sk.thetalisman-第80节

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　and　against　the　face　of　God　and　you're　just　as　sorry　a　boy　as　ever　there　was？'
　　'You　bet！'　Sunlight　Gardener　nodded　to　Andy　Warwick。
　　'Confession；'　Warwick　said。
　　Before　confession　was　over　at　six　o'clock；　almost　everyone　except　Jack　and　Wolf　had　his　hand　up；　hoping　to　relate　some　sin　to　those　gathered。　Several　confessed　petty　theft。　Others　told　of　stealing　liquor　and　drinking　until　they　threw　up。　There　were；　of　course；　many　tales　of　drugs。
　　Warwick　called　on　them；　but　it　was　Sunlight　Gardener　they　looked　to　for　approval　as　they　told　。　。　。　and　told　。　。　。　and　told。
　　He's　got　them　liking　their　sins；　Jack　thought；　troubled。　They　love　him；　they　want　his　approval；　and　I　guess　they　only　get　it　if　they　confess。　Some　of　these　sad　sacks　probably　even　make　their　crimes　up。
　　The　smells　from　the　dining　hall　had　been　getting　stronger。　Wolf's　stomach　rumbled　furiously　and　constantly　next　to　Jack。　Once；　during　one　boy's　tearful　confession　of　having　hooked　a　Penthouse　magazine　so　he　could　look　at　those　filthy　pictures　of　what　he　called　'sexed…out　women；'　Wolf's　stomach　rumbled　so　loudly　that　Jack　elbowed　him。
　　Following　the　last　confession　of　the　evening；　Sunlight　Gardener　offered　a　short；　melodious　prayer。　Then　he　stood　in　the　doorway；　informal　and　yet　resplendent　in　his　jeans　and　white　silk　shirt；　as　the　boys　filed　out。　As　Jack　and　Wolf　passed；　he　closed　one　of　his　hands　around　Jack's　wrist。
　　'I've　met　you　before。'　Confess；　Sunlight　Gardener's　eyes　demanded。
　　And　Jack　felt　an　urge　to　do　just　that。
　　Oh　yes；　we　know　each　other；　yes。　You　whipped　my　back　bloody。
　　'No；'　he　said。
　　'Oh　yes；'　Gardener　said。　'Oh　yes。　I've　met　you　before。　In　California？　In　Maine？　Oklahoma？　Where？'
　　Confess。
　　'I　don't　know　you；'　Jack　said。
　　Gardener　giggled。　Inside　his　own　head；　Jack　suddenly　knew；　Sunlight　Gardener　was　jigging　and　dancing　and　snapping　a　bullwhip。　'So　Peter　said　when　he　was　asked　to　identify　Jesus　Christ；'　he　said。　'But　Peter　lied。　So　do　you；　I　think。　Was　it　in　Texas；　Jack？　El　Paso？　Was　it　in　Jerusalem　in　another　life？　On　Golgotha；　the　place　of　the　skull？'
　　'I　tell　you…'
　　'Yes；　yes；　I　know；　we've　only　just　met。'　Another　giggle。　Wolf；　Jack　saw；　had　shied　as　far　away　from　Sunlight　Gardener　as　the　doorway　would　allow。　It　was　the　smell。　The　gagging；　cloying　smell　of　the　man's　cologne。　And　under　it；　the　smell　of　craziness。
　　'I　never　forget　a　face；　Jack。　I　never　forget　a　face　or　a　place。　I'll　remember　where　we　met。'　
　　His　eyes　flicked　from　Jack　to　Wolf…Wolf　whined　a　little　and　pulled　back…and　then　back　to　Jack　again。
　　'Enjoy　your　dinner；　Jack；'　he　said。　'Enjoy　your　dinner；　Wolf。　Your　real　life　at　the　Sunlight　Home　begins　tomorrow。'　
　　Halfway　to　the　stairs；　he　turned　and　looked　back。
　　'I　never　forget　a　place　or　a　face；　Jack。　I'll　remember。'　
　　Coldly；　Jack　thought；　God；　I　hope　not。　Not　until　I'm　about　two　thousand　miles　away　from　this　fucking　pris…
　　Something　slammed　into　him　hard。　Jack　flew　out　into　the　hall；　pinwheeling　his　arms　madly　for　balance。　He　hit　his　head　on　the　bare　concrete　floor　and　saw　a　tangled　shower　of　stars。
　　When　he　was　able　to　sit　up；　he　saw　Singer　and　Bast　standing　together；　grinning。　Behind　them　was　Casey；　his　gut　pouching　out　his　white　turtleneck。　Wolf　was　looking　at　Singer　and　Bast；　and　something　in　his　tensed…down　posture　alarmed　Jack。
　　'No；　Wolf！'　he　said　sharply。　
　　Wolf　slumped。
　　'No；　go　ahead；　dummy；'　Heck　Bast　said；　laughing　a　little。　'Don't　listen　to　him。　Go　on　and　try　me；　if　you　want。　I　always　liked　a　little　warmup　before　dinner。'　
　　Singer　glanced　at　Wolf　and　said；　'Leave　the　dummy　alone；　Heck。　He's　just　the　body。'　He　nodded　at　Jack。　'There's　the　head。　There's　the　head　we　got　to　change。'　He　looked　down　at　Jack；　hands　on　his　knees；　like　an　adult　bending　to　pass　a　pleasant　word　or　two　with　a　very　small　child。　'And　we　will　change　it；　Mr。　Jack　Parker。　You　can　believe　it。'　
　　Deliberately；　Jack　said；　'Piss　off；　you　bullying　asshole。'　
　　Singer　recoiled　as　if　slapped；　a　flush　rising　out　of　his　collar；　up　his　neck；　and　into　his　face。　With　a　growl；　Heck　Bast　stepped　forward。
　　Singer　grabbed　Bast's　arm。　Still　looking　at　Jack；　he　said；　'Not　now。　Later。'　
　　Jack　got　to　his　feet。　'You　want　to　watch　out　for　me；'　he　said　quietly　to　them　both；　and　although　Hector　Bast　only　glowered；　Sonny　Singer　looked　almost　scared。　For　a　moment　he　seemed　to　see　something　in　Jack　Sawyer's　face　that　was　both　strong　and　forbidding…something　that　had　not　been　there　almost　two　months　ago；　when　a　much　younger　boy　had　set　the　small　seafront　town　of　Arcadia　Beach　to　his　back　and　had　begun　walking　west。
　　　
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　　Jack　thought　that　Uncle　Tommy　might　have　described　dinner…not　unkindly…as　consisting　of　American　Grange　Hall　Cuisine。　The　boys　sat　at　long　tables　and　were　served　by　four　of　their　number；　who　had　changed　into　clean　mess…whites　following　the　confession　period。
　　Following　another　prayer；　chow　was　duly　brought　on。　Big　glass　bowls　full　of　home…baked　beans　were　passed　up　and　down　the　four　tables；　steaming　platters　of　cheap　red　hotdogs；　tureens　of　canned　pineapple　chunks；　lots　of　milk　in　plain　cartons　marked　DONATED　MODITIES　and　INDIANA　STATE　DAIRY　MISSION。
　　Wolf　ate　with　grim　concentration；　his　head　down；　a　piece　of　bread　always　in　one　hand　to　serve　as　a　bination　pusher　and　mopper。　As　Jack　watched；　he　gobbled　five　hotdogs　and　three　helpings　of　the　bullet…hard　beans。　Thinking　of　the　small　room　with　its　closed　window；　Jack　wondered　if　he　were　going　to　need　a　gas…mask　tonight。　He　supposed　so…not　that　he　was　likely　to　be　issued　one。　He　watched　dismally　as　Wolf　slopped　a　fourth　helping　of　beans　onto　his　plate。
　　Following　dinner；　all　the　boys　rose；　formed　lines；　and　cleared　the　tables。　As　Jack　took　his　dishes；　a　Wolf…decimated　loaf　of　bread；　and　two　milk…pitchers　out　into　the　kitchen；　he　kept　his　eyes　wide　open。　The　stark　labels　on　the　milk　cartons　had　given　him　an　idea。
　　This　place　wasn't　a　prison；　and　it　wasn't　a　workhouse。　It　was　probably　classed　as　a　boarding　school　or　something；　and　the　law　would　demand　that　some　sort　of　state　inspectors　must　keep　an　eye　on　it。　The　kitchen　would　be　a　place　where　the　State　of　Indiana's　eye　would　fall　most　often。　Bars　on　the　windows　upstairs；　okay。　Bars　on　the　kitchen　windows？　Jack　didn't　think　so。　They　would　raise　too　many　questions。
　　The　kitchen　might　make　a　good　jumping…off　point　for　an　escape　attempt；　so　Jack　studied　it　carefully。
　　It　looked　a　lot　like　the　cafeteria　kitchen　at　his　school　in　California。　The　floor　and　walls　were　tiled；　the　big　sinks　and　counters　stainless　steel。　The　cupboards　were　nearly　the　size　of　vegetable　bins。　An　old　conveyor…belt　dishwasher　stood　against　one　wall。　Three　boys　were　already　operating　this　hoary　antique　under　the　supervision　of　a　man　in　cook's　whites。　The　man　was　narrow；　pallid；　and　possessed　of　a　ratlike　little　face。　An　unfiltered　cigarette　was　pasted　to　his　upper　lip；　and　that　identified　him　in　Jack's　mind　as　a　possible　ally。　He　doubted　if　Sunlight　Gardener　would　let　any　of　his　own　people　smoke　cigarettes。
　　On　the　wall；　he　saw　a　framed　certificate　which　announced　that　this　public　kitchen　had　been　rated　acceptable　under　standards　set　by　the　State　of　Indiana　and　the　U。S。　Government。
　　And　no；　there　were　no　bars　on　the　frosted…glass　windows。　
　　The　ratlike　man　looked　over　at　Jack；　peeled　his　cigarette　off　his　lower　lip；　and　tossed　it　into　one　of　the　sinks。
　　'New　fish；　you　and　your　buddy；　huh？'　he　asked。　'Well；　you'll　be　old　fish　soon　enough。　The　fish　get　old　real　quick　here　in　the　Sunlight　Home；　don't　they；　Sonny？'　
　　He　grinned　insolently　at　Sonny　Singer。　It　was　quite　obvious　that　Singer　did　not　know　how　to　cope　with　such　a　smile；　he　looked　confused　and　unsure；　just　a　kid　again。
　　'You　know　you're　not　supposed　to　talk　to　the　boys；　Rudolph；'　he　said。
　　'You　can　just　cram　it　up　your　ass　anytime　you　can't　roll　it　down　the　alley　or　kick　it　in　the　air；　buddy…roo；'　Rudolph　said；　flicking　his　eyes　lazily　over　Singer。　'You　know　that；　don't　you？'　
　　Singer　looked　at　him；　lips　first　trembling；　then　writhing；　then　pushing　together　hard。
　　He　suddenly　turned　around。　'Night…chapel！'　he　shouted　furiously。　'Night…chapel；　e　on；　let's　go；　get　those　tables　cleared　and　let's　get　up　the　hall；　we're　late！　Night…chapel！'
　　　
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　　The　boys　trooped　down　a　narrow　staircase　lit　by　naked　bulbs　enclosed　in　wire　mesh。　The　walls　were　dank　plaster；　and　Jack　didn't　like　the　way　Wolf's　eyeballs　were　rolling。
　　After　that；　the　cellar　chapel　was　a　surprise。　Most　of　the　downstairs　area…which　was　considerable…had　been　converted　into　a　spare；　modern　chapel。　The　air　down　here　was　good…not　too　warm；　not　too　cold。　And　fresh。　Jack　could　hear　the　whispering　of　convection　units　somewhere　near。　There　were　five　pews　split　by　a　central　aisle；　leading　up　to　a　dais　with　a　lectern　and　a　simple　wooden　cross　hung　on　a　purple　velvet　backdrop。
　　Somewhere；　an　organ　was　playing。
　　The　boys　filed　quietly　into　the　pews。　The　microphone　on　the　lectern　had　a　large；　professional…looking　baffle　on　the　end　of　it。　Jack　had　been　in　plenty　of　studio　sound…rooms　with　his　mother；　often　sitting　patiently　by　and　reading　a　book　or　doing　his　homework　assignments　whi