sk.petsematary-第37节

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　　Downstairs；　he　stacked　the　couch　cushions；　pulled　out　the　hide…a…bed；　and　tried　to　prepare　himself　mentally　for　a　night　of　having　the　rod　under　the　thin　mattress　dig　into　the　small　of　his　back。　The　bed　was　sheeted；　at　least；　he　wouldn't　have　to　make　it　up　from　scratch。　Louis　got　two　blankets　from　the　top　shelf　in　the　front　hail　closet　and　spread　them　on　the　bed。　He　began　to　undress；　then　paused。
　　You　think　Church　is　in　again？　Fine。　Take　a　walk　around　and　have　a　look。　As　you　told　Rachel；　it　won't　hurt。　May　even　help。　And　checking　to　make　sure　all　the　doors　are　on　the　latch　won't　even　catch　you　a　virus。
　　He　took　a　deliberate　tour　of　the　entire　downstairs；　checking　the　locks　on　doors　and　windows。　He　had　done　everything　right　the　first　time；　and　Church　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。
　　〃There；〃　he　said。　〃Let's　see　you　get　in　tonight；　you　dumb　cat。〃　He　followed　this　with　a　mental　wish　that　Church　would　freeze　its　balls　off。　Except　that　Church　of　course　no　longer　had　any。
　　He　switched　off　the　lights　and　got　into　bed。　The　rod　started　to　press　into　his　back　almost　immediately；　and　Louis　was　thinking　he　would　be　awake　half　the　night　when　he　fell　asleep。　He　fell　asleep　resting　unfortably　on　his　side　in　the　hide…a…bed；　but　when　he　woke　up　he　was　in　the　burying　ground　beyond　the　Pet　Sematary　again。　This　time　he　was　alone。　He　had　killed　Church　himself　this　time　and　then　had　decided　for　some　reason　to　bring　him　back　to　life　a　second　time。　God　knew　why；　Louis　didn't。　He　had　buried　Church　deeper　this　time；　though；　and　Church　couldn't　dig　his　way　out。　Louis　could　hear　the　cat　crying　somewhere　under　the　earth；　making　a　sound　like　a　weeping　child。　The　sound　came　up　through　the　pores　of　the　ground；　through　its　stony　flesh…the　sound　and　the　smell；　that　awful　sickish…sweet　smell　of　rot　and　decay。　Just　breathing　it　in　made　his　chest　feel　heavy；　as　if　a　weight　was　on　it。　The　crying。　。　。　the　crying。　。　。　the　crying　was　still　going　on。　。　。　and　the　weight　was　still　on　his　chest。
　　〃Louis！〃　It　was　Rachel；　and　she　sounded　alarmed。　〃Louis；　can　you　corner
　　She　sounded　more　than　alarmed；　she　sounded　scared；　and　the　crying　had　a　choked；　desperate　quality　to　it。　It　was　Cage。
　　He　opened　his　eyes　and　stared　into　Church's　greenish…yellow　eyes。　They　were　less　than　four　inches　from　his　own。　The　cat　was　on　his　chest；　neatly　curled　up　there　like　something　from　an　old　wives'　tale　of　breath…stealing。　The　stink　came　off　it　in　slow；　noxious　waves。　It　was　purring。
　　Louis　uttered　a　cry　of　disgust　and　surprise。　He　shot　both　hands　out　in　a　primitive　warding…off　gesture。　Church　thumped　off　the　bed；　landed　on　its　side；　and　walked　away　in　that　stumbling　lurch。
　　Jesus！　Jesus！　It　was　on　me！　Oh　God；　it　was　right　on　me！
　　His　disgust　could　not　have　been　greater　if　he　had　awakened　to　find　a　spider　in　his　mouth。　For　a　moment　he　thought　he　was　going　to　throw　up。
　　〃Louis！〃
　　He　pushed　the　blankets　back　and　stumbled　to　the　stairs。　Faint　light　spilled　from　their　bedroom。　Rachel　was　standing　at　the　head　of　the　stairs　in　her　nightgown。
　　〃Louis；　he's　vomiting　again。　。　。　choking　on　ft。　。　。　I'm　scared。〃
　　〃I'm　here；〃　he　said　and　came　up　to　her；　thinking：　It　got　in。　Somehow　it　got　in。　From　the　cellar；　probably。　Maybe　there's　a　broken　cellar　window。　In　fact　there　must　be　a　broken　window　down　there。　I'll　check　it　tomorrow　when　1　get　home。　Hell；　before　I　go　to　work。　I'll…　Gage　stopped　crying　and　began　to　make　an　ugly；　gargling　choking　sound。
　　〃Louis！〃　Rachel　screamed。
　　Louis　moved　fast。　Gage　was　on　his　side　and　vomit　was　trickling　out　of　his　mouth　onto　an　old　towel　Rachel　had　spread　beside　him。　He　was　vomiting；　yes；　but　not　enough。　Most　of　it　was　inside；　and　Gage　was　blushing　with　the　onset　of　asphyxiation。
　　Louis　grabbed　the　boy　under　the　arms；　aware　in　a　distant　way　of　how　hot　his　son's　armpits　were　under　the　Dr。　Denton　suit；　and　put　him　up　on　his　shoulder　as　if　to　burp　him。　Then　Louis　snapped　himself　backward；　jerking　Cage　with　him。　Gage's　neck　whip…lashed。　He　uttered　a　loud　bark　that　was　not　quite　a　belch；　and　an　amazing　flag　of　almost　solid　vomit　flew　from　his　mouth　and　spattered　on　the　floor　and　the　dresser。　Cage　began　to　cry　again；　a　solid；　bawling　sound　that　was　music　to　Louis's　ears。　To　cry　like　that　you　had　to　be　getting　an　unlimited　supply　of　oxygen。
　　Rachel's　knees　buckled　and　she　collapsed　onto　the　bed；　head　supported　in　her　hands。　She　was　shaking　violently。　〃He　almost　died；　didn't　he；　Louis？　He　almost　ch…ch…ch…oh　my　God…〃
　　Louis　walked　around　the　room　with　his　son　in　his　arms。　Gage's　cries　were　tapering　off　to　whimperings；　he　was　already　almost　asleep　again。
　　〃The　chances　are　fifty　to　one　he　would　have　cleared　it　himself；　Rachel。　I　just　gave　him　a　hand。〃
　　〃But　he　was　close；〃　she　said。　She　looked　up　at　him；　and　her　white…ringed　eyes　were　stunned　and　unbelieving。　〃Louis；　he　was　so　close。〃
　　Suddenly　he　remembered　her　shouting　at　him　in　the　sunny　kitchen：　He's　not　going　to　die；　no　one　is　going　to　die　around　here。
　　〃Honey；〃　Louis　said；　〃we're　all　close。　All　the　time。〃
　　It　was　milk　that　had　almost　surely　caused　the　fresh　round　of　vomiting。　Gage　had　awakened　around　midnight；　she　said；　an　hour　or　so　after　Louis　had　gone　to　sleep；　with　his　〃hungry　cry；〃　and　Rachel　had　gotten　him　a　bottle。　She　had　drowsed　off　again　herself　while　he　was　still　taking　it。　About　an　hour　later；　the　choking　spell　began。
　　No　more　milk；　Louis　said；　and　Rachel　had　agreed；　almost　humbly。　No　more　milk。
　　Louis　got　back　downstairs　at　around　a　quarter　of　two　and　spent　fifteen　minutes　hunting　up　the　cat。　During　his　search；　he　found　the　door　which　municated　between　the　kitchen　and　basement　standing　ajar；　as　he　suspected　he　would。　He　remembered　his　mother　telling　him　about　a　cat　that　had　gotten　quite　good　at　pawing　open　old…fashioned　latches；　such　as　the　one　on　their　cellar　door。　The　cat　would　just　climb　the　edge　of　the　door；　she'd　said；　and　pat　the　thumb　plate　of　the　latch　with　its　paw　until　the　door　opened。　A　cute　enough　trick；　Louis　thought；　but　not　one　he　intended　to　allow　Church　to　practice　often。　There　was；　after　all；　a　lock　on　the　cellar　door；　too。　He　found　Church　dozing　under　the　stove　and　tossed　it　out　the　front　door　without　ceremony。　On　his　way　back　to　the　hide…a…bed；　he　closed　the　cellar　door　again。
　　And　this　time　shot　the　bolt。
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　　In　the　morning；　Gage's　temperature　was　almost　normal。　His　cheeks　were　chapped；　but　otherwise　he　was　bright…eyed　and　full　of　beans。　All　at　once；　in　the　course　of　a　week　it　seemed；　his　meaningless　gabble　had　turned　into　a　slew　of　words；　he　would　imitate　almost　anything　you　said。　What　Ellie　wanted　him　to　say　was　〃shit。〃
　　〃Say　shit；　Gage；〃　Ellie　said　over　her　oatmeal。
　　〃Shit…Gage；〃　Gage　responded　agreeably　over　his　own　cereal。　Louis　allowed　the　cereal　on　condition　that　Gage　eat　it　with　only　a　little　sugar。　And；　as　usual；　Gage　seemed　to　be　shampooing　with　it　rather　than　actually　eating　it。
　　Ellie　dissolved　into　giggles。
　　〃Say　farts；　Gage；〃　she　said。
　　〃Farz…Gage；〃　Gage　said；　grinning　through　the　oatmeal　spread　across　his　face。　〃Farz…n…shit。〃
　　Ellie　and　Louis　broke　up。　It　was　impossible　not　to。
　　Rachel　was　not　so　amused。　〃That's　enough　vulgar　talk　for　one　morning；　I　think；〃　she　said；　handing　Louis　his　eggs。
　　〃Shit…n…farz…n…farz…n…shit；〃　Gage　sang　cheerily；　and　Ellie　hid　her　giggles　in　her　hands。　Rachel's　mouth　twitched　a　little；　and　Louis　thought　she　was　looking　a　hundred　percent　better　in　spite　of　her　broken　rest。　A　lot　of　it　was　relief；　Louis　supposed。　Gage　was　better　and　she　was　home。
　　〃Don't　say　that；　Gage；〃　Rachel　said。
　　〃Pretty；〃　Gage　said　as　a　change　of　pace　and　threw　up　all　the　cereal　he　had　eaten　into　his　bowl。
　　〃Oh；　gross…OUT！〃　Ellie　screamed　and　fled　the　table。
　　Louis　broke　up　pletely　then。　He　couldn't　help　it。　He　laughed　until　he　was　crying　and　cried　until　he　was　laughing　again。　Rachel　and　Gage　stared　at　him　as　if　he　had　gone　crazy。
　　No；　Louis　could　have　told　them。　I've　been　crazy；　but　I　think　I'm　going　to　be　all　right　now。　I　really　think　I　am。
　　He　didn't　know　if　it　was　over　or　not；　but　it　felt　over；　perhaps　that　would　be　enough。
　　And　for　a　while；　at　least；　it　was。
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　　Gage's　virus　hung　on　for　a　week；　then　cleared　up。　A　week　later　he　came　down　with　a　bout　of　bronchitis。　Ellie　also　caught　this　and　then　Rachel；　during　the　period　before　Christmas；　the　three　of　them　went　around　hacking　like　very　old　and　wheezy　hunting　dogs。　Louis　didn't　catch　it；　and　Rachel　seemed　to　hold　this　against　him。
　　The　final　week　of　classes　at　the　university　was　a　hectic　one　for　Louis；　Steve；　Surrendra；　and　Charlton。　There　was　no　flu…at　least　not　yet…but　plenty　of　bronchitis　and　several　cases　of　mononucleosis　and　walking　pneumonia。　Two　days　before　classes　broke　for　Christmas；　six　moaning；　drunken　fraternity　boys　were　brought　in　by　their　concerned　friends。　There　were　a　few　moments　of　confusion　gruesomely　reminiscent　of　the　Pascow　affair。　All　six　of　the　damned　fools　had　crammed　onto　one　medium…length　toboggan　（the　sixth　had　actually　been　sitting　on　the　shoulders　of　the　tail　man；　from　what　Louis　could　piece　together）　and　had　set　off　to　ride　the　toboggan　down　the　hill　above　the　steam　plant。　Hilarious。　Except　that　after　gaining　a　lot　of　speed；　the　tobo