stephen king - mist-第7节

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　all　the　impulse　items　known　to　modern　man…everything　from　Cricket　lighters　to　rubber　dog　bones。
　Beyond　the　IN　door　is　the　fruit…and…vegetable　aisle。　I　looked　up　it；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　Norton　or　my　son。　The　old　lady　who　had　run　into　the　door　was　examining　grapefruits。　Her　husband　had　produced　a　net　sack　to　store　purchases　in。
　I　walked　up　the　aisle　and　went　left。　I　found　them　in　the　third　aisle；　Billy　mulling　over　the　ranks　of　Jello…O　packages　and　instant　puddings。　Norton　was　standing　directly　behind　him；　peering　at　Steff's　list。　I　had　to　grin　a　little　at　his　nonplussed　expression。
　I　threaded　my　way　down　to　them；　past　half…loaded　carriages　（Steff　hadn't　been　the　only　one　struck　by　the　squirreling　impulse　apparently）　and　browsing　shoppers。　Norton　took　two　cans　of　pie　filling　down　from　the　top　shelf　and　put　them　in　the　cart。
　〃How　are　you　doing？〃　I　asked；　and　Norton　looked　around　with　unmistakable　relief。
　〃All　right；　aren't　we；　Billy？〃
　〃Sure；〃　Billy　said；　and　couldn't　resist　adding　in　a　rather　smug　tone：　〃But　there's　lots　of　stuff　Mr。　Norton　can't　read　either；　Dad。〃
　〃Let　me　see。〃　I　took　the　list。
　Norton　had　made　a　neat；　lawyerly　check　beside　each　of　the　items　he　and　Billy　had　picked　up…half　a　dozen　or　so；　including　the　milk　and　a　six…pack　of　Coke。　There　were　maybe　ten　other　things　that　she　wanted。
　〃We　ought　to　go　back　to　the　fruits　and　vegetables；〃　I　said。　〃She　wants　some　tomatoes　and　cucumbers。〃
　Billy　started　to　turn　the　card　around　and　Norton　said；　〃You　ought　to　go　have　a　look　at　the　checkout；　Dave。〃
　I　went　and　had　a　look。　it　was　the　sort　of　thing　you　sometimes　see　photos　of　in　the　paper　on　a　slow　newsday；　with　a　humorous　caption　beneath。　Only　two　lanes　were　open；　and　the　double　line　of　people　waiting　to　check　their　purchases　out　stretched　past　the　mostly　denuded　bread　racks；　then　made　a　jig　to　the　right　and　went　out　of　sight　along　the　frozen…food　coolers。　All　of　the　new　puterized　NCRs　were　hooded。　At　each　of　the　two　open　positions；　a　harried…looking　girl　was　totting　up　purchases　on　a　battery…powered　pocket　calculator。　Standing　with　each　girl　was　one　of　the　Federal's　two　managers；　Bud　Brown　and　Ollie　Weeks。　I　liked　Ollie　but　didn't　care　much　for　Bud
　Brown；　who　seemed　to　fancy　himself　the　Charles　de　Gaulle　of　the　supermarket　world。
　As　each　girl　finished　checking　her　order；　Bud　or　Ollie　would　paperclip　a　chit　to　the　customer's　cash　or　check　and　toss　it　into　the　box　he　was　using　as　a　cash　repository。　They　all　looked　hot　and　tired；
　〃Hope　you　brought　a　good　book；〃　Norton　said；　joining　me。　〃We're　going　to　be　in　line　for　a　while。〃
　I　thought　of　Steff　again；　at　home　alone；　and　had　another　flash　of　unease。　〃You　go　on　and　get　your　stuff；〃　I　said。　〃Billy　and　I　can　handle　the　rest　of　this；〃
　〃Want　me　to　grab　a　few　more　beers　for　you　too？〃
　I　thought　about　it；　but　in　spite　of　the　rapprochement；　I　didn't　want　to　spend　the　afternoon　with　Brent　Norton　getting　drunk。　Not　with　the　mess　things　were　in　around　the　house。
　〃Sorry；〃　I　said。　〃I've　got　to　take　a　raincheck；　Brent。〃
　I　thought　his　face　stiffened　a　little。　〃Okay；〃　he　said　shortly；　and　walked　off。　I　watched　him　go；　and　then　Billy　was　tugging　at　my　shirt。
　〃Did　you　talk　to　Mommy？〃
　〃Nope。　The　phone　wasn't　working。　Those　lines　are　down　too；　I　guess。〃
　〃Are　you　worried　about　her？〃
　〃No；〃　I　said；　lying。　I　was　worried；　all　right；　but　had　no　idea　why　I　should　be。　〃No；　of　course　I'm　not。　Are　you？〃
　〃No…ooo　。。。〃　But　he　was。　His　face　had　a　pinched　look。　We　should　have　gone　back　then。　But　even　then　it　might　have　been　too　late。
　　
　III。　The　ing　of　the　Mist。
　We　worked　our　way　back　to　the　fruits　and　vegetables　like　salmon　fighting　their　way　upstream。　I　saw　some　familiar　faces…Mike　Haden；　one　of　our　selectmen；　Mrs。　Reppler　from　the　grammar　school　（she　who　had　terrified　generations　of　third…graders　was　currently　sneering　at　the　cantaloupes）；　Mrs。　Turman；　who　sometimes　sat　Billy　when　Steff　and　I　went　out…but　mostly　they　were　summer　people
　stocking　up　on　no…cook　items　and　joshing　each　other　about　〃roughing　it。〃　The　cold　cuts　had　been　picked　over　as　thoroughly　as　the　dimebook　tray　at　a　rummage　sale；　there　was　nothing　left　but　a　few　packages　of　bologna；　some　macaroni　loaf；　and　one　lonely；　phallic　kielbasa　sausage。
　I　got　tomatoes；　cukes；　and　a　jar　of　mayonnaise。　She　wanted　bacon；　but　all　the　bacon　was　gone。　I　picked　up　some　of　the　bologna　as　a　substitute；　although　I've　never　been　able　to　eat　the　stuff　with　any　real　enthusiasm　since　the　FDA　reported　that　each　package　contained　a　small　amount　of　insect　filth　…　a　little　something　extra　for　your　money。
　〃Look；〃　Billy　said　as　we　rounded　the　corner　into　the　fourth　aisle。　〃There's　some　army　guys。〃
　There　were　two　of　them；　their　dun　uniforms　standing　out　against　the　much　brighter　background　of　summer　clothes　and　sportswear。　We　had　gotten　used　to　seeing　a　scattering　of　army　personnel　with　the　Arrowhead　Project　only　thirty　miles　or　so　away。　These　two　looked　hardly　old　enough　to　shave　yet。
　I　glanced　back　down　at　Steffs　list　and　saw　that　we　had　everything　。。。　no；　almost　but　not　quite；　At　the　bottom；　as　an　afterthought；　she　had　scribbled：　Bottle　of　Lancers？　That　sounded　good　to　me。　A　couple　of　glasses　of　wine　tonight　after　Billy　had　sacked　out；　then　maybe　a　long　slow　bout　of　lovemaking　before　sleep。
　I　left　the　cart　and　worked　my　way　down　to　the　wine　and　got　a　bottle。　As　I　walked　back　I　passed　the　big　double　doors　leading　to　the　storage　area　and　heard　the　steady　roar　of　a　good…sized　generator。
　I　decided　it　was　probably　just　big　enough　to　keep　the　cold　cases　cold；　but　not　large　enough　to　power　the　doors　and　cash　registers　and　all　the　other　electrical　equipment。　It　sounded　like　a　motorcycle　back　there。
　Norton　appeared　just　as　we　got　into　line；　balancing　two　six…packs　of　Schlitz　Light；　a　loaf　of　bread；　and　the　kielbasa　I　had　spotted　a　few　minutes　earlier。　He　got　in　line　with　Billy　and　me。　It　seemed　very　warm　in　the　market　with　the　air　conditioning　off；　and　I　wondered　why　none　of　the　stockboys　…had　at　least　chocked　the　doors　open。　I　had　seen
　Buddy　Eagleton　in　his　red　apron　two　aisles　back；　doing　nothing　and　piling　it　up。　The　generator　roared　monotonously。　I　had　the　beginnings　of　a　headache。
　〃Put　your　stuff　in　here　before　you　drop　something；〃　I　said。
　〃Thanks。〃'
　The　lines　were　up　past　the　frozen　food　now；　people　had　to　cut　through　to　get　what　they　wanted　and　there　was　much　excuse…me…ing　and　pardon…me…ing。　〃This　is　going　to　be　a　cunt；〃　Norton　said　morosely；　and　I　frowned　a　little。　That　sort　of　language　is　rougher　than　I'd　like　Billy　to　hear。
　The　generator's　roar　muted　a　little　as　the　line　shuffled　forward。　Norton　and　I　made　desultory　conversation；　skirting　around　the　ugly　property　dispute　that　had　landed　us　in　district　court　and　sticking　with　things　like　the　Red　Sox's　chances　and　the　weather。　At　last　we　exhausted　our　little　store　of　small　talk　and　fell　silent。　Billy　fidgeted　beside　me。　The　line　crawled　along。　Now　we　had　frozen　dinners　on　our　right　and　the　more　expensive　wines　and　champagnes　on　our　left。　As　the　line　progressed　down　to　the　cheaper　wines；　I　toyed　briefly　with　the　idea　of　picking　up　a　bottle　of　Ripple；　the　wine　of　my　flaming　youth。　I　didn't　do　it。　My　youth　never　flamed　that　much　anyway。
　〃Jeez；　why　can't　they　hurry　up；　Dad？〃　Billy　asked。　That　pinched　look　was　still　on　his　face；　and　suddenly；　briefly；　the　mist　of　disquiet　that　had　settled　over　me　rifted；　and　something　terrible　peered　through　from　the　other　side…the　bright　and　metallic　face　of　terror。　Then　it　passed。
　〃Keep　cool；　champ；〃　I　said。
　We　had　made　it　up　to　the　bread　racks…to　the　point　where　the　double　line　bent　to　the　left。　We　could　see　the　checkout　lanes　now；　the　two　that　were　open　and　the　other　four；　deserted；　each　with　a　little　sign　on　the　stationary　conveyor　belt；　signs　that　read　PLEASE　CHOOSE　ANOTHER　LANE　and　WINSTON。　Beyond　the　lanes　was　the　big　sectioned　plate…glass　window　which　gave　a　view　of　the　parking　lot　and　the　intersection　of　Routes　117　and　302　beyond。　The　view　was　partially　obscured　by　the　white…paper　backs　of　signs　advertising　current　specials　and　the　latest　giveaway；　which　happened　to　be　a　set　of　books　called　The　Mother　Nature　Encyclopedia。　We　were　in　the　line　that　would　eventually　lead　us　to　the　checkout　where　Bud　Brown　was　standing。　There　were　still　maybe　thirty　people　in　front　of　us。　The　easiest　one　to　pick　out　was　Mrs。　Carmody；　in　her　blazing…yellow　pantsuit。　She　looked　like　an　advertisement　for　yellow　fever。
　Suddenly　a　shrieking　noise　began　in　the　distance。　It　quickly　built　up　in　volume　and　resolved　itself　into　the　crazy　warble　of　a　police　siren。　A　horn　blared　at　the　intersection　and　there　was　a　shriek　of　brakes　and　burning　rubber。　I　couldn't　see…　the　angle　was　all　wrong…but　the　siren　reached　its　loudest　as　it　approached　the　market　and　then　began　to　fade　as　the　police　car　went　past。　A　few　people　broke　out　of　line　to　look；　but　not　many。　They　had　waited　too　long　to　chance　losing　their　places。
　Norton　went；　his　stuff　was　tucked　into　my　cart。　After　a　few　moments　he　came　back　and　got　into　line　again。　〃Local　fuzz；〃　he　said。
　Then　the　town　fire　whistle　began　to　wail；　slowly　cranking　up　to　a　shriek　of　its　own；　falling　off；　then　rising　again。　Billy　grabbed　my　hand…clutched　it。　〃What　is