stephen king - mist-第15节

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　〃Then　you　go　ahead　and　take　down　the　names；〃　I　said。　〃But　please　don't　talk。〃
　〃I'll　take　down　plenty　of　names；〃　he　responded。　〃Yours　will　be　head　on　the　list；　you　。。。　you　bohemian。〃
　〃Mr。　David　Drayton　has　got　something　to　tell　you；〃　Ollie　said；　〃and　I　think　you　had　better　all　listen　up；　in　case　you　were　planning　on　going　home。〃
　So　I　told　them　what　had　happened；　pretty　much　as　I　told　Norton。　There　was　some　laughter　at　first；　then　a　deepening　uneasiness　as　I　finished。
　〃It's　a　lie；　you　know；〃　Norton　said。　His　voice　tried　for　hard　emphasis　and　overshot　into　stridency。　This　was　the　man　I'd　told　first；　hoping　to　enlist　his　credibility。　What　a　balls…up。
　〃Of　course　it's　a　lie；〃　Brown　agreed。　〃It's　lunacy。　Where　do　you　suppose　those　tentacles　came　from；　Mr。　Drayton？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　and　at　this　point；　that's　not　even　a　very　important　question。　They're　here。　There's…〃
　〃I　suspect　they　came　out　of　a　few　of　those　beer　cans。　That's　what　I　suspect。〃　This　got　some　appreciative　laughter。　It　was　silenced　by　the　strong；　rusty…hinge　voice　of　Mrs。　Carmody。
　〃Death！〃　she　cried；　and　those　who　had　been　laughing　quickly　sobered。
　She　marched　into　the　center　of　the　rough　circle　that　had　formed；　her　canary　pants　seeming　to　give　off　a　light　of　their　own；　her　huge　purse　swinging　against　one　elephantine　thigh。　Her　black　eyes　glanced　arrogantly　around；　as　sharp　and　balefully　sparkling　as　a　magpie's。　Two　good…looking　girls　of　about　sixteen　with　CAMP　WOODLANDS　written　on　the　back　of　their　white　rayon　shirts　shrank　away　from　her。
　〃You　listen　but　you　don't　hear！　You　hear　but　you　don't　believe！　Which　one　of　you　wants　to　go　outside　and　see　for　himself？〃　Her　eyes　swept　them；　and　then　fell　on　me。　〃And　just　what　do　you　propose　to　do　about　it；　Mr。　David　Drayton？　What　do　you　think　you　can　do　about　it？〃
　She　grinned；　skull…like　above　her　canary　outfit。
　〃It's　the　end；　I　tell　you。　The　end　of　everything。　It's　the　Last　Times。　The　moving　finger　has　writ；　not　in　fire；　but　in　lines　of　mist。　The　earth　has　opened　and　spewed　forth　its　abominations…〃
　〃Can't　you　make　her　shut　up？〃　one　of　the　teenage　girls　burst　out。　She　was　beginning　to　cry。　〃She's　scaring　me！〃
　〃Are　you　scared；　dearie？〃　Mrs。　Carmody　asked；　and　turned　on　her。　〃You　aren't　scared　now；　no。　But　when　the　foul　creatures　the　imp　has　loosed　upon　the　face　of　the　earth　e　for　you…〃
　〃That's　enough　now；　Mrs。　Carmody；〃　Ollie　said；　taking　her　arm。　〃That's　just　fine。〃
　〃You　let　go　of　me！　It's　the　end；　I　tell　you！　It's　death！　Death！　〃
　〃It's　a　pile　of　shit；〃　a　man　in　a　fishing　hat　and　glasses　said　disgustedly。
　〃No；　sir；〃　Myron　spoke　up。　〃I　know　it　sounds　like　something　out　of　a　dope…dream；　but　it's　the　flat…out　truth。　I　saw　it　myself。〃
　〃I　did；　too；〃　Jim　said。
　〃And　me；〃　Ollie　chipped　in。　He　had　succeeded　in　quieting　Mrs。　Carmody；　at　least　for　the　time　being。　But　she　stood　close　by；　clutching　her　big　purse　and　grinning　her　crazy　grin。　No　one　wanted　to　stand　too　close　to　her…they　muttered　among　themselves；　not　liking　the　corroboration。　Several　of　them　looked　back　at　the　big　plate…glass　windows　in　an　uneasy；　speculative　way。　I　was　glad　to　see　it。
　〃Lies；〃　Norton　said。　〃You　people　all　lie　each　other　up。　That's　all。〃
　〃What　you're　suggesting　is　totally　beyond　belief；〃　Brown　said。
　〃We　don't　have　to　stand　here　chewing　it　over；〃　I　told　him。　〃e　back　into　the　storage　area　with　me。　Take　a　look。　And　a　listen。〃
　〃Customers　are　not　allowed　in　the…〃
　〃Bud；〃　Ollie　said；　〃go　with　him。　Let's　settle　this。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Brown　said。　〃Mr。　Drayton？　Let's　get　this　foolishness　over　with。〃
　We　pushed　through　the　double　doors　into　the　darkness。
　The　sound　was　unpleasant…perhaps　evil。
　Brown　felt　it；　too；　for　all　his　hardheaded　Yankee　manner；　his　hand　clutched　my　arm　immediately；　his　breath　caught　for　a　moment　and　then　resumed　more　harshly。
　It　was　a　low　whispering　sound　from　the　direction　of　the　loading　door…an　almost　caressing　sound。　I　swept　around　gently　with　one　foot　and　finally　struck　one　of　the　flashlights。　I　bent　down；　got　it；　and　turned　it　on。　Brown's　face　was　tightly　drawn；　and　he　hadn't　even　seen　them…he　was　only　hearing　them。　But　I　had　seen；　and　I　could　imagine　them　twisting　and　climbing　over　the　corrugated　steel　surface　of　the　door　like　living　vines。
　〃What　do　you　think　now？　Totally　beyond　belief？〃
　Brown　licked　his　lips　and　looked　at　the　littered　confusion　of　boxes　and　bags。　〃They　did　this？〃
　〃Some　of　it。　Most　of　it。　e　over　here。〃
　He　came…reluctantly。　I　spotted　the　flashlight　on　the　shriveled　and　curled　section　of　tentacle；　still　lying　by　the　push　broom。　Brown　bent　toward　it。
　〃Don't　touch　that；〃　I　said。　〃It　may　still　be　alive。〃
　He　straightened　up　quickly。　I　picked　up　the　broom　by　the　bristles　and　prodded　the　tentacle。　The　third　or　fourth　poke　caused　it　to　unclench　sluggishly　and　reveal　two　whole　suckers　and　a　ragged　segment　of　a　third。　Then　the　fragment　coiled　again　with　muscular　speed　and　lay　still。　Brown　made　a　gagging；　disgusted　sound。
　〃Seen　enough？〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃Let's　get　out　of　here。〃
　We　followed　the　bobbing　light　back　to　the　double　doors　and　pushed　through　them。　All　the　faces　turned　toward　us；　and　the　hum　of　conversation　died。　Norton's　face　was　like　old　cheese。　Mrs。　Carmody's　black　eyes　glinted。　Ollie　was　drinking　beer；　his　face　was　still　running　with　trickles　of　perspiration；　although　it　had　gotten　rather　chilly　in　the　market。　The　two　girls　with　CAMP　WOODLANDS　on　their　shirts　were　huddled　together　like　young　horses　before　a　thunderstorm。　Eyes。　So　many　eyes。　I　could　paint　them；　I　thought　with　a　chill。　No　faces；　only　eyes　in　the　gloom。　I　could　paint　them　but　no　one　would　believe　they　were　real。
　Bud　Brown　folded　his　long…fingered　hands　primly　in　front　of　him。　〃People；〃　he　said。　〃It　appears　we　have　a　problem　of　some　magnitude　here。〃
　　
　VI。　Further　Discussion。　Mrs。　Carmody。Fortifications。What　Happened　to　the　Flat…　Earth　Society。
　The　next　four　hours　passed　in　a　kind　of　dream。　There　was　a　long　and　semihysterical　discussion　following　Brown's　confirmation；　or　maybe　the　discussion　wasn't　as　long　as　it　seemed；　maybe　it　was　just　the　grim　necessity　of　people　chewing　over　the　same　information；　trying　to　see　if　from　every　possible　point　of　view；　working　it　the　way　a　dog　works　a　bone；　trying　to　get　at　the　marrow。　It　was　a　slow　ing　to　belief。　You　can　see　the　same　thing　at　any　New　England　town　meeting　in　March。
　There　was　the　Flat…Earth　Society；　headed　by　Norton。　They　were　a　vocal　minority　of　about　ten　who　believed　none　of　it。　Norton　pointed　out　over　and　over　again　that　there　were　only　four　witnesses　to　the　bag…boy　being　carried　off　by　what　he　called　the　Tentacles　from　Planet　X　（it　was　good　for　a　laugh　the　first　time；　but　it　wore　thin　quickly；　Norton；　in　his　increasing　agitation；　seemed　not　to　notice）。　He　added　that　he　personally　did　not　trust　one　of　the　four。　He　further　pointed　out　that　fifty　percent　of　the　witnesses　were　now　hopelessly　inebriated。　That　was　unquestionably　true。　Jim　and　Myron　LaFleur；　with　the　entire　beer　cooler　and　wine　rack　at　their　disposal；　were　abysmally　shitfaced。　Considering　what　had　happened　to　Norm；　and　their　part　in　it；　I　didn't　blame　them。　They　would　sober　off　all　too　soon。
　Ollie　continued　to　drink　steadily；　ignoring　Brown's　protests。　After　a　while　Brown　gave　up；　contenting　himself　with　an　occasional　baleful　threat　about　the　pany。　He　didn't　seem　to　realize　that　Federal　Foods；　Inc。；　with　its　stores　in　Bridgton；　North　Windham；　and　Portland；　might　not　even　exist　anymore。　For　all　we　knew；　the　Eastern　Seaboard　might　no　longer　exist。　Ollie　drank　steadily；　but　didn't　get　drunk。　He　was　sweating　it　out　as　rapidly　as　he　could　put　it　in。
　At　last；　as　the　discussion　with　the　Flat…Earthers　was　being　acrimonious；　Ollie　spoke　up。　〃If　you　don't　believe　it；　Mr。　Norton；　that's　fine。　I'll　tell　you　what　to　do。　You　go　on　out　that　front　door　and　walk　around　to　the　back。　There's　a　great　big　pile　of　returnable　beer　and　soda　bottles　there。　Norm　and　Buddy　and　I　put　them　out　this　morning。　You　bring　back　a　couple　of　those　bottles　so　we　know　you　really　went　back　there。　You　do　that　and　I'll　personally　take　my　shirt　off　and　eat　it。〃
　Norton　began　to　bluster。
　Ollie　cut　him　off　in　the　same　soft；　even　voice。　〃I　tell　you；　you're　not　doing　anything　but　damage　talking　the　way　you　are。　There's　people　here　that　want　to　go　home　and　make　sure　their　families　are　okay。　My　sister　and　her　year…old　daughter　are　at　home　in　Naples　right　now。　I'd　like　to　check　on　them；　sure。　But　if　people　start　believing　you　and　try　to　go　home；　what　happened　to　Norm　is　going　to　happen　to　them。〃
　He　didn't　convince　Norton；　but　he　convinced　some　of　the　leaners　and　fence　sitters…it　wasn't　what　he　said　so　much　as　it　was　his　eyes；　his　haunted　eyes。　I　think　Norton's　sanity　hinged　on　not　being　convinced；　or　that　he　thought　it　did。　But　he　didn't　take　Ollie　up　on　his　offer　to　bring　back　a　sampling　of　returnables　from　out　back。　None　of　them　did。　They　weren't　ready　to　go　out；　at　least　not　yet。　He　and　his　little　group　of　Flat…Earthers　（reduced　by　one　or　two　now）　went　as　far　away　from　the　rest　of　us　as　they　could　get；　over　by　the　prepared…meats　case。　one　of　them　kicked　my　sleeping　son　in　the　leg　as　he　went　past；　waking　him　up。
　I　went　over；　and　Billy　clung　to　my　neck。　When　I　tried　to　put　h