stephen king - mist-第24节

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　it's　those　toaster　pastries；　all　sorts　of　things。　Plus　the　candy　rack。〃
　〃I　just　don't　believe　they'd　stick　with　stuff　like　that　when　there's　all　kinds　of　stuff　over　here。〃
　〃What　are　you　getting　at？〃
　〃What　I'm　getting　at　is　that　I　want　to　get　out　but　I　don't　want　to　be　dinner　for　some　refugee　from　a　grade…B　horror　picture。　Four　or　five　of　us　could　go　next　door　and　check　out　the　situation　in　the　drugstore。　As　sort　of　a　trial　balloon。〃
　〃That's　everything？〃
　〃No；　there's　one　other　thing。〃
　〃What's　that？〃
　〃Her；〃　Miller　said　simply；　and　jerked　his　thumb　toward　one　of　the　middle　aisles。　〃That　crazy　cunt。　That　witch。〃
　It　was　Mrs。　Carmody　he　had　jerked　his　thumb　at。　She　was　no　longer　alone；　two　women　had　joined　her。　From　their　bright　clothes　I　guessed　they　were　probably　tourists　or　summer　people；　ladies　who　had　maybe　left　their　families　to　〃just　run　into　town　and　get　a　few　things〃　and　were　now　eaten　up　with　worry　over　their　husbands　and　kids。　Ladies　eager　to　grasp　at　almost　any　straw。　Maybe　even　the　black　fort　of　a　Mrs。　Carmody。
　Her　pantsuit　shone　out　with　its　same　baleful　resplendence。　She　was　talking；　gesturing；　her　face　hard　and　grim。　The　two　ladies　in　their　bright　clothes　（but　not　as　bright　as　Mrs。　Carmody's　pantsuit；　no；　and　her　gigantic　satchel　of　a　purse　was　still　tucked　firmly　under　one　doughy　arm）　were　listening　raptly。
　〃She's　another　reason　I　want　to　get　out；　Drayton。　By　night　she'll　have　six　people　sitting　with　her。　If　those　pink　bugs　and　the　birds　e　back　tonight；　she'll　have　a　whole　congregation　sitting　with　her　by　tomorrow　morning。　Then　we　can　start　worrying　about　who　she'll　tell　them　to　sacrifice　to　make　it　all　better。　Maybe　me；　or　you；　or　that　guy　Hatlen。　Maybe　your　kid。〃
　〃That's　idiocy；〃　I　said。　But　was　it？　The　cold　chill　crawling　up　my　back　said　not　necessarily。　Mrs。　Carmody's　mouth　moved　and　moved。　The　eyes　of　the　tourist　ladies　were　fixed　on　her　wrinkled　lips。　Was　it　idiocy？　I　thought　of　the　dusty　stuffed　animals　drinking　at　their　looking…glass　stream。　Mrs。　Carmody　had　power。　Even　Steff；　normally　hardheaded　and　straight…from…the…shoulder；　invoked　the　old　lady's　name　with　unease。
　That　crazy　cunt；　Miller　had　called　her。　That　witch。
　〃The　people　in　this　market　are　going　through　a　section…eight　experience　for　sure；〃　Miller　said。　He　gestured　at　the　red…painted　beams　framing　the　show…window　segments　。。。　twisted　and　splintered　and　buckled　out　of　shape。　〃Their　minds　probably　feel　like　those　beams　look。　Mine　sure　as　shit　does。　I　spent　half　of　last　night　thinking　I　must　have　flipped　out　of　my　gourd；　that　I　was　probably　in　a　straitjacket　in　Danvers；　raving　my　head　off　about　bugs　and　dinosaur　birds　and　tentacles　and　that　it　would　all　go　away　just　as　soon　as　the　nice　orderly　came　along　and　shot　a　wad　of　Thorazine　into　my　arm。〃　His　small　face　wass　trained　and　white。　He　looked　at　Mrs。　Carmody　and　then　back　at　me；　；；　tell　you　it　might　happen。　As　people　get　flakier　she's　going　to　look　better　and　better　to　some　of　them。　And　I　don't　want　to　be　around　if　that　happens。〃　
　Mrs。　Carmody's　lips；　moving　and　moving。　Her　tongue　dancing　around　her　old　lady's　snaggle　teeth。　She　did　look　like　a　witch。　Put　her　in　a　pointy　black　hat　and　she　would　be　perfect。　What　was　she　saying　to　her　two　captured　birds　in　their　bright　summer　plumage　？　
　Arrowhead　Project？　Black　Spring　the　Abominations　from　cellars　of　the　earth？　Human　sacrifice？
　Bullshit。
　All　the　same
　So　what　do　you　say。
　〃I'll　go　this　far；〃　I　answered　him。　〃We；ll　try　going　over　to　the　drug。　You；　me；　Ollie　if　he　wants　to　go；　one　or　two　others；　Then　we'll　talk　it　over　again。〃　Even　that　gave　me　the　feeling　of　walking　out　over　an　impossible　drop　on　a　narrow　beam。　I　wasn't　going　to　help　Billy　by　killing　myself。　on　the　other　hand；　I　wasn't　going　to　help　him　by　just　sitting　on　my　ass；　either。　Twenty　feet　to　the　drugstore。　That　wasn't　so　bad。　〃When？〃　he　asked。　〃Give　me　an　hour。〃　〃Sure；〃　he　said。
　　
　IX。　The　Expedition　to　the　pharmacy。
　I　told　Mrs。　Turman；　and　I　told　Amanda；　and　then　I　told　Billy。　He　seemed　better　this　morning；　he　had　eaten　two　donuts　and　a　bowl　of　Special　K　for　breakfast。　Afterward　I　raced　him　up　and　down　two　of　the　aisles　and　even　got　him　giggling　a　little。　Kids　are　so　adaptable　that　they　can　scar　the　living　shit　right　out　of　You。　He　was　too　pale；　the　flesh　under　his　eyes　was　still　puffed　from　the　tears　he　had　cried　in　the　night；　and　his　face　had　a　horribly　used　look。　In　a　way　it　had　bee　like　an　old　man's　face；　as　if　too　much　emotional　voltage　had　been　running　behind　it　for　too　long；　But　he　was　still　alive　and　still　able　to　laugh　。。。　at　least　until　he　remembered　where　he　was　and　what　was　happening。
　After　the　windsprints　we　sat　down　with　Amanda　and　Hattie　Turman　and　drank　Gatorade　from　paper　cups　and　I　told　him　I　was　going　over　to　the　drugstore　with　a　few　other　people。
　〃I　don't　want　you　to；〃　he　said　immediately；　his　face　clouding。
　〃It'll　be　all　right；　Big　Bill；　I'll　bring　you　a　Spiderman　ic　book。〃
　〃I　want　you　to　stay　here。〃　Now　his　face　was　not　just　cloudy；　it　was　thundery。　I　took　his　hand。　He　pulled　it　away。　I　took　it　again。
　〃Billy；　we　have　to　get　out　of　here　sooner　or　later。　You　see　that；　don't　you　？〃
　〃When　the　fog　goes　away　_…　But　he　spoke　with　no　conviction　at　all。　He　drank　his　Gatorade　slowly　and　without　relish。
　〃Billy；　it's　been　almost　one　whole　day　now。〃
　〃I　want　Mommy。〃
　〃Well；　maybe　this　is　the　first　step　on　the　way　to　getting　back　to　her。〃
　Mrs。　Turman　said；　〃Don't　build　the　boy's　hopes　up；　David。〃
　〃What　the　hell；〃　I　snapped　at　her；　〃the　kid's　got　to　hope　for　something。〃
　She　dropped　her　eyes。　〃Yes。　I　suppose　he　does。〃
　Billy　took　no　notice　of　this。　〃Daddy　。。。　Daddy；　there　are　things　out　there。　Things。〃
　〃Yes；　we　know　that。　But　a　lot　of　them　…　not　all；　but　a　lot　…don't　seem　to　e　out　until　it's　nighttime。〃
　〃They'll　wait；〃　he　said。　His　eyes　were　huge；　centered　on　mine。　〃They'll　wait　in　the　fog　。。。　and　when　you　can't　get　back　inside；　they'll　e　to　eat　you　up。　Like　in　the　fairy　stories。〃　He　hugged　me　with　fierce；　panicky　tightness。　〃Daddy；　please　don't　go。〃
　I　pried　his　arms　loose　as　gently　as　I　could　and　told　him　that　I　had　to。　〃But　I'll　be　back；　Billy。〃
　〃All　right；〃　he　said　huskily；　but　he　wouldn't　look　at　me　anymore。　He　didn't　believe　I　would　be　back。　It　was　on　his　face；　which　was　no　longer　thundery　but　woeful　and　grieving。　I　wondered　again　if　I　could　be　doing　the　right　thing；　putting　myself　at　risk。　Then　I　happened　to　glance　down　the　middle　aisle　and　saw　Mrs。　Carmody　there。　She　had　gained　a　third　listener；　a　man　with　a　grizzled　cheek　and　a　mean　and　rolling　bloodshot　eye。　His　haggard　brow　and　shaking　hands　almost　screamed　the　word　hangover。　It　was　none　other　than　your　friend　and　his；　Myron　LaFleur。　The　fellow　who　had　felt　no　punction　at　all　about　sending　a　boy　out　to　do　a　man's　job。
　That　crazy　cunt。　That　witch。
　I　kissed　Billy　and　hugged　him　hard。　Then　I　walked　down　to　the　front　of　the　store…but　not　down　the　housewares　aisle。　I　didn't　want　to　fall　under　her　eye。
　Three…quarters　of　the　way　down；　Amanda　caught　up　with　me。　〃Do　you　really　have　to　do　this？〃　she　asked。
　〃Yes；　I　think　so。〃
　〃Forgive　me　if　I　say　it　sounds　like　so　much　macho　bullshit　to　me。〃　There　were　spots　of　color　high　on　her　cheeks　and　her　eyes　were　greener　than　ever。　She　was　highly　…　no；　royally　…pissed。
　I　took　her　arm　and　recapped　my　discussion　with　Dan　Miller。　The　riddle　of　the　cars　and　the　fact　that　no　one　from　the　pharmacy　had　joined　us　didn't　move　her　much。　The　business　about　Mrs。　Carmody　did。
　〃He　could　be　right；〃　she　said。
　〃Do　you　really　believe　that？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　There's　a　poisonous　feel　to　that　woman。　And　if　people　are　frightened　badly　enough　for　long　enough；　they'll　turn　to　anyone　that　promises　a　solution。〃
　〃But　human　sacrifice；　Amanda？〃
　〃The　Aztecs　were　into　it；〃　she　said　evenly。　〃Listen；　David。　You　e　back。　If　anything　happens　。。。　anything　。。。　you　e　back。　Cut　and　run　if　you　have　to。　Not　for　me；　what　happened　last　night　was　nice；　but　that　was　last　night。　e　back　for　your　boy。〃
　〃Yes；　I　will。〃
　〃I　wonder；〃　she　said；　and　now　she　looked　like　Billy；　haggard　and　old。　it　occurred　to　me　that　most　of　us　looked　that　way。　But　not　Mrs。　Carmody。　Mrs。　Carmody　looked　younger　somehow；　and　more　vital。　As　if　she　had　e　into　her　own。　As　if。。。　as　if　she　were　thriving　on　it。
　We　didn't　get　going　until　9：30　A。M。　Seven　of　us　went：　Ollie；　Dan　Miller；　Mike　Hatlen；　Myron　LaFleur's　erstwhile　buddy　Jim　（also　hungover；　but　seemingly　determined　to　find　some　way　to　atone）；　Buddy　Eagleton；　myself。　The　seventh　was　Hilda　Reppler。　Miller　and　Hatlen　tried　halfheartedly　to　talk　her　out　of　ing。　She　would　have　none　of　it。　I　didn't　even　try。　I　suspected　she　might　be　more　petent　than　any　of　us；　except　maybe　for　Ollie。　She　was　carrying　a　small　canvas　shopping　basket；　and　it　was　loaded　with　an　arsenal　of　Raid　and　Black　Flag　spray　cans；　all　of　them　uncapped　and　ready　for　action。　In　her　free　hand　she　held　a　Spaulding　Jimmy　Connors　tennis　racket　from　a　display　of　sporting　goods　in　Aisle　2。
　〃What　you　gonna　do　with　that；　Mrs。　Reppler？〃　Jim　asked。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said。　She　had　a　low；　raspy；　petent　voice。　〃But　it　feels　right　in　my　hand。〃　She　looked　him　over　closely；　and　her　eye　was　cold。　〃Jim　Grondin；　isn't　it？　Didn't　I　hav