sk.thetalisman-第13节

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　　That's　where　the　Alhambra　is；　he　thought；　and　then　the　gull　shrieked　at　him。　He　turned　toward　it　and　was　alarmed　to　see　it　was　now　less　than　six　feet　away。　Its　beak　opened　again；　showing　that　dirty　pink　lining；　making　him　think　of　yesterday；　the　gull　that　had　dropped　the　clam　on　the　rock　and　then　fixed　him　with　a　horrid　stare　exactly　like　this　one。　The　gull　was　grinning　at　him…he　was　sure　of　it。　As　it　hopped　closer；　Jack　could　smell　a　low　and　noisome　stink　hanging　about　it…dead　fish　and　rotted　seaweed。
　　The　gull　hissed　at　him　and　flurried　its　wings　again。　
　　'Get　out　of　here；'　Jack　said　loudly。　His　heart　was　pumping　quick　blood　and　his　mouth　had　gone　dry；　but　he　did　not　want　to　be　scared　off　by　a　seagull；　even　a　big　one。　'Get　out！'　
　　The　gull　opened　its　beak　again　。　。　。　and　then；　in　a　terrible；　open…throated　series　of　pulses；　it　spoke…or　seemed　to。
　　'Other's　iyyyin　Ack　。　。　。　other's　iyyyyyyyyyyin…'
　　Mother's　dying；　Jack　。　。　。
　　The　gull　took　another　clumsy　hop　toward　him；　scaly　feet　clutching　at　the　grassy　tangles；　beak　opening　and　closing；　black　eyes　fixed　on　Jack's。　Hardly　aware　of　what　he　was　doing；　Jack　raised　the　green　bottle　and　drank。
　　Again　that　horrible　taste　made　him　wince　his　eyes　shut…and　when　he　opened　them　he　was　looking　stupidly　at　a　yellow　sign　which　showed　the　black　silhouettes　of　two　running　kids；　a　little　boy　and　a　little　girl。　SLOW　CHILDREN；　this　sign　read。　A　seagull…this　one　of　perfectly　normal　size…flew　up　from　it　with　a　squawk；　no　doubt　startled　by　Jack's　sudden　appearance。
　　He　looked　around；　and　was　walloped　by　disorientation。　His　stomach；　full　of　blackberries　and　Speedy's　pustulant　'magic　juice；'　rolled　over；　groaning。　The　muscles　in　his　legs　began　to　flutter　unpleasantly；　and　all　at　once　he　sat　down　on　the　curb　at　the　base　of　the　sign　with　a　bang　that　travelled　up　his　spine　and　made　his　teeth　click　together。
　　He　suddenly　leaned　over　between　his　splayed　knees　and　opened　his　mouth　wide；　sure　he　was　just　going　to　yark　up　the　whole　works。　Instead　he　hiccuped　twice；　half…gagged；　and　then　felt　his　stomach　slowly　relax。
　　It　was　the　berries；　he　thought。　If　it　hadn't　been　for　the　berries；　I　would　have　puked　for　sure。
　　He　looked　up　and　felt　the　unreality　wash　over　him　again。　He　had　walked　no　more　than　sixty　paces　down　the　cart…track　in　the　Territories　world。　He　was　sure　of　that。　Say　his　stride　was　two　feet…no；　say　two　and　a　half　feet；　just　to　be　on　the　safe　side。　That　meant　he　had　e　a　paltry　hundred　and　fifty　feet。　But…He　looked　behind　him　and　saw　the　arch；　with　its　big　red　letters：　ARCADIA　FUNWORLD。　Although　his　vision　was　20/20；　the　sign　was　now　so　far　away　he　could　barely　read　it。　To　his　right　was　the　rambling；　many…winged　Alhambra　Inn；　with　the　formal　gardens　before　it　and　the　ocean　beyond　it。
　　In　the　Territories　world　he　had　e　a　hundred　and　fifty　feet。
　　Over　here　he　had　somehow　e　half　a　mile。
　　'Jesus　Christ；'　Jack　Sawyer　whispered；　and　covered　his　eyes　with　his　hands。
　　　
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　　'Jack！　Jack；　boy！　Travellin　Jack！'
　　Speedy's　voice　rose　over　the　washing…machine　roar　of　an　old　flathead…six　engine。　Jack　looked　up…his　head　felt　impossibly　heavy；　his　limbs　leaden　with　weariness…and　saw　a　very　old　International　Harvester　truck　rolling　slowly　toward　him。　Homemade　stake　sides　had　been　added　to　the　back　of　the　truck；　and　they　rocked　back　and　forth　like　loose　teeth　as　the　truck　moved　up　the　street　toward　him。　The　body　was　painted　a　hideous　turquoise。　Speedy　was　behind　the　wheel。
　　He　pulled　up　at　the　curb；　gunned　the　engine　（Whup！　Whup！　Whup…whup…whup！）；　and　then　killed　it　（Hahhhhhhhhhh　。　。　。）。　He　climbed　down　quickly。
　　'You　all　right；　Jack？'
　　Jack　held　the　bottle　out　for　Speedy　to　take。　'Your　magic　juice　really　sucks；　Speedy；'　he　said　wanly。
　　Speedy　looked　hurt　。　。　。　then　he　smiled。　'Whoever　tole　you　medicine　supposed　to　taste　good；　Travellin　Jack？'
　　'Nobody；　I　guess；'　Jack　said。　He　felt　some　of　his　strength　ing　back…slowly…as　that　thick　feeling　of　disorientation　ebbed。
　　'You　believe　now；　Jack？'　
　　Jack　nodded。
　　'No；'　Speedy　said。　'That　don't　git　it。　Say　it　out　loud。'
　　'The　Territories；'　Jack　said。　'They're　there。　Real。　I　saw　a　bird…'　He　stopped　and　shuddered。
　　'What　kind　of　a　bird？'　Speedy　asked　sharply。
　　'Seagull。　Biggest　damn　seagull…'　Jack　shook　his　head。　'You　wouldn't　believe　it。'　He　thought　and　then　said；　'No；　I　guess　you　would。　Nobody　else；　maybe；　but　you　would。'
　　'Did　it　talk？　Lots　of　birds　over　there　do。　Talk　foolishness；　mostly。　And　there's　some　that　talks　a　kind　of　sense　。　。　。　but　it's　a　evil　kind　of　sense；　and　mostly　it's　lies。'　
　　Jack　was　nodding。　Just　hearing　Speedy　talk　of　these　things；　as　if　it　were　utterly　rational　and　utterly　lucid　to　do　so；　made　him　feel　better。
　　'I　think　it　did　talk。　But　it　was　like…'　He　thought　hard。　'There　was　a　kid　at　the　school　Richard　and　I　went　to　in　L。A。　Brandon　Lewis。　He　had　a　speech　impediment；　and　when　he　talked　you　could　hardly　understand　him。　The　bird　was　like　that。　But　I　knew　what　it　said。　It　said　my　mother　was　dying。'　
　　Speedy　put　an　arm　around　Jack's　shoulders　and　they　sat　quietly　together　on　the　curb　for　a　time。　The　desk　clerk　from　the　Alhambra；　looking　pale　and　narrow　and　suspicious　of　every　living　thing　in　the　universe；　came　out　with　a　large　stack　of　mail。　Speedy　and　Jack　watched　him　go　down　to　the　corner　of　Arcadia　and　Beach　Drive　and　dump　the　inn's　correspondence　into　the　mailbox。　He　turned　back；　marked　Jack　and　Speedy　with　his　thin　gaze；　and　then　turned　up　the　Alhambra's　main　walk。　The　top　of　his　head　could　barely　be　descried　over　the　tops　of　the　thick　box　hedges。
　　The　sound　of　the　big　front　door　opening　and　closing　was　clearly　audible；　and　Jack　was　struck　by　a　terrible　sense　of　this　place's　autumn　desolation。　Wide；　deserted　streets。　The　long　beach　with　its　empty　dunes　of　sugar…sand。　The　empty　amusement　park；　with　the　roller…coaster　cars　standing　on　a　siding　under　canvas　tarps　and　all　the　booths　padlocked。　It　came　to　him　that　his　mother　had　brought　him　to　a　place　very　like　the　end　of　the　world。
　　Speedy　had　cocked　his　head　back　and　sang　in　his　true　and　mellow　voice；　'Well　I've　laid　around　。　。　。　and　played　around　。　。　。　this　old　town　too　long　。　。　。　summer's　almost　gone；　yes；　and　winter's　ing　on　。　。　。　winter's　ing　on；　and　I　feel　like　。　。　。　I　got　to　travel　on…'
　　He　broke　off　and　looked　at　Jack。
　　'You　feel　like　you　got　to　travel；　ole　Travellin　Jack？'　
　　Flagging　terror　stole　through　his　bones。
　　'I　guess　so；'　he　said。　'If　it　will　help。　Help　her。　Can　I　help　her；　Speedy？'
　　'You　can；'　Speedy　said　gravely。
　　'But…'
　　'Oh；　there's　a　whole　string　of　buts；'　Speedy　said。　'Whole　trainload　of　buts；　Travellin　Jack。　I　don't　promise　you　no　cakewalk。　I　don't　promise　you　success。　Don't　promise　that　you'll　e　back　alive；　or　if　you　do；　that　you'll　e　back　with　your　mind　still　bolted　together。
　　'You　gonna　have　to　do　a　lot　of　your　ramblin　in　the　Territories；　because　the　Territories　is　a　whole　lot　smaller。　You　notice　that？'
　　'Yes。'
　　'Figured　you　would。　Because　you　sure　did　get　a　whole　mess　down　the　road；　didn't　you？'　
　　Now　an　earlier　question　recurred　to　Jack；　and　although　it　was　off　the　subject；　he　had　to　know。　'Did　I　disappear；　Speedy？　Did　you　see　me　disappear？'
　　'You　went；'　Speedy　said；　and　clapped　his　hands　once；　sharply；　'just　like　that。'　Jack　felt　a　slow；　unwilling　grin　stretch　his　mouth　。　。　。　and　Speedy　grinned　back。　
　　'I'd　like　to　do　it　sometime　in　Mr。　Balgo's　puter　class；'　Jack　said；　and　Speedy　cackled　like　a　child。　Jack　joined　him…and　the　laughter　felt　good；　almost　as　good　as　those　blackberries　had　tasted。
　　After　a　few　moments　Speedy　sobered　and　said；　'There's　a　reason　you　got　to　be　in　the　Territories；　Jack。　There's　somethin　you　got　to　git。　It's　a　mighty　powerful　somethin。'
　　'And　it's　over　there？'
　　'Yeah…bob。'
　　'It　can　help　my　mother？'
　　'Her　。　。　。　and　the　other。'
　　'The　Queen？'
　　Speedy　nodded。
　　'What　is　it？　Where　is　it？　When　do　I…'
　　'Hold　it！　Stop！'　Speedy　held　up　a　hand。　His　lips　were　smiling；　but　his　eyes　were　grave；　almost　sorrowing。　'One　thing　at　a　time。　And；　Jack；　I　can't　tell　you　what　I　don't　know　。　。　。　or　what　I'm　not　allowed　to　tell。'
　　'Not　allowed？'　Jack　asked；　bewildered。　'Who…'
　　'There　you　go　again；'　Speedy　said。　'Now　listen；　Travellin　Jack。　You　got　to　leave　as　soon　as　you　can；　before　that　man　Bloat　can　show　up　an　bottle　you　up…'
　　'Sloat。'
　　'Yeah；　him。　You　got　to　get　out　before　he　es。'
　　'But　he'll　bug　my　mother；'　Jack　said；　wondering　why　he　was　saying　it…because　it　was　true；　or　because　it　was　an　excuse　to　avoid　the　trip　that　Speedy　was　setting　before　him；　like　a　meal　that　might　be　poisoned。　'You　don't　know　him！　He…'
　　'I　know　him；'　Speedy　said　quietly。　'I　know　him　of　old；　Travellin　Jack。　And　he　knows　me。　He's　got　my　marks　on　him。　They're　hidden…but　they're　on　him。　Your　momma　can　take　care　of　herself。　At　least；　she's　gonna　have　to；　for　a　while。　Because　you　got　to　go。'
　　'Where？'
　　'West；'　Speedy　said。　'From　this　ocean　to　the　other。'
　　'What？'　Jack　cried；　appalled　by　the　thought　of　such　distance。　And　then　he　thought　of　an　ad　he'd　seen　on　TV　not　three　nights　ago…a　man　picking　up　goodies　at　a　deli　buffet　some　thirty…five　thousand　fee