osc.am2.redprophet-第35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！


red　it　open　season　on　White　folks　and　so　there　wasn't　no　more　choice　about　it。
　　What　bothered　him　most；　though；　as　he　got　on　his　horse　and　rode　out　to　David's　place；　was　that　he　couldn't　exactly　be　sure　but　he　thought；　he　just　suspected　anyway；　that　Papa　was　crying。　If　that　didn't　beat　all。　Yesterday　Papa　was　so　hot　against　the　Reds；　and　now　Mama　talked　against　fighting；　and　Papa　just　sat　there　and　cried。　Maybe　it　was　getting　old　that　made　Papa　like　that。　But　that　wasn't　Wastenot's　business；　not　now。　Maybe　Papa　and　Mama　didn't　want　to　kill　them　as　took　their　sons　　but　Wastenot　knew　what　he　was　going　to　do　to　them　as　took　his　brothers。　Their　blood　was　his　blood；　and　whoever　shed　his　blood　was　going　to　shed　some　of　their　own；　too；　a　gallon　for　every　drop。
　　
　　
　　Chapter　9　　Lake　Mizogan
　　
　　In　his　whole　life　Alvin　never　saw　so　much　water　all　in　one　place。　He　stood　on　the　top　of　a　sand　dune；　looking　out　over　the　lake。　Measure　stood　beside　him；　a　hand　resting　on　Al's　shoulder。
　　〃Pa　told　me　to　keep　you　away　from　water；〃　said　Measure；　〃and　now　look　where　they　bring　you。〃
　　The　wind　was　hot　and　hard；　gusting　sometimes　and　shooting　sand　around　like　tiny　arrows。　〃Brought　you；　too；〃　said　Al。
　　〃Look；　there's　a　real　storm　ing。〃
　　Off　in　the　southwest；　the　clouds　got　black　and　ugly。　Not　one　of　them　summer…shower　storms。　Lightning　crackled　along　the　face　of　the　clouds。　The　thunder　came　much　later；　muffled　by　distance。　While　Alvin　was　watching；　he　felt　suddenly　like　he　could　see　much　wider；　much　farther　than　before；　like　he　could　see　the　twisting　and　churning　in　the　clouds；　feel　the　hot　and　cold　of　it；　the　icy　air　swooping　down；　the　hot　air　shooting　upward；　all　writhing　in　a　vast　circle　of　the　sky。
　　〃Tornado；〃　said　Al。　〃There's　a　tornado　in　that　storm。〃
　　〃I　don't　see　one；〃　said　Measure。
　　〃It's　ing。　Look　how。　the　air　is　spinning　there。　Look　at　that。〃
　　〃I　believe　you；　Al。　But　it's　not　like　there's　any　place　to　hide　around　here。〃
　　〃Look　at　all　these　people；〃　said　Alvin。　〃If　it　hits　us　here〃
　　〃When　did　you　learn　how　to　tell　the　weather？〃　asked　Measure。　〃You　never　done　that　before。〃
　　Al　didn't　have　an　answer　to　that。　He　never　had　felt　a　storm　inside　himself　like　this。　It　was　like　the　green　music　he'd　heard　last　night；　all　kinds　of　strange　things　happening　now　that　he　was　captured　by　these　Reds。　But　he　couldn't　waste　another　minute　trying　to　think　about　why　he　knew　　it　was　enough　that　he　knew　it。　〃I've　got　to　warn　somebody。〃
　　Alvin　took　off　down　the　dune；　sliding　so　that　each　step　was　like　leaping　off　the　face　of　the　hill；　then　landing　on　one　foot　and　leaping　again。　He'd　never　run　downhill　so　fast　before。　Measure　chased　after　him；　shouting；　〃They　told　us　to　stay　up　there　till〃　The　wind　gusted　and　whipped　away　his　words。　Now　they　were　off　the　hill；　the　sand　was　even　worse；　the　wind　lifted　big　sheets　of　sand　off　the　dunes；　hurled　it　a　ways；　then　let　it　fall。　Al　had　to　close　his　eyes；　shield　them　with　his　hand；　turn　his　face　out　of　the　wind　　whatever　it　took　to　keep　the　sand　from　blinding　him　as　he　ran　to　the　group　of　Reds　gathered　at　the　edge　of　the　water。
　　Ta…Kumsaw　was　easy　to　spot；　and　not　just　cause　he　was　so　big。　The　other　Reds　left　a　space　around　him；　and　he　stood　there　like　a　king。　Al　ran　right　up　to　him。　〃Tornado　ing！〃　he　yelled。　〃There's　tornadoes　in　that　cloud！〃
　　Ta…Kumsaw　leaned　his　head　back　and　laughed；　the　wind　was　so　loud　Al　barely　heard　him。　Then　Ta…Kumsaw　reached　over　Al's　head；　to　touch　the　shoulder　of　another　Red　standing　there。　〃This　is　the　boy！〃　shouted　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　Al　looked　at　the　man　Ta…Kumsaw　touched。　He　didn't　carry　himself　like　a　king　at　all　　nothing　like　Ta…Kumsaw。　He　was　stooped　somewhat；　and　one　eye　was　missing；　the　lid　just　hanging　empty　over　nothing。　He　looked　taut；　his　arms　wiry　rather　than　muscled；　his　legs　downright　scrawny。　But　as　Al　sat　there　looking　up　into　his　face；　he　knew　him。　There　wasn't　no　mistake。
　　The　wind　died　down　for　just　a　minute。
　　〃Shining　Man；〃　said　Al。
　　〃Roach　boy；〃　said　Tenskwa…Tawa；　Lolla…Wossiky；　the　Prophet。
　　〃You're　real；〃　said　Al。　Not　a　dream；　not　a　vision。　A　real　man　who　had　stood　there　at　the　foot　of　his　bed；　vanishing　and　reappearing；　his　face　shining　like　sunlight　so　it　hurt　to　look　at　him。　But　it　was　the　same　man。　〃I　didn't　heal　you！〃　said　Al。　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　　〃Yes　you　did；〃　said　the　Prophet。
　　Then　Al　remembered　why　he'd　e　running　down　the　dune；　busting　into　a　conversation　between　the　two　greatest　Reds　in　the　whole　world；　these　brothers　whose　names　were　known　to　every　White　man；　woman；　and　child　west　of　the　Appalachee　Mountains。　〃Tornadoes！〃　he　said。
　　As　if　to　answer　him；　the　wind　whipped　up　again；　howling　now。　Al　turned　around；　and　what　he'd　seen　and　felt　was　ing　true。　There　were　four　twisters　forming；　hanging　down　out　of　the　storm　like　snakes　hanging　from　trees；　slithering　lower　toward　the　ground；　their　heads　ready　to　strike。　They　were　all　four　ing　right　toward　them；　but　not　touching　the　ground　yet。
　　〃Now！〃　shouted　the　Prophet。
　　Ta…Kumsaw　handed　his　brother　a　flint…tipped　arrow。　The　Prophet　sat　down　in　the　sand　and　jammed　the　point　of　the　arrow　into　the　sole　of　his　left　foot；　then　his　right　foot。　Blood　oozed　copiously　from　the　wounds。　Then　he　did　the　same　to　his　hands；　jabbing　himself　so　deep　in　the　palm　that　it　was　bleeding　on　the　top　side　of　his　hands；　too。
　　Almost　without　thinking；　Al　cried　out　and　started　to　cast　his　mind　into　the　Prophet's　body；　to　heal　the　wounds。
　　〃No！〃　cried　the　Prophet。　〃This　is　the　power　of　the　Red　man　　the　blood　of　his　body　　the　fire　of　the　land！〃
　　Then　he　turned　and　started　walking　out　into　Lake　Mizogan。
　　No；　not　into　the　lake。　Onto　it。　Alvin　couldn't　hardly　believe　it；　but　under　the　Prophet's　bloody　feet　the　water　became　smooth　and　flat　as　glass；　and　the　Prophet　was　standing　on　it。　His　blood　pooled　on　the　surface；　deep　red。　A　few　yards　away；　the　water　became　loose　and　choppy；　wind…whipped　waves　rushing　toward　the　smooth　place　and　then　just　flattening；　calming；　being　smooth。
　　The　Prophet　kept　walking；　farther　out　onto　the　water；　his　bloody　footprints　marking　the　smooth　path　through　the　storm。
　　Al　looked　back　at　the　tornadoes。　They　were　close　now；　almost　overhead。　Al　could　feel　them　twisting　inside　him；　as　if　he　were　part　of　the　clouds；　and　these　were　the　great　raging　emotions　of　his　own　soul。
　　Out　on　the　water；　the　Prophet　raised　his　hands　and　pointed　at　one　of　the　twisters。　Almost　immediately；　the　other　three　twisters　rose　up；　sucked　back　up　into　the　clouds　and　disappeared。　But　the　other　came　nearer；　until　it　was　directly　over　the　Prophet；　maybe　a　hundred　feet　up。　It　was　near　enough　that　around　the　edges　of　the　Prophet's　glassy　smooth　path；　the　water　was　leaping　up；　as　if　it　wanted　to　dive　upward　into　the　clouds；　the　water　started　to　circle；　too；　twisting　around　and　around　with　the　wind　under　the　twister。
　　〃e！〃　shouted　the　Prophet。
　　Alvin　couldn't　hear　him；　but　he　saw　his　eyes　　even　from　that　far　away　　saw　his　lips　move；　and　knew　what　the　Prophet　wanted。　Alvin　didn't　hesitate。　He　stepped　out　onto　the　water。
　　By　now；　of　course；　Measure　was　caught　up　with　him；　and　when　Al　started　walking　onto　the　warm；　smooth　glass　of　the　Prophet's　path；　Measure　shouted　at　him；　grabbed　at　him。　Before　he　could　touch　the　boy；　though；　the　Reds　had　him；　pulled　him　back；　he　screamed　at　Alvin　to　e　back；　don't　go；　don't　go　onto　the　water　　Alvin　heard　him；　and　Alvin　was　as　scared　as　he　could　be。　But　the　Shining　Man　was　waiting　for　him　under　the　mouth　of　the　tornado；　standing　on　the　water。　Inside　himself　Al　felt　such　a　longing；　like　Moses　when　he　saw　the　burning　bush　　I　have　to　stop　and　see　this　thing；　said　Moses；　and　that's　what　Alvin　was　saying；　I　have　to　go　and　see　what　this　is。　Because　this　wasn't　the　kind　of　thing　that　happened　in　the　natural　universe；　and　that　was　the　truth。　There　wasn't　no　beseeching　or　hex　or　witchery　he　ever　heard　of　that　could　call　a　tornado　and　turn　a　stormy　lake　into　glass。　Whatever　this　Red　man　was　doing；　it　was　the　most　important　thing　Al　ever　saw　or　ever　was　likely　to　see　in　his　life。
　　And　the　Prophet　loved　him。　That　was　one　thing　Al　didn't　have　no　doubt　of。　The　Shining　Man　had　stood　once　at　the　foot　of　his　bed　and　taught　him。　Al　remembered　that　the　Shining　Man　cut　himself　then；　too。　Whatever　the　Prophet　was　doing；　he　used　his　own　blood　and　pain　to　do　it　with。　There　was　a　real　majesty　to　that。　Under　the　circumstances；　Al　can't　be　much　blamed　for　feeling　kind　of　worshipful　as　he　walked　out　onto　the　water。
　　Behind　him；　the　path　loosened　up；　dissolved；　disappeared。　He　felt　the　waves　licking　at　his　heels。　It　scared　him；　but　as　long　as　he　walked　forward　there　wasn't　no　harm　done　to　him。　And　finally　he　stood　with　the　Prophet；　who　reached　out　and　took　Alvin's　hands　in　his。　〃Stand　with　me；〃　shouted　the　Prophet。　〃Stand　here　in　the　eye　of　the　land；　and　see！〃
　　Then　the　tornado　sank　quickly　downward；　the　water　leaped　up；　rising　like　a　wall　around　them。　They　were　in　the　very　center　of　the　tornado；　getting　sucked　upward
　　Until　the　Prophet　reached　out　one　bloody　hand　and　touched　the　waterspout；　and　it；　too；　went　smooth　and　hard　as　glass。　No；　not　glass。　It　was　as　clear　and　clean　as　a　drop　of　dew　on　a　spiderweb。　Ther