sk.petsematary-第24节

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ty。　He　was　not　lying　on　any　of　the　radiators。　Louis　rattled　the　cat's　dish；　the　one　thing　absolutely　guaranteed　to　bring　Church　running　if　he　was　in　earshot；　but　no　cat　came　running　this　time　and　never　would　again；　he　was　afraid。
　　He　put　on　his　coat　and　hat　and　started　for　the　door。　Then　he　came　back。　Giving　in　to　what　his　heart　told　him；　he　opened　the　cupboard　under　the　sink　and　squatted　down。　There　were　two　kinds　of　plastic　bags　in　there…small　white　ones　for　the　household　trash　baskets　and　big　green　garbage…can　liners。　Louis　took　one　of　the　latter。　Church　had　put　on　weight　since　he　had　been　fixed。
　　He　poked　the　bag　into　one　of　the　side　pockets　of　his　jacket；　not　liking　the　slick；　cool　way　the　plastic　felt　under　his　fingers。　Then　he　let　himself　out　the　front　door　and　crossed　the　street　to　Jud's　house。
　　It　was　about　five…thirty。　Twilight　was　ending。　The　landscape　had　a　dead　look。　The　remainder　of　sunset　was　a　strange　orange　line　on　the　horizon　across　the　river。　The　wind　bowled　straight　down　Route　15；　numbing　Louis's　cheeks　and　whipping　away　the　white　plume　of　his　breath。　He　shuddered；　but　not　from　the　cold。　It　was　a　feeling　of　aloneness　that　made　him　shudder。　It　was　strong　and　persuasive。　There　seemed　no　way　to　concretize　it　with　a　metaphor。　It　was　faceless。　He　just　felt　by　himself；　untouched　and　untouching。
　　He　saw　Jud　across　the　road；　bundled　up　in　his　big　green　dufile　coat；　his　face　lost　in　the　shadow　cast　by　the　fur…fringed　hood。　Standing　on　his　frozen　lawn；　he　looked　like　a　piece　of　statuary；　just　another　dead　thing　in　this　twilight　landscape　where　no　bird　sang。
　　Louis　started　across；　and　then　Jud　moved…waved　him　back。　Shouted　something　Louis　could　not　make　out　over　the　pervasive　whine　of　the　wind。　Louis　stepped　back；　realizing　suddenly　that　the　wind's　whine　had　deepened　and　sharpened。　A　moment　later　an　air…horn　blatted　and　an　Orinco　truck　roared　past　close　enough　to　make　his　pants　and　jacket　flap。　Damned　if　he　hadn't　almost　walked　right　out　in　front　of　the　thing。
　　This　time　he　checked　both　ways　before　crossing。　There　was　only　the　tanker's　taillights；　dwindling　into　the　twilight。
　　〃Thought　that　'Rinco　truck　was　gonna　get　you；〃　Jud　said。　〃Have　a　care；　Louis。〃　Even　this　close；　Louis　couldn't　see　Jud's　face；　and　the　unfortable　feeling　persisted　that　this　could　have　been　anyone。　。　。　anyone　at　all。
　　〃Where's　Norma？〃　he　asked；　still　not　looking　down　at　the　sprawled　bundle　of　fur　by　Jud's　foot。
　　〃Went　to　the　Thanksgiving　church　service；〃　he　said。　〃She'll　stay　to　the　supper；　I　guess；　although　I　don't　think　she'll　eat　nothing。　She's　gotten　peckish。〃　The　wind　gusted；　shifting　the　hood　back　momentarily；　and　Louis　saw　that　it　was　indeed　Jud…who　else　would　it　have　been？　〃It's　mostly　an　excuse　for　a　hen　paaaty；〃　Jud　said。　〃They　don't　eat　much　but　sanwidges　after　the　big　meal　at　noon。　She'll　be　back　around　eight。〃
　　Louis　knelt　down　to　look　at　the　cat。　Don't　let　it　be　Church；　he　wished　fervently；　as　he　turned　its　head　gently　on　its　neck　with　gloved　fingers。　Let　it　be　someone　else's　cat；　let　Jud　be　wrong。
　　But　of　course　it　was　Church。　He　was　in　no　way　mangled　or　disfigured；　he　had　not　been　run　over　by　one　of　the　big　tankers　or　semis　that　cruised　Route　15　（just　what　was　that　Orinco　truck　doing　out　on　Thanksgiving？　he　wondered　randomly）。　Church's　eyes　were　half…open；　as　glazed　as　green　marbles。　A　small　flow　of　blood　had　e　from　his　mouth；　which　was　also　open。　Not　a　great　deal　of　blood；　just　enough　to　stain　the　white　bib　on　his　chest。
　　〃Yours；　Louis？〃
　　〃Mine；〃　he　agreed　and　sighed。
　　He　was　aware　for　the　first　time　that　he　had　loved　Church…maybe　not　as　fervently　as　Ellie　but　in　his　own　absent　way。　In　the　weeks　following　his　castration；　Church　had　changed；　had　gotten　fat　and　slow；　had　established　a…routine　that　took　him　between　Ellie's　bed；　the　couch；　and　his　dish　but　rarely　out　of　the　house。　Now；　in　death；　he　looked　to　Louis　like　the　old　Church。　The　mouth　so　small　and　bloody；　filled　with　needle…sharp　cat's　teeth；　was　frozen　in　a　shooter's　snarl。　The　dead　eyes　seemed　furious。　It　was　as　if　after　the　short　and　placid　stupidity　of　his　life　as　a　neuter；　Church　had　rediscovered　his　real　nature　in　dying。
　　〃Yeah；　it's　Church；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　be　damned　if　I　know　how　I'm　going　to　tell　Ellie　about　it。〃
　　Suddenly　he　had　an　idea。　He　would　bury　Church　up　in　the　Pet　Sematary　with　no　marker　or　any　of　that　foolishness。　He　would　say　nothing　to　Ellie　on　the　phone　tonight　about　Church；　tomorrow　he　would　mention　casually　that　he　hadn't　seen　Church　around；　the　day　after　he　would　suggest　that　perhaps　Church　had　wandered　off。　Cats　did　that　sometimes。　Ellie　would　be　upset；　sure；　but　there　would　be　none　of　the　finality　。　。　。　no　reprise　of　Rachel's　upsetting　refusal　to　deal　with　death。　。　。　just　a　withering　away。
　　Coward；　part　of　his　mind　pronounced。
　　Yes。　。　。　no　argument。　But　who　needs　this　hassle？
　　〃Loves　that　cat　pretty　well；　doesn't　she？〃　Jud　asked。
　　〃Yes；〃　Louis　said　absently。　He　moved　Church's　head　again。　The　cat　had　begun　to　stiffen；　but　the　head　still　moved　much　more　easily　than　it　should　have。　Broken　neck。　Yeah。　Given　that；　he　thought　he　could　reconstruct　what　had　happened。　Church　had　been　crossing　the　road…for　what　reason　God　alone　knew…and　a　car　or　truck　had　hit　him；　breaking　his　neck　and　throwing　him　aside　onto　Jud　Crandall's　lawn。　Or　perhaps　the　cat's　neck　had　been　broken　when　he　struck　the　frozen　ground。　It　didn't　matter。　Either　way　the　remains　remained　the　same。　Church　was　dead。
　　He　glanced　up　at　Jud；　about　to　tell　him　his　conclusions；　but　Jud　was　looking　away　toward　that　fading　orange　line　of　light　at　the　horizon。　His　hood　had　fallen　back　halfway；　and　his　face　seemed　thoughtful　and　stern。　。　。　harsh；　even。
　　Louis　pulled　the　green　garbage　bag　out　of　his　pocket　and　unfolded　it；　holding　it　tightly　to　keep　the　wind　from　whipping　it　away。　The　brisk　crackling　sound　of　the　bag　seemed　to　bring　Jud　back　to　this　here　and　now。
　　〃Yes；　I　guess　she　loves　it　pretty　well；〃　Jud　said。　His　use　of　the　present　tense　felt　slightly　eerie　。　。　。　the　whole　setting；　with　the　fading　light；　the　cold；　and　the　wind；　struck　him　as　eerie　and　gothic。
　　Here's　Heathcliff　out　on　the　desolate　moors；　Louis　thought；　grimacing　against　the　cold。　Getting　ready　to　pop　the　family　cat　into　a　Hefty　Bag。　Yowza。
　　He　grabbed　Church's　tail；　spread　the　mouth　of　the　bag；　and　lifted　the　cat。　He　pulled　a　disgusted；　unhappy　face　at　the　sound　the　cat's　body　made　ing　up…rrrriiippp　as　he　pulled　it　out　of　the　frost　it　had　set　into。　The　cat　seemed　almost　unbelievably　heavy；　as　if　death　had　settled　into　it　like　a　physical　weight。　Christ；　he　feels　like　a　bucket　of　sand。
　　Jud　held　the　other　side　of　the　bag；　and　Louis　dropped　Church　in；　glad　to　be　rid　of　that　strange；　unpleasant　weight。
　　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　with　it　now？〃　Jud　asked。
　　〃Put　him　in　the　garage；　I　guess；〃　Louis　said。　〃Bury　him　in　the　morning。〃
　　〃In　the　Pet　Sematary？〃
　　Louis　shrugged。　〃Suppose　so。〃
　　〃Going　to　tell　Ellie？〃
　　〃I。　。　。　I'll　have　to　mull　that　one　over　awhile。〃
　　Jud　was　quiet　a　moment　longer；　and　then　he　seemed　to　reach　a　decision。　〃Wait　here　a　minute　or　two；　Louis。〃
　　Jud　moved　away；　with　no　apparent　thought　that　Louis　might　not　want　to　wait　just　a　minute　on　this　bitter　night。　He　moved　away　with　assurance　and　that　lithe　ease　which　was　so　strange　in　a　man　of　his　age。　And　Louis　found　he　had　nothing　to　say　anyway。　He　didn't　feel　much　like　himself。　He　watched　Jud　go；　quite　content　to　stand　here。
　　He　raised　his　face　into　the　wind　after　the　door　had　clicked　closed；　the　garbage　bag　with　Church's　body　in　it　riffling　between　his　feet。
　　Content。
　　Yes；　he　was。　For　the　first　time　since　they　had　moved　to　Maine；　he　felt　that　he　was　in　his　place；　that　he　was　home。　Standing　here　by　himself　in　the　afterglow　of　the　day；　standing　on　the　rim　of　winter；　he　felt　unhappy　and　yet　oddly　exhilarated　and　strangely　whole…whole　in　a　way　he　had　not　been；　or　could　not　remember　feeling　that　he　had　been；　since　childhood。
　　Something　gonna　happen　here；　Bubba。　Something　pretty　weird；　I　think。
　　He　tilted　his　head　back　and　saw　cold　winter　stars　in　a　blackening　sky。
　　How　long　he　stood　like　that　he　did　not　know；　although　it　could　not　have　been　long　in　terms　of　seconds　and　minutes。　Then　a　light　flickered　on　Jud's　porch；　bobbed；　approached　the　porch　door；　and　descended　the　steps。　It　was　Jud　behind　a　big　four…cell　flashlight。　In　his　other　hand　he　held　what　Louis　at　first　thought　was　a　large　X。　。　。　and　then　he　saw　that　it　was　a　pick　and　shovel。
　　He　handed　the　shovel　to　Louis；　who　took　it　in　his　free　hand。
　　〃Jud；　what　the　hell　are　you　up　to？　We　can't　bury　him　tonight。〃
　　〃Yeah；　we　can。　And　we're　gonna。〃　Jud's　face　was　lost　behind　the　glaring　circle　of　the　flashlight。
　　〃Jud；　it's　dark。　It's　late。　And　cold…〃
　　〃e　on；〃　Jud　said。　〃Let's　get　it　done。〃
　　Louis　shook　his　head　and　tried　to　begin　again；　but　the　words　came　hard…the　words　of　explanation　and　reason。　They　seemed　so　meaningless　against　the　low　shriek　of　the　wind；　the　seedling　bed　of　stars　in　the　black。
　　〃It　can　wait　till　tomorrow　when　we　can　see…〃
　　〃Does　she　love　the　cat？〃
　　〃Yes；　but…〃　jud's　voice；　soft　and　somehow　logical：　〃And　do　you　love　her？〃
　　Of　cou