jefflong.yearzero-第4节

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　Nathan　Lee　wasted　no　time　calculating　their　distance。　He　started　up　a　hillside　of　mangled　debris；　racing　from　one　moon　shadow　to　the　next。　Ochs　followed；　grunting；　boots　slugging　for　purchase。　Nathan　Lee　saw　the　gun　in　his　fist；　a　silvery　toy。　He　reached　the　top　of　the　debris；　and　stopped。
　The　Church　of　the　Holy　Sepulcher　stood　beneath　him。　They　had　reached　the　Christian　quarter。
　Nathan　Lee　had　been　here　before。　The　place　actually　housed　many　places。　Crusader　towers　crowded　against　Byzantine　domes　built　upon　the　ruins　of　a　Roman　temple　of　Venus。　Here；　contained　under　one　roof；　were　the　legendary　landmarks　of　Christ's　death；　from　the　rock　of　Calvary　to　the　tomb　of　His　resurrection。　Some　of　the　outer　buildings　had　fallen；　but　most　of　it　was　intact；　even　the　little　crosses　on　top　of　the　domes。
　Ochs　reached　him；　and　saw　the　church。　He　gasped。　〃See？〃　he　said。　〃See？〃
　Then　Nathan　Lee　heard　voices　below。　Without　a　word　he　lowered　himself　into　a　hollow　where　the　rubble　had　sagged。　Ochs　squeezed　in　beside　him。
　〃Untouched！〃　said　Ochs。　〃Just　like　we　saw　on　CNN。〃
　Nathan　Lee　drew　back　into　the　shadows。　He　lay　his　cheekbone　against　a　concrete　slab　and　rested　his　fingertips　along　a　prong　of　rebar　sticking　from　the　rubble。　The　footsteps　drew　closer。　He　could　feel　the　tremors　gaining　strength。　Ochs's　sweat　stank。
　Then　they　appeared；　or　their　shadows　did。　He　saw　shapes；　not　men；　huge　shadows　streaming　against　what　walls　still　stood。　He　saw　the　glint　of　rifles。　They　trampled　the　ruins　like　quiet　machinery。
　Ochs's　eyes　were　huge　and　white　in　the　dark　recess。　His　jowls　were　tiger…striped　with　black　and　olive　paint。　He　lifted　his　gun。
　The　killers　passed。
　Ochs　stood。　〃e　on。〃
　Nathan　Lee　stayed　on　his　hands　and　knees。　〃There's　something　down　here；〃　he　said。　Next　to　Ochs's　boot　toe；　the　thing　jutted　up。
　Nathan　Lee　thought　at　first　it　was　a　tiny　potted　tree　growing　out　of　the　wreckage；　ten　inches　high；　no　more。　He　leaned　closer　to　see　what　it　was。　The　shock　of　recognition　made　him　grunt。
　It　was　a　hand。
　The　twigs　were　fingers；　wilted。　The　wrist　was　thin。　It　held　a　woman's　watch。　The　long　plastic　fingers　had　nails　laquered　ruby　red。　The　gold　wedding　ring　was　shiny　and　new。　A　mannequin's　hand；　that's　what　he　wanted　it　to　be。　He　knew　it　was　not。
　〃Look；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　Ochs　shined　his　light。
　〃It's　a　woman。〃
　They　had　been　smelling　the　dead　all　night。　The　odors　seeped　up　from　the　ruins。　Nathan　Lee　had　started　to　think　they　might　just　escape　without　seeing　any　bodies。
　〃Okay；　you　found　one；〃　said　Ochs。　He　kept　his　voice　flat。　〃Let's　get　going。〃
　Nathan　Lee　stayed　kneeling。　The　flares　illuminated　their　ridge　top　with　electric　reds　and　greens。　The　hand　hung　limp；　forefinger　slightly　pointing　as　in　Michelangelo's　picture　of　Adam　taking　the　mortal　spark　from　God。　The　beautifully　painted　fingernails　were　broken　off　at　the　tips；　and　packed　underneath　with　dirt。　She　had　clawed　her　way　out　of　the　tomb。　That　spoke　to　him。　She　had　refused　to　surrender。
　〃Do　you　hear　that　scratching　sound？〃
　Since　entering　the　city；　the　sounds　had　been　rising　up　to　them　from　underground。　Murmurs；　cries；　knocking；　scratches。　They'd　done　a　fine　job　pretending　it　was　just　the　city　settling　in　on　its　own　rubble。　Nathan　Lee　couldn't　pretend　anymore。
　〃You're　hearing　things；〃　said　Ochs。　He　drew　taller。　〃She's　dead。　The　city's　a　write…off。　e　on。〃
　Nathan　Lee　set　his　ear　against　the　ground。　Something　was　scraping　under　there。　It　could　be　stones　whispering　against　one　another。　Or　nails　gently　stroking　at　the　dirt。
　〃Dogs；〃　said　Ochs；　〃trying　to　dig　their　way　in。　Or　house　cats。　They're　worse；　I　hear。　They　go　for　the　face　muscles。〃
　Nathan　Lee　began　lifting　stones　away。
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃
　〃It　could　be　her　child　down　there；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　〃Have　you　lost　your　mind？　Her　child？〃
　〃It　could　be。〃　Nathan　Lee　pried　up　one　block；　but　another　slid　into　its　place。　He　tried　another　stone；　and　the　debris　shifted　again。　It　was　like　a　puzzle　that　refused　to　be　undone。　The　ruins　did　not　want　to　give　her　up。
　〃You　can't　change　what's　happened；〃　said　Ochs。　〃We're　in　enough　danger。〃　A　machine　gun　rattled　in　the　distance。
　Nathan　Lee　lifted　her　fingers　on　his　palm。　They　were　flexible；　not　entirely　cold。　He　squeezed　them　gently。
　〃Damn　it。　Feel　for　a　pulse；〃　said　Ochs。　〃Get　this　over　with。〃　He　reached　across　and　stabbed　his　fingers　against　the　inner　wrist。
　The　fingers　twitched。　The　hand　clutched　Nathan　Lee's。　〃God；〃　he　barked。　He　tried　to　let　go。　But　she　held　on。　Her　grip　relaxed　very　slowly。　Nathan　Lee　stared　at　his　hand。
　〃A　nerve　contraction；〃　Ochs　said。
　〃How　would　you　know？〃
　〃Dead　frogs　do　it。〃　Ochs　milked　the　wrist；　and　the　hand　balled　and　loosened；　a　puppet　with　no　brains。
　〃Stop；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　He　took　her　hand　again；　but　this　time　she　didn't　return　his　grip。　He　laid　his　fingers　along　the　wrist。　Was　that　a　pulse；　or　the　earth's　vibrations？　The　warmth；　was　it　a　residue　of　the　day？　He　returned　to　pulling　at　the　heavy　stones。　〃Help　me；〃　he　said。
　〃We　can't　stay　here；〃　said　Ochs。　〃If　the　aftershocks　don't　kill　us；　the　animals　or　soldiers　will。　You're　not　going　to　find　your　conscience　in　the　dirt；　you　know。〃
　Faraway；　a　man　shrieked。　Grieving　or　gut　shot　or　mad。　It　stopped　suddenly。
　〃Go；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃There's　your　church。　I'll　be　here。　I　won't　leave　without　you。〃
　〃I　need　you　down　there；〃　said　Ochs。　〃The　trench　is　deep。〃
　What　trench？wondered　Nathan　Lee。　Ochs　had　offered　no　clues　to　his　prey；　other　than　the　name　of　the　Church　itself。　〃Help　me　then；〃　he　repeated。　He　strained　at　another　stone。
　〃All　right；〃　Ochs　said。　〃But　first　you　help　me。　We　go　into　the　church。　Get　what　we　came　for。　It　will　take　half　an　hour。　After　that　you　can　e　back　here　and　dig　to　your　heart's　content。〃　His　teeth　glittered　red　and　green。
　Nathan　Lee　balked。　〃And　you'll　help　me。〃
　〃I'll　help。　If　anyone　asks　what　we　have　in　the　body　bag；　we'll　tell　the　truth。　Human　remains。〃
　Another　clue；　thought　Nathan　Lee。　He　marked　the　edge　of　the　depression　with　a　mountaineer's　cairn；　rocks　stacked　on　rocks。　Then　he　led　Ochs　down　the　rubble　to　the　flat　stone　courtyard。
　One　of　the　great　wooden　doors　had　buckled　open。　They　stepped　inside　from　ruin　into　relative　serenity。　Tiles　had　buckled　here　and　there。　Colored　glass　crunched　underfoot。　Candles　lay　toppled　and　bent。　Otherwise　the　interior　appeared　to　be　unscathed。
　It　was　like　walking　through　a　dream　among　the　altars　and　dark　icons　lining　the　walls。　The　rotunda　area　was　larger　than　he　remembered；　but　that　was　because　the　crowds　of　pilgrims　were　absent。　Pillars　and　arches　surrounded　them。　Flare　light　illuminated　the　surviving　stained　glass　art。　Not　a　soul　occupied　this　safe　haven。
　〃What　did　I　tell　you；〃　said　Ochs。　〃All　ours。〃　The　quiet　interior　put　him　at　ease。　〃The　Tomb　of　Jesus；〃　he　announced；　walking　to　a　boxy　shape　at　the　center　of　the　rotunda。
　The　marble　was　polished　from　centuries　of　fingertips　and　reverent　kisses。　Inside　the　small　edifice；　Nathan　Lee　knew；　was　a　tiny　gate　with　a　poor　view　of　a　rock。　As　he　recalled；　the　fragment　was　covered　with　white　and　pink　wax　drippings。　Was　that　Ochs's　souvenir？　It　would　explain　the　geologist's　hammer　and　stone　chisels。　But　not　the　〃human　remains。〃
　〃What　are　we　after？〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　He　felt　disoriented　in　this　place。　Stone　staircases　led　up　here；　down　there。　In　the　beam　of　his　flashlight；　metal　chandeliers　swayed　slightly　on　heavy　chains。　The　earth　was　still　settling。
　Ochs　took　his　time。　He　crossed　to　a　separate　area；　and　Nathan　Lee　followed。　A　horizontal　window　looked　down　upon　a　misshapen　boulder。
　〃The　Rock　of　Calvary；〃　Ochs　entoned。　〃Golgotha；　in　the　Aramaic。　The　cave　of　Adam's　skull；　they　say。　The　hill　of　Christ's　death。〃
　〃I've　had　the　tour；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　The　rock　was　roughly　forty　feet　high；　made　of　cream…colored　limestone　known　asmizzi　hilu；　or　sweet　stone；　a　favorite　of　Iron　Age　quarriers。　This　particular　blob　of　stone　had　been　left　in　place　because　it　was　flawed；　with　a　crack　through　the　top　that　predated　the　Christian　era　by　eons。　Was　this　Ochs's　memento；　a　chunk　of　Christ's　rock？　But　what　museum　would　buy　such　a　thing？
　〃Look　how　small　the　summit　is；〃　Ochs　drily　observed。　〃No　room　for　two　more　crosses　of　the　thieves；　would　you　say？　And　steep。　Have　you　seen　the　section　drawing　by　Gibson　and　Taylor？　It's　overhanging　on　the　back　side。　Maybe　a　climber　like　you　could　get　up　the　sides　with　a　cross　on　your　back。　But　a　man　who's　just　been　whipped　half　to　death？　They　say　a　fully　assembled　cross　would　have　weighed　200　pounds。　Even　if　it　was　only　the　crosspiece　Jesus　was　carrying；　it　still　would　have　meant　a　good　fifty　pounds　or　more。〃
　Ochs　went　on。　〃The　Gospels　said　nothing　about　Jesus　being　crucified　on　a　hill；　only　at　atopos　or　place。　According　to　Jerome；golgotha　was　a　mon　term　for　crucifixion　sites。　The　skull　referred　to　the　unburied　remains。　It's　no　wonder　scholars　have　e　to　dismiss　the　site。　I　did；　too。〃
　〃We　don't　have　time　for　this；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　He　looked　around　for　something　portable　and　precious；　but　it　was　all　knickknacks　to　his　eye。　He　couldn't　imagine　what　Ochs　wanted　here。
　〃One　thing　is　certain；〃　Ochs　rambled　on。　〃Wherever　Golgotha　was；　it　must　have　served　for　thousands　of　other　executions