tg.wizardfirstrule-第10部分

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ust　like　his　father's　had　been。　Could　they　have　been　waiting　for　him　as　they　had　waited　for　his　father？　Could　it　be　the　same　person？　Richard　wished　he　could　have　confronted　him；　or　at　least　seen　who　it　was；　but　something　inside　him　had　strongly　warned　him　to　get　away。
　
　He　gave　himself　a　mental　shake。　He　was　letting　his　imagination　have　too　free　a　rein。　Of　course　something　inside　had　warned　him　of　danger；　warned　him　to　get　away。　He　had　already　gotten　away　with　his　life　when　he　shouldn't　have　once　this　day。　It　was　foolish　to　trust　in　luck　once；　twice　was　arrogance　of　the　worst　kind。　It　was　best　to　walk　away。
　
　Still；　he　wished　he　could　have　seen　who　it　was；　been　sure　there　was　no　connection。　Why　would　someone　tear　his　house　apart；　as　his　father's　had　been　torn　apart？　What　if　it　was　the　same　person？　He　wanted　to　know　who　had　killed　his　father。　He　burned　to　know。
　
　Even　though　he　had　not　been　allowed　to　see　his　father's　body　at　his　house；　he　had　wanted　to　know　how　he　was　killed。　Chase　had　told　him；　very　gently；　but　he　had　told　him。　His　father's　belly　had　been　cut　open　and　his　guts　had　been　spread　out　all　over　the　floor。　How　could　anyone　do　that？　Why　would　anyone　do　that？　It　made　him　sick　and　light…headed　to　think　of　it　again。　Richard　swallowed　back　the　lump　in　his　throat。
　
　〃Well？〃　Her　voice　jolted　him　out　of　his　thoughts。
　
　〃What？　Well；　what？〃
　
　〃Well；　did　you　get　whatever　it　was　you　went　to　get？〃
　
　〃Yes。〃
　
　〃So　what　was　it？〃
　
　〃What　was　it？　It　was　my　backpack。　I　had　to　get　my　backpack。〃
　
　She　turned　to　face　him　with　both　hands　on　her　hips　and　a　scowl　on　her　face。　〃Richard　Cypher；　you　expect　me　to　believe　you　risked　your　life　to　get　your　backpack？〃
　
　〃Kahlan；　you　are　ing　close　to　getting　kicked。〃　He　couldn't　manage　a　smile。
　
　Her　head　was　cocked　to　the　side；　and　she　continued　to　give　him　a　sideways　look；　but　his　remark　had　taken　the　fire　out　of　her。　〃Fair　enough；　my　friend；〃　she　said　gently；　〃fair　enough。〃
　
　He　could　tell　Kahlan　was　a　person　who　was　used　to　getting　answers　when　she　asked　a　question。
　
　…｜
　
　As　the　light　faded　and　colors　muted　into　grayness；　Richard　started　thinking　of　places　to　spend　the　night。　He　knew　of　several　wayward　pines　along　the　way　that　he　had　used　on　many　occasions。　There　was　one　at　the　edge　of　a　clearing；　just　off　the　trail　ahead。　He　could　see　the　tall　tree　standing　out　against　the　fading　pinks　of　the　sky；　standing　above　all　the　other　trees。　He　led　Kahlan　off　the　trail　toward　it
　
　The　tooth　hanging　around　his　neck　nagged　at　him。　His　secrets　nagged　at　him。　He　wished　his　father　had　never　made　him　the　keeper　of　the　secret　book。　A　thought　that　had　occurred　to　him　back　at　his　house；　but　he　had　ignored；　forced　itself　to　the　front　of　his　mind。　The　books　at　his　house　looked　like　they　had　been　torn　apart　in　a　rage。　Maybe　because　none　was　the　right　book。　What　if　it　was　the　secret　book　they　were　looking　for？　But　that　was　impossible；　no　one　but　the　true　owner　even　knew　of　the　book。
　
　And　his　father　。　。。　and　himself　。　。　。　and　the　thing　the　tooth　came　from。　The　thought　was　too　farfetched　to　consider；　so　he　decided　he　wouldn't。　He　tried　very　hard　not　to。
　
　Fear；　from　what　had　happened　on　Blunt　Cliff　and　from　what　had　been　waiting　for　him　at　his　house；　seemed　to　have　sapped　his　strength。　His　feet　felt　almost　too　heavy　to　lift　as　he　trudged　across　the　mossy　ground。　Just　before　he　went　through　the　brush　into　the　clearing　he　stopped　to　swat　a　fly　that　was　biting　his　neck。
　
　Kahlan　grabbed　his　wrist　in　midswat。
　
　Her　other　hand　clamped　over　his　mouth。
　
　He　went　rigid。
　
　Looking　into　his　eyes；　she　shook　her　head；　then　released　his　wrist；　putting　the　hand　behind　his　head　while　continuing　to　keep　her　other　hand　over　his　mouth。　By　the　expression　on　her　face　he　knew　she　was　terrified　he　would　make　a　sound。　She　slowly　lowered　him　to　the　ground；　and　by　his　cooperation　he　let　her　know　he　would　obey。
　
　Her　eyes　held　him　as　hard　as　her　hands。　Continuing　to　watch　his　eyes；　she　put　her　face　so　close　to　his　he　could　feel　the　warmth　of　her　breath　on　his　cheek。
　
　〃Listen　to　me。〃　Her　whisper　was　so　low　he　had　to　concentrate　to　hear　her。　〃Do　exactly　as　I　say。〃　The　expression　on　her　face　made　him　afraid　to　blink。　〃Do　not　move。　No　matter　what　happens　do　not　move。　Or　we　are　dead。〃　She　waited。　He　gave　a　small　nod。　〃Let　the　flies　bite。　Or　we　are　dead。〃　She　waited　again。　He　gave　another　small　nod。
　
　With　a　flick　of　her　eyes　she　indicated　for　him　to　look　across　the　clearing。　He　slowly　moved　his　head　just　a　little　so　he　could　see。　There　was　nothing。　She　kept　her　hand　over　his　mouth。　He　heard　a　few　grunts；　like　those　of　a　wild　boar。
　
　Then　he　saw　it。
　
　He　flinched　involuntarily。　She　clamped　her　hand　harder　against　his　mouth。
　
　From　across　the　clearing；　fading　evening　light　reflected　in　two　glowing　green　eyes　as　their　gaze　swept　in　his　direction。　It　stood　on　two　feet；　like　a　man；　and　was　about　a　head　taller　than　him。　He　guessed　it　weighed　three　times　as　much。　Flies　bit　his　neck；　but　he　tried　to　ignore　them。
　
　He　looked　back　to　her　eyes。　She　had　not　looked　at　the　beast；　she　knew　what　waited　across　the　clearing。　Instead　she　continued　to　watch　him；　waiting　to　see　if　he　would　react　in　a　way　that　would　betray　them。　He　nodded　again　to　reassure　her。　Only　then　did　she　remove　her　hand　from　his　mouth　and　put　it　over　his　wrist；　holding　it　to　the　ground。　Trickles　of　blood　ran　across　her　neck　as　she　lay　motionless　on　the　soft　moss；　letting　the　flies　bite。　He　could　feel　each　sharp　sting　as　they　bit　his　neck。　Grunts　cane　short　and　low；　and　both　turned　their　heads　slightly　to　see。
　
　With　astonishing　speed；　it　charged　into　the　center　of　the　clearing；　moving　in　a　shuffling；　sideways　motion。　It　grunted　as　it　came。　Glowing　green　eyes　searched；　while　its　long　tail　slowly　swished　the　air。　The　beat　cocked　its　head　to　the　side　and　pricked　its　short；　rounded　ears　ahead；　listening。　Fur　covered　the　great　body　everywhere　except　its　chest　and　stomach；　which　were　covered　with　a　smooth；　glossy；　pinkish　skin　that　rippled　with　corded　muscles　underneath。　Flies　buzzed　around　something　smeared　over　the　taut　skin。　Throwing　back　its　head；　the　beast　opened　its　mouth；　hissing　into　the　cold　night　air。　Richard　could　see　the　hot　breath　turning　to　vapor　between　teeth　as　big　as　his　fingers。
　
　To　keep　from　shrieking　in　terror；　Richard　concentrated　on　the　pain　of　the　biting　flies。　They　could　not　sneak　away；　or　run；　the　thing　was　that　close　and；　he　knew；　that　fast。
　
　A　scream　erupted　from　the　ground　right　in　front　of　them；　making　Richard　flinch。　Instantly　the　beast　charged　toward　the　two　of　them　in　a　sideways　run。　Kahlan's　fingers　dug　into　his　wrist；　but　otherwise　she　didn't　move。　Richard　was　paralyzed　as　he　saw　it　pounce。
　
　A　rabbit；　its　ears　covered　with　flies；　bolted　right　in　front　of　them；　screaming　again；　and　was　swept　up　and　torn　in　half　in　a　blink。　The　front　half　went　down　in　one　swallow。　The　beast　stood　right　over　them　and　tore　at　the　insides　of　the　rabbit；　taking　some　of　the　gore　and　smearing　it　on　its　pink…skinned　chest　and　stomach。　The　flies；　even　the　ones　biting　Richard's　and　Kahlan's　necks；　returned　to　the　creature　to　feast。　The　rest　of　the　rabbit　was　taken　by　each　hind　leg；　ripped　in　half；　and　eaten。
　
　When　done；　the　beast　cocked　its　head　again；　listening。　The　two　of　them　were　right　underneath　it；　both　holding　their　breath。　Richard　wanted　to　scream。
　
　Large　wings　spread　from　its　back。　Against　the　failing　light；　Richard　could　see　the　veins　pulsing　through　the　thin　membranes　that　were　its　wings。　The　beast　took　one　last　look　around　and　skittered　sideways　across　the　clearing。　It　straightened；　hopped　twice；　and　flew　off；　disappearing　in　the　direction　of　the　boundary。　The　flies　were　gone　with　it。
　
　Both　flopped　onto　their　backs；　breathing　fast；　exhausted　by　the　level　of　fright。　Richard　thought　of　the　country　people　who　had　told　him　of　things　from　the　sky　that　ate　people。　He　hadn't　believed　them。　He　believed　them　now。
　
　Something　in　his　pack　was　poking　him　in　the　back；　and　when　he　could　stand　it　no　longer；　he　rolled　onto　his　side；　propping　himself　up　on　one　elbow。　He　was　drenched　in　sweat；　and　it　now　felt　like　ice　in　the　cold　evening　air。　Kahlan　still　lay　on　her　back　with　her　eyes　closed；　breathing　rapidly。　A　few　strands　of　her　hair　stuck　to　her　face；　but　most　of　it　flowed　out　over　the　ground。
　
　Sweat　covered　her；　too；　around　her　neck　it　was　tinted　red。　He　felt　1
　
　an　overwhelming　sense　of　sadness　for　her；　for　the　terrors　in　her　life。　He　wished　she　didn't　have　to　face　the　monsters　she　seemed
　
　to　know　all　too　well。
　
　〃Kahlan；　what　was　that　thing？〃
　
　She　sat　up；　taking　a　deep　breath　as　she　looked　down　at　him。
　
　Her　hand　came　up　and　hooked　some　of　her　hair　behind　her　ear；；
　
　the　rest　fell　forward　over　her　shoulders。
　
　〃It　was　a　long…tailed　gar。〃
　
　Reaching　out；　she　picked　up　one　of　the　biting　flies　by　its　wings。　Somehow　it　must　have　gotten　caught　in　a　fold　of　his　shirt　and　was　smashed　when　he　flopped　onto　his　back。
　
　〃This　is　a　blood　fly。　Gars　use　them　to　hunt。　The　flies　flush　out　the　quarry；　the　gar　grabs　it。　They　smear　some　on　themselves；　for　the　flies。　We　are　very　lucky。〃　She　held　the　blood　fly　right　in　front　of　his　nose　to　make　her　point。　〃Long…tailed　gars　are　stupid。　If　it　had　been　a　short…tailed　gar；　we　would　be　dead　right　now。　Shorttail　gars　are　bigger；　and　a　lot　smarter。〃　She　paused　to　make　sure　she　had　his　full　attention。　〃They　count　their　flies。〃
　
　He　was　frightened；　exhausted；　confused；　and　in　pain。　He　wanted　this　nightmare　to　end。　With　a　moan　of　frustration　he　sagged　back　down　onto　his　back；　not　caring　anymore　about　whatever　it　was　that　was　poking　him。
　
　〃Kahlan；　I'm　your　friend。　After　those　men　attacked　us；　and　you　didn't　want　to　tell　me　more　about　what　is　going　on；　I　didn't　press　you。〃　His　eyes　were　closed。　He　couldn't　bear　the　scrutiny　of　her　eyes。　〃Now　someone　is　after　me；　too。　For　all　I　know；　it　could　be　the　same　person　who　murdered　my　father。　It's　not　just　you　anymore；　I　can't　go　home　either。　I　think　I　have　a　right　to　know　at　least　some　of　what's　going　on。　I'm　your　friend；　not　your　enemy。
　
　〃Once；　when　I　was　little；　I　got　a　fever　and　almost　di