sk.thetalisman-第101节

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　　'Wait　a　minute；'　Jack　said。　'You　remember　me　telling　you　about　the　building　that　collapsed　in　Angola；　New　York？'
　　'The　Rainbird　Towers。'
　　'What　a　memory。　I　think　that　accident　was　my　fault。'
　　'Jack；　you're…'　
　　Jack　said：　'Crazy；　I　know。　Look；　would　anyone　blow　the　whistle　on　me　if　we　went　out　and　watched　the　evening　news？'
　　'I　doubt　it。　Most　kids　are　studying　now；　anyway。　Why？'
　　Because　I　want　to　know　what's　been　happening　around　here；
　　Jack　thought　but　did　not　say。　Sweet　little　fires；　nifty　little　earthquakes…signs　that　they're　ing　through。　For　me。　For　us。
　　'I　need　a　change　of　scenery；　Richard　old　chum；'　Jack　said；　and　followed　Richard　down　the　watery　green　corridor。
　　
　　　CHAPTER　31
　　　Thayer　Goes　to　Hell
　　　
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　　Jack　became　aware　of　the　change　first　and　recognized　what　had　happened；　it　had　happened　before；　while　Richard　was　out；　and　he　was　sensitized　to　it。
　　The　screaming　heavy　metal　of　Blue　Oyster　Cult's　'Tattoo　Vampire'　was　gone。　The　TV　in　the　mon　room；　which　had　been　cackling　out　an　episode　of　Hogan's　Heroes　instead　of　the　news；　had　fallen　dormant。
　　Richard　turned　toward　Jack；　opening　his　mouth　to　speak。
　　'I　don't　like　it；　Gridley；'　Jack　said　first。　'The　native　tom…toms　have　stopped。　It's　too　quiet。'
　　'Ha…ha；'　Richard　said　thinly。
　　'Richard；　can　I　ask　you　something？'
　　'Yes；　of　course。'
　　'Are　you　scared？'
　　Richard's　face　said　that　he　wanted　more　than　anything　to　say　No；　of　course　not…it　always　gets　quiet　around　Nelson　House　this　time　of　the　evening。　Unfortunately；　Richard　was　utterly　incapable　of　telling　a　lie。　Dear　old　Richard。　Jack　felt　a　wave　of　affection。
　　'Yes；'　Richard　said。　'I'm　a　little　scared。'
　　'Can　I　ask　you　something　else？'
　　'I　guess　so。'
　　'Why　are　we　both　whispering？'
　　Richard　looked　at　him　for　a　long　time　without　saying　anything。　Then　he　started　down　the　green　corridor　again。
　　The　doors　of　the　other　rooms　on　the　other　corridor　were　either　open　or　ajar。　Jack　smelled　a　very　familiar　odor　wafting　through　the　half…open　door　of　Suite　4；　and　pushed　the　door　all　the　way　open　with　tented　fingers。
　　'Which　one　of　them　is　the　pothead？'　Jack　asked。
　　'What？'　Richard　replied　uncertainly。
　　Jack　sniffed　loudly。　'Smell　it？'
　　Richard　came　back　and　looked　into　the　room。　Both　study　lamps　were　on。　There　was　an　open　history　text　on　one　desk；　an　issue　of　Heavy　Metal　on　the　other。　Posters　decorated　the　walls：　the　Costa　del　Sol；　Frodo　and　Sam　trudging　across　the　cracked　and　smoking　plains　of　Mordor　toward　Sauron's　castle；　Eddie　Van　Halen。　Earphones　lay　on　the　open　issue　of　Heavy　Metal；　giving　out　little　tinny　squeaks　of　music。
　　'If　you　can　get　expelled　for　letting　a　friend　sleep　under　your　bed；　I　doubt　if　they　just　slap　your　wrist　for　smoking　pot；　do　they？'　Jack　said。
　　'They　expel　you　for　it；　of　course。'　Richard　was　looking　at　the　joint　as　if　mesmerized；　and　Jack　thought　he　looked　more　shocked　and　bewildered　than　he　had　at　any　other　time；　even　when　Jack　had　shown　him　the　healing　burns　between　his　fingers。
　　'Nelson　House　is　empty；'　Jack　said。
　　'Don't　be　ridiculous！'　Richard's　voice　was　sharp。
　　'It　is；　though。'　Jack　gestured　down　the　hall。　'We're　the　only　ones　left。　And　you　don't　get　thirty…some　boys　out　of　a　dorm　without　a　sound。　They　didn't　just　leave；　they　disappeared。'
　　'Over　into　the　Territories；　I　suppose。'
　　'I　don't　know；'　Jack　said。　'Maybe　they're　still　here；　but　on　a　slightly　different　level。　Maybe　they're　there。　Maybe　they're　in　Cleveland。　But　they're　not　where　we　are。'
　　'Close　that　door；'　Richard　said　abruptly；　and　when　Jack　didn't　move　quickly　enough　to　suit　him；　Richard　closed　it　himself。
　　'Do　you　want　to　put　out　the…'
　　'I　don't　even　want　to　touch　it；'　Richard　said。　'I　ought　to　report　them；　you　know。　I　ought　to　report　them　both　to　Mr。　Haywood。'
　　'Would　you　do　that？'　Jack　asked；　fascinated。
　　Richard　looked　chagrined。　'No　。　。　。　probably　not；'　he　said。　'But　I　don't　like　it。'
　　'Not　orderly；'　Jack　said。
　　'Yeah。'　Richard's　eyes　flashed　at　him　from　behind　his　spectacles；　telling　him　that　was　exactly　right；　he　had　hit　the　nail　on　the　head；　and　if　Jack　didn't　like　it；　he　could　lump　it。　He　started　down　the　hall　again。　'I　want　to　know　what's　going　on　around　here；'　he　said；　'and　believe　me；　I'm　going　to　find　out。'
　　That　might　be　a　lot　more　hazardous　to　your　health　than　marijuana；　Richie…boy；　Jack　thought；　and　followed　his　friend。
　　　
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　　They　stood　in　the　lounge；　looking　out。　Richard　pointed　toward　the　quad。　In　the　last　of　the　dying　light；　Jack　saw　a　bunch　of　boys　grouped　loosely　around　the　greenish…bronze　statue　of　Elder　Thayer。
　　'They're　smoking！'　Richard　cried　angrily。　'Right　on　the　quad；　they're　smoking！'　
　　Jack　thought　immediately　of　the　pot…smell　in　Richard's　hall。
　　'They're　smoking；　all　right；'　he　said　to　Richard；　'and　not　the　kind　of　cigarettes　you　get　out　of　a　cigarette　machine；　either。'　
　　Richard　rapped　his　knuckles　angrily　on　the　glass。　For　him；　Jack　saw；　the　weirdly　deserted　dorm　was　forgotten；　the　leather…jacketed；　chain…smoking　substitute　coach　was　forgotten；　Jack's　apparent　mental　aberration　was　forgotten。　That　look　of　outraged　propriety　on　Richard's　face　said　When　a　bunch　of　boys　stand　around　like　that；　smoking　joints　within　touching　distance　of　the　statue　of　the　founder　of　this　school；　it's　as　if　someone　were　trying　to　tell　me　that　the　earth　is　flat；　or　that　prime　numbers　may　sometimes　be　divisible　by　two；　or　something　equally　ridiculous。
　　Jack's　heart　was　full　of　pity　for　his　friend；　but　it　was　also　full　of　admiration　for　an　attitude　which　must　seem　so　reactionary　and　even　eccentric　to　his　school…mates。　He　wondered　again　if　Richard　could　stand　the　shocks　which　might　be　on　the　way。
　　'Richard；'　he　said；　'those　boys　aren't　from　Thayer；　are　they？'
　　'God；　you　really　have　gone　crazy；　Jack。　They're　Uppers。　I　recognize　every　last　one　of　them。　The　guy　wearing　that　stupid　leather　flying　hat　is　Norrington。　The　one　in　the　green　sweat…pants　is　Buckley。　I　see　Garson　。　。　。　Littlefield　。　。　。　the　one　with　the　scarf　is　Etheridge；'　he　finished。
　　'Are　you　sure　it's　Etheridge？'
　　'Of　course　it's　him！'　Richard　shouted。　He　suddenly　turned　the　catch　on　the　window；　rammed　it　up；　and　leaned　out　into　the　cold　air。
　　Jack　pulled　Richard　back。　'Richard；　please；　just　listen…'　
　　Richard　didn't　want　to。　He　turned　and　leaned　out　into　the　cold　twilight。
　　'Hey！'
　　No；　don't　attract　their　attention；　Richard；　for　Christ's　sake…
　　'Hey；　you　guys！　Etheridge！　Norrington！　Littlefield！　What　in　the　hell　is　going　on　out　there？'
　　The　talk　and　rough　laughter　broke　off。　The　fellow　who　was　wearing　Etheridge's　scarf　turned　toward　the　sound　of　Richard's　voice。　He　tilted　his　head　slightly　to　look　up　at　them。　The　lights　from　the　library　and　the　sullen　furnace　afterglow　of　the　winter　sunset　fell　on　his　face。　Richard's　hands　flew　to　his　mouth。
　　The　right　half　of　the　face　disclosed　was　actually　a　bit　like　Etheridge's…an　older　Etheridge；　an　Etheridge　who　had　been　in　a　lot　of　places　nice　prep…school　boys　didn't　go　and　who　had　done　a　lot　of　things　nice　prep…school　boys　didn't　do。　The　other　half　was　a　twisted　mass　of　scars。　A　glittery　crescent　that　might　have　been　an　eye　peered　from　a　crater　in　the　lumpy　mess　of　flesh　below　the　forehead。　It　looked　like　a　marble　that　had　been　shoved　deeply　into　a　puddle　of　half…melted　tallow。　A　single　long　fang　hooked　out　of　the　left　corner　of　the　mouth。
　　It's　his　Twinner；　Jack　thought　with　utter　calm　certainty。　That's　Etheridge's　Twinner　down　there。　Are　they　all　Twinners？　A　Littlefield　Twinner　and　a　Norrington　Twinner　and　a　Buckley　Twinner　and　so　on　and　so　on？　That　can't　be；　can　it？
　　'Sloat！'　the　Etheridge…thing　cried。　It　shambled　two　steps　toward　Nelson　House。　The　glow　from　the　streetlights　on　the　drive　now　fell　directly　onto　its　ruined　face。
　　'Shut　the　window；'　Richard　whispered。　'Shut　the　window。　I　was　wrong。　It　sort　of　looks　like　Etheridge　but　it's　not；　maybe　it's　his　older　brother；　maybe　someone　threw　battery　acid　or　something　in　Etheridge's　brother's　face　and　now　he's　crazy；　but　it's　not　Etheridge　so　close　the　window　Jack　close　it　right　n…'　
　　Below；　the　Etheridge…thing　shambled　yet　another　step　toward　them。　It　grinned。　Its　tongue；　hideously　long；　fell　out　of　its　mouth　like　an　unrolling　party　favor。
　　'Sloat！'　it　cried。　'Give　us　your　passenger！'
　　Jack　and　Richard　both　jerked　around；　looking　at　each　other　with　strained　faces。
　　A　howl　shivered　in　the　night　。　。　。　for　it　was　night　now；　twilight　was　done。
　　Richard　looked　at　Jack；　and　for　a　moment　Jack　saw　something　like　real　hate　in　the　other　boy's　eyes…a　flash　of　his　father。　Why　did　you　have　to　e　here；　Jack？　Huh？　Why　did　you　have　to　bring　me　this　mess？　Why　did　you　have　to　bring　me　all　this　goddam　Seabrook　Island　stuff？
　　'Do　you　want　me　to　go？'　Jack　asked　softly。
　　For　a　moment　that　look　of　harried　anger　remained　in　Richard's　eyes；　and　then　it　was　replaced　by　Richard's　old　kindness。
　　'No；'　he　said；　running　distracted　hands　through　his　hair。　'No；　you're　not　going　anywhere。　There　are　。　。　。　there　are　wild　dogs　out　there。　Wild　dogs；　Jack；　on　the　Thayer　campus！　I　mean　。　。　。　did　you　see　them？'
　　'Yeah；　I　saw