sk.carrie-第26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！


They　stared　at　each　other　in　the　dark；　frozen　by　the　actual　act　as　thought　never　could　have　done。　Her　very　breath　turned　to　glass　in　her　throat。
Then；　inside；　the　laughter　began。
It　was　ten　twenty…five；　and　the　feeling　had　been　getting　worse　and　worse。　Sue　stood　in　front　of　the　gas　range　on　one　foot；　waiting　for　the　milk　to　begin　steaming　so　she　could　dump　in　the　Nestle's。　Twice　she　had　begun　to　go　upstairs　and　put　on　a　nightgown　and　twice　she　had　stopped；　drawn　for　no　reason　at　all　to　the　kitchen　window　that　looked　down　Brickyard　Hill　and　the　spiral　of　Route　6　that　led　into　town。
Now；　as　the　whistle　mounted　atop　the　town　hall　on　Main　Street　suddenly　began　to　shriek　into　the　night；　and　falling　in　cycles　of　panic；　she　did　not　evert　immediately　to　the　window；　but　only　tamed　the　heat　oft　under　the　milk　so　it　would　not　burn。
The　town　hall　whistle　went　off　every　day　at　twelve　noon　and　that　was　all；　except　to　call　the　volunteer　fire　department　during　grass…fire　season　in　August　and　September。　It　was　strictly　for　major　disasters　and　its　sound　was　dreamy　and　terrifying　in　the　empty　house。
She　went　to　the　window；　but　slowly。　The　shrieking　of　the　whistle　rose　and　fell；　rose　and　fell。　Somewhere；　horns　were　beginning　to　blast；　as　if　for　a　wedding。　She　could　see　her　reflection　in　the　darkened　glass；　lips　parted；　eyes　wide；　and　then　the　condensation　of　her　breath　obscured　it。
A　memory；　half…forgotten；　came　to　her。　As　children　in　grammar　school；　they　had　practised　air…raid　drills。　When　the　teacher　clapped　her　hands　and　said；　'The　town　whistle　is　blowing；'　you　were　supposed　to　crawl　under　your　desk　and　put　your　hands　over　your　head　and　wait；　either　for　the　all…clear　or　for　enemy　missiles　to　blow　you　to　powder。　Now；　in　her　mind；　as　clearly　as　a　leaf　pressed　in　plastic；
（the　town　whistle　is　blowing）
she　heard　the　words　clang　in　her　mind
Far　below；　to　the　left；　where　the　high　school　parking　lot　was　…　the　ring　of　sodium　are　lamps　made　it　a　sure　landmark；　although　the　school　building　itself　was　invisible　in　the　dark　…a　spark　glowed　as　if　God　has　struck　a　flint…and…steel。
（that's　whew　the　oil　tanks　are）
The　spark　hesitated；　then　bloomed　orange。　Now　you　could　see　the　school；　and　it　was　on　fire。
She　was　already　on　her　way　to　the　closet　to　get　her　coat　when　the　first　dull；　booming　explosion　shook　the　floor　under　her　feet　and　made　her　mother's　china　rattle　in　the　cupboards。
From　We　Survived　the　Black　Prom；　by　Norma　Watson　（Published　in　the　August；　1980；　issue　of　The　Reader's　Digest　as　a　'Drama　in　Real　Life'　article）：
。。。　and　it　happened　so　quickly　that　no　one　really　knew　what　was　happening。　We　were　all　standing　and　applauding　and　singing　the　school　song。　Then　…　I　was　at　the　usher's　table　just　inside　the　main　doors；　looking　at　the　stage　…　there　was　a　sparkle　as　the　big　lights　over　the　stage　apron　reflected　on　something　metallic。　I　was　standing　with　Tina　Blake　and　Stella　Horan；　and　I　think　they　saw　it；　too。
All　at　once　there　was　a　huge　red　splash　in　the　air。　Some　of　it　hit　the　mural　and　ran　in　long　drips。　I　knew　right　away；　even　before　it　hit　them；　that　it　was　blood。　Stella　Horan　thought　it　was　paint；　but　I　had　a　premonition；　just　like　the　time　my　brother　got　hit　by　a　hay　truck。
They　were　drenched。　Carrie　got　it　the　worst。　She　looked　exactly　like　she　had　been　dipped　in　a　bucket　of　red　paint。　She　just　sat　there。　She　never　moved。　The　band　that　was　closest　to　the　stage；　Josie　and　the　moonglows；　got　splattered。　The　lead　guitarist　had　a　white　instrument；　and　it　splattered　all　over　it。
I　say：　'My　God；　that's　blood！'
When　I　said　that；　Tina　screamed。　It　was　very　loud；　and　it　rang　out　clearly　in　the　auditorium。
People　had　stopped　singing　and　everything　was　pletely　quiet。　I　couldn't　move。　I　was　rooted　to　the　spot。　I　looked　up　and　there　were　two　buckets　dangling　high　over　the　thrones；　swinging　and　banging　together。　They　were　still　dripping。　All　of　a　sudden　they　fell；　with　a　lot　of　loose　string　paying　out　behind　them。　One　of　them　hit　Tommy　Ross　on　the　head。　It　made　a　very　loud　noise；　like　a　gong。
That　made　someone　laugh。　I　don't　know　who　it　was；　but　it　wasn't　the　way　a　person　laughs　when　they　we　something　funny　and　gay。　It　was　raw　and　hysterical　and　awful。
At　the　same　instant；　Carrie　opened　her　eyes　wide。
That　was　when　they　all　started　laughing。　I　did　too。　God　help　me。　It　was　so　。。。　weird。
When　I　was　a　little　girl　I　had　a　Walt　Disney　storybook　called　Song　of　the　South；　and　it　had　that　Uncle　Remus　story　about　the　tarbaby　in　it。　There　was　a　picture　of　the　tarbaby　sitting　in　the　middle　of　the　road；　looking　like　one　of　those　old…time　Negro　minstrels　with　the　blackface　and　great　white　eyes。　When　Carrie　opened　her　eyes　it　was　like　that。　They　were　the　only　part　of　her　that　wasn't　pletely　red。　And　the　light　had　gotten　in　them　and　made　them　glassy。　God　help　me；　but　she　looked　for　all　the　world　like　Eddie　Cantor　doing　that　pop…eyed　act　of　his。
That　was　what　made　people　laugh。　We　couldn't　help　it。　It　was　one　of　those　things　where　you　laugh　or　go　crazy。　Carrie　had　been　the　butt　of　every　joke　for　so　long；　and　we　all　felt　that　we　were　part　of　something　special　that　night　It　was　as　if　we　were　watching　a　person　rejoin　the　human　race；　and　I　for　one　thanked　the　Lord　for　it。　And　that　happened。　That　horror。
And　so　there　was　nothing　else　to　do。　It　was　either　laugh　or　cry；　and　who　could　bring　himself　to　cry　over　Carrie　after　all　those　years？
She　just　sat　there；　staring　out　at　them；　and　the　laughter　kept　swelling；　getting　louder　and　louder。　People　were　holding　their　bellies　and　doubling　up　and　pointing　at　her。　Tommy　was　the　only　one　who　wasn't　looking　at　her。　He　was　sort　of　slumped　over　in　his　seat　as　if　lied　gone　to　sleep。　You　couldn't　tell　he　was　hurt；　though：　he　was　splashed；　too　bad。
And　then　her　face　。。。　broke；　I　don't　know　how　else　to　describe　it。　She　put　her　hands　up　to　her　face　and　halfstaggered　to　her　feet。　She　almost　got　tangled　in　her　own　feet　and　fell　over；　and　that　made　people　laugh　even　more。　Then　she　sort　of　。。。　hopped　off　the　stage。　It　was　like　watching　a　big　red　frog　hopping　off　a　lily　pad。　She　almost　fell　again；　but　kept　on　her　feet。
Miss　Desjardin　came　running　over　to　her；　and　she　wasn't　laughing　any　more。　She　was　holding　out　her　arms　to　her。　But　then　she　veered　off　and　hit　the　wall　beside　the　stage　…　It　was　the　strangest　thing。　She　didn't　stumble　or　anything。　It　was　as　if　someone　had　pushed　her；　but　there　was　no　one　there。
Carrie　ran　through　the　crowd　with　her　hands　clutching　her　face；　and　somebody　put　his　foot　out。　I　don't　know　who　it　was；　but　she　went　sprawling　on　her　face。　leaving　a　long　red　streak　on　the　floor。　And　she　said；　'Ooof！'　I　remember　that。　It　made　me　laugh　even　harder；　hearing　Carrie　say　Oof　like　that。　She　started　to　crawl　along　the　floor　and　then　she　got　up　and　ran　out。　She　ran　right　past　me。　You　could　smell　the　blood。　It　smelled　like　something　sick　and　rotted。
She　went　down　the　stairs　two　at　a　time　and　then　out　the　doors。　And　was　gone。
The　laughter　just　sort　of　faded　off；　a　little　at　a　time。　Some　people　were　still　hitching　and　snorting。　Lennie　Brock　had　taken　out　a　big　white　handkerchief　and　was　wiping　his　eyes。　Sally　McManus　looked　all　white；　like　she　was　going　to　throw　up；　but　she　was　still　giggling　and　she　couldn't　seem　to　stop。　Billy　Bosnan　was　just　standing　there　with　his　little　conductor's　stick　in　his　hand　and　shaking　his　head。　Mr　Lublin　was　sitting　by　Miss　Desjardin　and　calling　for　a　Kleenex。　She　had　a　bloody　nose。
You　have　to　understand　that　all　this　happened　in　no　more　than　two　minutes。　Nobody　could　put　it　all　together。　We　were　stunned。　Some　of　them　were　wandering　around；　talking　a　little；　but　not　much。　Helen　Shyres　burst　into　tears；　and　that　made　some　of　the　others　start　up。
Then　someone　yelled：　'Call　a　doctor！　Hey；　call　a　doctor　quick！'
It　was　Josie　Vreck。　He　was　up　on　the　stage；　kneeling　by　Tommy　Ross；　and　his　face　was　white　as　paper。　He　tried　to　pick　him　up；　and　the　throne　fell　over　and　Tommy　rolled　on　to　the　floor。
Nobody　moved。　They　were　all　just　staring。　I　felt　like　I　was　frozen　in　ice。　My　God；　was　all　I　could　think。　My　God；　my　God；　my　God。　And　then　this　other　thought　crept　in；　and　it　was　as　if　it　wasn't　my　own　at　all。　I　was　thinking　about　Carrie。　And　about　God。　It　was　all　twisted　up　together；　and　it　was　awful。　
Stella　looked　over　at　me　and　said：　'Carrie's　back。'
And　I　said：　'Yea；　that's　right。'
The　lobby　doors　all　slammed　shut。　The　sound　was　like　hands　clapping。　Somebody　in　the　back　screamed；　and　that　started　the　stampede。　They　ran　for　the　doors　in　a　rush。　I　just　stood　there；　not　believing　it。　And　when　I　looked；　just　before　the　first　of　them　got　there　and　started　to　push；　I　saw　Carrie　looking　in；　her　face　all　smeared；　like　an　Indian　with　war　paint　on。
She　was　smiling。
They　were　pushing　at　the　doors；　hammering　on　them；　but　they　wouldn't　budge。　As　more　of　them　crowded　up　to　them；　I　could　see　the　first　ones　to　get　there　being　battered　against。　them；　grunting　and　wheezing。　They　wouldn't　open；　and　those　doors　are　never　locked。　It's　a　state　law。
Mr　Stephens　and　Mr　Lublin　waded　in；　and　began　to　pull　them　away；　grabbing　jackets；　shorts；　anything。　They　were　all　screaming　and　burrowing　like　cattle。　Mr　Stephens　slapped　a　couple　of　girls　and　punched　Vic　Mooney　in　the　eye。　They　were　yelling　for　them　to　go　out　the　back　f