sk.thetalisman-第99节

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is　feelings　about　the　Daydreams　had　infuriated　his　friend。　Jack's　longer　legs　brought　him　alongside　Richard　in　seconds。　'I　wasn't　making　fun　of　you；'　he　said。　'It's　just；　I　was　sort　of　curious　about　why　you　always　say　you　want　to　be　a　chemist。'
　　Richard　stopped　short　and　looked　soberly　up　at　Jack。
　　'Just　stop　driving　me　crazy　with　that　kind　of　stuff；'　Richard　said。　'That's　just　Seabrook　Island　talk。　It's　hard　enough　being　one　of　the　six　or　seven　sane　people　in　America　without　having　my　best　friend　flip　out　totally。'　
　　From　then　on；　Richard　Sloat　bristled　at　any　signs　of　fancifulness　in　Jack；　and　immediately　dismissed　it　as　'Seabrook　Island　stuff。'
　　　
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　　By　the　time　Richard　returned　from　the　dining　room；　Jack；　freshly　showered　and　with　his　wet　hair　adhering　to　his　scalp；　was　idly　turning　over　books　at　Richard's　desk。　Jack　was　wondering；　as　Richard　swung　through　the　door　carrying　a　grease…stained　paper　napkin　clearly　wrapped　around　a　substantial　quantity　of　food；　whether　the　conversation　to　e　might　be　easier　if　the　books　on　the　desk　were　The　Lord　of　the　Rings　and　Watership　Down　instead　of　Organic　Chemistry　and　Mathematical　Puzzles。
　　'What　was　lunch？'　Jack　asked。
　　'You　got　lucky。　Southern　fried　chicken…one　of　the　few　things　they　serve　here　that　don't　make　you　sorry　for　the　animal　who　died　to　bee　part　of　the　food　chain。'　He　handed　the　greasy　napkin　over　to　Jack。　Four　thick；　richly　battered　sections　of　chicken　sent　up　an　aroma　of　almost　unbelievable　goodness　and　density。　Jack　waded　in。
　　'How　long　have　you　been　eating　as　though　you　oinked？'　Richard　pushed　his　glasses　up　on　his　nose　and　sat　down　on　his　narrow　bed。　Beneath　his　tweed　jacket　he　wore　a　patterned　brown　V…neck　sweater；　the　bottom　of　which　had　been　tucked　into　the　waistband　of　his　trousers。
　　Jack　had　an　uneasy　moment；　wondering　if　it　were　really　possible　to　talk　about　the　Territories　with　someone　so　tightly　buttoned　that　he　tucked　his　sweaters　beneath　his　belts。
　　'The　last　time　I　ate；'　he　said　mildly；　'was　yesterday；　around　noon。　I'm　a　little　hungry；　Richard。　Thanks　for　bringing　me　the　chicken。　It's　great。　It's　the　best　chicken　I　ever　ate。　You're　a　great　guy；　risking　expulsion　like　this。'
　　'You　think　that's　a　joke；　do　you？'　Richard　yanked　at　the　sweater；　frowning。　'If　anybody　finds　you　in　here；　I　probably　will　get　expelled。　So　don't　get　too　funny。　We　have　to　figure　out　how　we're　going　to　get　you　back　to　New　Hampshire。'　
　　Silence　then；　for　a　moment：　an　appraising　look　from　Jack；　a　stern　look　from　Richard。
　　'I　know　you　want　me　to　explain　what　I'm　doing；　Richard；'　Jack　said　around　a　mouthful　of　chicken；　'and　believe　me；　it's　not　going　to　be　easy。'
　　'You　don't　look　the　same；　you　know；'　Richard　said。　'You　look　。　。　。　older。　But　that's　not　all。　You're　changed。'
　　'I　know　I've　changed。　You'd　be　a　little　different；　too；　if　you'd　been　with　me　since　September。'　Jack　smiled；　looked　at　scowling　Richard　in　his　good…boy　clothes；　and　knew　that　he　would　never　be　able　to　tell　Richard　about　his　father。　He　simply　was　not　capable　of　that。　If　events　did　it　for　him；　so　be　it；　but　he　himself　did　not　possess　the　assassin's　heart　required　for　that　particular　disclosure。
　　His　friend　continued　to　frown　at　Jack；　clearly　waiting　for　the　story　to　begin。
　　Perhaps　to　stall　the　moment　when　he　would　have　to　try　to　convince　Rational　Richard　of　the　unbelievable；　Jack　asked；　'Is　the　kid　in　the　next　room　quitting　school？　I　saw　his　suitcases　on　his　bed　from　outside。'
　　'Well；　yes；　that's　interesting；'　Richard　said。　'I　mean；　interesting　in　the　light　of　what　you　said。　He　is　leaving…in　fact；　he's　already　gone。　Someone　is　supposed　to　e　for　his　things；　I　guess。　God　knows　what　kind　of　a　fairy　tale　you'll　make　of　this；　but　the　kid　next　door　was　Reuel　Gardener。　The　son　of　that　preacher　who　ran　that　home　you　claim　you　escaped　from。'　Richard　ignored　Jack's　sudden　fit　of　coughing。　'In　most　senses；　I　should　say；　Reuel　was　anything　but　the　normal　kid　next　door；　and　probably　nobody　here　was　too　sorry　to　see　him　go。　Just　when　the　story　came　out　about　kids　dying　at　that　place　his　father　ran；　he　got　a　telegram　ordering　him　to　leave　Thayer。'　
　　Jack　had　gotten　down　the　wad　of　chicken　that　had　tried　to　choke　him。　'Sunlight　Gardener's　son？　That　guy　had　a　son？　And　he　was　here？'
　　'He　came　at　the　start　of　the　term；'　Richard　said　simply。　'That's　what　I　was　trying　to　tell　you　before。'　
　　Suddenly　Thayer　School　was　menacing　to　Jack　in　a　way　that　Richard　could　not　begin　to　prehend。　'What　was　he　like？'
　　'A　sadist；'　Richard　said。　'Sometimes　I　heard　really　peculiar　noises　ing　out　of　Reuel's　room。　And　once　I　saw　a　dead　cat　on　the　garbage　thing　out　in　back　that　didn't　have　any　eyes　or　ears。　When　you　saw　him；　you'd　think　he　was　the　kind　of　person　who　might　torture　a　cat。　And　he　sort　of　smelled　like　rancid　English　Leather；　I　thought。'　Richard　was　silent　for　a　carefully　timed　moment；　and　then　asked；　'Were　you　really　in　the　Sunlight　Home？'
　　'For　thirty　days。　It　was　hell；　or　hell's　next…door　neighbor。'　He　inhaled；　looking　at　Richard's　scowling　but　now　at　least　half…convinced　face。　'This　is　hard　for　you　to　swallow；　Richard；　and　I　know　that；　but　the　guy　with　me　was　a　werewolf。　And　if　he　hadn't　been　killed　while　he　was　saving　my　life　he'd　be　here　right　now。'
　　'A　werewolf。　Hair　on　the　palms　of　his　hands。　Changes　into　a　blood…thirsty　monster　every　full　moon。'　Richard　looked　musingly　around　the　little　room。
　　Jack　waited　until　Richard's　gaze　returned　to　him。　'Do　you　want　to　know　what　I'm　doing？　Do　you　want　me　to　tell　you　why　I'm　hitchhiking　all　the　way　across　the　country？'
　　'I'm　going　to　start　screaming　if　you　don't；'　Richard　said。
　　'Well；'　Jack　said；　'I'm　trying　to　save　my　mother's　life。'　As　he　uttered　it；　this　sentence　seemed　to　him　filled　with　a　wondrous　clarity。
　　'How　the　hell　are　you　going　to　do　that？'　Richard　exploded。　'Your　mother　probably　has　cancer。　As　my　father　has　been　pointing　out　to　you；　she　needs　doctors　and　science　。　。　。　and　you　hit　the　road？　What　are　you　going　to　use　to　save　your　mother；　Jack？　Magic？'　
　　Jack's　eyes　began　to　burn。　'You　got　it；　Richard　old　chum。'　He　raised　his　arm　and　pressed　his　already　damp　eyes　into　the　fabric　at　the　crook　of　his　elbow。
　　'Oh　hey；　calm　down；　hey　really　。　。　。'　Richard　said；　tugging　frantically　at　his　sweater。　'Don't　cry；　Jack；　e　on；　please；　I　know　it's　a　terrible　thing；　I　didn't　mean　to　。　。　。　it　was　just　that…'　Richard　had　crossed　the　room　instantly　and　without　noise；　and　was　now　awkwardly　patting　Jack's　arm　and　shoulder。
　　'I'm　okay；'　Jack　said。　He　lowered　his　arm。　'It's　not　some　crazy　fantasy；　Richard；　no　matter　how　it　looks　to　you。'　He　sat　up　straight。　'My　father　called　me　Travelling　Jack；　and　so　did　an　old　man　in　Arcadia　Beach。'　Jack　hoped　he　was　right　about　Richard's　sympathy　opening　internal　doors；　when　he　looked　at　Richard's　face；　he　saw　that　it　was　true。　His　friend　looked　worried；　tender；　four…square。
　　Jack　began　his　story。
　　　
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　　Around　the　two　boys　the　life　of　Nelson　House　went　on；　both　calm　and　boisterous　in　the　manner　of　boarding　schools；　punctuated　with　shouts　and　roars　and　laughter。　Footsteps　padded　past　the　door　but　did　not　stop。　From　the　room　above　came　regular　thumps　and　an　occasional　drift　of　music　Jack　finally　recognized　as　a　record　by　Blue　Oyster　Cult。　He　began　by　telling　Richard　about　the　Daydreams。　From　the　Daydreams　he　went　to　Speedy　Parker。　He　described　the　voice　speaking　to　him　from　the　whirling　funnel　in　the　sand。　And　then　he　told　Richard　of　how　he　had　taken　Speedy's　'magic　juice'　and　first　flipped　into　the　Territories。
　　'But　I　think　it　was　just　cheap　wine；　wino　wine；'　Jack　said。　'Later；　after　it　was　all　gone；　I　found　out　that　I　didn't　need　it　to　flip。　I　could　just　do　it　by　myself。'
　　'Okay；'　Richard　said　nonmittally。
　　He　tried　to　truly　represent　the　Territories　to　Richard：　the　cart…track；　the　sight　of　the　summer　palace；　the　timelessness　and　specificity　of　it。　Captain　Farren；　the　dying　Queen；　which　brought　him　to　Twinners；　Osmond。　The　scene　at　All…Hands'　Village；　the　Outpost　Road　which　was　the　Western　Road。　He　showed　Richard　his　little　collection　of　sacred　objects；　the　guitar…pick　and　marble　and　coin。　Richard　merely　turned　these　over　in　his　fingers　and　gave　them　back　without　ment。　Then　Jack　relived　his　wretched　time　in　Oatley。　Richard　listened　to　Jack's　tales　of　Oatley　silent　but　wide…eyed。
　　Jack　carefully　omitted　Morgan　Sloat　and　Morgan　of　Orris　from　his　account　of　the　scene　at　the　Lewisburg　rest　area　on　I…70　in　western　Ohio。
　　Then　Jack　had　to　describe　Wolf　as　he　had　first　seen　him；　that　beaming　giant　in　Oshkosh　B'Gosh　bib　overalls；　and　he　felt　his　tears　building　again　behind　his　eyes。　He　did　actually　startle　Richard　by　weeping　while　he　told　about　trying　to　get　Wolf　into　cars；　and　confessed　his　impatience　with　his　panion；　fighting　not　to　weep　again；　and　was　fine　for　a　long　time…he　managed　to　get　through　the　story　of　Wolf's　first　Change　without　tears　or　a　constricted　throat。　Then　he　struck　trouble　again。　His　rage　kept　him　talking　freely　until　he　got　to　Ferd　Janklow；　and　then　his　eyes　grew　hot　again。
　　Richard　said　nothing　for　a　long　time。　Then　he　stood　up　and　fetched　a　clean　handkerchief　from　a　bureau　drawer。　Jack　noisily；　wetly