pzb.lostsouls-第37节

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　　〃Ghost。　Wake　up；　Ghost；　WAKE　UP；　YOU　DUMB…FUCK。〃　Ghost　would　be　worse　than　useless　in　your　typical　barroom　brawl；　but　in　mortal　danger　Steve　suspected　he　could　hold　his　own　if　he　was　fully　awake。
　　Ghost　blinked　and　rubbed　his　eyes；　trying　to　shake　off　the　last　shreds　of　nightmare。　Steve　edged　closer　to　the　kid；　who　was　still　sprawled　on　the　floor　staring　miserably　up　at　him。　He　had　enormous　street…orphan　eyes　and　that　phony　dyed　black　hair　that　so　many　kids　wore　and　Steve　hated。　
　　〃What's　your　name；　kid？〃　
　　〃Nothing。　I…〃
　　〃Nothing？〃　said　Ghost。　〃Did　you　send　a…〃
　　Something　crashed　against　the　door。　It　shuddered　in　its　frame。　The　kid　looked　toward　the　source　of　the　sudden　noise。　Steve　reached　down；　hauled　him　up　by　his　coat　collar；　and　pinned　his　arms　behind　his　back。　It　must　have　hurt；　but　he　didn't　cry　out；　he　was　a　tough　little　kid。　Steve　didn't　really　want　to　hurt　him。　But　he　would　if　he　had　to。　He　got　a　good　grip　on　the　baseball　bat　and　pulled　Nothing　back　toward　the　bed。
　　The　object　crashed　against　the　door　again…they　must　be　using　the　big　piece　of　quartz　that　sat　in　the　hall；　nothing　else　could　make　that　much　noise…and　Steve　saw　the　doorknob　splinter　loose　from　its　moorings。　Another　crash　and　the　door　swung　halfway　open。　From　the　er　of　his　eye　Steve　saw　Ghost　scrambling　up　in　bed；　pressing　his　back　against　the　headboard。
　　The　two　larger　figures　appeared　in　the　doorway；　supporting　the　smaller　one　between　them。　The　entire　lower　half　of　the　small　one's　face　was　a　mask　of　bruise　and　blood。　His　hands　dangled　at　his　sides；　bloodied；　the　fingers　clenching　and　unclenching。　When　he　opened　his　mouth　to　speak；　Steve　saw　with　grim　satisfaction　that　he　had　taken　out　most　of　the　bastard's　front　teeth。
　　〃'You　hurt　my　face；〃　said　Green…eyes。　Through　the　mush　of　blood　and　ruined　tissue；　his　voice　was　low　and　smooth；　smoother　than　it　should　have　been　considering　how　much　he　must　be　hurting。　〃I　don't　like　it　when　people　hurt　my　face。　We're　going　to　tear　you　up。〃
　　〃Try　it　if　you　want　your　ugly　face　smashed　in　worse；〃　Steve　said。　He　hoped　he　sounded　more　confident　than　he　felt。　To　pull　this　off；　he　could　not　show　an　iota　of　fear　in　the　presence　of　these　creeps；　even　though　they　smelled　as　if　they'd　been　eating　roadkill　for　breakfast。　Steve　jerked　his　arm　tight　across　the　kid's　throat。　He　saw　the　light…colored　roots　of　the　kid's　hair　and　the　tender　scalp　beneath；　and　knew　that　be　could　bring　the　Slugger　down　on　it　if　he　had　to。
　　Green…eyes　stared　at　him　for　a　moment；　considering。　〃Let　him　go；〃　he　said。　〃If　you　do；　we'll　just　settle　our　score　with　you。　But　if　I　have　to　take　him　away　from　you；　I'll　rip　open　your　pretty　friend　and　have　his　intestines　for　breakfast。〃
　　〃Yeah；　fucker。　I'm　real　eager　to　make　deals　with　a　bag　of　pus　like　you。〃　Steve　throttled　the　kid　a　little　harder　and　heard　him　choke；　though　he　had　not　struggled　or　cried　out。
　　〃Not　'fucker；'〃　said　Green…eyes。　〃Zillah。　Remember　the　name。　Remember　it　when　you　feel　my　teeth　sink　into　your　heart。〃
　　〃Well；　if　you're　gonna　sink　'em　into　my　heart；　you　better　go　pick　'em　out　of　the　hall　runner　first。〃　Steve　thought　he　felt　the　kid　stifle　a　helpless　laugh；　of　all　things。　He　eased　up　on　the　boy's　throat　a　little。
　　Zillah　glanced　right　and　left　at　his　cohorts。　They　were　poised　like　springs；　like　big　cats　on　the　prowl。　〃Molochai…Twig…take　him　down；〃　he　said。　〃Save　the　boy　if　you　can。〃
　　Steve　knew　his　shaky　bargaining　chip　was　gone。　He　thrust　Nothing　as　far　away　from　him　as　he　could　and　started　swinging　the　bat　as　Molochai　and　Twig　closed　in。
　　One　came　at　him　high；　one　low。　He　brought　the　bat　down　on　a　shaggy　head　and　felt　it　thunk　against　a　cushion　of　hair。　The　owner　of　the　hair　staggered　but　recovered　fast。　Then　one　long　pair　of　arms　was　wrapped　around　his　legs　and　one　slobbering　feral　face　was　pushed　up　close　to　his；　and　he　lost　his　balance　and　went　back　onto　the　bed　with　both　of　them　crushing　him。
　　Sharp　nails　raked　across　his　chest；　drawing　beads　of　blood。　Sharper　teeth　sank　deep　into　the　meat　of　his　hand；　and　he　screamed　and　lost　his　grip　on　the　bat。　It　clattered　to　the　floor　and　rolled　under　the　bed。　In　an　instant　Zillah　had　darted　across　the　room　and　retrieved　it。
　　A　snorting；　snuffling　head　burrowed　in　between　Steve's　neck　and　shoulder。　The　filthy　dishevelled　hair　tickled　horribly。　Steve　whipped　his　head　around；　tried　to　bring　his　chin　down　tight　against　his　chest。　He　felt　hot　drool　on　his　neck。　Teeth　found　his　skin　and　nipped。
　　〃Don't　do　him　just　yet；〃　said　Zillah　mildly；　and　the　teeth　went　away。　One　creep　had　Steve　pinned　on　the　bed；　sitting　on　his　chest　and　trapping　his　arms。　Molochai　and　Twig　were　heavy　and　bulky　and　amazingly　strong；　and　Steve　couldn't　catch　his　breath　with　the　full　weight　of　whichever　one　it　was　on　top　of　him。　Ghost　hadn't　even　had　time　to　struggle　before　the　other　creep　had　pinned　him。　Steve　aimed　a　useless　kick　at　Zillah；　who　stepped　gracefully　away。
　　Nothing　pushed　himself　away　from　the　wall；　flung　his　arms　out　in　a　pleading　gesture。　〃Don't　hurt　them。〃
　　Zillah　snorted　and　hawked　a　bright　pink　gob　of　blood　to　the　floor。　〃Why　not？〃　he　said；　dangerously　quiet。　
　　〃Because　they　know　me。　Ghost　knows　who　I　am。　He　said　so。〃
　　〃Yesss？〃'　Zillah's　smashed　face　convulsed　in　what　might　have　been　a　smile。　〃I　know　who　you　are　too。　You're　a　pretty　little　boy　who　hasn't　learned　his　place　yet。　You're　a　pest　who　is　going　to　have　his　throat　ripped　out　in　about　two　minutes　if　he　doesn't　SHUT　THE　FUCK　UP！〃　Zillah　rounded　on　Nothing；　jabbed　him　hard　in　the　stomach　with　the　baseball　bat。　The　boy　staggered　backward；　the　wind　knocked　out　of　him。
　　〃I　want　him　to　watch；〃　Zillah　continued。　He　held　the　bat　up；　waved　its　broad　end　in　front　of　Steve's　face。　〃I　don't　need　this；　you　know。　I　could　kill　both　of　you　with　one　hand　while　I　jerked　off　with　the　other。　But　since　you　used　it　on　me　。　。　。〃
　　Zillah　moved　to　the　head　of　the　bed；　stood　over　Ghost's　prone　form。　By　craning　his　head　back；　Steve　could　just　see　him。　Zillah　shoved　the　bat　into　Ghost's　face；　and　Steve's　mouth　went　dry。　〃Such　a　fine；　straight；　hard　piece　of　wood。　But　so　plain。　It　needs　brightening　up；　don't　you　think？。。。with　some　pretty　red　GORE？。。。and　some　silky　blond　HAIR？。。。and　some　MAGIC　BBAAAINS？〃
　　Zillah's　voice　rose　to　a　shriek　on　the　last　word；　and　he　raised　the　bat　high　above　his　head。　Steve　brought　his　knees　up　hard；　bucked　and　arced　and　thrashed。　But　the　creep's　grip　on　him　did　not　slacken　and　the　bat　was　falling；　falling　。　。　。
　　〃NOOOOOO！〃　A　black　blur　was　in　the　air；　raincoat　billowing　like　great　wings；　arrowing　straight　across　the　bed　and　slamming　into　Zillah。　The　bat　flew　out　of　Zillah's　hands　and　sailed　across　the　room。　It　connected　with　the　window　and　punched　through　the　glass；　and　then　the　Slugger　was　gone；　no　longer　a　factor　in　the　equation。
　　Nothing's　momentum　carried　him　and　Zillah　straight　into　the　opposite　wall。　Zillah　took　most　of　the　impact。　He　slid　down　the　wall　and　lay　against　it；　dazed；　his　head　bracketed　by　words　in　pencil　and　paint　and　crayon。　There　was　a　ma…shaped　smear　of　blood　on　the　wall　where　Zillah's　head　had　hit。　Minute　cracks　in　the　plaster　radiated　from　it。
　　Nothing　crouched　astride　Zillah；　still　gasping　for　breath。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　sobbed。　〃You　made　me　kill　Laine　and　I　did　it。　But　not　Ghost。　Not　Ghost。〃
　　Molochai　and　Twig　were　so　surprised　by　the　whole　spectacle　that　they　let　go　of　Steve　and　Ghost。　Steve　scrambled　up；　expecting　them　to　go　for　him　at　once。　Instead　they　bounded　across　the　room　to　Zillah。
　　Twig　grabbed　Nothing　and　pulled　him　up　by　the　front　of　his　coat。　Molochai　raised　his　hand　to　his　face。　After　a　moment　Steve　saw　that　he　was　biting　through　the　skin　of　his　own　wrist。　When　Molochai's　blood　began　flowing　freely；　he　pressed　his　wrist　to　Zillah's　mouth。
　　Steve's　hands　ached。　He　supposed　it　was　an　aftereffect　of　the　adrenaline　rush。　Later　he　would　realize　he　had　been　gripping　the　bat　so　tightly　that　his　fingers　were　still　curled　in　the　shape　of　its　handle。
　　
　　Nothing's　teeth　clacked　together　when　Twig　hauled　him　up；　and　he　tasted　blood　again。　The　taste　reminded　him　of　the　potion　in　the　wine　bottle；　the　feast　of　Laine's　blood　they　had　shared。　More　than　anything　he　wanted　to　be　back　in　the　van；　singing；　drinking；　on　his　way　to　New　Orleans。　Going　away　from　here。　Something　had　gone　terribly　wrong。
　　At　least　Zillah　wasn't　dead；　though　he　looked　as　if　he　ought　to　be。　He　had　taken　a　baseball　bat　in　the　face　without　going　down；　and　Nothing　thought　he　could　have　taken　the　blow　against　the　wall　too；　though　it　had　been　hard　enough　to　break　someone's　neck。　But　the　two　blows　so　close　upon　each　other　had　stunned　him。　Maybe　Molochai's　blood　would　bring　him　around。　If　it　did；　Nothing　didn't　know　what　Zillah　would　do　to　him；　or　to　Steve　and　Ghost。　He　had　to　get　them　out　of　here　before　Zillah　came　all　the　way　back。
　　He　reached　up；　grasped　Twig's　hands；　and　removed　them　from　the　lapels　of　his　coat。　〃You　want　to　waste　time　fucking　with　me？〃　he　asked。　〃Zillah　didn't　tell　you　to　fuck　with　me。　And　he's　hurt　bad。〃
　　〃Because　of　you；〃　Twig　growled。
　　Nothing　could　feel　Twig's　hands　trembling　in　his　grasp；　aching　to　go　for　his　throat。　He　knew　Twig　could　kill　him　in　a　hear