gns.snakes-第6部分

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　　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　not　screen　its　flashing　beacon。　Head　that　way。　And　hurry。
　　
　　A　hose　was　stretched　across　the　road　between　some　mangled　cars；　he　sensed　it　rather　than　saw　it；　and　went　to　step　over　it；　swore　as　he　stumbled；　almost　fell　and　dropped　his　burden。　Damn；　it　wasn't　easy　in　these　conditions；　your　judgement　was　impaired。　That　fucking　hose　。　。　。
　　
　　Something　encircled　his　left　leg；　tightened。　He　kicked　at　it　with　his　right　foot；　stared　down　in　disbelief；　felt　the　hairs　on　the　back　of　his　neck　start　to　prickle。　That　hose；　it　had　coiled；　had　trapped　his　leg　with　such　pressure　that　it　was　already　beginning　to　cut　off　the　circulation。　The　firemen　must　be　rolling　it　out　and　it　had　bee　lodged　on　some　obstruction；　kicked　back。
　　
　　It　moved　again；　a　flexible　thing　that　came　alive；　whipped　upwards　and　threw　itself　around　his　waist；　he　felt　the　pressure　on　his　ribs；　a　constriction　that　threatened　to　crush　and　break　them。
　　
　　An　inarticulate　cry　of　terror　escaped　him　as　he　saw　the　end　of　the　hose　in　silhouette；　a　small　slender　head　with　eyes　that　shone　redly　in　the　glow　from　the　burning　vehicles。　It　shifted；　secured　an　even　tighter　hold　that　virtually　halted　his　breathing　and　looped　round　him　again；　pinioning　his　arms。
　　
　　Mark　Bazeley　screamed　but　nobody　heard　him。　His　second　shriek　was　merely　a　wheeze　as　his　supply　of　air　was　cut　off。　The　girl　fell　from　his　arms；　thudded　lifelessly　on　to　the　tarmac　and　sprawled　full　length；　death　sparing　her　this　fresh　horror。
　　
　　The　policeman　realised　only　too　well　what　it　was　that　was　swiftly　crushing　his　bones　and　throttling　the　life　out　of　him。　He'd　seen　the　species　at　the　zoo；　watched　it　in　more　spectacular　settings　on　the　television。　He　thought；　oh　my　God；　the　girl　was　telling　the　truth！　This　can't　be　happening。
　　
　　His　ribs　cracked　and　he　knew　that　it　was。　Breathless；　tasting　blood；　a　roaring　in　his　ears　and　his　vision　blurred　and　streaked　with　crimson　as　he　felt　himself　being　pulped。　Consciousness　was　slipping　from　him；　he　had　given　up　struggling；　just　wondered　with　his　last　thoughts　where　the　sarge　was。
　　
　　The　python　relaxed　its　hold　the　moment　it　felt　its　prey　go　limp；　uncoiled　itself　with　amazing　rapidity　for　its　eighteen…foot　length。　Wary　but　hungry；　capable　of　devouring　a　waterbuck；　it　began　to　swallow　the　corpse。　There　were　other　bodies　it　could　have　taken　more　easily　but　it　was　primarily　a　hunter　and　only　ate　its　own　kill。
　　
　　The　creature　was　confused；　frightened　by　the　noise　and　the　smell　of　fire　and　now　that　its　hunger　was　satisfied　its　instinct　was　to　find　a　place　of　safety。　A　strange　land　of　artificial　surfaces；　yet　beyond　these　were　grass　and　trees；　and　something　else　which　it　had　never　before　known　and　yet　had　craved　for　freedom。
　　
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　4
　　
　　THE　TALL　police　superintendent　had　all　the　hallmarks　of　one　who　had　not　slept　in　36　hours。　His　sallow　face　was　etched　with　lines；　there　were　discoloured　puffy　patches　beneath　his　red…rimmed　eyes。　Tight…lipped　he　consulted　a　sheaf　of　papers　on　the　desk　before　him　in　the　temporary　headquarters　which　had　hastily　been　installed　adjoining　the　small　police　station　in　the　sleepy　little　village　of　Stainforth。
　　
　　The　set…up；　the　procedure；　were　all　too　familiar。　Last　summer　a　child　had　gone　missing；　it　had　taken　them　a　week　to　find　her　body　buried　on　the　extensive　moorland。　Before　that　it　had　been　a　gunman　holding　an　elderly　couple　hostage；　and　it　had　taken　the　police　three　days　to　talk　him　into　surrendering。　Now　Stainforth　would　be　in　the　public　eye。
　　
　　A　crisis。　You　dropped　routine　work；　devoted　yourself　mentally　and　physically　to　it；　snatched　food　and　sleep　if　you　got　the　chance；　if　not；　you　drew　on　every　bodily　reserve　until　you　dropped。　This　time　it　was　different；　oh　Christ　it　was　something　you　didn't　expect　ever　to　e　across　except　in　far…fetched　movies。　Dangerous　snakes　were　on　the　loose　in　a　countryside　which　was　tailor…made　for　them…moorlands；　woodlands…and　there　was　a　heat　wave　to　keep　them　alive。　A　snap　of　cold　weather　would　in　all　probability　finish　off　the　reptiles　but　according　to　the　Met　Office　that　was　unlikely　to　happen　in　the　near　future；　and　before　the　snakes　were　found　a　number　of　humans　might　die。　A　sudden　thunderstorm　had　been　responsible　for　a　motorway　pile…up　（no；　the　stupid　bloody　drivers　were　to　blame　for　that；　but　right　now　that　wasn't　important）；　and　as　a　result　a　vanload　of　poisonous　snakes　had　crashed　and　the　reptiles　were　on　the　loose。　Frightened　angry　killers。　A　police　officer　had　been　crushed　to　death　by　an　African　rock　python　and　a　girl　had　been　fatally　bitten　by　a　rattler。　There　might　be　other　victims　but　there　had　been　fifteen　mutilated　corpses；　three　as　yet　unidentified；　out　of　that　carnage　and　they　could　not　be　sure；　might　never　be；　if　the　snakes　had　got　any　of　them。
　　
　　Chief　Superintendent　Burlington　glanced　up　at　the　others　in　the　room。　The　clean…shaven　PC　Ken　Aylott；　Stainforth's　resident　bobby；　you　read　resentment　on　the　young　copper's　face；　a　chip　on　his　shoulder　because　he　wanted　the　action　of　the　big　city；　got　the　crazy　notion　in　his　head　that　the　Stainforth　posting　was　a　kind　of　demotion。　Maybe　all　this　would　change　his　mind。　It　was　up　to　him。　It　could　be　the　big　test。
　　
　　Colonel　Marks　from　Stainforth　Barracks　two　miles　away；　a　surprisingly　mild…mannered　man　with　rimless　spectacles；　but　he　wouldn't　have　got　his　rank　for　nothing。　The　police　would　need　the　soldiers　and　somebody　to　lead　them。
　　
　　Chief　Inspector　Watts；　he　would　be　in　charge　of　operations　outside　the　organisations　room；　a　good　man　to　have　in　the　field；　tough　and　meticulous；　an　invaluable　blend　of　qualities。
　　
　　And　the　civilian；　Price。　Burlington　wasn't　keen　on　civvy　street　help；　a　personal　opinion　which　he　was　diplomatic　enough　to　keep　to　himself。　He　let　his　gaze　rest　on　the　young　man　for　a　few　seconds。　Insignificant；　like　a　lot　of　others　today；　he　could　not　be　more　than　twenty…two　or　twenty…three。　A　degree　in　zoology；　he　would　not　be　here　otherwise；　with　a　specialist　knowledge　of　poisonous　snakes。　A　lot　of　good　it　had　done　him；　just　given　him　some　kind　of　status　on　the　dole。　I'm　an　expert　on　snakes　but　I　can't　get　a　job。　Might　as　well　be　an　unemployed　labourer。　Burlington　smiled　cynically。　Faded　jeans　and　a　T…shirt；　a　roll…your…own…man　judging　by　the　packet　of　Rizlas　he　was　fidgeting　with。　Uncertain　of　himself；　could　be　on　drugs　too。　An　upper…class　hippy；　his　dark　beard　could　do　with　a　trim　to　tidy　it　up　and　his　hair　wouldn't　miss　a　couple　of　inches　shorn　off　it。　Clean；　though；　so　he　obviously　washed　regularly　or　maybe　he　had　had　a　spruce…up　specially　for　this　meeting；　felt　important　at　being　called　in　to　help　the　police。　Burlington　thought　that　maybe　they'd　have　to　take　him　down　a　peg　or　two　to　get　the　balance　right　but　they'd　give　him　a　chance　to　prove　himself　first。　'Strewth；　who　else　here　really　knew　the　enemy　they　were　up　against？
　　
　　'Right；　gentlemen；'　the　superintendent's　voice　was　low；　tired；　and　it　was　going　to　be　very　hot　again　today　which　was　a　daunting　prospect　when　you　had　not　seen　your　bed　since　the　night　before　last。　'We　all　know　what　we're　up　against；　killer　snakes　that　have　already　claimed　the　lives　of　two　people。'　He　dropped　his　spectacles　back　onto　the　bridge　of　his　nose　and　consulted　his　file　once　more。　'We　have　done　our　best　to　pile　an　accurate　list　of　the　escaped　reptiles。　I　cannot　guarantee　it　and　neither　can　that　Heath　Robinson　zoo。　Apparently；　various　means　of　transport　were　used　to　take　the　zoo　animals　away　and　nobody　really　knows　which　vehicles　took　which。　Consequently；　we　encountered　an　additional　delay　whilst　the　recipients　of　species　were　contacted　and　our　inventory　has　had　to　be　piled　by　a　process　of　elimination。　Anyway；　to　the　best　of　our　knowledge　we　are　hunting；'　he　paused；　flipped　over　a　page；　'one　African　rock　python；　presumably　the　one　that　killed　PC　Bazeley。　A　pair　of　western　diamondback　rattlesnakes　which　apparently　kill　more　people　in　the　United　States　than　any　other　poisonous　reptile。　One　cobra。　One　African　mamba。　A　pair　of　coral　snakes。　And　one　Russell's　viper。　Eight　in　all。　They　have　to　be　found　and　destroyed　as　quickly　as　possible　because　until　they　are；'　his　eyes　closed　momentarily；　'nobody　in　the　area　surrounding　Stainforth　village　is　safe。　It　will　mean　meticulous　searching　of　the　moors　and　woods　by　police　and　army　with　shotguns。　There　is　no　question　of　trying　to　recapture　the　snakes。　They　must　be　shot　and　we　must　risk　the　lives　of　tracker　dogs　to　find　them。　Perhaps；'　he　smiled　wryly；　trying　to　exude　optimism　he　did　not　feel；　'we　shall　e　upon　them　quickly　and　blast　them　before　they　can　do　any　harm。'
　　
　　'I　doubt　it；　sir。'　John　Price　spoke　softly；　an　interruption　which　had　the　superintendent　pushing　his　heavy　rimmed　spectacles　up　on　to　his　forehead　and　glowering　from　beneath　bushy　eyebrows。
　　
　　'Why　do　you　doubt　it；　Mr　Price？'
　　
　　'Because　these　snakes　are　a　variety　of　species　from　all　over　the　world。　No　way　is　a　mixture　like　this　gregarious。　Their　hatred　for　one　another　is　as　great　as　their　hatred　towards　Man。　I　would　think　that　the　chances　of　finding　them　all　in　a　small　area　are　very　remote。　I'd　like　to　think　I'm　wrong；　sir；　but　I　very　much　doubt　it。'
　　
　　'I　see。'　Superintendent　Burlington　passed　a　hand　across　his　forehead。　He　had　not　realised　until　now　that　he　had　a　headache；　a　dull　throbbing　behind　the　eyes。　'Thank　you；　Mr　Price；　for　that　information。　At　least　we　now　have　no　illusions　about　the　size　of　the　task　that　faces　us。　Well；　I　wish　you　the　best　of　luck；　gentlemen。　I　take　it；　Colonel；　that　you　have　already　discussed　with　Mr　Price　your　plans　for　searching　the　area。'
　　
　　'We　are　both　agreed　that　in　all　probability　the　snakes　will　head　for　high　ground。　The　moors　are　a　wild　stretch　and　that　is　where　we　shall　begin。'　The　uniformed　colonel　consulted　his　watch。　'Fortunately　the　days　are　long；　and　we　have　ample　men　at　our　disposal。　I　would　hope　to　finish　bing　the　moorland　before　dark。'
　　
　　'Good。　And　now；　unfortunately；　I　must　give　a　press　conference。　You　can　imagine　how　som