep。　With　a　simple　gesture　the　illusionary　wall　was　once　more　in　place。　I　went　upstairs。　After　closing　the　drapes；　I　settled　under　the　quilts　and　forters。　But　I　couldn't　bring　myself　to　turn　off　the　light。　A　childish　notion；　but　it　gave　me　some　fort。
　And　small　fort　was　all　I　would　have　for　a　long　time　to　e。
　A　vast　forest　stretches　out　before　her。　Green　and　lush。　Beautiful　and　deadly。　And　there　are　secrets。　Terrible　secrets。　She　steps　forward　and　feels　that　she　is　sinking　into　something。　Looking　down；　she　sees　her　foot　being　swallowed　by　a　pool　of　blood。
　Dreams；　I　thought；　can't　hurt　you。
　The　day　was　dreary　and　overcast。　They　usually　were　here。　It　was　well　past　noon　before　I　managed　to　pull　myself　from　bed。　Despite　the　scotch　and　leaving　the　light　on；　I　didn't　manage　to　sleep　until　after　the　sun　rose。
　Normally；　I　would　have　downloaded　the　morning　Times　and　printed　it　out　while　I　made　tea。　But　I　felt　restless　and　penned…in　by　the　house。　I　threw　on　jeans；　boots；　and　heavy　sweater；　then　grabbed　my　leather　jacket　as　I　went　outside。　It　was　late　October　and　already　the　wind　was　blowing　colder　from　the　north。
　It　took　me　a　few　minutes　to　climb　down　to　the　beach。　During　the　night　it　had　rained　and　the　path　was　muddy。　I　slipped　a　little　as　I　ran　down　it。　The　sharp　tang　of　the　air　cleared　my　mind。
　Dreams；　only　dreams。
　But　I　suspected　they　weren't。　I'd　had　premoni…trons　like　this　before。　Before　the　Great　Ghost　Dance　in　1888。　And　again　before　the　one　in　2014。　Before　the　first　VITAS　plague。　Before　the　start　of　goblinization　in　2021。　Each　time　I'd　seen　what　was　to　e　and　I　couldn't　stop　it。
　
　Oh　I'd　tried；　but　the　others　weren't　willing　to　listen。　But　they　rarely　thought　about　the　consequences　of　anything　that　was　happening。　It　has　been　that　way　for　far　too　long。　They've　forgotten。　Or　didn't　believe　the　danger　was　so　close　at　hand。
　
　I　was　so　engrossed　with　my　morbid　thoughts　that　by　the　time　I　looked　up；　I'd　gone　onto　my　neighbor's　property。　He　was　a　surly　bastard　and　hated　the　fact　that　he　had　an　elf　for　a　neighbor。　What　was　it　he　called　me？　Ah　yes；　a　pointy…eared；　pencil…necked；　daisy…eating　nigger。　The　last　I　assumed　had　to　do　with　my　skin　color。　It　took　every　ounce　of　self…restraint　I　had　not　to　slowly　pull　his　tongue　out　his　hoop　the　hard　way。
　
　But　the　Brits　had　an　annoying　habit　of　frowning　upon　murder。　Especially　when　it　involved　a　human　and　any　sort　of　〃meta〃　being。　However；　there　were　plenty　of　elves　among　the　nobility　in　the　UK；　and　I　actually　had　good　relationships　with　them。　I　hated　to　bum　karma　with　them　on　someone　who　would　be　more　annoyed　by　my　continuing　presence。
　
　I　turned　and　made　my　way　back　to　the　house。　The　fog　had　burned　off　finally　and　it　was　looking　to　be　a　rare　sunny　day。　My　security　system　let　me　back　in　with　a　cheery；　〃Good　morning。　It's　October　20；　2056。　The　temperature　is　9　Celsius　outside。。。〃　It　rambled　on　and　on；　and　once　again　I　reminded　myself　to　have　the　thing　removed。　But　I　always　forgot。　So　tomorrow　it　would　be　the　same；　〃Good　morning。　It's　October　21；　2056。　The　temperature　is。。。　blah　blah　blah。〃
　
　As　I　pulled　off　my　boots　in　the　mud　room；　I　found　myself　whistling　an　old　tune。　Well；　maybe　not　whis…fling；　more　a　tuneless　wheeze。
　
　Look　on　the　bright　side　of　life。。。　dee；　dah；　dee　dee　deedilty　dah。
　
　I　couldn't　remember　any　more　of　the　words。　That　used　to　drive　Caimbeui　crazy　when　we　were　together。　My　inability　to　remember　more　than　a　few　snatches　of　lyrics　from　any　song。　Sometimes　I　even　got　the　words　wrong。　What　was　that　called？　Oh；　yes；　mondegreens。
　
　The　kitchen　was　warm　and　I　set　the　kettle　on　to　boil　on　the　flat　heating　element。　I　went　upstairs　and　started　the　water　for　a　bath。　Stripping　out　of　my　clothes；　I　grabbed　my　robe　and　wrapped　it　around　me。　The　kettle　had　begun　to　whistle　and　I　went　downstairs　to　fix　tea。
　
　In　a　few　moments　I　had　a　tray　all　set　to　take　upstairs。　Sheer　decadence　to　dispel　the　night　fears。　Tea　and　scones　while　taking　a　hot　bath。　Maybe　later　I'd　read…from　a　real　book　with　pages。
　
　I'd　just　settled　into　the　tub　when　the　tele　beeped。　Happens　every　time。　As　the　machine　picked　up；　I　heard　Caimbeul's　voice。
　
　〃Aina；　I　know　you're　there；〃　he　said。
　
　I　gave　a　universal　gesture　for　contempt　and　went　back　to　drinking　my　tea。　I　hadn't　heard　word　one　　from　him　in　eight　months。　Frag　him　if　he　thought　I　was　going　to　get　out　of　a　nice　warm　bath。
　
　〃Look；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　en　route　to　the　UK。　I　should　be　landing　in　about　an　hour。　Things　have　been　happening。　Things　you　need　to　know　about。　I　have　it　all　under　control　now；　but　we　need　to　talk。　I'll　be　up　to　Arran　in　about　four　hours。〃
　
　I　closed　my　eyes。　The　uneasiness　that　I'd　almost　dispelled　was　back。　For　Caimbeui　to　e　here　out　of　the　blue　meant　something　was　up。　Something　big。　The　dreams　came　back　to　me。　I　shivered。　The　water　had　gone　cold　and　I　suddenly　didn't　like　lying　there　naked　and　vulnerable。
　
　Quickly；　I　finished　washing　my　hair　and　got　out　of　the　tub。　As　I　dressed；　I　tried　not　to　dwell　on　Caimbeul's　unexpected　visit。　Whatever　the　reason　for　it；　I　would　know　soon　enough。
　
　And　I　doubted　the　news　would　be　good。
　
　It　is　dark。
　
　A　blackness　so　thick　and　heavy　it　feels　like　a　weight　against　her　eyes。　It　is　suffocating；　this　darkness。　It　feels　as　though　she　is　being　swallowed　up　by　it。　Being　turned　into　it。。。
　
　Caimbeui　was　late。
　
　Though　I　wasn't　surprised；　I　was　annoyed。　It　wasn't　as　though　I　were　looking　forward　to　seeing　him；　but　if　you　drop　in　on　someone　with　〃imper…tact〃　news；　you'd　bloody　well　better　be　on　time。
　
　I'd　made　tea　with　all　the　things　Caimbeui　liked。　Scones；　of　course；　with　lemon　curd。　Those　ridicu…ious　little　sandwiches　with　the　crusts　cut　off；　slices　of　cake；　tarts。　He　had　a　sweet　tooth。　But　now　the　sandwiches　had　gone　hard　and　the　cake　was　stale。
　
　I'd　switched　from　tea　to　sherry；　then　to　scotch。　And　still　no　Caimbeui。
　
　Finally；　six　hours　after　he'd　said　he'd　arrive；　I　heard　the　crunch　of　tires　across　my　gravel。
　
　I　waited　until　I　saw　him　emerge　alone　from　the　car　before　opening　the　door。　Even　though　I　had　security　sensors；　you　can't　be　too　cautious。
　
　〃Prompt　as　usual；　I　see；〃　I　said。　
　〃Ah；　Aina；　still　charming　as　ever；〃　he　replied。　〃No　'How　are　you？　Why　are　you　late？'　You　wound　me。〃
　
　I　snorted。
　
　〃Please；　spare　me　the　usual　dancing；〃　I　said。　〃It's　cold　out　here。　e　inside。〃
　I　turned　and　went　into　the　house。　Behind　me　I　could　hear　him　getting　his　bag　and　shutting　the　doors　to　the　car。
　〃Lock　the　door　and　switch　the　system　back　on；〃　I　called　over　my　shoulder。
　He　muttered　something　under　his　breath；　but　oddly　enough　he　did　as　I　asked。　I　went　into　the　great　room　where　I'd　started　a　fire　earlier　that　evening。　Sometime　between　the　sherry　and　the　scotch。
　〃Did　you　leave　that　woman　at　home？〃　I　asked。
　〃Yes；〃　he　said　as　he　shrugged　off　his　coat　and　tossed　it　on　the　couch。　He　flopped　down　into　one　of　the　wing　chairs　in　front　of　the　fire。　I　handed　him　a　snifter　of　brandy　and　poured　myself　another　scotch。
　
　〃I'm　surprised。　I'd've　thought　you'd　bring　her　along　to　iron　your　shirts。　Or　something。〃
　〃Or　something？〃　he　asked。　Coy；　that　one。
　〃Whatever　it　is　you　do　with　girls　young　enough　to　be　your　great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…〃
　He　held　up　his　hands。　〃I　get　the　picture。〃
　〃Oh；　please；　I　don't　want　to　hear　about　your　peculiarities　in　that　area。〃
　〃Do　you　care？〃　he　asked。　〃What　goes　on　between　us　is　none　of　your　business。〃　
　I　turned　away　from　him；　stung　by　his　remarks。　Of　course　his　life　wasn't　my　concern。　It　hadn't　been　for　centuries。　But　old　habits　die　hard。
　
　The　silence　stretched　out　between　us。　Once　I　enjoyed　them。　But　now　it　felt　awkward　and　tense。　I　longed　for　things　to　be　as　they　once　had；　but　it　was　far　too　late　for　that。　As　usual。
　
　〃I　had　a　terrible　time　getting　through　UK　customs；〃　he　said　at　last。
　〃Were　you　carrying　anything？〃　I　asked　as　I　turned　and　walked　toward　him。　He　gestured　for　me　to　sit　across　from　him　as　though　this　were　hi