sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第46节
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s as though there was an invisible weight holding her down。 She knew this had to be a dream； but at the same time she could hear that hideous rattle from her throat as she fought for breath。 She was dying。 But could a person die during a nightmare？ Jill could feel the cold tendrils exploring her body； moving in between her legs； inside her now； filling her； and with a heart…stopping suddenness； she realized it was Toby。 Somehow； by some means； it was Toby。 And the quick rush of terror in Jill gave her the strength to claw her way to the foot of the bed； gasping for breath； mind and body fighting to stay alive。 She reached the floor and struggled to her feet and ran for the door； feeling the cold pursuing her； surrounding her； clutching at her。 Her fingers found the door knob and twisted it open。 She ran out into the hallway； panting for air； filling her starved lungs with oxygen。 The hallway was warm； quiet； still。 Jill stood there； swaying； her teeth chattering uncontrollably。 She turned to look into her room。 It was normal and peaceful。 She had had a nightmare。 Jill hesitated a moment； then slowly walked back through the doorway。 Her room was warm。 There was nothing to be afraid of。 Of course； Toby could not harm her。 In her sitting room； Nurse Gallagher awakened and went in to check on her patient。 Toby Temple was lying in his bed； exactly as she had left him。 His eyes were staring at the ceiling； focused on something that Nurse Gallagher could not see。
After that the nightmare kept recurring regularly； like a black omen of doom； a prescience of some horror to e。 Slowly； a terror began to build up in Jill。 Wherever she went in the house； she could feel Toby's presence。 When the nurse took him out； Jill could hear him。 Toby's wheelchair had developed a high…pitched creak； and it got on Jill's nerves every time she heard it。 I must have it fixed； she thought。
She avoided going anywhere near Toby's room； but it did not matter。 He was everywhere； waiting for her。 The headaches were constant now； a savage； rhythmic pounding that would not let her rest。 Jill wished that the pain would stop for an hour； a minute； a second。 She had to sleep。 She went into the maid's room behind the kitchen； as far away from Toby's quarters as she could get。 The room was warm and quiet。 Jill lay down on the bed and closed her eyes。 She was asleep almost instantly。 She was awakened by the fetid； icy air； filling the room； clutching at her； trying to entomb her。 Jill leaped up and ran out the door。
The days were horrible enough； but the nights were terrifying。 They followed the same pattern。 Jill would go to her room and huddle in her bed； fighting to stay awake； afraid to go to sleep； knowing that Toby would e。 But her exhausted body would take over and she would finally doze off。 She would be awakened by the cold。 She would lie shivering in her bed； feeling the icy air creeping toward her； an evil presence enveloping her like a terrible malediction。 She would get up and flee in silent terror。
It was three a。m。 Jill had fallen asleep in her chair； reading a book。 She came out of her sleep gradually； slowly； and she opened her eyes in the pitch…black bedroom； knowing that something was terribly wrong。 Then she realized what it was。 She had gone to sleep with all the lights on。 She felt her heart begin to race and she thought。 There's nothing to be afraid of。 Nurse Gallagher must have e in and turned out the lights。 Then she heard the sound。 It was ing down the hallway； creak。。。 creak。。。 Toby's wheelchair； moving toward her bedroom door。 Jill began to feel the hairs rise on the back of her neck。 It's only a tree branch against the roof； or the house settling； she told herself。 Yet she knew that it wasn't true。 She had heard mat sound too many times before。 Creak 。。。 creak。。。 like the music of death ing to get her。 It can't be Toby； she thought。 He's in his bed； helpless。 I'm losing my mind。 But she could hear it ing closer and closer。 It was at her door now。 It had stopped； waiting。 And suddenly there was the sound of a crash； and then silence。 Jill spent the rest of the night huddled in her chair in the dark； too terrified to move。 In the morning； outside her bedroom door； she found a broken vase on the floor； where it had been knocked over from a hallway table。
She was talking to Dr。 Kaplan。
〃Do you believe that the the mind can control the body？〃 Jill asked。
He looked at her； puzzled。 〃In what way ？〃
〃If Toby wanted wanted very much to get out of his bed； could he？〃
〃You mean unaided？ In his present condition？〃 He gave her a look of incredulity。 〃He has absolutely no mobility at all。 None whatsoever。〃
Jill was still not satisfied。 〃Ifif he was really determined to get up if there was something he felt he had to do。。。〃
Dr。 Kaplan shook his head。 〃Our mind gives mand to the body； but if your motor impulses are blocked； if there are no muscles to carry out those mands； then nothing can happen。〃
She had to find out。 〃Do you believe that object can be moved by the mind？〃
〃You mean psychokinesis？ There are a lot of experiments being done； but no one has ever e up with any proof that's convinced me。〃
There was the broken vase outside her bedroom door。 Jill wanted to tell him about that； about the cold air that kept following her； about Toby's wheelchair at her door； but he would think she was crazy。 Was she？ Was something wrong with her？ Was she losing her mind？
When Dr。 Kaplan left； Jill walked over to look at herself in the mirror。 She was shocked by what she saw。 Her cheeks were sunken and her eyes enormous in a pale； bony face。 If I go on this way； Jill thought； I'll die before Toby。 She looked at her stringy； dull hair and her broken； cracked fingernails。
I must never let David see me looking like this。 I have to start taking care of myself。 From now on； she told herself； you're going to the beauty parlor once a week； and you're going to eat three meals a day and sleep eight hows。 The following morning； Jill made an appointment at the beauty parlor。 She was exhausted； and under the warm； fortable hum of the hair drier； she dozed off； and the nightmare began。 She was in bed； asleep。 She could hear Toby e into her bedroom in his wheelchair。。。 creak。。。 creak。 Slowly； he got out of the chair and rose to his feet and moved toward her； grinning； his skeletal hands reaching for her throat。 Jill awoke screaming wildly； throwing the beauty shop into an uproar。 She fled without even having her hair bed out。 After that experience； Jill was afraid to leave the house again。 And afraid to remain in it。
Something seemed to be wrong with her head。 It was no longer just the headaches。 She was beginning to forget things。 She would go downstairs for something and walk into the kitchen and stand there； not knowing what she had e for。 Her memory began to play strange tricks on her。 Once； Nurse Gordon came in to speak to her； Jill wondered what a nurse was doing there； and then she suddenly remembered。 The director was waiting on the set for Jill。 She tried to recall her line。 Not very well； I'm afraid。 Doctor。 She must speak to the director and find out how he wanted her to read it。 Nurse Gordon was holding her band； saying； 〃Mrs。 Temple！ Mrs。 Templel Are you feeling all right？〃 And Jill was back in her own surroundings； again in the present； caught up in the terror of what was happening to her。 She knew she could not go on like this。 She had to find out whether there was something wrong with her mind or whether Toby was able to somehow move； whether he had found a way to attack her； to try to murder her。 She had to see him。 She forced herself to walk down the long hall toward Toby's bedroom。 She stood outside a moment； steeling herself； and then Jill entered Toby's room。
Toby was lying in his bed； and the nurse was giving him a sponge bath。 She looked up； saw Jill and said；
〃Why； here's Mrs。 Temple。 We're just having a nice bath； aren't we？〃
Jill turned to look at the figure on the bed。 Toby's arms and legs had shriveled into stringy appendages attached to his shrunken； twisted torso。 Between his legs； like some long indecent snake； lay his useless penis； flaccid and ugly。 The yellow cast had gone from Toby's face； but the gaping idiot grin was still there。 The body was dead； but the eyes were frantically alive。 Darting； seeking； weighing； planning； hating； cunning blue eyes filled with their secret plans； their deadly determination。 It was Toby's mind she was seeing。 The important thing to remember is that his mind is unimpaired； the doctor had told her。 His mind could think and feel and hate。 That mind had nothing to do but plan its revenge； figure put a way to destroy her。 Toby wanted her dead； as she wanted him dead。 As Jill looked down at him now； staring into those eyes blazing with loathing； she could hear him saying； I'm going to kilt you； and she could feel the waves of abhorrence hitting her like physical blows。 Jill stared into those eyes； and she remembered the broken vase and she knew that none of the nightmares had been illusions。 He had found a way。 She knew now that it was Toby's life against hers。
When Dr。 Kaplan finished his examination of Toby； he went to find Jill。
〃I th
