pzb.drawingblood-第64节

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trapolated　to　include　the　place　where　puter　data　was　stored；　and　the　place　a　hacker　had　to　travel　through　to　get　the　data。　It　had　no　physical　reality；　yet　Zach　had　an　image　of　it　as　vivid　and　sensibly　laid　out　as　the　streets　of　the　French　Quarter。　Cyberspace　was　part　cosmos；　part　grid；　part　roller　coaster。
　　Right　after　leaving　his　body　in　the　bedroom；　Zach　had　felt　very　light　and　slightly　damp；　like　a　breath　of　water　vapor　or　a　spare　scrap　of　ectoplasm。　Now　he　was　utterly　weightless；　without　physical　properties。　He　was　posed　of　energy；　not　matter。　He　was　a　creature　made　of　information。　He　was　traveling　through　cyberspace　at　a　very　high　speed。
　　Then　suddenly　he　wasn't；　and　it　knocked　the　wind　out　of　him。
　　Zach　sat　up　with　a　deep　burning　sensation　in　his　solar　plexus；　pressed　his　hand　to　his　chest　and　touched　crisp　cloth。　He　seemed　to　be　wearing　some　kind　of　suit。　He　was　reclining　in　a　padded　chair；　hard　sticky　floor　under　his　feet；　lurid　light　assaulting　his　eyeballs。　As　he　became　accustomed　to　it；　he　was　able　to　make　out　rows　of　seats　around　him；　slumped　bodies　and　nodding　heads；　bloody　images　flickering　across　a　wide　screen。　A　movie　theater。
　　The　film　appeared　to　be　a　posite　of　any　number　of　works　by　Italian　splatter　film　directors；　but　with　an　all…male；　homosexual　cast；　set　to　a　screeching　saxophone　soundtrack。　A　boy　carefully　rolled　a　condom　onto　another's　erect　penis；　raised　a　pair　of　huge　gleaming　scissors　and　snipped　the　whole　thing　off；　then　pressed　his　mouth　to　the　raw　hole　and　drank　the　fountaining　blood。　A　white　man　masturbated　over　a　prostrate　black　man；　ejaculated　a　pearly　stream　of　maggots　into　the　straining；　glistening　ebony　back。
　　Zach　saw　that　most　of　the　other　filmgoers　were　seated　in　pairs。　Here　and　there　a　head　bobbed　gently　in　a　lap；　half…concealed　by　a　dirty　overcoat。　Zach　watched　the　movie　for　a　few　more　minutes。　Just　as　he　was　starting　to　get　interested；　someone　slid　into　the　aisle　seat　next　to　him　and　put　a　warm　hand　on　his　leg。
　　He　turned　with　a　well…rehearsed　fuck　off　on　his　lips。　This　was　a　situation　he'd　encountered　at　the　movies　ever　since　he　could　remember；　and　he　wasn't　enough　of　a　slut　to　let　some　anonymous　pervert　jack　him　off；　hardly　ever。
　　But　instead　of　letting　the　words　fly；　Zach　just　stared。　The　person　sitting　beside　him　was　Calvin。
　　The　guitarist　wore　a　charcoal　suit　with　a　black　turtleneck　sweater　underneath。　His　gaunt　grinning　face　seemed　to　float　on　the　gloom　of　the　theater。　His　blond　hair　was　slicked　back；　giving　him　a　vulpine　look。　The　pressure　of　his　fingers　increased。　He　leaned　over　to　whisper；　and　his　lips　brushed　Zach's　ear。　〃Do　you　want　this　as　bad　as　I　do？〃
　　No；　I　just　want　Trevor；　thought　Zach。　He　opened　his　mouth　to　say　so；　and　what　came　out　was　〃Hell；　yes。〃　Then　Calvin's　mouth　was　attacking　Zach's；　Calvin's　hand　was　sliding　up　to　his　crotch；　tugging　at　his　zipper；　freeing　his　eager；　treacherous　dick。　Calvin's　fingers　squeezed　and　stroked　him　expertly。　Zach　wrapped　his　arms　around　Calvin's　neck　and　kissed　back　hard。　Their　tongues　exchanged　molten　secrets。
　　This　was　all　we　ever　wanted　from　each　other　anyway；　Zach　thought；　a　down…and…dirty；　no…strings…attached　fuck。　What　was　so　wrong　with　that？　He　couldn't　remember　why　they　had　stopped　the　first　time。
　　The　skin　of　his　balls　was　tightening；　his　dick　aching　and　throbbing。　Zach　broke　the　kiss　and　gasped　for　breath。　Over　Calvin's　shoulder　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　movie　screen。　A　hand　was　sliding　up　and　down　the　shaft　of　a　penis　he　recognized　as　his　own。　The　camera　panned　back　until　he　could　see　a　tangle　of　naked　limbs；　including　an　arm　whose　biceps　was　tattooed　with　a　little　cartoon　character　Zach　could　just　make　out　as　Krazy　Kat。　He　guessed　Mr。　Natural　hadn't　been　invented　yet　in　this　universe。　Well；　he　thought　incoherently；　Krazy　Kat　was　a　fag。
　　The　camera　zoomed　back　in　on　the　hand。　Its　quickening　rhythm　matched　Calvin's。　Zach　felt　himself　getting　ready　to　let　go　hard。　The　screen　filled　with　glistening　purple　flesh；　huge　slippery　fingers。　Then　e　was　pulsing　from　the　enormous　lips　of　the　movie　penis；　and　from　his　own　aching　dick　as　well。
　　But　Zach　saw　only　what　was　happening　onscreen。　The　e　made　a　deadly　rainbow　arc　in　the　air；　landed　on　the　hand；　and　began　to　dissolve　the　skin。　Tiny　holes　appeared　where　it　hit；　sizzling　and　spreading；　reducing　the　layers　of　flesh　and　muscle　to　blackened　lace。　The　matter　dripped　off　the　framework　of　the　bones；　oozed　down　the　shaft　of　the　penis。　Still　the　huge　skeletal　fingers　stroked。　And　still　Calvin's　hand　moved　in　his　lap。
　　Calvin　leaned　in　for　another　kiss　and　Zach　saw　his　face；　no　longer　just　gaunt　but　emaciated。　Zach　shrank　back　against　the　seat　as　Calvin's　skin　blossomed　with　purple　lesions　like　the　ones　he　had　seen　on　his　own　face　in　the　bathroom　mirror。　Calvin's　tongue　was　a　dead　dry　sponge　thrusting　between　his　lips；　questing　toward　Zach's　mouth；　seeking　moisture。
　　Then　it　wasn't　Calvin　at　all；　it　was　the　clerk　from　the　convenience　store　in　Mississippi。　Leaf。　Those　elegant　cheekbones　were　hideously　exaggerated　now；　those　honey…colored　eyes　were　like　chips　of　topaz　set　in　a　ruined　mosaic。　His　lips　twitched　as　he　leaned　toward　Zach。　He　stroked　Zach's　thigh　with　a　disintegrating　hand。
　　〃Oh；〃　he　whispered；　〃just　e　over　here　and　let's　fuck　。　。　。〃
　　Then　he　was　the　person　before　that。　And　then　he　was　the　person　before　that。　And　then　she　was　the　person　before　that。　And　they　just　kept　changing；　and　they　just　got　worse　。　。　。
　　Zach　shoved　himself　out　of　his　seat　and　stumbled　backward　down　the　row。　He　tripped　over　a　tangle　of　feet　and　turned　to　apologize；　but　the　pair　of　faces　that　tilted　up　to　him　were　blotched　with　purple；　horribly　withered。　He　saw　his　lover　pushing　itself　up；　supporting　itself　on　the　seat　backs；　making　its　way　slowly　toward　him。　Above　the　blaring　soundtrack　Zach　heard　labored　breathing；　dry；　painful　coughing。　All　over　the　theater　other　figures　were　beginning　to　stir；　to　rise。
　　Zach　turned　and　ran。　He　vaulted　over　the　tangled　legs；　sprinted　up　the　aisle；　and　burst　out　into　the　lobby。　A　set　of　glass　doors　led　out　onto　the　street。　At　the　last　second　before　he　grasped　the　handle；　Zach　knew　they　would　be　locked。　He　would　be　trapped　here　in　the　lobby　with　the　zombies　ing　for　him；　and　when　they　got　him　they　would　smear　him　across　the　glass　like　a　crushed　strawberry。　He　had　seen　enough　movies　to　know　what　happened　when　the　zombies　got　you。
　　But　the　doors　weren't　locked；　and　Zach　slammed　through　them　at　high　speed。　On　the　far　side　of　the　street；　pausing　to　push　his　glasses　up　and　catch　his　breath；　he　glanced　across　at　the　theater。　Its　facade　was　lavishly　decorated　in　art　deco　tiles　and　marble；　deep　crimson；　jade　green；　jet　black。　The　marquee　was　wrought　of　fluted；　gleaming　chrome　like　a　1930s　dream　of　the　future。　On　its　sign　was　spelled　out…in　red　block　letters　a　foot　high…THE　GARDEN　OF　EARTHLY　DELIGHTS。
　　〃Cute；〃　he　snarled；　and　started　walking　fast；　looking　behind　him　every　half　block　or　so。　The　street　remained　empty。　He　guessed　the　zombies　were　quarantined　in　the　theater。
　　Zach　held　his　hands　up　in　front　of　his　face　and　stared　at　the　palms。　The　lines　in　them　were　dark　pink；　healthy…looking　enough　though　slightly　damp　with　sweat。　He　had　always　heard　that　if　you　were　really　sick；　the　lines　in　your　palms　turned　gray。
　　But　he　felt　fine。　Was　the　place　trying　to　scare　him　with　its　rotting　mirror　images　and　its　wank…house　zombies？　Or　was　it　trying　to　warn　him　of　something？
　　If　he　ever　got　out　of　here；　Zach　decided；　he　was　going　straight　to　the　nearest　health　clinic　and　getting　a　blood　test。　He　didn't　want　one；　but　he　thought　maybe　it　was　time　to　start　considering　things　other　than　what　he　wanted。
　　Soon　he　was　far　from　the　theater。　The　deserted　streets　felt　half…familiar。　This　place　wasn't　New　Orleans；　but　Zach　thought　New　Orleans　had　been　used　to　flavor　it　like　a　spice。　He　could　see　it　in　the　gas　lamps　on　the　corners；　the　high　curbs；　even　a　cast…iron　balcony　or　a　gate　leading　into　a　shadowy　courtyard　here　and　there。　The　night　air　was　cool　on　his　face；　though　it　smelled　nothing　like　the　alcoholic　haze　of　the　French　Quarter。　The　odor　here　was　more　like　Toxic　Alley；　the　poisonous　stretch　of　the　Mississippi　River　between　New　Orleans　and　Baton　Rouge；　a　faint　ghost　of　chemicals　and　burning　oil。
　　He　saw　a　fountain　bubbling　fitfully　in　a　tiny　concrete　park　and　stopped　to　rest。　The　fountain　struck　him　as　odd；　and　after　a　moment　Zach　realized　why：　there　were　no　coins　on　the　bottom；　not　even　pennies。　He　had　never　seen　a　public　fountain　without　pennies　on　the　bottom。　Instead　there　seemed　to　be　a　few　small　faceted　jewels；　so　translucent　in　the　clear　water　that　Zach　could　hardly　be　sure　they　were　there　at　all。
　　Well；　you're　in　a　hallucination　now；　he　thought。　And　it　isn't　even　your　own。　Better　get　used　to　seeing　some　weird　shit。
　　He　stared　at　his　feet　and　suddenly　registered　that　they　were　clad　in　shoes　he'd　never　seen　before；　two…toned　wingtip　loafers　polished　within　an　inch　of　their　lives。　For　the　first　time　he　thought　to　check　out　the　rest　of　his　outfit。
　　Some　kind　of　suit；　he'd　thought　in　the　theater。　But　what　a　suit！　It　was　woven　from　nubbly…textured　cloth　of　the　palest　shell　pink；　cut　loose　and　b