sk.thewastelands-第47节

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　　〃Aw；　gimme　a　break；〃　Eddie　said；　but　his　voice　was　soft；　awed。
　　〃You　still　wanna　go？〃
　　〃Sure。　As　long　as　we　don't　。　。　。　you　know；　hafta　get　too　close。〃
　　〃Then　go　see　Mom。　And　try　to　get　a　couple　of　bucks　out　of　her。　I　need　cigarettes。　Take　the　fuckin　ball　up；　too。〃
　　Jake　drifted　backward　and　stepped　into　the　nearest　apartment　build…ing　entryway　just　as　Eddie　came　out　through　the　playground　gate。
　　To　his　horror；　the　boy　in　the　yellow　T…shirt　turned　in　Jake's　direc…tion。　Holy　crow！　he　thought；　dismayed。　What　if　this　is　his　building？
　　It　was。　Jake　just　had　time　to　turn　around　and　began　to　scan　the　names　beside　the　rank　of　buzzers　before　Eddie　Dean　brushed　past　him；　so　close　that　Jake　could　smell　the　sweat　he　had　worked　up　on　the　basket…ball　court。　He　half…sensed；　half…saw　the　curious　glance　the　boy　tossed　in　his　direction。　Then　Eddie　was　in　the　lobby　and　headed　for　the　elevators　with　his　school…pants　bundled　under　one　arm　and　the　scuffed　basketball　under　the　other。
　　Jake's　heart　was　thudding　heavily　in　his　chest。　Shadowing　people　was　a　lot　harder　in　real　life　than　it　was　in　the　detective　novels　he　some…times　read。　He　crossed　the　street　and　stood　between　two　apartment　buildings　half　a　block　up。　From　here　he　could　see　both　the　entrance　to　the　Dean　brothers'　building　and　the　playground。　The　playground　was　filling　up　now；　mostly　with　little　kids。　Henry　leaned　against　the　chainlink；　smoking　a　cigarette　and　trying　to　look　full　of　teenage　angst。　Every　now　and　then　he　would　stick　out　a　foot　as　one　of　the　little　kids　bolted　toward　him　at　an　all…out　run；　and　before　Eddie　returned；　he　had　succeeded　in　tripping　three　of　them。　The　last　of　these　went　sprawling　full…length；　smacking　his　face　on　the　concrete；　and　ran　wailing　up　the　street　with　a　bloody　forehead。　Henry　flicked　his　cigarette　butt　after　him　and　laughed　cheerfully。
　　Just　an　all…around　fun　guy；　Jake　thought。
　　After　that；　the　little　lads　wised　up　and　began　giving　him　a　wide　berth。　Henry　strolled　out　of　the　playground　and　down　the　street　to　the　apartment　building　Eddie　had　entered　five　minutes　before。　As　he　reached　it；　the　door　opened　and　Eddie　came　out。　He　had　changed　into　a　pair　of　jeans　and　a　fresh　T…shirt；　he　had　also　tied　a　green　bandanna；　the　same　one　he　had　been　wearing　in　Jake's　dream；　around　his　forehead。　He　was　waving　a　couple　of　dollar　bills　triumphantly。　Henry　snatched　them；　then　asked　Eddie　something。　Eddie　nodded；　and　the　two　boys　set　off。
　　Keeping　half　a　block　between　himself　and　them；　Jake　followed。
　　
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　　THEY　STOOD　IN　THE　high　grass　at　the　edge　of　the　Great　Road；　looking　at　the　speaking　ring。
　　Stonehenge；　Susannah　thought；　and　shuddered。　That's　what　it　looks　like。　Stonehenge。
　　Although　the　thick　grass　which　covered　the　plain　grew　around　the　bases　of　the　tall　gray　monoliths；　the　circle　they　enclosed　was　bare　earth；　littered　here　and　there　with　white　things。
　　〃What　are　those？〃　she　asked　in　a　low　voice。　〃Chips　of　stone？〃
　　〃Look　again；〃　Roland　said。
　　She　did；　and　saw　that　they　were　bones。　The　bones　of　small　animals；　maybe。　She　hoped。
　　Eddie　switched　the　sharpened　stick　to　his　left　hand；　dried　the　palm　of　his　right　against　his　shirt；　and　then　switched　it　back　again。　He　opened　his　mouth；　but　no　sound　came　from　his　dry　throat。　He　cleared　it　and　tried　again。　〃I　think　I'm　supposed　to　go　in　and　draw　something　in　the　dirt。〃
　　Roland　nodded。　〃Now？〃
　　〃Soon。〃　He　looked　into　Roland's　face。　〃There's　something　here；　isn't　there？　Something　we　can't　see。〃
　　〃It's　not　here　right　now；〃　Roland　said。　〃At　least；　I　don't　think　it　is。　But　it　will　e。　Our　khef…our　life…force…will　draw　it。　And；　of　course；　it　will　be　jealous　of　its　place。　Give　me　my　gun　back；　Eddie。〃
　　Eddie　unbuckled　the　belt　and　handed　it　over。　Then　he　turned　back　to　the　circle　of　twenty…foot…high　stones。　Something　lived　in　there；　all　right。　He　could　smell　it；　a　stench　that　made　him　think　of　damp　plaster　and　moldering　sofas　and　ancient　mattresses　rotting　beneath　half…liquid　coats　of　mildew。　It　was　familiar；　that　smell。
　　The　Mansion…I　smelled　it　there。　The　day　I　talked　Henry　into　taking　me　over　to　see　The　Mansion　on　Rhinehold　Street；　in　Dutch　Hill。
　　Roland　buckled　his　gunbelt；　then　bent　to　knot　the　tiedown。　He　looked　up　at　Susannah　as　he　did　it。　〃We　may　need　Detta　Walker；〃　he　said。　〃Is　she　around？〃
　　〃That　bitch　always　around。〃　Susannah　wrinkled　her　nose。
　　〃Good。　One　of　us　is　going　to　have　to　protect　Eddie　while　he　does　what　he's　supposed　to　do。　The　other　is　going　to　be　so　much　useless　baggage。　This　is　a　demon's　place。　Demons　are　not　human；　but　they　are　male　and　female；　just　the　same。　Sex　is　both　their　weapon　and　their　weakness。　No　matter　what　the　sex　of　the　demon　may　be；　it　will　go　for　Eddie。　To　protect　its　place。　To　keep　its　place　from　being　used　by　an　outsider。　Do　you　understand？〃
　　Susannah　nodded。　Eddie　appeared　not　to　be　listening。　He　had　tucked　the　square　of　hide　containing　the　key　into　his　shirt　and　now　he　was　staring　into　the　speaking　ring　as　if　hypnotized。
　　〃There's　no　time　to　say　this　in　a　gentle　or　refined　way；〃　Roland　told　her。　〃One　of　us　will…〃
　　〃One　of　us　gonna　have　to　fuck　it　to　keep　it　off　Eddie；〃　Susannah　interrupted。　〃This　the　sort　of　thing　can't　ever　turn　down　a　free　fuck。　That's　what　you're　gettin　at；　isn't　it？〃
　　Roland　nodded。
　　Her　eyes　gleamed。　They　were　the　eyes　of　Detta　Walker　now；　both　wise　and　unkind；　shining　with　hard　amusement；　and　her　voice　slid　steadily　deeper　into　the　bogus　Southern　plantation　drawl　which　was　Delta's　trade…mark。　〃If　it's　a　girl　demon；　you　git　it。　But　if　it's　a　boy　demon；　it's　mine。　That　about　it？〃
　　Roland　nodded。
　　〃What　about　if　it　swings　both　ways？　What　about　that；　big　boy？〃
　　Roland's　lips　twitched　in　the　barest　suggestion　of　a　smile。　〃Then　we'll　take　it　together。　Just　remember…〃
　　Beside　them；　in　a　fainting；　distant　voice；　Eddie　murmured：　〃Not　all　is　silent　in　the　halls　of　the　dead。　Behold；　the　sleeper　wakes。〃　He　turned　his　haunted；　terrified　eyes　on　Roland。　〃There's　a　monster。〃
　　〃The　demon…〃
　　〃No。　A　monster。　Something　between　the　doors…between　the　worlds。　Something　that　waits。　And　it's　opening　its　eyes。〃
　　Susannah　cast　a　frightened　glance　at　Roland。
　　〃Stand；　Eddie；〃　Roland　said。　〃Be　true。〃
　　Eddie　drew　a　deep　breath。　〃I'll　stand　until　it　knocks　me　down；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　to　go　in　now。　It's　starting　to　happen。〃
　　〃We　all　goin　in；〃　Susannah　said。　She　arched　her　back　and　slipped　out　of　her　wheelchair。　〃Any　demon　want　to　fuck　wit'　me　he　goan　find　out　he's　fuckin　wit'　the　finest。　I　th'ow　him　a　fuck　he　ain't　never　goan　fgit。〃
　　As　they　passed　between　two　of　the　tall　stones　and　into　the　speaking　circle；　it　began　to　rain。
　　
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　　As　SOON　AS　JAKE　saw　the　place；　he　understood　two　things：　first；　that　he　had　seen　it　before；　in　dreams　so　terrible　his　conscious　mind　would　not　let　him　remember　them；　second；　that　it　was　a　place　of　death　and　murder　and　madness。　He　was　standing　on　the　far　corner　of　Rhinehold　Street　and　Brooklyn　Avenue；　seventy　yards　from　Henry　and　Eddie　Dean；　but　even　from　where　he　was　he　could　feel　The　Mansion　ignoring　them　and　reaching　for　him　with　its　eager　invisible　hands；　lie　thought　there　were　talons　at　the　ends　of　those　hands。　Sharp　ones。
　　It　wants　me；　and　I　can't　run　away。　It's　death　to　go　in　。。。　but　it's　madness　not　to。　Because　somewhere　inside　that　place　is　a　locked　door。　I　have　the　key　that　will　open　it；　and　the　only　salvation　I　can　hope　for　is　on　the　other　side。
　　He　stared　at　The　Mansion；　a　house　that　almost　screamed　abnormal…ity；　with　a　sinking　heart。　It　stood　in　the　center　of　its　weedy；　rioting　yard　like　a　tumor。
　　The　Dean　brothers　had　walked　across　nine　blocks　of　Brooklyn；　mov…ing　slowly　under　the　hot　afternoon　sun；　and　had　finally　entered　a　section　of　town　which　had　to　be　Dutch　Hill；　given　the　names　on　the　shops　and　stores。　Now　they　stood　halfway　down　the　block；　in　front　of　The　Mansion。　It　looked　as　if　it　had　been　deserted　for　years；　yet　it　had　suffered　remark…ably　little　vandalism。　And　once；　Jake　thought；　it　really　had　been　a　man…sion…the　home；　perhaps；　of　a　wealthy　merchant　and　his　large　family。　In　those　long…gone　days　it　must　have　been　white；　but　now　it　was　a　dirty　gray　no…color。　The　windows　had　been　knocked　out　and　the　peeling　picket　fence　which　surrounded　it　had　been　spray…painted；　but　the　house　itself　was　still　intact。
　　It　slumped　in　the　hot　light；　a　ramshackle　slate…roofed　revenant　grow…ing　out　of　a　hummocky　trash…littered　yard；　somehow　making　Jake　think　of　a　dangerous　dog　which　pretended　to　be　asleep。　Its　steep　roof　overhung　the　front　porch　like　a　beetling　brow。　The　boards　of　the　porch　were　splintery　and　warped。　Shutters　which　might　once　have　been　green　leaned　askew　beside　the　glassless　windows；　ancient　curtains　still　hung　in　some　of　these；　dangling　like　strips　of　dead　skin。　To　the　left；　an　elderly　trellis　leaned　away　from　die　building；　now　held　up　not　by　nails　but　only　by　die　nameless　and　somehow　filthy　clusters　of　vine　which　crawled　over　it。　There　was　a　sign　on　the　lawn　and　another　on　die　door。　From　where　Jake　stood；　he　could　read　neither　of　them。
　　The　house　was　alive。　He　knew　this；　could　feel　its　awareness　reaching　out　from　the　boards　and　the　slumping　roof；　could　feel　it　p