dk.intensity-第63节

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ained　of　her　own　fragile　innocence　and　all　hope　Of　being　a　daughter　to　her　mother；　though　after　that　night；　she　had　still　needed　years　to　understand　as　much。
　〃I've　no　memory　at　all　of　how　I　left　the　cottage；　maybe　through　the　front　door；　maybe　through　a　window；　but　the　next　thing　I　knew；　I　was　on　the　beach　in　the　storm。　I　went　to　the　edge　of　the　water　and　washed　my　hands　in　the　surf。　The　breakers　weren't　huge。　They　seldom　are；　there；　except　in　a　hurricane；　and　this　was　only　a　tropical　storm；　almost　windless；　the　heavy　rain　ing　straight　down。　Still；　the　waves　were　bigger　than　usual；　and　I　thought　about　swimming　out　into　the　black　water　until　I　found　an　undertow。　I　tried　to　persuade　myself　that　it　would　be　all　right；　just　swimming　in　the　dark　until　I　got　tired；　told　myself　I　would　just　be　going　to　God。〃
　Ariel's　hands　appeared　to　tighten　on　the　drill。
　〃But　for　the　first　time　in　my　life；　I　was　afraid　of　the　sea…of　how　the　breaking　waves　sounded　like　a　giant　heart；　of　how　the　nearby　water　was　as　shiny　black　as　a　beetle's　shell　and　seemed　to　curve　up；　in　the　near　distance；　to　meet　a　black　sky　that　didn't　shine　at　all。　It　was　the　endlessness　and　seamlessness　of　the　dark　that　scared　me　continully…although　that　wasn't　a　word　I　knew　back　then。　So　I　stretched　out　on　the　beach；　flat　on　my　back　in　the　sand；　with　the　rain　beating　down　on　me　so　hard　that　I　couldn't　keep　my　eyes　open。　Even　behind　my　eyelids；　I　could　see　the　lightning；　a　bright　ghost　of　it；　and　because　I　was　too　scared　to　swim　out　to　God；　I　waited　for　God　to　e　to　me；　blazing　bright。　But　He　didn't　e；　didn't　e；　and　eventually　I　fell　asleep。　Shortly　after　dawn；　when　I　woke；　the　storm　had　passed。　The　sky　was　red　in　the　east；　sapphire　in　the　west；　the　ocean　flat　and　green。　I　went　inside；　and　Anne　and　Woltz　were　still　asleep　in　his　room。　My　birthday　cake　was　on　the　kitchen　table　where　it　had　been　the　night　before。　The　pink　and　white　icing　was　soft　and　beaded　with　yellowish　oil　in　the　heat；　and　the　eight　candles　were　all　cockeyed。　No　one　had　cut　a　slice　from　it；　and。　I　didn't　touch　it　either。。。　Two　days　later；　my　mother　pulled　up　stakes　and　carted　me　off　to　Tupelo；　Mississippi；　or　Santa　Fe；　or　maybe　Boston。　I　don't　remember　where；　exactly；　but　I　was　relieved　to　be　leaving…and　afraid　of　who　we　would　settle　in　with　next。　Happy　only　in　the　traveling；　gone　from　one　thing　but　not　yet　arrived　at　the　next；　the　peace　of　the　road　or　the　rails。　I　could　have　traveled　forever　without　a　destination。〃
　Above　them；　the　house　of　Edgler　Vess　remained　silent。　A　spiky　shadow　moved　across　the　cellar　floor。　Looking　up；　Chyna　saw　a　busy　spider　spinning　a　web　between　one　of　the　ceiling　joists　and　one　of　the　lighting　fixtures。
　Maybe　she'd　have　to　deal　with　the　Dobermans　while　handcuffed。　Time　was　running　out。
　Ariel　picked　up　the　power　drill。　Chyna　opened　her　mouth　to　speak　a　few　words　of　encouragement　but　then　was　afraid　that　she　might　say　the　wrong　thing　and　send　the　girl　deeper　into　her　trance。
　Instead；　she　spotted　the　safety　goggles　and；　making　no　ment；　got　up　and　put　them　on　the　girl。　Ariel　submitted　without　objection。
　Chyna　returned　to　the　stool　and　waited。　A　frown　surfaced　in　the　placid　pool　of　Ariel's　face。　It　didn't　subside　again　but　floated　there。
　The　girl　pressed　the　trigger　of　the　drill　experimentally。　The　motor　shrieked；　and　the　bit　whirled。　She　released　the　trigger　and　watched　the　bit　spin　to　a　stop。
　Chyna　realized　that　she　was　holding　her　breath。　She　let　it　out；　inhaled　deeply；　and　the　air　was　sweeter　than　before。　She　adjusted　the　position　of　her　hands　on　the　workbench　to　present　Ariel　with　the　left　cuff。
　Behind　the　goggles；　Ariel's　eyes　slowly　shifted　from　the　point　of　the　drill　bit　to　the　keyhole。　She　was　definitely　looking　at　things　now；　but　she　still　appeared　detached。
　Trust。　Chyna　closed　her　eyes。　As　she　waited；　the　silence　grew　so　deep　that　she　began　to　hear　distant　imaginary　noises；　analogue　to　the　phantom　lights　that　play　faintly　behind　closed　eyelids：　the　soft　solemn　tick　of　the　mantel　clock　upstairs；　the　restless　movement　of　vigilant　Dobermans　in　the　night　outside。
　Something　pressed　against　the　left　manacle。　Chyna　opened　her　eyes。　The　bit　was　in　the　keyway。　She　didn't　look　up　at　the　girl　but　closed　her　eyes　again；　more　tightly　this　time　than　previously；　to　protect　them　from　flying　metal　shavings。　She　turned　her　head　to　one　side。
　Ariel　bore　down　on　the　drill　to　prevent　it　from　popping　out　of　the　keyway；　just　as　Chyna　had　instructed。　The　steel　manacle　pressed　hard　against　Chyna's　wrist。
　Silence。　Stillness。　Gathering　courage。　Suddenly　the　drill　motor　whined。　Steel　squealed　against　steel；　and　the　sound　was　followed　by　the　thin；　acrid　odor　of　hot　metal。　Vibrations　in　Chyna's　wrist　bones　spread　up　her　arm；　exacerbating　all　the　aches　and　pains　in　her　muscles。　A　clatter；　a　hard　ping；　and　the　left　man…acle　fell　open。
　She　could　have　fimctioned　reasonably　well　with　the　pair　of　cuffs　dangling　from　her　right　hand。　Perhaps　it　didn't　make　sense　to　risk　injury　for　the　relatively　small　additional　advantage　of　being　free　of　the　manacles　altogether。　But　this　wasn't　about　logic。　It　wasn't　about　a　rational　parison　of　risks　and　advantages。　It　was　about　faith。
　The　bit　clicked　against　the　keyway　as　it　was　inserted　into　the　right　manacle。　The　drill　shrieked；　and　steel　jittered…spun　against　steel。　A　spray　of　tiny　shavings　spattered　across　the　side　of　Chyna's　face；　and　the　lock　cracked。
　Ariel　released　the　trigger　and　lifted　the　drill　away。　With　a　laugh　of　relief　and　delight；　Chyna　shook　off　the　manacles　and　raised　her　hands；　gazing　at　them　in　wonder。　Both　of　her　wrists　were　abraded…actually　raw　and　seeping　in　places。　But　that　pain　was　less　severe　than　many　others　that　afflicted　her；　and　no　pain　could　diminish　the　exhilaration　of　being　free　at　last。
　As　if　not　sure　what　to　do　next；　Ariel　stood　with　the　drill　in　both　hands。
　Chyna　took　the　tool　and　set　it　aside　on　the　workbench。
　〃Thank　you；　honey。　That　was　terrific。　You　did　great；　really　great；　you　were　perfect。〃
　The　girl's　arms　hung　at　her　sides　again；　and　her　delicate　pale　hands　were　no　longer　hooked　like　claws　but　were　as　slack　as　those　of　a　sleeper。
　Chyna　slipped　the　goggles　off　Ariel's　head；　and　they　made　eye　contact；　real　contact。　Chyna　saw　the　girl　who　lived　behind　the　lovely　face；　the　true　girl　inside　the　safe　fortress　of　the　skull；　where　Edgler　Vess　could　get　at　her　only　with　tremendous　effort　if　ever。
　Then；　in　an　instant；　Ariel's　gaze　traveled　from　this　world　to　the　sanctuary　of　her　Elsewhere。
　Chyna　said；　〃Nooooo；〃　because　she　didn't　want　to　lose　the　girl　whom　she　had　so　briefly　glimpsed。　She　put　her　arms　around　Ariel　and　held　her　tight　and　said；　〃e　back；　honey。　It's　okay。　e　back　to　me；　talk　to　me。〃
　But　Ariel　did　not　e　back。　After　pulling　herself　pletely　into　the　world　of　Edgler　Vess　long　enough　to　drill　out　the　locks　on　the　manacles；　she　had　exhausted　her　courage。
　〃Okay；　I　don't　blame　you。　We're　not　out　of　here　yet；〃　Chyna　said。　〃But　now　we　only　have　the　dogs　to　worry　about。〃
　Though　still　living　in　a　far　realm；　Ariel　allowed　Chyna　to　take　her　hand　and　lead　her　to　the　stairs。
　〃We　can　handle　a　bunch　of　damn　dogs；　kid。　Better　believe　it；〃　Chyna　said；　though　she　was　not　sure　if　she　believed　it　herself。
　Free　of　manacles　and　shackles；　no　longer　carrying　a　chair　on　her　back；　with　a　stomach　full　of　coffeecake；　and　with　a　gloriously　empty　bladder；　she　had　nothing　to　think　about　except　the　dogs。　Halfway　up　the　stairs　toward　the　laundry　room；　she　remembered　something　that　she　had　seen　earlier；　it　had　been　puzzling　then；　but　it　was　clear　nowand　vitally　important。
　〃Wait。　Wait　here；〃　she　told　Ariel；　and　pressed　the　girl's　limp　hand　around　the　railing。
　She　plunged　back　down　the　stairs；　went　to　the　metal　cabinets；　and　pulled　open　the　door　behind　which　she　had　seen　the　strange　pads　trailing　black　leather　straps　with　chrome…plated　buckles。　She　pulled　them　out；　scattering　them　on　the　floor　around　her；　until　the　cabinet　was　empty。
　They　weren't　pads。　They　were　heavily　padded　garments。　A　jacket　with　a　dense　foam　outer　layer　under　a　man…made　fabric　that　appeared　to　be　a　lot　tougher　than　leather。　Especially　thick　padding　around　both　arms。　A　pair　of　bulky　chaps　featured　hard　plastic　under　the　padding；　body…armor　quality；　the　plastic　was　segmented　and　hinged　at　the　knees　to　allow　the　wearer　flexibility。　Another　pair　of　chaps　protected　the　backs　of　the　legs　and　came　with　a　hard…plastic　butt　shield；　a　waist　belt；　and　buckles　that　connected　them　to　the　front　chaps。
　Behind　the　garments　were　gloves　and　an　odd　padded　helmet　with　a　clear　Plexiglas　face　shield。　She　also　found　a　vest　that　was　labeled　KEVLAR；　which　looked　exactly　like　the　bulletproof　garments　worn　by　members　of　police　SWAT　teams。
　A　few　small　tears　marred　the　garments…and　in　many　places　other　rips　had　been　sewn　shut　with　black　thread　as　heavy　as　fishing　line。　She　recognized　the　same　neat　stitches　that　she　had　seen　in　the　young　hitchhiker's　lips　and　eyelids。　Here　and　there　in　the　padding　were　unrepaired　punctures。　Tooth　marks。
　This　was　the　protective　gear　that　Vess　wore　when　he　worked　with　the　Dobermans。
　Apparently　he　layered　on　enough　padding　and　armor　to　walk　safely　through　a　pride　of　hungry　lions。　For　a　man　who　liked　to　take