sk.carrie-第27节

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irls　and　punched　Vic　Mooney　in　the　eye。　They　were　yelling　for　them　to　go　out　the　back　fire　doors。　Some　did。　Those　were　the　ones　who　lived。
That's　when　it　started　to　rain　。。。　at　least；　that's　what　I　thought　it　was　at　first。　There　was　water　falling　all　over　the　place。　I　looked　up　and　all　the　sprinklers　were　on；　all　over　the　gym。　Water　was　hitting　the　basketball　court　and　splashing。　Josie　Vreck　was　yelling　for　the　guys　in　his　band　to　turn　off　the　electric　amps　and　mikes　quick；　but　they　were　all　gone。　He　jumped　down　from　the　stage。
The　panic　at　the　doors　stopped。　People　backed　away；　looking　up　at　the　ceiling。　I　heard　somebody　…　Don　Farnham；　I　think…say：　'This　is　gonna　wreck　the　basketball　court。'
A　few　other　people　started　to　go　over　and　look　at　Tommy　Ross。　All　at　once　I　knew　I　wanted　to　get　out　of　there。　I　took　Tina　Blake's　hand　and　said；　'Let's　run。　Quick。'
To　get　to　the　fire　doors；　you　had　to　go　down　a　short　corridor　to　the　left　of　the　stage。　There　were　sprinklers　there　too；　but　they　weren't　on。　And　the　doors　were　open　…　I　could　see　a　few　people　running　out。　But　most　of　them　were　just　standing　around　in　little　groups；　blinking　at　each　other。　Some　of　them　were　looking　at　the　smear　of　blood　where　Carrie　fell　down；　the　water　was　washing　it　away。
I　took　Tina's　hand　and　started　to　pull　her　toward　the　EXIT　sign。　At　that　same　instant　there　was　a　huge　flash　of　fight；　a　scream；　and　a　horrible　feedback　whine。　I　looked　around　and　saw　Josie　Vreck　holding　on　to　one　of　the　mike　stands。　He　couldn't　let　go。　His　eyes　were　bugging　out　and　his　hair　was　on　end　and　it　looked　like　he　was　dancing。　His　feet　were　sliding　around　in　the　water　and　smoke　started　to　e　out　of　his　shirt。
He　fell　over　on　one　of　the　amps　…　they　were　big　ones；　five　or　six　feet　high　…　and　it　fell　into　the　water。　The　feedback　went　up　to　a　scream　that　was　head…splitting；　and　then　there　was　another　sizzling　flash　and　it　stopped。　Josie's　shirt　was　on　fire。
'Run！'　Tina　yelled　at　me。　'e　on；　Norma；　Please！'
We　ran　out　into　the　hallway；　and　something　exploded　backstage　…　the　main　power　switches；　I　guess。　For　just　a　second　I　looked　back。　You　could　see　right　out　on　to　the　stage；　where　Tommy's　body　was；　because　the　curtain　was　up。　All　the　heavy　light　cables　were　in　the　air；　flowing　and　jerking　and　writhing　like　snakes　out　of　an　Indian　fakir's　basket。　Then　one　of　them　pulled　in　two。　There　was　a　violent　flash　when　it　hit　the　water；　and　then　everybody　was　screaming　at　once。
Then　we　were　out　the　door　and　running　across　the　parking　lot。　I　think　I　was　screaming。　I　don't　remember　very　well。　I　don't　remember　anything　very　well　after　they　started　screaming。　After　those　high…voltage　cables　hit　that　water…covered　floor　。。。
For　Tommy　Ross；　age　eighteen；　the　end　came　swiftly　and　mercifully　and　almost　without　pain。
He　was　never　even　aware　that　something　of　importance　was　happening。　There　was　a　clanging；　clashing　noise　that　he　associated　momentarily　with
（there　go　the　milk　buckets）
a　childhood　memory　of　his　Uncle　Galen's　farm　and　then　with
（somebody　dropped　something）
the　band　below　him。　He　caught　a　glimpse　of　Josie　Vreck　looking　over　his　head
（what　have　i　got　a　halo　or　something）
and　then　the　quarter…full　bucket　of　blood　struck　him。　The　raised　lip　along　the　bottom　of　the　rim　struck　him　on　top　of　the　head　and
（hey　that　hurt）
he　went　swiftly　down　into　unconsciousness。　He　was　still　sprawled　on　the　stage　when　the　fire　originating　in　the　electrical　equipment　of　Josie　and　the　Moonglows　spread　to　the　mural　of　the　Venetian　boatman；　and　then　to　the　rat　warren　of　old　uniforms；　books；　and　papers　backstage　and　overhead。
He　was　dead　when　the　oil　tank　exploded　a　half　hour　later。
From　the　New　England　AP　ticker；　10：46　P。M。：
CHAMBERLAIN；　MAINE　（AP）
A　FIRE　IS　RAGING　OUT　OF　CONTROL　AT　EWEN　（U…WIN）　CONSOLIDATED　HIGH　SCHOOL　AT　THIS　TIME。　A　SCHOOL　DANCE　WAS　IN　PROGRESS　AT　THE　TIME　OF　THE　OUTBREAK　WHICH　IS　BELIEVED　TO　HAVE　BEENELECTRICAL　IN　ORIGIN。　WITNESSES　SAY　THAT　THE　SCHOOL'S　SPRINKLER　SYSTEM　WENT　ON　WITHOUT　WARNING；　CAUSING　A　SHORT…CIRCUIT　IN　THE　EQUIPMENT　OF　A　ROCK　BAND。　SOME　WITNESSES　ALSO　REPORT　BREAKS　IN　MAIN　POWER　CABLES。　IT　IS　BELIEVED　THAT　AS　MANY　AS　ONE　HUNDRED　AND　TEN　PERSONS　MAY　BE　TRAPPED　IN　THE　BLAZING　SCHOOL　GYMNASIUM。　FIRE　FIGHTING　EQUIPMENT　FROM　THE　NEIGHBOURING　TOWNS　OF　WESTOVER；　MOTTON；　AND　LEWISTON　HAVE　REPORTEDLY　RECEIVED　REQUESTS　FOR　ASSISTANCE　AND　ARE　NOW　OR　SHORTLY　WILL　BE　EN　ROUTE。　AS　YET；　NO　CASUALTIES　HAVE　BEEN　REPORTED。　ENDS。
10：46　Pm　MAY　27　6904D　AP
From　the　New　England　AP　ticker；　11：22　P。M。
URGENT
CHAMBERLAIN；　MAINE　（AP）
A　TREMENDOUS　EXPLOSION　HAS　ROCKED　THOMAS　EWIN　（U…WIN）　CONSOLIDATED　HIGH　SCHOOL　IN　THE　SMALL　MAINE　TOWN　OF　CHAMBERLAIN。　THREE　CHAMBERLAIN　FIRE　TRUCKS；　DISPATCHED　EARLIER　TO　FIGHT　A　BLAZE　AT　THE　GYMNASIUM　WHERE　A　SCHOOL　PROM　WAS　TAKING　PLACE；　HAVE　ARRIVED　TO　NO　AVAIL。　ALL　FIRE　HYDRANTS　IN　THE　AREA　HAVE　BEEN　VANDALIZED；　AND　WATER　PRESSURE　FROM　CITY　MAINS　IN　THE　AREA　FROM　SPRING　STREET　TO　GRASS　PLAZA　IS　REPORTED　TO　BE　NIL。　ONE　FIRE　OFFICIAL　SAID。　'THE　DAMN　THINGS　WERE　STRIPPED　OF　THEIR　NOZZLES；　THEY　MUST　HAVE　SPOUTED　LIKE　GUSHERS　WHILE　THOSE　KIDS　WERE　BURNING。'　THREE　BODIES　HAVE　BEEN　RECOVERED　SO　FAR。　ONE　HAS　BEEN　IDENTIFIED　AS　THOMAS　B。　MEARS；　A　CHAMBERLAIN　FIREMAN。　THE　TWO　OTHERS　WERE　APPARENT　PROM　GOERS。　THREE　MORE　CHAMBERLAIN　FIREMEN　HAVE　BEEN　TAKEN　TO　MOTTON　RECEIVING　HOSPITAL　SUFFERING　FROM　MINOR　BURNS　AND　SMOKE　INHALATION。　IT　IS　BELIEVED　THAT　THE　EXPLOSION　OCCURRED　WHEN　THE　FIRE　REACHED　THE　SCHOOL'S　FUEL…OIL　TANKS；　WHICH　ARE　SITUATED　NEAR　THE　GYMNASIUM。　THE　FIRE　ITSELF　IS　BELIEVED　TO　HAVE　STARTED　IN　POORLY　INSULATED　ELECTRICAL　EQUIPMENT　FOLLOWING　A　SPRINKLER　SYSTEM　MALFUNCTION。　ENDS。
11：22　PM　MAY　27　70119E　AP
Sue　had　only　a　driver's　permit；　but　she　took　the　keys　to　her　mother's　car　from　the　pegboard　beside　the　refrigerator　and　ran　to　the　garage。　The　kitchen　clock　read　exactly　11：00。
She　flooded　the　car　on　her　first　try；　and　forced　herself　to　wait　before　trying　again。　This　time　the　motor　coughed　and　caught；　and　she　roared　out　of　the　garage　heedlessly；　dinging　one　fender。　She　turned　around；　and　the　rear　wheels　splurted　gravel。　Her　mother's　'77　Plymouth　swerved　on　to　the　road；　almost　fishtailing　on　to　the　shoulder　and　making　her　feel　sick　to　her　stomach。　It　was　only　at　this　point　that　she　realized　she　was　moaning　deep　in　her　throat；　like　an　animal　in　a　trap。
She　did　not　pause　at　the　stop　sign　that　marked　the　intersection　of　Route　6　and　the　Back　Chamberlain　Road。　Fire　sirens　filled　the　night　in　the　cast；　where　Chamberlain　bordered　Westover；　and　from　the　south　behind　herMotton。
She　was　almost　at　the　base　of　the　hill　when　the　school　exploded。
She　jammed　on　the　power　brakes　with　both　feet　and　was　thrown　into　the　steering　wheel　like　a　rag　doll。　The　tyres　wailed　on　the　pavement。　Somehow　she　fumbled　the　door　open　and　was　out；　shading　her　eyes　against　the　glare。
A　gout　of　flame　had　ripped　skyward；　trailing　a　nimbus　of　fluttering　steel　roof　panels；　wood；　and　paper。　The　smell　was　thick　and　oily。　Main　Street　was　lit　as　if　by　a　flashgun。　In　that　terrible　hallway　between　seconds；　she　saw　that　the　entire　gymnasium　wing　of　Ewen　High　was　a　gutted；　flaming　ruin。
Concussion　struck　a　moment　later；　knocking　her　backwards。　Road　litter　blew　past　her　on　a　sudden　and　tremendous　rush；　along　with　a　blast　of　warm　air　that　reminded　her　fleetingly　of
（the　smell　of　subways）
a　trip　she　had　taken　to　Boston　the　year　before。　The　windows　of　Bill's　Home　Drugstore　and　the　Kelly　Fruit　pany　jingled　and　fell　inward。
She　had　fallen　on　her　side；　and　the　fire　lit　the　street　with　hellish　noonday。　What　happened　next　happened　in　slow　motion　as　her　mind　ran　steadily　onward
（dead　are　they　all　dead　carrie　why　think　carrie）
at　its　own　clip。　Cars　were　rushing　toward　the　scene；　and　some　people　were　running　in　robes；　nightshorts；　pyjamas。　She　saw　a　man　e　out　of　the　front　door　of　Chamberlain's　bined　police　station　and　courthouse。　He　was　moving　slowly。　The　cars　were　moving　slowly。　Even　the　people　running　were　moving　slowly。
She　saw　the　man　on　the　police…station　steps　cup　his　hands　around　his　mouth　and　scream　something；　unclear'　over　the　shrieking　town　whistle；　the　fire　sirens；　the　monster…mouth　of　fire。　Sounded　like：
'Heyret！　Don't　hey　that　ass！'
The　street　was　all　wet　down　there。　The　light　danced　on　the　water'　Down　by　Teddy's　Amoco　station。
'…hey；　that's…'
And　then　the　world　exploded。
From　the　sworn　testimony　of　Thomas　K。　Quillan；　taken　before　The　State　Investigatory　Board　of　Maine　in　connection　with　the　events　of　May　27…28　in　Chamberlain；　Maine　（abridged　version　which　follows　is　from　Black　Prom：　The　White　mission　Report；　Signet　Books：　New　York；　1980）：
Q。　Mr　Quillan；　are　you　a　resident　of　Chamberlain？
A。　Yes。
Q。　What　is　your　address？
A。　I　got　a　room　over　the　pool　hall。　That's　where　I　work。　I　mop　the　floors；　vacuum　the　tables；　work　on　the　machines…pinball　machines；　you　know。
Q。　Where　were　you　on　the　night　of　May　twenty…seventh　at　10。30　P。M。；　Mr　Quillan？
A。　Well　。　。　。　actually；　I　was　in　a　detention　cell　at　the　police　station。　I　get　paid　on　Thursdays；　see。　And　I　always　go　out　and　get　bombed。　I　go　out　to　The　Cavalier；　drink　some　Schlitz；　play　a　little　poker　out　back。　But　I　get　mean　when　I　drink。　Feels　Eke　the　Roller　Derby's　going　on　in　my　head。　Bummer；　hub？　Once　I　conked　a　guy　over　the　head　wit