lh.narcissusinchains-第112部分

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　He　stepped　closer　to　me；　and　I　backed　up；　bumping　into　Zeke。　Chimera　stepped　in　very　close；　almost　touching　and　sniffed　just　above　the　skin　of　my　face。　This　close　his　power　rode　over　me　like　thousands　of　ants　biting　along　my　skin。
　〃You　smell　of　fear；　Anita。　I　didn't　think　a　little　eye　shift　would　spook　you。〃
　I　licked　my　lips；　staring　into　those　mismatched　eyes　from　inches　away。　〃The　eyes　don't　bother　me。〃
　〃Then　what　does？〃　he　asked；　still　hovering　over　me。
　I　licked　my　lips　again　and　didn't　know　what　to　say。　Or　rather；　couldn't　think　of　a　safe　thing　to　say。　I　thought　of　several　smart　alec　remarks；　but　you　should　humor　crazy　people　when　you're　at　their　mercy；　it's　a　rule。　Of　course；　I　also　had　a　rule　never　to　put　myself　at　the　mercy　of　sadistic　serial　killers　suffering　from　multiple　personality　disorder。　I　hoped　we　all　lived　to　regret　my　breaking　that　rule。　Truly　insane　people　are　often　unpredictable　and　hard　to　negotiate　with。
　〃I'm　waiting　for　an　answer；〃　he　said　in　a　sing…song　voice。
　I　just　couldn't　think　of　a　good　lie；　so　I　tried　mild　truth。　〃The　fact　that　I　was　talking　to　Orlando　King　and　now　I'm　not；　but　it's　the　same　body　talking　at　me。〃
　He　laughed　and　stepped　back。　Then　he　went　very　still；　as　if　he　were　listening　to　things　I　couldn't　hear。　Was　it　the　rescue；　this　soon？　It　couldn't　be。　He　looked　down　at　me；　smiling　that　unpleasant　smile　and　ran　his　hands　down　his　own　body。　〃I　make　better　use　of　the　body　than　Orlando　does。〃
　Okeydokey；　things　were　not　improving。　I　looked　up　at　Zeke　and　tried　to　tell　him　with　my　eyes　that　he　should　have　told　me　that　Chimera　was　this　crazy。
　Chimera　grabbed　my　wrist；　jerked　me　close。　I'd　been　so　busy　trying　to　get　eye　contact　with　Zeke　that　I　hadn't　even　seen　it　ing。　〃I　was　always　inside　Orlando。　I　was　that　part　of　him　that　allowed　him　to　slaughter　other　human　beings　and　feel　nothing　but　hatred。　He　rarely　took　a　shifter　in　animal　form。　It　was　safer　in　human　form；　and　Orlando　was　a　very　big　believer　in　safety；　at　least　for　himself。〃　He　drew　me　against　his　body　using　my　wrist　like　a　handle。　He　wasn't　hurting　me；　but　the　strength　in　his　grip　was　like　a　promise；　a　threat。　He　could　have　crushed　my　wrist　and　we　both　knew　it。
　〃King　had　a　reputation　for　getting　the　job　done；〃　I　said。
　〃The　job　was　to　kill　other　people；　women　as　well　as　men。　Then　he'd　cut　off　their　heads；　burn　the　bodies；　make　sure　they　weren't　ing　back。　I　was　the　part　of　him　that　enjoyed　the　work；　and　when　he　became　what　he　hated　most　in　the　world；　I　protected　him　from　himself。〃
　〃How？〃　I　asked；　softly。
　〃By　doing　the　things　he　was　too　weak　to　do　himself；　but　still　wanted　done。〃
　〃Like　what？〃　I　asked。　Rescue　was　ing；　it　was　just　a　matter　of　stalling　until　help　arrived。　It　had　been　the　original　plan；　and　the　fact　that　Chimera　was　Orlando　King　and　crazier　than　a　June　beetle　on　crack　didn't　really　change　the　plan。　Just　keep　him　talking。　All　men　love　to　talk　about　themselves；　even　the　ones　who　are　pletely　buggers。　Being　insane　doesn't　change　that；　or　at　least　it　never　had　before。　It　was　just　the　multiple　personality　stuff　that　was　freaking　me　out。　If　I　treated　Chimera　like　any　other　homicidal　maniac；　we'd　be　fine。　At　least　that's　what　I　kept　telling　myself。　My　pulse　stayed　too　fast；　my　chest　stayed　tight；　the　fear　stayed　high；　I　don't　think　I　believed　myself。
　〃You　want　to　know　how　I　helped　Orlando？〃　he　asked。
　I　nodded　〃Yeah。〃
　〃You　really　want　to　know　what　I've　done　for　him？〃
　I　nodded　again；　but　I　was　beginning　not　to　like　the　way　he　kept　phrasing　things。
　He　smiled；　and　just　the　smile　promised　painful；　unpleasant　things。　〃You　know　what　they　say。　Talk　is　cheap。　Let　me　show　you；　Anita；　let　me　show　you　what　I've　done。〃　With　that　he　reached　behind　him　to　the　doorknob；　turned　it；　and　pulled　me　into　the　room　beyond。
　
　65
　
　THE　ROOM　WAS　black；　utterly　black；　like　being　flung　into　blindness；　nothingness；　like　a　cave。　Chimera　released　my　arm。　It　was　like　being　cut　adrift；　lost　in　the　blackness。　I　stumbled　in　the　darkness。　I　reached　out　blindly　to　catch　myself　and　touched　something。　I　grabbed　at　it；　trying　to　hold　on　to　something；　anything。　Then　the　flesh　gave　under　my　hand；　and　I　realized　it　was　human　and　not　where　it　should　have　been。　It　was　too　high　up　to　be　someone's　calf。　I　jerked　back；　and　something　else　brushed　my　back。　I　let　out　a　little　squeal；　hands　out；　stumbling　in　the　dark；　and　smacked　into　something　else　that　swung　as　I　hit　it。　I　realized　whatever　it　was；　was　hanging　from　the　ceiling。　I　moved　away　from　it　and　ran　face　first　into　the　next　surprise。　The　solid　smack　of　flesh　on　flesh　let　me　know　it　was　a　body。　The　scream　let　me　know　it　was　still　alive。　I'd　hit　hard　enough　that　the　man　swung　into　me　again；　and　I　tried　to　back　away　and　bumped　into　another　one。　That　one　didn't　make　any　noise。　I　kept　my　hands　out　in　front　of　me　and　fought　to　get　free　of　them；　but　my　hand　kept　touching　bodies　and　body　parts　　hips；　thighs；　groins；　buttocks。　I　moved　faster；　trying　to　force　my　way　out　of　the　forest　of　hanging　bodies；　but　moving　fast　made　them　start　to　swing　and　crash　into　me。　Screams　came　out　of　the　dark；　as　if　I'd　started　them　all　bumping　into　each　other。　Men　screaming　in　the　dark；　by　the　sound　of　the　voices　I　knew　there　were　no　women。　One　body　hit　me　hard　enough　that　I　fell；　and　dangling　feet　brushed　against　me。　I　tried　to　crawl　away　from　them；　but　they　were　everywhere；　touching　me；　brushing　me；　some　struggling　against　my　back。　I　lay　down　on　the　floor　trying　to　get　away；　to　get　clear；　swatting　at　them　with　my　hands；　frantic　not　to　be　touched。　I　crawled　on　my　back；　using　my　feet　and　hands　to　try　and　get　under　them；　but　their　heights　were　all　different；　and　I　couldn't　get　free　of　them。
　I　felt　a　scream　building　in　my　gut　and　knew　if　I　screamed　once　I'd　just　keep　on。　My　hand　landed　in　a　pool　of　something　warm　and　liquid；　and　it　stopped　me。　Even　in　the　dark　I　knew　what　blood　felt　like。　This　was　probably　the　point　where　most　people　would　have　definitely　started　screaming；　but　somehow　the　feel　of　the　blood　calmed　me。　I　knew　about　blood　and　letting　it　out　of　a　man　until　he　died。　I　pressed　my　hand　into　that　still…warm　pool　and　it　steadied　me。
　I　lay　back　on　the　floor　with　my　hand　in　blood　and　my　head　resting　in　God　knows　what　and　relearned　how　to　breathe。　If　I　lay　very　still　and　didn't　try　and　move；　the　feet　didn't　touch　me；　nothing　touched　me。　So　I　lay　in　the　dark　and　closed　my　eyes　and　tried　to　use　my　other　senses；　because　my　eyes　were　useless。　I've　got　pretty　good　night　vision；　but　even　a　cat　needs　some　light；　and　there　was　nothing；　nothing　but　the　darkness。
　The　chains　creaked　as　the　bodies　still　swung　heavily　above　me。　There　were　tiny　air　currents。　A　warm　drop　hit　my　cheek。　All　the　movement　had　started　fresh　bleeding　from　someone。　I　kept　my　eyes　closed　and　forced　myself　to　take　steady；　even　breaths。　One　man　was　screaming；　〃God；　God；　God！〃　over　and　over　again；　as　fast　as　he　could　draw　breath。　He'd　lost　it；　and　I　didn't　blame　him。　I'd　e　damn　close　myself；　and　I　wasn't　hanging　nude　from　the　ceiling；　bleeding。
　Chimera's　voice　came　out　of　the　darkness。　〃Shut　up；　shut　the　fuck　up！〃
　The　man　stopped　screaming　almost　instantly；　but　his　breath　came　in　whimpers；　as　if　he　had　to　make　some　sound。
　〃Anita；〃　Chimera　said。　〃Anita；　where　are　you？〃
　Even　he　couldn't　see　in　the　pitch　blackness；　and　the　smell　of　blood；　sweat；　and　flesh　masked　my　odor　apparently。　Great；　he　didn't　know　where　I　was。　I　wished　I　could　think　of　something　good　to　do　with　that　information。　But　I　just　lay　in　the　dark　on　the　foul　floor；　my　hand　in　the　pool　of　cooling　blood；　another　drop　of　fresh；　warm　blood　hitting　my　cheek；　and　did　nothing。　All　I　had　to　do　was　stall　until　the　cavalry　arrived。　I'd　tried　talking　to　Chimera　and　that　hadn't　worked　so　well。　I'd　try　silence。
　〃Anita；　Anita；　answer　me。〃
　I　didn't　answer。　If　he　wanted　to　find　me　he　could　damn　well　turn　on　the　light。　I　thought　I　wanted　some　light。　But　then　I　thought　maybe　I　didn't　really　want　to　see　what　hung　above　me　in　this　room。　Maybe　it　would　be　one　of　those　sights　that　blasts　the　mind；　one　you　never　really　recover　from。　But　I　badly　wanted　to　see　something；　almost　anything。　I　lay　in　the　dark；　the　way　I　used　to　huddle　under　the　sheets　as　a　child；　afraid　of　the　dark；　afraid　of　what　I　could　not　see。
　〃Answer　me；　Anita！〃　He　screamed　it　this　time；　voice　harsh。
　A　male　voice　from　above　me。　〃Answer　him　if　you　can；　you　don't　want　him　angry　with　you。〃
　Another　man　gave　a　sound　like　a　choking　laugh。　It　sounded　thick；　as　if　there　were　blood　in　his　mouth　and　throat。
　The　dark　was　suddenly　full　of　voices　saying；　〃Answer　him；　answer　him。〃　It　was　like　the　wind　had　found　a　voice　and　was　giving　me　instructions　in　the　dark。
　Another　drop　of　blood　fell　on　my　cheek　and　began　to　slide　slowly　down　my　skin。　I　didn't　wipe　it　off。　I　didn't　move。　I　was　afraid　any　movement　would　let　Chimera　know　where　I　was；　and　I　didn't　want　that。
　〃Shut　up！〃　Chimera　yelled；　and　I　heard　him　move　farther　into　the　room。　The　voices　above　me　fell　silent。　But　I　could　still　feel　them　hanging　there　like　weight　above　me；　like　a　rock　ceiling　pressing　down　on　me。　I　took　a　deep　breath；　let　it　out　slowly。　My　claustrophobia　was　trying　to　scream　in　my　head　that　I　couldn't　breathe；　but　it　was　a　lie。　The　dark　did　not　have　weight　to　it；　that　was　the　fear　talking。　If　Chimera　wanted　to　let　me　lie　in　the　dark　for　the　next　hour　until　help　arrived；　I'd　let　him。　I　would　not　panic。　It　wouldn't　help　anything　for　me　to　start　crawling　frantically　across　the　floor　with　feet　brushing　my　back。　If　I　did　that；　I　would　start　screaming；　and　I　wouldn't　stop　for　a　long；　long　time。
　The　blood　oozed　along　my　neck　into　my　hair；　and　I　kept　my　eyes　closed　and　concentrated　on　breathing　shallow；　quiet。
　〃Answer　me；　Anita；　or　I　will　start　cutting　on　the　men　hanging　above　you；〃　Chimera　said。　His　voice　was　closer；　but　not　too　close。　He　was　still　outside　the　forest　of　hanging　bodies。
　I　still　didn't　answer。
　〃You　don't　believe　me？　Let　me　prove　it　to　you。〃
　A　man　screamed；　high；　piteous；　hopeless。
　〃Don't；〃　I　said。
　〃Don't　what？〃
　〃Don't　hurt　them。〃
　〃They're　nothing　to　you；　not　your　animal；　not　your　friend。　Why　do　you　care？〃
　〃Orlando　King　knows　the　answer　to　your　question。〃
　〃I'm　asking　you；〃　Chimera　said。
　〃You　alr