stephen king - mist-第17节

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　〃Yes。　And　I've　never　fired　it　in　my　life　except　on　a　target　range　once。〃
　Miller　took　the　gun；　fumbled　around；　and　got　the　cylinder　to　open　after　a　few　moments。　He　checked　to　make　sure　it　was　not　loaded。　〃Okay；〃　he　said。　〃We　got　a　gun。　Who　shoots　good？　I　sure　don't。〃
　People　glanced　at　each　other。　No　one　said　anything　at　first。　Then；　reluctantly；　Ollie　said：　〃I　target…shoot　quite　a　lot。　I　have　a　Colt　。45　and　a　Llama　。　25。　〃
　〃You？〃　Brown　said。　〃Huh。　You'll　be　too　drunk　to　see　by　dark。〃
　Ollie　said　very　clearly；　〃Why　don't　you　just　shut　up　and　write　down　your　names？〃
　Brown　goggled　at　him。　Opened　his　mouth。　Then　decided；　wisely；　I　think；　to　shut　it　again。
　〃It's　yours；〃　Miller　said；　blinking　a　little　at　the　exchange。　He　handed　it　over　and　Ollie　checked　it　again；　more　professionally。　He　put　the　gun　into　his　right…front　pants　pocket　and　slipped　the　cartridge　box　into　his　breast　pocket；　where　it　made　a　bulge　like　a　pack　of　cigarettes。　Then　he　leaned　back　against　the　cooler；　round　face　still　trickling　sweat；　and　cracked　a　fresh　beer。　The　sensation　that　I　was　seeing　a　totally　unsuspected　Ollie　Weeks　persisted。
　〃Thank　you；　Mrs。　Dumfries；〃　Miller　said。
　〃Don't　mention　it；〃　she　said；　and　I　thought　fleetingly　that　if　I　were　her　husband　and　proprietor　of　those　green　eyes　and　that　full　figure；　I　might　not　travel　so　much。　Giving　your　wife　a　gun　could　be　seen　as　a　ludicrously　symbolic　act。
　〃This　may　be　silly；　too；〃　Miller　said；　turning　back　to　Brown　with　his　clipboard　and　Ollie　with　his　beer；　〃but　there　aren't　anything　like　flamethrowers　in　the　place；　are　there　？〃
　〃Ohhh；　shit；〃　Buddy　Eagleton　said；　and　then　went　as　red　as　Amanda　Dumfries　had　done。
　〃What　is　it？〃　Mike　Haden　asked。
　〃Well　。。。　until　last　week　we　had　a　whole　case　of　those　little　blowtorches。　The　kind　you　use　around　your　house　to　solder　leaky　pipes　or　mend　your　exhaust　system　or　whatever。　You　remember　those；　Mr。　Brown？〃
　Brown　nodded；　looking　sour。
　〃Sold　out？〃　Miller　asked。
　〃No；　they　didn't　go　at　all。　We　only　sold　three　or　four　and　sent　the　rest　of　the　case　back。　What　a　pisser。　I　mean　。。。　what　a　shame。〃　Blushing　so　deeply　he　was　almost　purple；　Buddy　Eagleton　retired　into　the　background　again。
　We　had　matches；　of　course；　and　salt　（someone　said　vaguely　that　he　had　heard　salt　was　the　thing　to　put　on　bloodsuckers　and　things　like　that）；　and　all　kinds　of　O'Cedar　mops　and　long…handled　brooms。　Most　of　the　people　continued　to　look　heartened；　and　Jim　and　Myron　were　too　plotzo　to　sound　a　dissenting　note；　but　I　met　Ollie's　eyes　and　saw　a　calm　hopelessness　in　them　that　was　worse　than　fear。　He　and　I　had　seen　the　tentacles。　The　idea　of　throwing　salt　on　them　or　trying　to　fend　them　off　with　the　handles　of　O'Cedar　mops　was　funny；　in　a　ghastly　way。
　〃Mike；〃　Miller　said；　〃why　don't　you　crew　this　little　adventure？　I　want　to　talk　to　Ollie　and　Dave　here　for　a　minute。〃
　〃Glad　to。〃　Haden　clapped　Dan　Miller　on　the　shoulder。　〃Somebody　had　to　take　charge；　and　you　did　it　good。　Wele　to　town。〃
　〃Does　this　mean　I　get　a　kickback　on　my　taxes？　Miller　asked。　He　was　a　banty　little　guy　with　red　hair　that　was　receding。　He　looked　like　the　sort　of　guy　you　can't　help　liking　on　short　notice　and…just　maybe…the　kind　of　guy　you　can't　help　not　liking　after　he's　been　around　for　a　while。　The　kind　of　guy　who　knows　how　to　do　everything　better　than　you　do。
　〃Noway；〃　Haden　said；　laughing。
　Haden　walked　off。　Miller　glanced　down　at　my　son。
　〃Don't　worry　about　Billy；〃　I　said。
　〃Man；　I've　never　been　so　worried　in　my　whole　life；〃　Miller　said。
　〃No；〃　Ollie　agreed；　and　dropped　an　empty　into　the　beer　cooler。　He　got　a　fresh　one　and　opened　it。　There　was　a　soft　hiss　of　escaping　gas。
　〃I　got　a　look　at　the　way　you　two　glanced　at　each　other；〃　Miller　said。
　I　finished　my　Hershey　bar　and　got　a　beer　to　wash　it　down　with。
　〃Tell　you　what　I　think；〃　Miller　said。　〃We　ought　to　get　half　a　dozen　people　to　wrap　some　of　those　mop　handles　with　cloth　and　then　tie　them　down　with　twine。　Then　I　think　we　ought　to　get　a　couple　of　those　cans　of　charcoal　lighter　fluid　all　ready。　if　we　cut　the　tops　right　off　the　cans；　we　could　have　some　torches　pretty　quick。〃
　I　nodded。　That　was　good。　Almost　surely　not　good　enough…not　if　you　had　seen　Norm　dragged　out…but　it　was　better　than　salt。
　〃That　would　give　them　something　to　think　about；　at　least；〃　Ollie　said。
　Miller's　lips　pressed　together。　〃That　bad；　huh？〃　He　said。
　〃That　bad；〃　Ollie　agreed；　and　worked　his　beer。
　By　four…thirty　that　afternoon　the　sacks　of　fertilizer　and　lawn　food　were　in　place　and　the　big　windows　were　blocked　off　except　for　narrow　loopholes。　A　watchman　had　been　placed　at　each　of　these；　and　beside　each　watchman　was　a　tin　of　charcoal　lighter　fluid　with　the　top　cut　off　and　a　supply　of　mop…handle　torches。　There　were　five　loopholes；　and　Dan　Miller　had　arranged　a　rotation　of　sentries　for　each　one。　When　four…thirty　came　around；　I　was　sitting　on　a　pile　of　bags　at　one　of　the　loopholes；　Billy　at　my　side。　We　were　looking　out　into　the　mist。
　Just　beyond　the　window　was　a　red　bench　where　people　sometimes　waited　for　their　rides　with　their　groceries　beside　them。　Beyond　that　was　the　parking　lot。　The　mist　swirled　slowly；　thick　and　heavy。　There　was　moisture　in　it；　but　how　dull　it　seemed；　and　gloomy。　just　looking　at　it　made　me　feel　gutless　and　lost。
　〃Daddy；　do　you　know　what's　happening？〃　Billy　asked。
　〃No；　hon；〃　I　said。
　He　fell　silent　for　a　bit；　looking　at　his　hands；　which　lay　limply　in　the　lap　of　his　Tuffskin　jeans。　〃Why　doesn't　somebody　e　and　rescue　us？〃　he　asked　finally。　〃The　State　Police　or　the　FBI　or　someone？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃Do　you　think　Mom's　okay？〃
　〃Billy；　I　just　don't　know；〃　I　said；　and　put　an　arm　around　him。
　〃I　want　her　awful　bad；〃　Billy　said；　struggling　with　tears。　〃I'm　sorry　about　the　times　I　was　bad　to　her。〃
　〃Billy；〃　I　said；　and　had　to　stop。　I　could　taste　salt　in　my　throat；　and　my　voice　wanted　to　tremble。
　〃Will　it　be　over？〃　Billy　asked。　〃Daddy？　Will　it？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　said；　and　he　put　his　face　in　the　hollow　of　my　shoulder　and　I　held　the　back　of　his　head；　felt　the　delicate　curve　of　his　skull　just　under　the　thick　growth　of　his　hair。　I　found　myself　remembering　the　evening　of　my　wedding　day。　Watching　Steff　take　off　the　simple　brown　dress　she　had　changed　into　after　the　ceremony。　She　had　had　a　big　purple　bruise　on　one　hip　from　running　into　the　side　of　a　door　the　day　before。　I　remembered　looking　at　the　bruise　and　thinking；　When　she　got　that；　she　was　still　Stephanie　Stepanek；　and　feeling　something　like　wonder。　Then　we　had　made　love；　and　outside　it　was　spitting　snow　from　a　dull　gray　December　sky。
　Billy　was　crying。
　〃Shh；　Billy；　shh；〃　I　said；　rocking　his　head　against　me；　but　he　went　on　crying。　It　was　the　sort　of　crying　that　only　mothers　know　how　to　fix　right。
　Premature　night　came　inside　the　Federal　Foods。　Miller　and　Haden　and　Bud　Brown　handed　out　flashlights；　the　whole　stock；　about　twenty。　Norton　clamoured　loudly　for　them　on　behalf　of　his　group；　and　received　two。　The　lights　bobbed　here　and　there　in　the　aisles　like　uneasy　phantoms。
　I　held　Billy　against　me　and　looked　out　through　the　loophole。　The　milky；　translucent　quality　of　the　light　out　there　hadn't　changed　much；　it　was　putting　up　the　bags　that　had　made　the　market　so　dark。　Several　times　I　thought　I　saw　something；　but　it　was　only　jumpiness。　One　of　the　others　raised　a　hesitant　false　alarm。
　Billy　saw　Mrs。　Turman　again；　and　went　to　her　eagerly；　even　though　she　hadn't　been　over　to　sit　for　him　all　summer。　She　had　one　of　the　flashlights　and　handed　it　over　to　him　amiably　enough。　Soon　he　was　trying　to　write　his　name　in　light　on　the　blank　glass　faces　of　the　frozen…food　cases。　She　seemed　as　happy　to　see　him　as　he　was　to　see　her；　and　in　a　little　while　they　came　over。　Hattie　Turman　was　a　tall；　thin　woman　with　lovely　red　hair　just　beginning　to　streak　gray。　A　pair　of　glasses　hung　from　an　ornamental　chain…the　sort；　I　believe；　it　is　illegal　for　anyone　except　middle…aged　women　to　wear…on　her　breast。
　〃Is　Stephanie　here；　David？〃　she　asked。
　〃No。　At　home。〃
　She　nodded。　〃Alan；　too。　How　long　are　you　on　watch　here？〃
　〃Until　six。〃
　〃Have　you　seen　anything？〃
　〃No。　Just　the　mist。〃
　〃I'll　keep　Billy　until　six；　if　you　like。〃
　〃Would　you　like　that；　Billy？〃
　〃Yes；　please；〃　he　said；　swinging　the　flashlight　above　his　head　in　slow　arcs　and　watching　it　play　across　the　ceiling。
　〃God　will　keep　your　Steffy；　and　Alan；　too；〃　Mrs。　Turman　said；　and　led　Billy　away　by　the　hand。　She　spoke　with　serene　sureness；　but　there　was　no　conviction　in　her　eyes。
　Around　five…thirty　the　sounds　of　excited　argument　rose　near　the　back　of　the　store。　Someone　jeered　at　something　someone　else　had　said；　and　someone…it　was　Buddy　Eagleton；　I　think…shouted；　〃You're　crazy　if　you　go　out　there！　〃
　Several　of　the　flashlight　beams　pooled　together　at　the　center　of　the　controversy；　and　they　moved　toward　the　front　of　the　store。　Mrs。　Carmody's　shrieking；　derisive　laugh　split　the　gloom；　as　abrasive　as　fingers　drawn　down　a　slate　blackboard。
　Above　the　babble　of　voices　came　the　boom　of　Norton's　courtroom　tenor：　〃Let　us　pass；　please！　Let　us　pass！〃
　The　man　at　the　loophole　next　to　mine　left　his　place　to　see　what　the　shouting　was　about。　I　decided　to　stay　where　I　was。　Whatever　the　concatenation　was；　it　was　ing　my　way。