dk.coldfire-第1节

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　Even　before　the　events　in　the　supermarket；　Jim　Ironheart　should　have　known　trouble　was　ing。　During　the　night　he　dreamed　of　being　pursued　across　a　field　by　a　flock　of　large　blackbirds　that　shrieked　around　him　in　a　turbulent　flapping　of　wings　and　tore　at　him　with　hooked　beaks　as　precisely　honed　as　surgical　scalpels。　When　he　woke　and　was　unable　to　breathe；　he　shuffled　onto　the　balcony　in　his　pajama　bottoms　to　get　some　fresh　air。　
　At　nine…thirty　in　the　morning；　the　temperature；　already　ninety　degrees；　only　contributed　to　the　sense　of　suffocation　with　which　he　had　awakened。　
　A　long　shower　and　a　shave　refreshed　him。　
　The　refrigerator　contained　only　part　of　a　moldering　Sara　Lee　cake。　
　It　bled　a　laboratory　culture　of　some　new；　exquisitely　virulent　strain　of　botulism。　He　could　either　starve　or　go　out　into　the　furnace　heat。　
　The　August　day　was　so　torrid　that　birds；　beyond　the　boundaries　of　bad　trams；　preferred　the　bowers　of　the　trees　to　the　sun…scorched　open　spaces　of　the　southern　California　sky；　they　sat　silently　in　their　leafy　shelters；　chirping　rarely　and　without　enthusiasm。　Dogs　padded　cat…quick　along　sidewalks　as　hot　as　griddles。　No　man；　woman　or　child　paused　to　see　if　an　egg　would　fry　on　the　concrete；　taking　it　as　a　matter　of　faith。　
　After　eating　a　light　breakfast　at　an　umbrella…shaded　table　on　the　patio　of　a　seaside　cafe　in　Laguna　Niguel；　he　was　enervated　again　and　sheathed　in　a　dew　of　perspiration。　It　was　one　of　those　rare　occasions　when　the　Pacific　did　not　produce　even　a　dependable　mild　breeze。　
　From　there　he　went　to　the　supermarket；　which　at　first　seemed　to　be　a　sanctuary。　He　was　wearing　only　white　cotton　slacks　and　a　blue　T…shirt；　so　the　air…conditioning　and　the　chill　currents　rising　off　the　refrigerated　display　cases　were　refreshing。　
　He　was　in　the　cookie　department；　paring　the　ingredients　in　fudge　macaroons　to　those　in　pineapple…coconut…almond　bars；　trying　to　decide　which　was　the　lesser　dietary　sin；　when　the　fit　hit　him。　On　the　scale　of　such　things；　it　was　not　much　of　a　fit…no　convulsions；　no　violent　muscle　contractions；　no　sudden　rivers　of　sweat；　no　speaking　in　strange　tongues。　
　He　just　abruptly　turned　to　a　woman　shopper　next　to　him　and　said；　〃Life　line。〃　
　She　was　about　thirty；　wearing　shorts　and　a　halter　top；　good…looking　enough　to　have　experienced　a　wearying　array　of　e…ons　from　men；　perhaps　she　thought　he　was　making　a　pass　at　her。　She　gave　him　a　guarded　look。　〃Excuse　me？〃　Flow　with　it；　he　told　himself　Don't　be　afraid。　
　He　began　to　shudder；　not　because　of　the　air…conditioning　but　because　a　series　of　inner　chills　swam　through　him；　like　a　wriggling　school　of　eels。　the　strength　went　out　of　his　hands；　and　he　dropped　the　packages　of　cookies。　
　Embarrassed　but　unable　to　control　himself；　he　repeated：　〃Life　line。〃　
　〃I　don't　understand；〃　the　woman　said。　
　Although　this　had　happened　to　him　nine　times　before；　he　said；　〃Neither　do　I。〃　
　She　clutched　a　box　of　vanilla　wafers　as　though　she　might　throw　it　in　his　face　and　run　if　she　decided　he　was　a　walking　headline　（BERSERK　MAN　SHOOTS　SIX　IN　SUPERMARKET！　Nevertheless；　She　was　enough　Of　a　good　samaritan　to　hang　in　for　another　exchange：　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　No　doubt；　he　was　pale。　He　felt　as　if　all　the　blood　had　drained　out　of　his　face。　He　tried　to　put　on　a　reassuring　smile；　knew　it　was　a　ghastly　grimace　and　said；　〃Gotta　go。〃　
　Turning　away　from　his　shopping　cart；　Jim　walked　out　of　the　market　into　the　searing　August　heat。　The　forty…degree　temperature　change　momentarily　locked　the　breath　in　his　lungs。　The　blacktop　in　the　parking　lot　was　tacky　in　places。　Sun　silvered　the　windshields　of　the　cars　and　seemed　to　shatter　into　dazzling　splinters　against　chrome　bumpers　and　grilles。　
　He　went　to　his　Ford。　It　had　air…conditioning；　but　even　after　he　had　driven　across　the　lot　and　turned　onto　Crown　Valley　Parkway；　the　air　from　the　dashboard　vents　was　refreshing　only　by　parison　with　the　baking…oven　atmosphere　in　the　car。　He　put　down　his　window。　
　Initially　he　did　not　know　where　he　was　going。　Then　he　had　a　vague　feeling　that　he　should　return　home。　Rapidly　the　feeling　became　a　strong　hunch；　the　hunch　became　a　conviction；　and　the　conviction　became　a　pulsion。　He　absolutely　had　to　get　home。　
　He　drove　too　fast；　weaving　in　and　out　of　traffic；　taking　chances；　which　was　uncharacteristic　of　him。　If　a　cop　had　stopped　him；　he　would　not　have　been　able　to　explain　his　desperate　urgency；　for　he　did　not　understand　himself　It　was　as　if　his　every　move　was　orchestrated　by　someone　unseen；　controlling　him　much　the　way　that　he　controlled　the　car。　
　Again　he　told　himself　to　flow　with　it；　which　was　easy　since　he　had　no　choice。　
　He　also　told　himself　not　to　be　afraid；　but　fear　was　his　unshakable　panion。　When　he　pulled　into　his　driveway　in　Laguna　Niguel；　the　spiky　black　shadows　of　palm　fronds　looked　like　cracks　in　the　blazing…white　stucco　of　his　small　house；　as　if　the　structure　had　dried　out　and　split　open　in　the　heat　The　red…tile　roof　appeared　to　ripple　like　overlapping　waves　of　blood　his　bedroom；　sunlight　acquired　a　coppery　hue　as　it　poured　through　tinted　windows。　It　laid　a　penny…colored　glow　in　stripes　across　the　bed　off　white　carpet；　alternating　with　bands　of　shade　from　the　half　open　plantation　shutters。　
　；　Jim　switched　on　a　bedside　lamp。　
　He　didn't　know　he　was　going　to　pack　for　travel　until　he　found　himself　taking　a　suitcase　from　his　closet。　He　gathered　up　his　shaving　gear　and　toiletries　first。　He　didn't　know　his　destination　or　how　long　he　would　be　gone；　but　he　included　two　changes　of　clothes。　These　jobs…adventures　missions；　whatever　in　God's　name　they　were…usually　didn't　require　him　to　be　away　more　than　two　or　three　days。　He　hesitated；　worried　that　he　had　not　packed　enough。　But　these　trips　were　dangerous；　each　could　be　his　last；　in　which　case　it　didn't　matter　whether　he　packed　too　much　or　too　little。　
　He　closed　the　suitcase　and　stared　at　it；　not　sure　what　to　do　next。　
　Then　he　'd；　〃Gotta　fly；〃　and　he　knew。　
　The　drive　to　John　Wayne　Airport；　on　the　southeastern　edge　of　Santa　Anta；　took　less　than　half　an　hour。　Along　the　way　he　saw　subtle　reminders　at　southern　California　had　been　a　desert　before　the　importation　of　water　through　aqueducts。　A　billboard　urged　water　conservation。　Gardeners　were　planting　low…maintenance　cactus　and　ice　plant　in　front　of　a　new　southwestern…style　apartment　building。　between　the　greenbelts　and　the　neighborhoods　of　lushly　landscaped　properties；　the　vegetation　on　undeveloped　fields　and　hills　was　parched　and　brown；　waiting　for　the　kiss　of　a　match　in　the　trembling　hand　of　one　of　the　pyromaniacs　contributing　to　the　annual；　devastating　wildfire　season。　
　In　the　main　terminal　at　the　airport；　travelers　streamed　to　and　from　their　boarding　gates。　The　multi…racial　crowd　belied　the　lingering　myth　that　Orange　County　was　culturally　bland　and　populated　solely　by　white　AngloSaxon　Protestants。　On　his　way　to　the　bank　of　TV　monitors　that　displayed　a　list　of　arriving　and　departing　flights；　Jim　heard　four　languages　besides　English。　
　He　read　the　destinations　from　top　to　bottom　on　the　monitor。　The　next　to　t　city…Portland；　Oregon…struck　a　spark　of　inspiration　in　him；　and　he　went　straight　to　the　ticket　counter。　
　The　clerk　who　served　him　was　a　clean…cut　young　man；　as　straight…arrow　as　a　Disneyland　employee…at　first　glance。　
　〃The　flight　to　Portland　leaving　in　twenty　minutes；〃　Jim　said。　〃Is　it　full　up？〃　The　clerk　checked　the　puter。　〃You're　in　luck；　sir。　We　have　three　open　seats。〃　
　While　the　clerk　processed　the　credit　card　and　issued　the　ticket；　Jim　noticed　the　guy　had　pierced　ears。　He　wasn't　wearing　earrings　on　the　job　but　the　holes　in　his　lobes　were　visible　enough　to　indicate　that　he　wore　then　regularly　when　he　was　off　duty　and　that　he　preferred　heavy　jewelry。　
　When　he　returned　Jim's　credit　card；　his　shirtsleeve　pulled　up　far　enough　on　his　right　wrist　to　reveal　the　snarling　muzzle　of　what　appeared　to　be　a　lavishly　detailed；　colorful　dragon　tattoo　that　extended　up　his　entire　arm。　The　knuckles　of　that　hand　were　crusted　with　scabs；　as　if　they　had　been　skinned　in　a　fight。　
　All　the　way　to　the　boarding　gate；　Jim　wondered　what　subculture　the　clerk　swam　in　after　he　shed　his　uniform　at　the　end　of　the　work　day　and　put　on　street　clothes。　He　had　a　hunch　the　guy　was　nothing　as　mundane　as　biker　punk。　
　The　plane　took　off　to　the　south；　with　the　merciless　glare　of　the　sun　at　the　windows　on　Jim's　side。　Then　it　swung　to　the　west　and　turned　north　over　the　ocean；　and　he　could　see　the　sun　only　as　a　reflection　in　the　sea　below　where　its　blazing　image　seemed　to　transform　the　water　into　a　vast　churning　mass　of　magma　erupting　from　beneath　the　planet's　crust。　
　Jim　realized　he　was　clenching　his　teeth。　He　looked　down　at　the　armrests　of　his　seat；　where　his　hands　were　tightly　hooked　like　the　talons　of　an　eagle　to　the　rock　of　a　precarious　roost。　
　He　tried　to　relax。　
　He　was　not　afraid　of　flying。　What　he　feared　was　Portland。。。　and　whatever　form　of　death　might　be　waiting　there　for　him。　
　Holly　Thorne　was　at　a　private　elementary　school　on　the　west　side　of　Portland　to　interview　a　teacher；　Louise　Tarvohl；　who　had　sold　a　book　of　poetry　to　a　major　New　York　publisher；　not　an　easy　feat　in　an　age　when　most　people's　knowledge　of　poetry　was　limited　to　the　lyrics　of　pop　songs　and　o