sk.thetalisman-第125节

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　　He　pulled　the　trigger　of　the　Uzi。　Nothing　happened。　The　clip　was　spent。
　　The　alligator…thing　ran　with　slow；　clumsy；　thudding　determination。　Its　eyes　sparkled　with　murderous　fury　。　。　。　and　intelligence。　The　vestiges　of　breasts　bounced　on　its　scaly　chest。
　　He　bent；　groped；　without　taking　his　eyes　off　the　were…alligator；　and　found　one　of　the　grenades。
　　Seabrook　Island；　Richard　thought　dreamily。　Jack　calls　this　place　the　Territories；　but　it's　really　Seabrook　Island；　and　there　is　no　need　to　be　afraid；　really　no　need；　this　is　all　a　dream　and　if　that　thing's　scaly　claws　settle　around　my　neck　I　will　surely　wake　up；　and　even　if　it's　not　all　a　dream；　Jack　will　save　me　somehow…I　know　he　will；　I　know　it；　because　over　here　Jack　is　some　kind　of　a　god。
　　He　pulled　the　pin　on　the　grenade；　restrained　the　strong　urge　he　felt　to　simply　chuck　it　in　a　panicky　frenzy；　and　lobbed　it　gently；　underhand。　'Jack；　get　down！'　
　　Jack　dropped　below　the　level　of　the　engine　cab's　sides　at　once；　without　looking。　Richard　did；　too；　but　not　before　he　had　seen　an　incredible；　blackly　ic　thing：　the　alligator…creature　had　caught　the　grenade　。　。　。　and　was　trying　to　eat　it。
　　The　explosion　was　not　the　dull　crump　Richard　had　expected　but　a　loud；　braying　roar　that　drilled　into　his　ears；　hurting　them　badly。　He　heard　a　splash；　as　if　someone　had　thrown　a　bucket　of　water　against　his　side　of　the　train。
　　He　looked　up　and　saw　that　the　engine；　boxcar　and　flatcar　were　covered　with　hot　guts；　black　blood；　and　shreds　of　the　alligator…creature's　flesh。　The　entire　front　of　the　barracks　building　had　been　blown　away。　Much　of　the　splintered　rubble　was　bloody。　In　the　midst　of　it　he　saw　a　hairy　foot　in　a　boot　with　a　cut…off　toe。
　　The　jackstraw　blowdown　of　logs　was　thrown　aside　as　he　watched；　and　two　of　the　goatlike　creatures　began　to　pull　themselves　out。　Richard　bent；　found　a　fresh　clip；　and　slammed　it　into　his　gun。　It　was　getting　hot；　just　as　Jack　had　said　it　would。
　　Whoopee！　Richard　thought　faintly；　and　opened　fire　again。
　　　
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　　When　Jack　popped　up　after　the　grenade　explosion；　he　saw　that　the　four　Wolfs　who　had　escaped　his　first　two　fusillades　were　just　running　through　the　hole　where　the　gate　had　been。　They　were　howling　with　terror。　They　were　running　side　by　side；　and　Jack　had　a　clear　shot　at　them。　He　raised　the　Uzi…then　lowered　it　again；　knowing　he　would　see　them　later；　probably　at　the　black　hotel；　knowing　he　was　a　fool　。　。　。　but；　fool　or　not；　he　was　unable　to　just　let　them　have　it　in　the　back。
　　Now　a　high；　womanish　shrieking　began　from　behind　the　barracks。　'Get　out　there！　Get　out　there；　I　say！　Move！　Move！'　There　was　the　whistling　crack　of　a　whip。
　　Jack　knew　that　sound；　and　he　knew　that　voice。　He　had　been　wrapped　up　in　a　strait…jacket　when　he　had　last　heard　it。　Jack　would　have　known　that　voice　anywhere。
　　…If　his　retarded　friend　shows　up；　shoot　him。
　　Well；　you　managed　that；　but　maybe　now　it's　payback　time…and　maybe；　from　the　way　your　voice　sounds；　you　know　it。
　　'Get　them；　what's　the　matter　with　you　cowards？　Get　them；　do　I　have　to　show　you　how　to　do　everything？　Follow　us；　follow　us！'
　　Three　creatures　came　from　behind　what　remained　of　the　barracks；　and　only　one　of　them　was　clearly　human…Osmond。　He　carried　his　whip　in　one　hand；　a　Sten　gun　in　the　other。　He　wore　a　red　cloak　and　black　boots　and　white　silk　pants　with　wide；　flowing　legs。　They　were　splattered　with　fresh　blood。　To　his　left　was　a　shaggy　goat…creature　wearing　jeans　and　Westernstyle　boots。　This　creature　and　Jack　looked　at　each　other　and　shared　a　moment　of　plete　recognition。　It　was　the　dreadful　barroom　cowboy　from　the　Oatley　Tap。　It　was　Randolph　Scott。　It　was　Elroy。　It　grinned　at　Jack；　its　long　tongue　snaked　out　and　lapped　its　wide　upper　lip。
　　'Get　him！'　Osmond　screamed　at　Elroy。
　　Jack　tried　to　lift　the　Uzi；　but　it　suddenly　seemed　very　heavy　in　his　arms。　Osmond　was　bad；　the　reappearance　of　Elroy　was　worse；　but　the　thing　between　the　two　of　them　was　a　nightmare。　It　was　the　Territories　version　of　Reuel　Gardener；　of　course；　the　son　of　Osmond；　the　son　of　Sunlight。　And　it　did　indeed　look　a　bit　like　a　child…a　child　as　drawn　by　a　bright　kindergarten　student　with　a　cruel　turn　of　mind。
　　It　was　curdy…white　and　skinny；　one　of　its　arms　ended　in　a　wormy　tentacle　that　somehow　reminded　Jack　of　Osmond's　whip。　Its　eyes；　one　of　them　adrift；　were　on　different　levels。　Fat　red　sores　covered　its　cheeks。
　　Some　of　it's　radiation　sickness　。　。　。　Jason；　I　think　Osmond's　boy　might　have　gotten　a　little　too　close　to　one　of　those　fireballs　。　。　。　but　the　rest　of　it　。　。　。　Jason　。　。　。　Jesus　。　。　。　what　was　its　mother？　In　the　name　of　all　the　worlds；　WHAT　WAS　ITS　MOTHER？
　　'Get　the　Pretender！'　Osmond　was　shrieking。　'Save　Morgan's　son　but　get　the　Pretender！　Get　the　false　Jason！　Get　out　here；　you　cowards！　They're　out　of　bullets！'
　　Roars；　bellows。　In　a　moment；　Jack　knew；　a　fresh　contingent　of　Wolfs；　supported　by　Assorted　Geeks　and　Freaks；　was　going　to　appear　from　the　back　end　of　the　long　barracks；　where　they　would　have　been　shielded　from　the　explosion；　where　they　had　probably　been　cowering　with　their　heads　down；　and　where　they　would　have　remained　。　。　。　except　for　Osmond。
　　'Should　have　stayed　off　the　road；　little　chicken；'　Elroy　grunted；　and　ran　at　the　train。　His　tail　was　swishing　through　the　air。　Reuel　Gardener…or　whatever　Reuel　was　in　this　world…made　a　thick　mewling　sound　and　attempted　to　follow。　Osmond　reached　out　and　hauled　him　back；　his　fingers；　Jack　saw；　appeared　to　slide　right　into　the　monster…boy's　slatlike；　repulsive　neck。
　　Then　he　raised　the　Uzi　and　fired　an　entire　clip；　point…blank；　into　Elroy's　face。　It　tore　the　goat…thing's　entire　head　off；　and　yet　Elroy；　headless；　continued　to　climb　for　a　moment；　and　one　of　his　hands；　the　fingers　melted　together　in　two　clumps　to　make　a　parody　of　a　cloven　hoof；　pawed　blindly　for　Jack's　head　before　it　tumbled　backward。
　　Jack　stared　at　it；　stunned…he　had　dreamed　that　final　nightmarish　confrontation　at　the　Oatley　Tap　over　and　over　again；　trying　to　stumble　away　from　the　monster　through　what　seemed　to　be　a　dark　jungle　filled　with　bedsprings　and　broken　glass。　Now　here　was　that　creature；　and　he　had　somehow　killed　it。　It　was　hard　to　get　his　mind　around　the　fact。　It　was　as　if　he　had　killed　childhood's　bogeyman。
　　Richard　was　screaming…and　his　machine…gun　roared；　nearly　deafening　Jack。
　　'It's　Reuel！　Oh　Jack　oh　my　God　oh　Jason　it's　Reuel；　it's　Reuel…'
　　The　Uzi　in　Richard's　hands　coughed　out　another　short　burst　before　falling　silent；　its　clip　spent。　Reuel　shook　free　of　his　father。　He　lurched　and　hopped　toward　the　train；　mewling。　His　upper　lip　curled　back；　revealing　long　teeth　that　looked　false　and　flimsy；　like　the　wax　teeth　children　don　at　Halloween。
　　Richard's　final　burst　took　him　in　the　chest　and　neck；　punching　holes　in　the　brown　kilt…cum…jumper　he　wore；　ripping　open　flesh　in　long；　ragged　furrows。　Sluggish　rills　of　dark　blood　flowed　from　these　wounds；　but　no　more。　Reuel　might　once　have　been　human…Jack　supposed　it　was　just　possible。　If　so；　he　was　not　human　now；　the　bullets　did　not　even　slow　him　down。　The　thing　which　leaped　clumsily　over　Elroy's　body　was　a　demon。　It　smelled　like　a　wet　toadstool。
　　Something　was　growing　warm　against　Jack's　leg。　Just　warm　at　first　。　。　。　then　hot。　What　was　it？　Felt　like　he　had　a　teakettle　in　his　pocket。　But　he　didn't　have　time　to　think。　Things　were　unfolding　in　front　of　him。　In　Technicolor。
　　Richard　dropped　his　Uzi　and　staggered　back；　clapping　his　hands　to　his　face。　His　horrified　eyes　stared　out　at　the　Reuel…thing　through　the　bars　of　his　fingers。
　　'Don't　let　him　get　me；　Jack！　Don't　let　him　get　meeeee　'
　　Reuel　bubbled　and　mewled。　His　hands　slapped　against　the　side　of　the　engine　and　the　sound　was　like　large　fins　slapping　down　on　thick　mud。
　　Jack　saw　there　were　indeed　thick；　yellowish　webs　between　the　fingers。
　　'e　back！'　Osmond　was　yelling　at　his　son；　and　the　fear　in　his　voice　was　unmistakable。　'e　back；　he's　bad；　he'll　hurt　you；　all　boys　are　bad；　it's　axiomatic；　e　back；　e　back！'
　　Reuel　burbled　and　grunted　enthusiastically。　He　pulled　himself　up　and　Richard　screamed　insanely；　backing　into　the　far　corner　of　the　cab。
　　'DON'T　LET　HIM　GET　MEEEEEEE…'
　　More　Wolfs；　more　strange　freaks　charging　around　the　corner。　One　of　them；　a　creature　with　curly　ram's　horns　jutting　from　the　sides　of　its　head　and　wearing　only　a　pair　of　patched　L'il　Abner　britches；　fell　down　and　was　trampled　by　the　others。
　　Heat　against　Jack's　leg　in　a　circle。
　　Reuel；　now　throwing　one　reedy　leg　over　the　side　of　the　cab。　It　was　slobbering；　reaching　for　him；　and　the　leg　was　writhing；　it　wasn't　a　leg　at　all；　it　was　a　tentacle。　Jack　raised　the　Uzi　and　fired。
　　Half　of　the　Reuel…thing's　face　sheered　away　like　pudding。　A　flood　of　worms　began　to　fall　out　of　what　was　left。
　　Reuel　was　still　ing。
　　Reaching　for　him　with　those　webbed　fingers。
　　Richard's　shrieks；　Osmond's　shrieks　merging；　melting　together　into　one。
　　Heat　like　a　branding　iron　against　his　leg　and　suddenly　he　knew　what　it　was；　even　as　Reuel's　hands　squashed　down　on　his　shoulders　he　knew…it　was　the　coin　Captain　Farren　had　given　him；　the　coin　Anders　had　refused　to　take。
　　He　drove　his　hand　into　his　pocket。　The　coin　was　like　a　chunk