dk.intensity-第41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！


ty　never　lasts。　Things　change。〃
　From　the　shoe　box　he　takes　two　more　photographs。
　〃This　is　Sarah's　daughter；　Laura。　Before。　And　after。　You　can　see　she　was　beautiful。　Like　a　butterfly。　But　there's　a　worm　in　every　butterfly；　you　know。〃
　He　places　these　snapshots　on　the　chair　and　reaches　into　the　box　again。
　〃This　was　Laura's　father。　Oh；　and　here's　her　brother　。。。　and　the　brother's　wife。　They　were　incidental。〃
　Finally　he　brings　out　the　three　Polaroids　of　the　young　Asian　gentleman　and　the　Slim　Jim　with　the　bite　missing。
　〃His　name　is　Fuji。　Like　the　mountain　in　Japan。〃
　Vess　puts　two　of　the　three　photos　on　the　chair。　
　〃I'll　keep　one　for　myself。　To　eat。　And　then　I'll　be　Fuji；　with　the　power　of　the　East　and　the　power　of　the　mountain；　and　when　the　time　es　for　me　to　do　you；　you'll　feel　both　the　boy　and　the　mountain　in　me；　and　so　many　other　people；　all　their　power。　It'll　be　very　exciting　for　you；　Ariel；　so　exciting　that　when　it's　over；　you　won't　even　care　that　you're　dead。〃
　This　is　a　long　speech　for　Mr。　Vess。　He　is　for　the　most　part　not　a　garrulous　man。　The　girl's　beauty；　however；　moves　him　now　and　then　to　speeches。
　He　holds　up　the　Slim　Jim。　〃The　missing　bite　was　taken　by　Fuji　just　before　I　killed　him。　His　saliva　will　have　dried　on　the　meat。　You　can　taste　a　little　of　his　quiet　power；　his　inscrutable　nature。〃
　He　puts　the　wrapped　sausage　on　the　chair。
　〃I'll　be　back　after　midnight；〃　Mr。　Vess　promises。　〃We'll　go　out　to　the　motor　home；　so　you　can　see　Laura；　the　real　Laura；　not　just　the　picture　of　her。　I　brought　her　back　so　you　could　see　what　bees　of　all　pretty　things。　And　there's　a　young　man　too；　a　hitchhiker　that　I　picked　up　along　the　way。　I　showed　him　a　photograph　of　you；　and　I　just　didn't　like　the　way　he　looked　at　it。　He　wasn't　respectful。　He　leered。　I　didn't　like　something　he　said　about　you；　so　I　sewed　his　mouth　shut；　and　I　sewed　his　eyes　shut　because　of　the　way　he　looked　at　your　picture。　You'll　be　excited　to　see　what　I　did　to　him。　You　can　touch　him　。。。　and　Laura。〃
　Vess　watches　her　'closely　for　any　tic；　shudder；　flinch；　or　subtle　change　in　the　eyes　that　will　indicate　that　she　hears　him。　He　knows　that　she　hears；　but　she　is　clever　at　maintaining　a　solemn　face　and　a　pretense　of　catatonic　detachment。
　If　he　can　force　one　faint　flinch　from　her；　one　tic；　then　he　will　soon　shatter　her　pletely　and　have　her　howling　like　a　goggle…eyed　patient　in　the　deepest　wards　of　Bedlam。　That　collapse　into　ranting　insanity　is　always　fascinating　to　watch。
　But　she　is　tough；　this　girl；　with　surprising　inner　resources。　Good。　The　challenge　thrills　him。　〃And　from　the　motor　home　we'll　go　out　to　the　meadow　with　the　dogs；　Ariel；　and　you　can　watch　while　I　bury　Laura　and　the　hitchhiker。　Maybe　the　sky　will　clear　by　that　time；　and　maybe　there'll　be　stars　or　even　moonlight。〃
　Ariel　huddles　on　the　chair　with　her　book；　eyes　distant；　lips　slightly　parted；　a　deeply　still　girl。　〃Hey；　you　know；　I　bought　another　doll　for　you。　An　interesting　little　shop　in　Napa；　California；　a　place　that　sells　the　work　of　local　craftsmen。　It's　a　clever　rag　doll。　You'll　like　it。　I'll　give　it　to　you　later。〃
　Mr。　Vess　gets　up　from　the　footstool　and　takes　a　casual　inventory　of　the　contents　of　the　refrigerator　and　the　cabinet　that　serves　as　the　girl's　pantry。　She　has　enough　supplies　to　carry　her　three　more　days；　and　he　will　restock　her　shelves　tomorrow。
　〃You're　not　eating　quite　as　much　as　you　should；〃　he　admonishes。　〃That's　ungrateful　of　you。　I've　given　you　a　refrigerator；　a　microwave；　hot　and　cold　running　water。　You've　got　everything　you　need　to　take　care　of　yourself。　You　should　eat。〃
　The　dolls　are　no　less　responsive　than　the　girl。　〃You've　lost　two　or　three　pounds。　It　hasn't　affected　your　looks　yet；　but　you　can't　lose　any　more。〃
　She　gazes　into　thin　air；　as　if　waiting　for　her　voice…box　string　to　be　pulled　before　she　recites　recorded　messages。　〃Don't　think　you　can　starve　yourself　until　you're　haggard　and　unattractive。　You　can't　escape　me　that　way；　Ariel。　I'll　strap　you　down　and　force…feed　you　if　I　have　to。　I'll　make　you　swallow　a　rubber　tube　and　pump　baby　food　into　your　stomach。　In　fact；　I'd　enjoy　it。　Do　you　like　pureed　peas？　Carrots？　Applesauce？　I　guess　it　doesn't　matter；　since　you　won't　taste　them…unless　you　regurgitate。〃
　He　gazes　at　her　silken　hair；　which　is　red　blond　in　the　filtered　light。　This　sight　translates　through　all　five　of　Vess's　extraordinary　senses；　and　he　is　bathed　in　the　sensory　splendor　of　her　hair；　in　all　the　sounds　and　smells　and　textures　that　the　look　of　it　conveys　to　him。　One　stimulus　has　so　many　associations　for　him　that　he　could　lose　himself　for　hours　in　the　contemplation　of　a　single　hair　or　one　drop　of　rain；　if　he　chose；　because　that　item　would　bee　an　entire　world　of　sensation　to　him。
　He　moves　to　the　armchair　and　stands　over　the　girl。　She　doesn't　acknowledge　him；　and　although　he　has　entered　her　line　of　sight；　her　gaze　has　somehow　shifted　above　and　to　one　side　of　him　without　his　being　aware　of　the　moment　when　it　happened。
　She　is　magically　evasive。　〃Maybe　I　could　get　a　word　or　two　out　of　you　if　I　set　you　on　fire。　〃What　do　you　think？　Hmmm？　A　little　lighter　fluid　on　that　golden　hair…and　whoosh！〃
　She　does　not　blink。　〃Or　I'll　give　you　to　the　dogs；　see　if　that　unties　your　tongue。〃　No　flinch；　no　tic；　no　shudder。　What　a　girl。　Mr。　Vess　stoops；　lowering　his　face　toward　Ariel's；　until　they　are　nose…to…nose。
　Her　eyes　are　now　directly　aligned　with　his…yet　she　is　still　not　looking　at　him。　She　seems　to　peer　through　him；　as　if　he　is　not　a　man　of　flesh　and　blood　but　a　haunting　spirit　that　she　can't　quite　detect。　This　isn't　merely　the　old　trick　of　letting　her　eyes　swim　out　of　focus；　it's　a　ruse　infinitely　more　clever　than　that；　which　he　can't　understand　at　all。
　Nose…to…nose　with　her；　Vess　whispers；　〃We'll　go　to　the　meadow　after　midnight。　I'll　bury　Laura　and　the　hitchhiker。　Maybe　I'll　put　you　into　the　ground　with　them　and　cover　you　up；　three　in　one　grave。　Them　dead　and　you　alive。　Would　you　speak　then；　Ariel？　Would　you　say　please？　〃
　No　answer。　He　waits。　Her　breathing　is　low　and　even。　He　is　so　close　to　her　that　her　exhalations　are　warm　and　steady　against　his　lips；　like　promises　of　kisses　to　e。
　She　must　feel　his　breath　too。　She　may　be　frightened　of　him　and　even　repulsed　by　him；　but　she　also　finds　him　alluring。　He　has　no　doubt　about　this。　Everyone　is　fascinated　by　bad　boys。
　He　says；　〃Maybe　there'll　be　stars。〃　Such　a　blueness　in　her　eyes；　such　sparkling　depths。　〃Or　even　moonlight；〃　he　whispers。
　The　steel　cuffs　on　Chyna's　ankles　were　linked　by　a　sturdy　chain。　A　second　and　far　longer　chain；　connected　by　a　carabiner　to　the　first；　wound　around　the　thick　legs　of　the　chair　and　around　the　stretcher　bars　between　the　legs；　returned　between　her　feet；　encircled　the　big　barrel　that　supported　the　round　table；　and　connected　again　to　the　carabiner。　The　chains　didn't　contain　enough　play　to　allow　her　to　stand。　Even　if　she'd　been　able　to　stand；　she　would　have　had　to　carry　the　chair　on　her　back；　and　the　restricting　shape　and　the　weight　of　it　would　have　forced　her　to　bend　forward　like　a　hunchbacked　troll。　And　once　standing；　she　could　not　have　moved　from　the　table　to　which　she　was　tethered。
　Her　hands　were　cuffed　in　front　of　her。　A　chain　was　hooked　into　the　shackle　that　encircled　her　right　wrist。　From　there　it　led　around　her；　wound　between　the　back　rails　of　the　chair　behind　the　tie…on　pad；　then　to　the　shackle　on　her　left　wrist。　This　chain　contained　enough　slack　to　allow　her　to　rest　her　arms　on　the　table　if　she　wished。
　She　sat　with　her　hands　folded；　leaning　forward；　staring　at　the　red　and　swollen　index　finger　on　her　right　hand；　waiting。
　Her　finger　throbbed；　and　she　had　a　headache；　but　her　neck　pain　had　subsided。　She　knew　that　it　would　return　worse　than　ever　in　another　twenty…four　hours；　like　the　delayed　agony　of　severe　whiplash。　Of　course；　if　she　was　still　alive　in　another　twenty…four　hours；　neck　pain　would　be　the　least　of　her　worries。
　The　Doberman　was　no　longer　at　the　window。　She　had　seen　two　at　once　on　the　lawn；　padding　back　and　forth；　sniffing　the　grass　and　the　air；　pausing　occasionally　to　prick　their　ears　and　listen　intently；　then　padding　away　again；　obviously　on　guard　duty。
　During　the　previous　night；　Chyna　had　used　rage　to　overe　her　terror　before　it　had　incapacitated　her；　but　now　she　discovered　that　humiliation　was　even　more　effective　at　quelling　fear。　Having　been　unable　to　protect　herself；　having　wound　up　in　bondage…that　was　not　the　source　of　her　humiliation；　what　mortified　worse　was　her　failure　to　fulfill　her　promise　to　the　girl　in　the　cellar。
　I　am　your　guardian。　I'll　keep　you　safe。　She　kept　returning；　in　memory；　to　the　upholstered　vestibule　and　the　view　port　on　the　inner　door。　The　girl　among　the　dolls　had　given　no　indication　that　she　had　heard　the　promise。　But　Chyna　was　sick　with　the　certainty　that　she　had　raised　false　hopes；　that　the　girl　would　feel　betrayed　and　more　abandoned　than　ever；　and　that　she　would　withdraw　even　further　into　her　private　Elsewhere。
　I　am　your　guardian。　In　retrospect；　Chyna　found　her　arrogance　not　merely　astonishing　but　perverse；　delusional。　In　twenty…six　years　of　living；　she'd　never　saved　anyone；　in　any　sense　whatsoever。　She　was　no　heroine；　no　mysterynovel…series　character　with　just　a　colorful　dash　of　angst　a