sk.petsematary-第15部分

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or　passion。　It　wasn't　really　passion　at　all；　only　a　dreadful　kind　of　patience。　Still　he　pointed　at　the　moving　pile　of　bones。　〃Don't　go　beyond；　no　matter　how　much　you　feel　you　need　to；　Doctor。　The　barrier　was　not　made　to　be　broken。　Remember　this：　there　is　more　power　here　than　you　know。　It　is　old　and　always　restless。　Remember。〃
　　Louis　tried　again　to　scream。　He　could　not。
　　〃I　e　as　a　friend；〃　Pascow　said…but　was　friend　actually　the　word　Pascow　had　used？　Louis　thought　not。　It　was　as　if　Pascow　had　spoken　in　a　foreign　language　which　Louis　could　understand　through　some　dream　magic　。　。　。　and　〃friend〃　was　as　close　to　whatever　word　Pascow　had　actually　used　that　Louis's　struggling　mind　could　e。　〃Your　destruction　and　the　destruction　of　all　you　love　is　very　near；　Doctor。〃　He　was　close　enough　for　Louis　to　be　able　to　smell　death　on　him。
　　Pascow；　reaching　for　him。
　　The　soft；　maddening　click　of　the　bones。
　　Louis　began　to　overbalance　in　his　effort　to　get　away　from　that　hand。　His　own　hand　struck　a　monument　and　tilted　it　into　the　earth。　Pascow's　face；　leaning　down；　filled　the　sky。
　　〃Doctor…remember。〃
　　Louis　tried　to　scream；　and　the　world　whirled　away…but　still　he　heard　the　click　of　moving　bones　in　the　moonlit　crypt　of　the　night。
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　　It　takes　the　average　human　seven　minutes　to　go　to　sleep；　but　according　to　Hand's　Human　Physiology；　it　takes　the　same　average　human　fifteen　to　twenty　minutes　to　wake　up。　It　is　as　if　sleep　is　a　pool　from　which　emerging　is　more　difficult　than　entering。　When　the　sleeper　wakes；　he　or　she　es　up　by　degrees；　from　deep　sleep　to　light　sleep　to　what　is　sometimes　called　〃waking　sleep；〃　a　state　in　which　the　sleeper　can　hear　sounds　and　will　even　respond　to　questions　without　being　aware　of　it　later。　。　。　except　perhaps　as　fragments　of　dream。
　　Louis　heard　the　click　and　rattle　of　bones；　but　gradually　this　sound　became　sharper；　more　metallic。　There　was　a　bang。　A　yell。　More　metallic　sounds　。　。　。　something　rolling？　Sure；　his　drifting　mind　agreed。　Roll　dem　bones。
　　He　heard　his　daughter　calling　〃Get　it；　Cage！　Go　get　it！〃
　　This　was　followed　by　Gage's　crow　of　delight；　the　sound　to　which　Louis　opened　his　eyes　and　saw　the　ceiling　of　his　own　bedroom。
　　He　held　himself　perfectly　still；　waiting　for　the　reality；　the　good　reality；　the　blessed　reality；　to　e　home　all　the　way。
　　All　a　dream。　No　matter　how　terrible；　how　real；　it　had　all　been　dream。　Only　a　fossil　in　the　mind　under　his　mind。
　　The　metallic　sound　came　again。　It　was　one　of　Gage's　toy　cars　being　rolled　along　the　upstairs　hail。
　　〃Get　it；　Gage！〃
　　〃Get　it！〃　Gage　yelled。　〃Get　it…get　it…get　it！〃
　　Thumpa…thumpa…thumpa。　Gage's　small　bare　feet　thundering　along　the　hallway　runner。　He　and　Ellie　were　giggling。
　　Louis　looked　to　his　right。　Rachel's　side　of　the　bed　was　empty；　the　covers　thrown　back。　The　sun　was　well　up。　He　glanced　at　his　watch　and　saw　it　was　nearly　eight　o'clock。　Rachel　had　let　him　oversleep。　。　。　probably　on　purpose。
　　Ordinarily　this　would　have　irritated　him；　but　this　morning　it　did　not。　He　drew　in　a　deep　breath　and　let　it　out；　content　for　the　moment　to　lie　here　with　a　bar　of　sunlight　slanting　in　through　the　window；　feeling　the　unmistakable　texture　of　the　real　world。　Dust…motes　danced　in　the　sunlight。
　　Rachel　called　upstairs：　〃Better　e　down　and　get　your　snack　and　go　out　for　the　bus；　El！〃
　　〃Okay！〃　The　louder　clack…clack　of　her　feet。　〃Here's　your　car；　Gage。　I　got　to　go　to　school。〃
　　Gage　began　to　yell　indignantly。　Although　it　was　garbled…the　only　clear　words　being　Gage；　car；　geddit；　and　Ellie…bus；　his　text　seemed　clear　enough：　Ellie　should　stay。　Public　education　could　go　hang　for　the　day。
　　Rachel's　voice　again；　〃Give　your　dad　a　shake　before　you　e　clown；　El。〃
　　Ellie　came　in；　her　hair　done　up　in　a　ponytail；　wearing　her　red　dress。
　　〃I'm　awake；　babe；〃　he　said。　〃Go　on　and　get　your　bus。〃
　　〃Okay；　Daddy。〃　She　came　over；　kissed　his　slightly　scruffy　cheek；　and　bolted　for　the　stairs。
　　The　dream　was　beginning　to　fade；　to　lose　its　coherence。　A　'damn　good　thing　too。
　　〃Gage！〃　he　yelled。　〃e　give　your　dad　a　kiss！〃
　　Gage　ignored　this。　He　was　following　Ellie　downstairs　as　rapidly　as　he　could；　yelling　〃Get　it！　Get…it…get…it…GET…IT！〃　at　the　top　of　his　lungs。　Louis　caught　just　a　glimpse　of　his　sturdy　little　kid's　body；　clad　only　in　diapers　and　rubber　pants。
　　Rachel　called　up　again；　〃Louis；　was　that　you？　You　awake？〃
　　〃Yeah；〃　he　said；　sitting　up。
　　〃Told　you　he　was！〃　Ellie　called。　〃I'm　goin。　Bye！〃　The　slam　of　the　front　door　and　Gage's　outraged　bellow　punctuated　this。
　　〃One　egg　or　two？〃　Rachel　called。
　　Louis　pushed　back　the　blankets　and　swung　his　feet　out　onto　the　nubs　of　the　hooked　rug；　ready　to　tell　her　he'd　skip　the　eggs；　just　a　bowl　of　cereal　and　he'd　run。　。　。　and　the　words　died　in　his　throat。
　　His　feet　were　filthy　with　dirt　and　pine　needles。
　　His　heart　leaped　up　in　his　throat　like　a　crazy　jack…in…the…box。　Moving　fast；　eyes　bulging；　teeth　clamped　unfeelingly　on　his　tongue；　he　kicked　the　covers　all　the　way　back。　The　foot　of　the　bed　was　littered　with　needles。　The　sheets　were　mucky　and　dirty。
　　〃Louis？〃
　　He　saw　a　few　errant　pine　needles　on　his　knees；　and　suddenly　he　looked　at　his　right　arm。　There　was　a　scratch　there　on　the　bicep；　a　fresh　scratch；　exactly　where　the　dead　branch　had　poked　him　in　the　dream。
　　I'm　going　to　scream。　I　can　feel　it。
　　And　he　could　too；　it　was　roaring　up　from　inside；　nothing　but　a　big　cold　bullet　of　fear。　Reality　shimmered。　Reality…the　real　reality；　he　thought…was　those　needles；　the　filth　on　the　sheets；　the　bloody　scratch　on　his　bare　arm。
　　I'm　going　to　scream　and　then　I'll　go　crazy　and　I　won't　have　to　worry　about　it　anymore…　〃Louis？〃　Rachel　was　ing　up　the　stairs。　〃Louis；　did　you　go　back　to　sleep？〃
　　He　grappled　for　himself　in　those　two　or　three　seconds；　he　fought　grimly　for　himself　just　as　he　had　done　in　those　moments　of　roaring　confusion　after　Pascow　had　been　brought　into　the　Medical　Center；　dying　in　a　blanket。　He　won。　The　thought　which　tipped　the　scales　was　that　she　must　not　see　him　this　way；　his　feet　muddy　and　coated　with　needles；　the　blankets　tossed　back　onto　the　floor　to　reveal　the　muck…splashed　ground　sheet。
　　〃I'm　awake；〃　he　called　cheerfully。　His　tongue　was　bleeding　from　the　sudden；　involuntary　bite　he　had　given　it。　His　mind　swirled；　and　somewhere　deep　inside；　away　from　the　action；　he　wondered　if　he　had　always　been　within　touching　distance　of　such　mad　irrationalities；　if　everyone　was。
　　〃One　egg　or　two？〃　She　had　stopped　on　the　second　or　third　riser。　Thank　God。
　　〃Two；〃　he　said；　barely　aware　of　what　he　was　saying。　〃Scrambled。〃
　　〃Good　for　you；〃　she　said；　and　went　back　downstairs　again。
　　He　closed　his　eyes　briefly　in　relief；　but　in　the　darkness　he　saw　Pascow's　silver　eyes。　His　eyes　flew　open　again。　Louis　began　to　move　rapidly；　putting　off　any　further　thought。　He　jerked　the　bedclothes　off　the　bed。　The　blankets　were　okay。　He　separated　out　the　two　sheets；　balled　them　up；　took　them　into　the　hallway；　and　dumped　them　down　the　laundry　chute。
　　Almost　running；　he　entered　the　bathroom；　jerked　the　shower　handle　on；　and　stepped　under　water　so　hot　it　was　nearly　scalding；　unmindful。　He　washed　the　dirt　from　his　feet　and　legs。
　　He　began　to　feel　better；　more　in　control。　Drying　off；　it　struck　him　that　this　was　how　murderers　must　feel　when　they　believe　they　have　gotten　rid　of　all　the　evidence。　He　began　to　laugh。　He　went　on　drying　himself；　but　he　also　went　on　laughing。　He　couldn't　seem　to　stop。
　　〃Hey；　up　there！〃　Rachel　called。　〃What's　so　funny？〃
　　〃Private　joke；〃　Louis　called　back；　still　laughing。　He　was　frightened；　but　the　fright　didn't　stop　the　laughter。　The　laughter　came；　rising　from　a　belly　that　was　as　hard　as　stones　mortared　into　a　wall。　It　occurred　to　him　that　shoving　the　sheets　down　the　laundry　chute　was　absolutely　the　best　thing　he　could　have　done。　Missy　Dandridge　came　in　five　days　a　week　to　vacuum；　clean　。　。　。　and　do　the　laundry。　Rachel　would　never　see　those　sheets　at　all　until　she　put　them　back　on　the　bed。　。　。　clean。　He　supposed　it　was　possible　that　Missy　would　mention　it　to　Rachel；　but　he　didn't　think　so。　She　would　probably　whisper　to　her　husband　that　the　Creeds　were　playing　some　strange　sex　game　that　involved　mud　and　pine　needles　instead　of　body　paints。
　　This　thought　made　Louis　laugh　all　the　harder。
　　The　last　of　the　giggles　and　chuckles　dried　up　as　he　was　dressing；　and　he　realized　that　he　felt　a　little　better。　How　that　could　be　he　didn't　know；　but　he　did。　The　room　looked　normal　now　except　for　the　stripped　bed。　He　had　gotten　rid　of　the　poison。　Maybe　〃evidence〃　was　actually　the　word　he　was　looking　for；　but　in　his　mind　it　felt　like　poison。
　　Perhaps　this　is　what　people　do　with　the　inexplicable；　he　thought。　This　is　what　they　do　with　the　irrational　that　refuses　to　be　broken　down　into　the　normal　causes　and　effects　that　run　the　Western　world。　Maybe　this　was　how　your　mind　coped　with　the　flying　saucer　you　saw　hovering　silently　over　your　back　field　one　morning；　casting　its　own　tight　little　pool　of　shadow；　the　rain　of　frogs；　the　hand　from　under　the　bed　that　stroked　your　bare　foot　in　the　dead　of　night。　There　was　a　giggling　fit　or　a　crying　fit。。。and　since　it　was　its　own　inviolable　self　and　would　not　break　down；　you　simply　passed　terror　intact；　like　a　kidney　stone。
　　Gage　was　in　his　chair；　eating　Cocoa　Bears　and　decorating　the　table　with　it。　He　was　decorating　the　plastic　mat　under　his　high　chair　with　Cocoa　Bears　and　apparently　shampooing　with　it。
　　Rachel　came　out　of　the　kitchen　with　his　eggs　and　a　cup　of　coffee。　〃What　was　the　big　joke；　Lou？　You　were　laughing　like　a　loon　up　there。　Scared　me　a　little。〃
　　Louis　opened　his　mouth　with　no　idea　of　what　he　was　going　to　say；　and　what　came　out　was　a　joke　he　had　heard　the　week　before　at　the　corner　market　down　the　road…something　about　a　Jewish　tailor　who　bought　a　parrot　whose　only　line　was　〃Ariel　Sharon　jerks　off。〃
　　By　the　time　he　finished；　Rachel　was　laughing　too…so　was　Cage　for　that　matter。
　　Fine。　Our　hero　has　taken　care　of　all　the　evidence…to　wit：　the　muddy　sheets　and　the　loony　laughter　in　the　bathroom。　Our　hero　will　now　read　the　morning　paper…or　at　least　look　at　it…putting　the　seal　of　normality　on　the　morning。
　　So　thinking；　Louis　opened　the　paper。
　　That'