osc.am1.seventhson-第12节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


And　they'd　find　Al's　body；　all　hairless　and　bloody；　and　then　it'd　be　too　late。　Bad　as　his　sisters　were　　and　they　were　bad　　Al　figured　they'd　be　better　than　dying　from　a　Red　man's　flint　in　his　head。　He　fair　to　flew　from　the　pump　to　the　house；　and　he　didn't　look　back　to　see　if　the　Red　was　really　there。
　　As　soon　as　the　door　was　closed；　he　forgot　his　fears　of　silent　invisible　Reds。　Things　were　right　quiet　in　the　house；　which　was　pretty　suspicious　to　start　with。　The　girls　were　never　quiet　till　Papa　shouted　at　them　at　least　three　times　each　night。　So　Alvin　walked；　up　real　careful；　looking　before　every　step；　checking　over　his　shoulder　so　often　he　started　getting　a　crick　in　his　neck。　By　the　time　he　was　inside　his　room　with　the　door　closed　he　was　so　jittery　that　he　almost　hoped　they'd　do　whatever　they　were　planning　to　do　and　get　it　over　with。
　　But　they　didn't　do　it　and　they　didn't　do　it。　He　looked　around　the　room　by　candlelight；　turned　down　his　bed；　looked　into　every　er；　but　there　was　nothing　there。　Calvin　was　asleep　with　his　thumb　in　his　mouth；　which　meant　that　if　they　had　prowled　around　his　room；　it　had　been　a　while　ago。　He　began　to　wonder　if　maybe；　just　this　once；　the　girls　had　decided　to　leave　him　be　or　even　do　their　dirty　tricks　to　the　twins。　It　would　be　a　whole　new　life　for　him；　if　the　girls　started　being　nice。　Like　as　if　an　angel　came　down　and　lifted　him　right　out　of　hell。
　　He　stripped　off　his　clothes　quick　as　he　could；　folded　them；　and　put　them　on　the　stool　by　his　bed　so　they　wouldn't　be　full　of　roaches　in　the　morning。　He　had　kind　of　an　agreement　with　the　roaches。　They　could　get　into　anything　they　wanted　if　it　was　on　the　floor；　but　they　didn't　climb　into　Calvin's　bed　or　Alvin's　neither；　and　they　didn't　climb　onto　his　stool。　In　return；　Alvin　never　stomped　them。　As　a　result　Alvin's　room　was　pretty　much　the　roach　sanctuary　of　the　house；　but　since　they　kept　the　treaty；　he　and　Calvin　were　the　only　ones　who　never　woke　up　screaming　about　roaches　in　the　bed。
　　He　took　his　nightgown　off　its　peg　and　pulled　it　on　over　his　head。
　　Something　bit　him　under　the　arm。　He　cried　out　from　the　sharp　pain。　Something　else　bit　him　on　the　shoulder。　Whatever　it　was；　it　was　all　over　inside　his　nightgown；　and　as　he　yanked　it　off；　it　kept　right　on　nipping　him　everywhere。　Finally　it　was　off；　and　he　stood　there　stark　naked　slapping　and　brushing　with　his　hands　to　try　to　get　the　bugs　or　whatever　they　were　off　him。
　　Then　he　reached　down　and　carefully　picked　up　his　nightgown。　He　couldn't　see　anything　scurrying　away　from　it；　and　even　when　he　shook　it　and　shook　it；　nary　a　bug　fell　off。　Something　else　fell　off。　It　glinted　for　a　moment　in　the　candlelight　and　made　a　tiny　twinking　sound　when　it　hit　the　floor。
　　Only　then　did　Alvin　Junior　notice　the　stifled　giggling　from　the　room　next　door。　Oh；　they　got　him；　they　got　him　sure。　He　sat　on　the　edge　of　his　bed；　picking　pins　out　of　his　nightgown　and　poking　them　into　the　bottom　corner　of　his　quilt。　He　never　thought　they'd　be　so　mad　they'd　risk　losing　one　of　Mama's　precious　steel　pins；　just　to　get　even　with　him。　But　he　should　have　known。　Girls　never　did　have　any　bounds　of　fair　play；　the　way　boys　did。　When　a　boy　knocked　you　down　in　a　wrestling　match；　why；　he'd　either　jump　on　you　or　wait　for　you　to　get　back　up；　and　either　way　you'd　be　even　　both　up　or　both　down。　But　Al　knew　from　painful　experience　that　girls'd　kick　you　when　you　were　down　and　gang　up　on　you　whenever　they　had　the　chance。　When　they　fought；　they　fought　in　order　to　end　the　fight　as　quick　as　they　could。　Took　all　the　fun　out　of　it。
　　Just　like　tonight。　It　wasn't　a　fair　punishment；　him　poking　her　with　his　finger；　and　them　getting　him　all　jabbed　up　with　pins。　A　couple　of　those　places　were　bleeding；　they　stabbed　so　deep。　And　Alvin　didn't　reckon　Matilda　had　so　much　as　a　bruise；　though　he　wished　she　did。
　　Alvin　Junior　wasn't　mean；　no　sir。　But　sitting　there　on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　taking　pins　out　of　his　nightgown；　he　couldn't　help　but　notice　the　roaches　going　about　their　business　in　the　cracks　of　the　floor；　and　he　couldn't　help　imagining　what　it　would　be　like　if　all　those　roaches　just　happened　to　go　a…calling　in　a　certain　room　full　of　giggles。
　　So　he　knelt　down　on　the　floor　and　set　the　candle　right　there；　and　he　began　whispering　to　the　roaches；　just　the　way　he　did　the　day　he　made　his　peace　treaty　with　them。　He　started　telling　them　all　about　nice　smooth　sheets　and　soft　squishy　skin　they　could　scamper　on；　and　most　of　all　about　Matilda's　satin　pillowcase　on　her　goosedown　pillow。　But　they　didn't　seem　to　care　about　that。　Hungry；　that's　all　they　are；　thought　Alvin。　All　they　care　about　is　food；　food　and　fear。　So　he　started　telling　them　about　food；　the　most　perfectly　delicious　food　they　ever　ate　in　their　life。　The　roaches　perked　right　up　and　came　close　to　listen；　though　nary　one　of　them　climbed　on　him；　which　was　right　in　keeping　with　the　treaty。　All　the　food　you　ever　wanted；　all　over　that　soft　pink　skin。　And　it's　safe；　too；　not　a　speck　of　danger；　nothing　to　worry　about；　you　just　go　on　in　there　and　find　the　food　on　that　soft　pink　squishy　smooth　skin。
　　Sure　enough；　a　few　of　the　roaches　started　skittering　under　Alvin's　door；　and　then　more　and　more　of　them；　and　finally　the　whole　troop　went　off　in　a　single　great　cavalry　charge　under　the　door；　through　the　wall；　their　bodies　shiny　and　glowing　in　the　candlelight；　guided　by　their　eternal　insatiable　hunger；　fearless　because　Al　had　told　them　there　wasn't　nothing　to　fear。
　　It　wasn't　ten　seconds　before　he　heard　the　first　whoop　from　the　room　next　door。　And　within　a　minute　the　whole　house　was　in　such　an　uproar　you'd've　thought　it　was　on　fire。　Girls　screaming；　boys　shouting；　and　big　old　boots　stomping　as　Papa　rushed　up　the　stairs　and　squashed　roaches。　Al　was　about　as　happy　as　a　pig　in　mud。
　　Finally　things　started　calming　down　in　the　next　room。　In　a　minute　they'd　e　in　to　check　on　him　and　Calvin；　so　he　blew　out　the　candle；　ducked　under　the　covers；　and　whispered　for　the　roaches　to　hide。　Sure　enough；　here　came　Mama's　footsteps　in　the　hall　outside。　Just　at　the　last　moment；　Alvin　Junior　remembered　that　he　wasn't　wearing　his　nightgown。　He　snaked　out　his　hand；　snatched　the　nightgown；　and　pulled　it　under　the　covers　just　as　the　door　opened。　Then　he　concentrated　on　breathing　easy　and　regular。
　　Mama　and　Papa　came　in；　holding　up　candles。　He　heard　them　pull　down　Calvin's　covers　to　check　for　roaches；　and　he　feared　they　might　pull　down　his　as　well。　That　would　be　such　a　shameful　thing；　to　sleep　like　an　animal　without　a　stitch　on。　But　the　girls；　who　knew　he　couldn't　possibly　be　asleep　so　soon　after　getting　stuck　with　so　many　pins；　they　were　naturally　afraid　of　what　Alvin　might　tell　Mama　and　Papa；　so　they　made　sure　to　hustle　them　out　of　the　room　before　they　could　do　more　than　shine　a　candle　in　Alvin's　face　to　make　sure　he　was　asleep。　Alvin　held　his　face　absolutely　still；　not　even　twitching　his　eyelids。　The　candle　went　away；　the　door　softly　closed。
　　Still　he　waited；　and　sure　enough；　the　door　opened　again。　He　could　hear　the　padding　of　bare　feet　across　the　floor。　Then　he　felt　Anne's　breath　against　his　face　and　heard　her　whisper　in　his　ear。　〃We　don't　know　how　you　did　it；　Alvin　Junior；　but　we　know　you　set　those　roaches　onto　us。〃
　　Alvin　pretended　not　to　hear　anything。　He　even　snored　a　little。
　　〃You　don't　fool　me；　Alvin　Junior。　You　better　not　go　to　sleep　tonight；　because　if　you　do；　you'll　never　wake　up；　you　hear　me？〃
　　Outside　the　room；　Papa　was　saying；　〃Where's　Anne　got　to？〃
　　She's　in　here；　Papa；　threatening　to　kill　me；　thought　Alvin。　But　of　course　he　didn't　say　it　out　loud。　Anyway；　she　was　just　trying　to　scare　him。
　　〃We'll　make　it　look　like　an　accident；〃　said　Anne。　〃You　always　have　accidents；　nobody　will　think　it's　murder。〃
　　Alvin　was　beginning　to　believe　her；　more　and　more。
　　〃We'll　carry　your　body　out　and　stuff　it　down　the　privy　hole；　and　they'll　all　think　you　went　to　relieve　yourself　and　fell　in。〃
　　That　would　work；　thought　Alvin。　Anne　was　just　the　one　to　think　of　something　so　devilish　clever；　since　she　was　the　very　best　at　secretly　pinching　people　and　being　a　good　ten　feet　away　before　they　screamed。　That　was　why　she　always　kept　her　fingernails　so　long　and　sharp。　Even　now；　Alvin　could　feel　one　of　those　sharp　nails　scraping　along　his　cheek。
　　The　door　opened　wider。　〃Anne；〃　whispered　Mama；　〃you　e　out　of　there　this　instant。〃
　　The　fingernail　quit　scratching。　〃I　was　just　making　sure　little　Alvin　was　all　right。〃　Her　bare　feet　padded　back　out　of　the　room。
　　Soon　all　the　doors　were　closed；　and　he　heard　Papa's　and　Mama's　shoes　clattering　down　the　stairs。
　　He　knew　that　by　rights　he　should　still　be　scared　to　death　by　Anne's　threats；　but　it　wasn't　so。　He　had　won　the　battle。　He　pictured　the　roaches　crawling　all　over　the　girls；　and　he　started　to　laugh。　Well；　that　wouldn't　do。　He　had　to　stifle　that；　breathe　calm　as　could　be。　His　whole　body　shook　from　trying　to　hold　in　the　laughter。
　　There　was　somebody　in　the　room。
　　He　couldn't　hear　anything；　and　when　he　opened　his　eyes　he　couldn't　see　anybody。　But　he　knew　somebody　was　there。　Hadn't　e　in　the　door；　so　they　must've　e　in　the　open　window。　That's　plain　silly；　Alvin　told　himself；　there　isn't　a　soul　in　here。　But　he　lay　still；　all　laughter　gone　out