gns.snakes-第34节

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　　Not　only　that；　it　read　your　thoughts；　knew　what　you　were　thinking；　that　he　was　going　to　crash　the　back　doors　open；　jump　as　far　out　as　he　could。　Then　run　like　hell。　If　his　legs　would　move。　Ever　since　they　had　been　trapped　in　here　he　had　been　shifting　his　position　every　so　often　trying　to　stop　his　limbs　from　going　to　sleep。　He　wondered　if　he　could　even　stand。　'Wish　me　luck。'　He　kissed　her；　felt　how　she　trembled。　She　did　not　say　anything；　there　wasn't　anything　to　say。　Just　close　your　eyes　and　pray。　I　daren't　watch；　Keith。
　　
　　'See　you　then。'　He　eased　himself　over　into　the　back　with　some　difficulty；　his　body　cumbersome；　stiff　and　weakened。　Don't　look　back　or　else　you　won't　go。
　　
　　Sickle　in　one　hand；　he　felt　for　the　door　lever　with　the　other。　The　catch　was　stiff；　always　had　been。　In　fact；　he　had　never　operated　it　from　the　inside；　never　had　to；　He　had　to　force　it；　a　screeching　and　grinding　of　metal；　a　noise　that　seemed　to　vibrate　on　his　teeth　the　way　it　always　had　in　his　boyhood　days　when　some　of　the　kids　ran　their　fingernails　along　the　paintwork　of　the　school　bus。
　　
　　But　he　did　glance　backwards；　he　could　not　stop　himself。　He　saw　Kirsten's　pallid；　frightened　features；　switched　his　gaze　to　the　bonnet。　The　make　was　gone；　had　read　his　movements　and　slid　away　to　lie　in　wait　for　him！
　　
　　He　crouched；　tensed　himself　for　the　leap；　knew　what　an　ungainly　turkey　poult　perching　for　the　first　time　felt　like；　sensed　that　his　leg　muscles　were　flaccid；　useless；　a　parachutist　on　his　first　leap；　holding　on；　afraid　to　let　go。　Now！
　　
　　If　he　had　not　leapt　out　then　he　would　never　have　done；　a　frog…like　hop；　a　long…jumper　striving　for　length。　He　hit　the　ground；　staggered；　went　over；　twisting　an　ankle　as　he　fell　awkwardly。　A　bination　of　pain　and　fear　swamped　him；　jerking　his　head　round；　trying　to　see　。　。　。
　　
　　The　snake　was　underneath　the　van；　seemingly　a　coloured　extension　of　the　exhaust　system；　stretched　full　length　and　poised；　about　to　propel　itself　at　him。　And；　oh　Christ；　the　van　doors　were　still　wide　open；　Kirsten　staring　out　after　him　in　shocked　horror。
　　
　　'Close　the　bloody　doors！'　he　yelled。　Because　that's　your　only　chance。　I'm　done　for！
　　
　　The　coral　snake　edged　forward　a　foot　or　so；　mocking　him　with　that　same　cold　merciless　reptilian　expression。　So　sure　of　itself；　not　hurrying；　knowing　his　terror　and　wanting　to　make　him　suffer　the　agonies　of　hell。　Damn　it；　Kirsten　had　not　moved；　was　just　kneeling　on　the　front　seats　staring　at　him；　wondering　why　he　did　not　scramble　up　and　run。
　　
　　Keith　saw　the　strike　ing；　the　raised　head；　the　snake's　body　tensed　for　the　rush　which　would　take　it　to　him。　He　closed　his　eyes；　knew　there　wasn't　a　jack…damned　thing　he　could　do　about　it。　They　had　suffered　the　agonies　of　heat；　thirst；　hunger；　terror；　he　had　planned　this　do…or…die　rush　for　freedom　with　such　precision　and　now　he　was　going　to　die。　Kirsten；　too。　They　might　as　well　have　given　up　and　died　at　the　very　outset。　He　had　failed。
　　
　　He　heard　it　ing；　felt　the　vibrations　of　its　thrashing　body；　its　hissing。　He　braced　himself　in　readiness；　but　nothing　touched　him；　no　revolting　rough；　cold；　scaly　skin；　no　agonising　stabbing　of　poisonous　fangs。　Nothing　but　the　sound　of　its　flayings　and　hissing；　interspersed　with　a　rapid　chattering　noise　which　he　thought　might　be　distant　machine…gun　fire。
　　
　　He　forced　his　eyes　open；　did　not　for　one　moment　believe　what　he　saw。　His　mind　had　snapped；　it　was　delirium　brought　on　by　snake　venom。　Whatever　it　was；　it　could　not　be　happening。
　　
　　The　coral　snake　was　writhing；　its　lashing　tail　striking　the　van　doors；　pinioned　to　the　ground　by　two　brownish…grey　creatures　which　had　a　secure　hold　on　it；　clasping　it　by　its　evil　head；　biting　deep　into　the　tough　skin；　bleeding　it　to　death　like　a　helpless　calf　in　a　slaughterhouse。
　　
　　The　snake　was　growing　weaker；　its　efforts　now　only　a　token　resistance；　whipping　faintly　with　its　tail；　its　hate　and　fury　spent。
　　
　　Then　going　limp。
　　
　　And　dead。
　　
　　The　mongooses　backed　off；　stood　there　watching　Keith　inquisitively。　Wary。　Was　it　permissible　to　kill　snakes？　They　did　not　know；　they　were　not　taking　any　chances。　Next　second　they　were　gone；　diving　back　into　the　undergrowth；　only　the　swaying　stalks　of　seeding　wild　willow　herb　and　bracken　fronds　marked　their　exit。
　　
　　Kirsten　was　out　of　the　van；　struggling　to　help　Keith　to　his　feet；　crying；　holding　on　to　him。　The　relief；　the　sudden　turning　of　the　tables　was　too　much　for　her。　'What　were　。　。　。　they？　she　asked。
　　
　　'Well；　they　looked　like　mongooses　to　me。'　He　winced；　tried　to　put　his　weight　on　his　injured　foot　and　decided　against　it。　'Can't　be　sure　but　I'm　not　going　to　argue。　The　snake's　dead　but　there　might　be　more　of　'em　around。　e　on；　let　me　lean　against　you　and　between　us　we　ought　to　be　able　to　make　it　down　to　the　road。'
　　
　　Staggering；　holding　on　to　each　other；　they　set　off　down　the　track　to　freedom；　their　course　erratic　as　they　skirted　dense　clumps　of　vegetation　that　could　have　concealed　a　lurking　snake。　Their　flesh　crawled；　their　pulses　raced　and　the　effort　was　almost　too　much　for　them。　But　not　quite。　They　made　it　out　on　to　the　road。
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　20
　　
　　THE　PACKED　church　created　an　atmosphere　that　for　John　Price　transcended　sadness。　More　than　just　the　death　of　a　fond　relative；　a　tragedy；　a　horror；　a　waste　of　life。　Somebody　who　was　about　to　embark　upon　a　journey　prematurely；　had　not　had　a　chance　to　say　her　farewells。
　　
　　Every　pew　was　crammed　full　and　outside　crowds　thronged　the　driveway　from　the　church　doors　to　the　lych…gate；　spilled　out　on　to　the　road　and　lined　the　pavement。　TV　cameras　trained　on　the　cortege；　the　climax　to　a　drama　which　the　whole　nation　would　watch　tonight；　had　been　following　in　instalments　for　days。
　　
　　John　fought　back　the　tears　which　welled　up　behind　his　eyes；　knew　that　they　had　the　cameras　on　him　in　close…up　during　the　slow　walk　back　from　the　graveside。　An　interval　of　fifteen　minutes　just　for　respectability　（we　don't　want　to　be　seen　to　be　rushing　it）；　and　then　it　was　the　turn　of　Barbara　Brown　and　her　child。　Then　Eversham。　Later　in　the　week　it　would　be　Joan　Doyle　（God　and　the　undertakers　alone　knew　what　would　be　in　her　coffin；　a　bloodstained　bedsheet　probably；　there　wasn't　anything　else）；　that　corporal's　body　had　been　taken　south　to　be　buried　in　his　home　town。　And　they　still　had　not　found　PC　Aylott。
　　
　　The　media　were　highlighting　John's　role　in　the　whole　bloody　business。　At　least　Rick　and　Tick　were　safe　back　in　that　old　suitcase　now　hidden　inside　the　coal…bunker。　Tomorrow；　or　the　day　after；　he　would　smuggle　them　back　up　to　Scotland；　he　must　get　the　petrol　pump　on　the　Mini　fixed　first；　though。　You　had　to　think　of　mundane　things　like　that　to　convince　yourself　that　it　was　all　real。
　　
　　The　mongooses　had　been　seen　and　recognised；　but　nobody　knew　any　more　than　that。　Maybe　Burlington　suspected；　John　thought　he　might　be　questioned　later。　But　what　the　hell；　the　snakes　were　dead；　accounted　for；　they　had　found　the　corpses。　The　mongooses　would　just　disappear；　not　to　be　seen　again。　If　people　wanted　to　hunt　them；　let　'em。　They　had　never　found　that　puma　down　south　and　that　was　all　of　twenty…five　years　ago；　nor　the　cat　beast　that　had　ravaged　flocks　of　Welsh　sheep　more　recently。
　　
　　John　made　it　back　to　the　main　street；　all　eyes　still　on　him。　That's　John　Price；　he　knows　all　about　snakes；　got　a　degree　in　'em。　Ugh！　A　news　reporter　stepped　out　of　the　crowd；　barred　his　way；　a　microphone　thrust　at　him　like　some　threatening　weapon。
　　
　　'Where　do　you　think　these　mongooses　came　from；　Mr　Price？'
　　
　　'I　haven't　a　clue。'
　　
　　Liar！　You　read　it　in　the　other's　eyes；　the　implication　in　his　tone　of　voice。
　　
　　'Do　you　think　all　the　snakes　are　dead？'
　　
　　The　million　dollar　question。　Have　we　got　'em　all？
　　
　　'Mongooses　are　pretty　thorough　hunters。'　He　chose　his　words　carefully。　'They　just　live　for　hunting　snakes。　If　there　are　any　left　they'll　surely　get　'em。'　He　pushed　his　way　past　the　reporter；　increased　his　step　until　he　reached　the　bungalow。
　　
　　Are　all　the　snakes　dead？
　　
　　Maybe；　maybe　not。　That　initial　inventory　of　the　escaped　reptiles　was　piled　by　a　process　of　elimination　from　the　intended　recipients　of　the　reptiles　not　from　that　cowboy　zoo。　Nobody　really　knew。
　　
　　Only　time　would　tell。



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