gns.snakes-第5部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


nd　lorries。
　　
　　'Idiots！'　Bufton　slowed；　eased　off　the　motorway　and　on　to　the　hard　shoulder；　kept　his　speed　down　to　30　mph。　'Ghouls。　AH　they're　interested　in　is　gawping　at　mangled　bodies。　You　get　'em　at　the　scene　of　every　accident。　Now；　it　seems　to　start　here　。　。　。'
　　
　　The　police　car　came　to　a　halt；　warning　lights　and　flashers　left　on　as　the　two　officers　got　out。　Two　or　three　prangs；　nothing　more；　the　bad　ones　would　be　further　along　where　the　first　vehicles　had　collided　at　speed。
　　
　　Bazeley's　mouth　was　dry　as　they　put　some　orange　cones　out。　This　was　the　easy　part；　take　your　time　and　follow　the　sergeant。　He's　a　bastard　but　you　need　him　now　more　than　you've　ever　needed　anybody。
　　
　　The　constable　glanced　back　behind　them。　He　could　hear　wailing　sirens。　Ambulances；　fire　engines　and　more　motorway　patrols　were　on　the　way。　Jesus；　hurry　up。
　　
　　The　rain　storm　was　at　its　peak。　The　thunder　and　lightning　had　passed　on；　left　the　cloudburst　to　follow；　a　deluge　of　water　that　hit　the　officers'　orange　plastic　jackets　with　force。
　　
　　Then　they　heard　the　screams　of　pain　and　terror；　the　hysterical　cries　for　help。　Vehicles　were　crunched　up　now；　these　were　the　ones　that　had　taken　the　full　force　of　the　accident　at　speeds　of　up　to　70　mph。
　　
　　A　van；　it　was　impossible　to　recognise　the　make；　was　flattened　beneath　the　trailer　of　an　articulated　lorry。　A　sheet　of　pressed　metal；　the　chassis　would　have　to　be　prised　apart　if　they　were　going　to　find　out　who　was　inside。　Human　silhouettes。　Bazeley　noticed　a　pool　of　scarlet　fluid　being　diluted　by　the　rain　and　tasted　bile　at　the　back　of　his　throat。　But　at　least　he　didn't　have　to　do　anything　about　it。
　　
　　The　artic　had　ploughed　into　a　big　carrier；　which　in　turn　had　crunched　a　small　car；　it　could　have　been　a　Clubman　estate　but　the　details　would　be　sorted　out　later。　The　young　officer　felt　something　else　besides　fear；　sheer　helplessness。　I　can't　do　anything；　I　can't　help　anybody。　I'm　just　a　bystander　like　these　ghouls　the　sarge　was　on　about；　except　that　I　don't　want　to　be　here。
　　
　　A　car　was　blazing　somewhere；　the　thick　black　smoke　kept　low　by　the　thunderstorm；　creating　a　dense　black　fog　that　made　everything　a　thousand　times　more　terrifying；　shapes　that　moved　and　screamed；　came　at　you　out　of　the　blackness　and　you　only　saw　the　injuries　and　the　blood　when　they　got　close；　had　you　stepping　carefully　in　case　you　fell　headlong　over　a　corpse。　There　appeared　to　be　bodies　everywhere。
　　
　　Bazeley　kicked　something；　recognised　it　as　a　severed　arm　as　it　rolled　away。　That　was　when　he　threw　up；　vomited　everything　out　of　his　guts　in　one　spouting　spew　and　hoped　that　the　sergeant　did　not　see　him　in　the　smoky　darkness。
　　
　　And　then　he　saw　the　girl。　Her　piercing　screams　had　his　blood　running　cold　and　when　she　came　staggering　out　of　the　darkness　he　almost　turned　and　ran。　Oh　God；　she　had　to　be　hurt　bad；　he　didn't　want　to　see；　didn't　want　to　have　her　clinging　to　him　and　bleeding　all　over　him。
　　
　　Miraculously　she　wasn't　bleeding；　in　fact　she　did　not　appear　to　be　injured　at　all。　He　stared　at　her　with　smarting　eyes　and　wondered　for　a　second　if　his　brain　was　playing　tricks　on　him；　if　he　wasn't　up　to　all　this　and　something　inside　him　had　snapped。
　　
　　She　could　not　have　been　more　than　twenty。　Long　blonde　hair　that　fell　below　her　shoulders　and　a　figure　that　any　model　would　have　been　proud　of。　So　beautiful。　And　naked；　except　for　a　shoe　on　her　left　foot。
　　
　　She　was　screaming　hysterically；　clutching　at　her　stomach；　bent　double；　straightening　up　again；　but　even　in　her　crazed　agonised　state　she　recognised　a　police　officer；　knew　that　he　might　be　able　to　help　her。
　　
　　Police　Constable　Bazeley　stared；　mentally　recoiled；　but　there　was　no　blood　ing　from　the　girl。　Maybe　her　injuries　were　internal；　in　which　case　it　wouldn't　be　so　bad　for　him。　He　would　help　her；　stay　with　her　until　the　ambulances　arrived。　It　was　a　let…off；　not　a　pleasant　one；　but　better　than　tending　injuries　that　spouted　blood　all　over　you　whilst　you　tried　to　stem　an　arterial　wound。　Coward！　OK；　I'm　a　coward　but　I'll　try　and　calm　this　bird。
　　
　　He　reached　out　for　her　just　as　she　stumbled；　slipped　through　his　grasp　and　fell　face　down　on　the　tarmac。　Immediately　her　body　was　convulsing；　doubling　up；　her　toes　on　the　unclad　foot　curling　inwards　in　sheer　agony。　She　was　clutching　at　her　abdomen。
　　
　　Mark　Bazeley　felt　her　pain　as　he　grasped　her；　every　nerve　and　muscle　in　her　lithe　body　at　breaking　point　as　it　took　the　strain　of　the　ultimate　in　pain；　shuddering。　Crazed；　she　tried　to　fight　him　as　he　rolled　her　over；　her　white　even　teeth　clenched　as　though　in　the　throes　of　a　fit；　spittle　frothing　from　her　soft　red　lips。
　　
　　For　a　split　second　his　mind　shut　off　and　he　saw　her　as　a　young　man　sees　a　beautiful　naked　girl。　The　shapely　thighs　parted；　legs　wide　and　kicking　frantically　as　though　she　had　just　hit　a　climax。　Moans　that　he　wished　were　orgasmic　cries　of　delight　and　the　two　of　them　anywhere　else　but　here。　Her　hands　came　off　her　stomach；　her　fists　clenched　and　she　pummelled　at　him　crazily；　those　groans　escalating　into　screams。　Back　to　reality；　she　was　in　unbelievable　pain；　probably　dying。
　　
　　Take　it　easy。'　What　a　bloody　stupid　thing　to　say。　He　began　to　smooth　his　fingers　over　her　rain　washed　slippery　flesh；　probing　for　an　injury　of　some　kind；　a　swelling　maybe。　Anything。　And　all　the　time　she　rained　blows　on　him；　caught　him　full　in　the　face　and　he　tasted　blood　in　his　mouth。
　　
　　She　was　writhing；　jerking；　sobbing；　and　in　the　end　he　caught　her　wrists；　had　to　kneel　on　her　to　prevent　her　from　twisting　out　of　his　grip。　What　the　hell　do　I　do　now；　slap　her　across　the　face？　Assaulted　by　a　police　officer　at　the　scene　of　the　accident；　attempted　rape。　Christ；　Sarge；　where　the　hell　are　you　just　when　I　need　you　most？
　　
　　But　Bufton　had　gone　off　into　the　rain　and　smoke；　doing　what　hardened　experienced　officers　do　at　the　scene　of　motorway　carnage。　You're　on　your　own；　copper。
　　
　　The　girl　was　desperately　trying　to　tug　free　of　her　captor；　managed　to　drag　a　hand　away　and　those　fingers　shot　back　to　her　belly　just　above　the　triangle　of　pubic　hair。　The　moment　she　made　contact　with　the　flesh　her　lips　parted　to　emit　a　piercing　shriek　of　pain。
　　
　　'What　happened？'　the　policeman　had　to　shout　to　make　himself　heard　above　the　screams　from　around　him　and　the　banshee…like　noises　of　the　ambulances　which　were　nosing　their　way　down　the　slip　road。　'What　happened？'
　　
　　She　muttered　something　and　he　bent　his　head　low　in　an　attempt　to　hear；　half　thought　that　she　might　attempt　to　bite　him。　Her　lips　were　moving　again；　frothy　with　saliva；　grinding　her　teeth。
　　
　　'Bitten。'　She　got　the　word　out　and　there　was　no　mistaking　the　sheer　terror　in　her　rolling　eyes。
　　
　　He　stared　at　her；　let　the　word　sink　in。　It　was　nonsense。
　　
　　'Bitten？'　His　mouth　was　close　to　her　ear；　shouting。　'Bitten　by　what；　for　Christ's　sake？'
　　
　　The　expression　of　terror　was　back　on　her　pallid　features；　her　eyes　rolling。　Her　head　moved　from　side　to　side；　and　the　hands　which　had　punched　him　now　clutched　at　him。　Her　lips　were　moving　again；　fighting　the　pain　to　get　the　word　out。
　　
　　'Snakes？'
　　
　　She　was　delirious　of　course。　She　had　to　be。　'Take　it　easy；　I'll　try　and　get　you　to　an　ambulance。'
　　
　　She　groaned　and　her　body　went　as　taut　as　a　steel　hawser；　took　the　strain　and　then　reached　breaking　point。　She　came　off　the　ground　like　an　uncoiling　spring；　convulsing　so　that　her　spine　was　in　terrible　danger　of　snapping；　a　landed　fish　desperate　to　flap　its　way　back　to　the　water。　She　hit　the　ground；　rolled；　came　up　to　her　knees　in　a　grotesque；　unnatural　posture；　dug　her　fingers　deep　into　the　flesh　of　her　lower　stomach　as　though　she　were　intent　on　clawing　out　some　cancerous　growth。
　　
　　Pain　and　terror；　doubled　up　yet　jerking　her　head　from　side　to　side；　peering　fearfully　into　the　darkness　with　eyes　that　bulged　unnaturally。　Bazeley　watched；　helpless。　Where　the　fuck　were　the　ambulances？　There　was　one　stopped　about　fifty　yards　away；　some　a　little　further　down；　stretcher…bearers　hardly　knowing　who　to　take　first。
　　
　　'Hey！'　he　called　out；　but　gave　up。　Even　if　they　heard　him；　which　they　weren't　likely　to　in　all　this　din；　they　wouldn't　be　taking　orders　from　a　rookie　copper。　You're　wasting　your　time；　maybe　if　you　carry　her　across　to　them　they'll　have　to　put　her　in　one　of　the　ambulances。
　　
　　He　turned　back　to　her；　saw　that　her　fit　had　subsided；　she　lay　slumped　on　the　ground；　muscles　quivering　after　the　strain。　Her　eyes　were　closed　but　they　flickered　open　as　he　knelt　beside　her。
　　
　　'Relax；　I'm　going　to　try　and　carry　you　to　one　of　the　ambulances。'
　　
　　'It's　no　good。'　She　tried　to　smile　and　in　her　expression　he　read　a　resignation　to　death。　'I'm　。。。　done　for。　Snakes。。。　lots　of　them　。　。　。　loose　on　the　motorway。'
　　
　　'We'll　round　'em　up　afterwards；'　he　said；　sliding　an　arm　under　her　buttocks；　another　behind　her　shoulders。　'Now　easy　does　it。'
　　
　　He　lifted　her　up；　stood　a　moment　to　get　his　balance　and　that　was　when　he　felt　her　go　limp。　Her　head　fell　back；　arms　dropped　and　dangled。　Oh　God；　no！　His　dilemma　arose　from　his　inexperience：　should　he　lay　her　down　again；　give　her　the　kiss　of　life；　or　should　he　hurry　to　one　of　those　ambulances；　let　the　experts　in　first　aid　take　over？　He　chose　the　latter。
　　
　　God；　this　had　to　be　hell；　it　could　not　be　happening　anywhere　else。　Flames　were　raging　where　vehicles　had　caught　fire；　a　thick　pall　of　smoke　reduced　visibility　still　further　and　the　rain　lashed　you　mercilessly。　And　mingled　with　the　choking　atmosphere　were　the　screams　of　the　injured；　blasphemous　curses　thrown　at　ambulancemen　and　policemen　because　they　could　not　be　everywhere　at　the　same　time。　She's　dead；　a　little　voice　inside　PC　Bazeley　whispered；　bitten　by　a　snake；　died　in　excruciating　pain。　You　couldn't　have　done　anything　for　her。　Damn　it；　she's　only　passed　out；　fainted　with　agony。　And　one　place　you　won't　find　snakes　is　on　an　English　motorway。　Get　that　into　your　thick　skull　before　you　go　crazy。
　　
　　The　smoke　was　being　thicker；　burning　tyres　scaring　your　lungs；　smarting　your　eyes。　There　was　an　ambulance　not　too　far　away；　even　this　evil　vapour　could　n