stephen king - mist-第1节

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　This　is　what　happened。　On　the　night　that　the　worst　heat　wave　in　northern　New　England　history　finally　broke…the　night　of　July　19…the　entire　western　Maine　region　was　lashed　with　the　most　vicious　thunderstorms　I　have　ever　seen。
　We　lived　on　Long　Lake；　and　we　saw　the　first　of　the　storms　beating　its　way　across　the　water　toward　us　just　before　dark。　For　an　hour　before；　the　air　had　been　utterly　still。　The　American　flag　that　my　father　put　up　on　our　boathouse　in　1936　lay　limp　against　its　pole。　Not　even　its　hem　fluttered。　The　heat　was　like　a　solid　thing；　and　it　seemed　as　deep　as　sullen　quarry…water。　That　afternoon　the　three　of　us　had　gone　swimming；　but　the　water　was　no　relief　unless　you　went　out　deep。　Neither　Steffy　nor　I　wanted　to　go　deep　because　Billy　couldn't。　Billy　is　five。
　We　ate　a　cold　supper　at　five…thirty；　picking　listlessly　at　ham　sandwiches　and　potato　salad　out　on　the　deck　that　faces　the　lake。　Nobody　seemed　to　want　anything　but　Pepsi；　which　was　in　a　steel　bucket　of　ice　cubes。
　After　supper　Billy　went　out　back　to　play　on　his　monkey　bars　for　a　while。　Steff　and　I　sat　without　talking　much；　smoking　and　looking　across　the　sullen　flat　mirror　of　the　lake　to　Harrison　on　the　far　side。　A　few　powerboats　droned　back　and　forth。　The　evergreens　over　there　looked　dusty　and　beaten。　In　the　west；　great　purple　thunderheads　were　slowly　building　up；　massing　like　an　army。　Lightning　flashed　inside　them。　Next　door；　Brent　Norton's　radio；　tuned　to　that　classical…music　station　that　broadcasts　from　the　top　of　Mount　Washington；　sent　out　a　loud　bray　of　static　each　time　the　lightning　flashed。　Norton　was　a　lawyer　from
　New　Jersey　and　his　place　on　Long　Lake　was　only　a　summer　cottage　with　no　furnace　or　insulation。　Two　years　before；　we　had　a　boundary　dispute　that　finally　wound　up　in　county　court。　I　won。　Norton　claimed　I　won　because　he　was　an　out…of…towner。　There　was　no　love　lost　between　us。
　Steff　sighed　and　fanned　the　top　of　her　breasts　with　the　edge　of　her　…halter。　I　doubted　if　it　cooled　her　off　much　but　it　improved　the　view　a　lot。
　〃　I　don't　want　to　scare　you；〃　I　said；　〃but　there's　a　bad　storm　on　the　way；　I　think。〃
　She　looked　at　me　doubtfully。　〃There　were　thunderheads　last　night　and　the　night　before；　David。　They　just　broke　up。〃
　〃They　won't　do　that　tonight。〃
　〃No？〃
　〃If　it　gets　bad　enough；　we're　going　to　go　downstairs。〃
　〃How　bad　do　you　think　it　can　get？〃
　My　dad　was　the　first　to　build　a　year…round　home　on　this　side　of　the　lake。　When　he　was　hardly　more　than　a　kid　he　and　his　brothers　put　up　a　summer　place　where　the　house　now　stood；　and　in　1938　a　summer　storm　knocked　it　flat；　stone　walls　and　all。　Only　the　boathouse　escaped。　A　year　later　he　started　the　big　house。　it's　the　trees　that　do　the　damage　in　a　bad　blow。　They　get　old；　and　the　wind　knocks　them　over。　It's　mother　nature's　way　of　cleaning　house　periodically。
　〃I　don't　really　know；〃　I　said；　truthfully　enough。　I　had　only　heard　stories　about　the　great　storm　of　thirty…eight。　〃But　the　wind　can　e　off　the　lake　like　an　express　train。〃
　Billy　came　back　a　while　later；　plaining　that　the　monkey　bars　were　no　fun　because　he　was　〃all　sweated　up。〃　I　ruffled　his　hair　and　gave　him　another　Pepsi。　More　work　for　the　dentist。
　The　thunderheads　were　getting　closer；　pushing　away　the　blue。　There　was　no　doubt　now　that　a　storm　was　ing。　Norton　had　turned　off　his　radio。　Billy　sat　between　his　mother　and　me；　watching　the　sky；　fascinated。　Thunder　boomed；　rolling　slowly　across　the　lake　and　then　echoing　back　again。　The　clouds　twisted　and　rolled；　now　black；　now　purple；　now　veined；　now　black　again。　They　gradually　overspread　the　lake；　and　I　could　see　a　delicate　caul　of　rain　extending　down　from　them。　It　was　still　a　distance　away。　As　we　watched；　it　was　probably　raining　on　Bolster's　Mills；　or　maybe　even　Norway。
　The　air　began　to　move；　jerkily　at　first；　lifting　the　flag　and　then　dropping　it　again。　it　began　to　freshen　and　grew　steady；　first　cooling　the　perspiration　on　our　bodies　and　then　seeming　to　freeze　it。
　That　was　when　I　saw　the　silver　veil　rolling　across　the　lake。　it　blotted　out　Harrison　in　seconds　and　then　came　straight　at　us。　The　powerboats　had　vacated　the　scene。
　Billy　stood　up　from　his　chair；　which　was　a　miniature　replica　of　our　director's　chairs；　plete　with　his　name　printed　on　the　back。　〃Daddy！　Look！〃
　〃Let's　go　in；〃　I　said。　I　stood　up　and　put　my　arm　around　his　shoulders。
　〃But　do　you　see　it？　Dad；　what　is　it？〃
　〃A　water…cyclone。　Let's　go　in。〃
　Steff　threw　a　quick；　startled　glance　at　my　face　and　then　said；　〃e　on；　Billy。　Do　what　your　father　says。〃
　We　went　in　through　the　sliding　glass　doors　that　give　on　the　living　room。　I　slid　the　door　shut　on　its　track　and　paused　for　another　look　out。　The　silver　veil　was　three…quarters　of　the　way　across　the　lake。　It　had　resolved　itself　into　a　crazily　spinning　teacup　between　the　lowering　black　sky　and　the　surface　of　the　water；　which　had　gone　the　color　of　lead　streaked　with　white　chrome。　The　lake　had　begun　to　look　eerily　like　the　ocean；　with　high　waves　rolling　in　and　sending　spume　up　from　the　docks　and　breakwaters。　Out　in　the　middle；　big　whitecaps　were　tossing　their　heads　back　and　forth。
　Watching　the　water…cyclone　was　hypnotic。　It　was　nearly　on　top　of　us　when　lightning　flashed　so　brightly　that　it　printed　everything　on　my　eyes　in　negative　for　thirty　seconds　afterward。　The　telephone　gave　out　a　startled　ting！　and　I　turned　to　see　my　wife　and　son　standing　directly　in　front　of　the　big…picture　window　that　gives　us　a　panoramic　view　of　the　lake　to　the　northwest。
　One　of　those　terrible　visions　came　to　me…I　think　they　are　reserved　exclusively　for　husbands　and　fathers…of　the　picture　window　blowing　in　with　a　low　hard　coughing　sound　and　sending　jagged　arrows　of　glass　into　my　wife's　bare　stomach；　into　my　boy's　face　and　neck。　The　horrors　of　the　Inquisition　are　nothing　pared　to　the　fates　your　mind　can　imagine　for　your　loved　ones。
　I　grabbed　them　both　hard　and　jerked　them　away。　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing？　Get　away　from　there！〃
　Steff　gave　me　a　startled　glance。　Billy　only　looked　at　me　as　if　he　had　been　partially　awakened　from　a　deep　dream。　I　led　them　into　the　kitchen　and　hit　the　light　switch。　The　phone　ting…a…linged　again。
　Then　the　wind　came。　It　was　as　if　the　house　had　taken　off　like　a　747。　It　was　a　high；　breathless　whistling；　sometimes　deepening　to　a　bass　roar　before　glissading　up　to　a　whooping　scream。
　〃Go　downstairs；〃　I　told　Steff；　and　now　I　had　to　shout　to　make　myself　heard。　Directly　over　the　house　thunder　whacked　mammoth　planks　together　and　Billy　shrank　against　my　leg。
　〃You　e　too！〃　Steff　yelled　back。
　I　nodded　and　made　shooing　gestures。　I　had　to　pry　Billy　off　my　leg。　〃Go　with　your　mother。　I　want　to　get　some　candles　in　case　the　lights　go　off。〃
　He　went　with　her；　and　I　started　opening　cabinets。　Candles　are　funny　things；　you　know。　You　lay　them　by　every　spring；　knowing　that　a　summer　storm　may　knock　out　the　power。　And　when　the　time　tomes；　they　hide。
　I　was　pawing　through　the　fourth　cabinet；　past　the　half…ounce　of　grass　that　Steff　and　I　bought　four　years　ago　and　had　still　not　smoked　much　of；　past　Billy's　wind…up　set　of　chattering　teeth　from　the　Auburn　Novelty　Shop；　past　the　drifts　of　photos　Steffy　kept　forgetting　to　glue　in　our　album。　I　looked　under　a　Sears　catalogue　and　behind　a　Kewpie　doll　from　Taiwan　that　I　had　won　at　the　Fryeburg　Fair　knocking　over　wooden　milk　bottles　with　tennis　balls。
　I　found　the　candles　behind　the　Kewpie　doll　with　its　glazed　dead　man's　eyes。　They　were　still　wrapped　in　their　cellophane。　As　my　hand　closed　around　them　the　lights　went　out　and　the　only　electricity　was　the　stuff　in　the　sky。　The　dining　room　was　lit　in　a　series　of　shutter…flashes　that　were　white　and　purple。　Downstairs　I　heard　Billy　start　to　cry　and　the　low　murmur　of　Steff　soothing　him。
　I　had　to　have　one　more　look　at　the　storm。
　The　water…cyclone　had　either　passed　us　or　broken　up　when　it　reached　the　shoreline；　but　I　still　couldn't　see　twenty　yards　out　onto　the　lake。　The　water　was　in　plete　turmoil。　I　saw　someone's　dock…the　Jassers'；　maybe…hurry　by　with　its　main　supports　alternately　turned　up　to　the　sky　and　buried　in　the　churning　water。
　I　went　downstairs。　Billy　ran　to　me　and　clung　to　my　legs。　I　lifted　him　up　and　gave　him　a　hug。　Then　I　lit　the　candies。　We　sat　in　the　guest　room　down　the　hall　from　my　little　studio　and　looked　at　each　other's　faces　in　the　flickering　yellow　glow　and　listened　to　the　storm　roar　and　bash　at　our　house。　About　twenty　minutes　later　we　heard　a　ripping；　rending　crash　as　one　of　the　big　pines　went　down　nearby。　Then　there　was　a　lull。
　〃Is　it　over？〃　Steff　asked。
　〃Maybe；〃　I　said。　〃Maybe　only　for　a　while。
　We　went　upstairs；　each　of　us　carrying　a　candle；　like　monks　going　to　vespers。　Billy　carried　his　proudly　and　carefully。　Carrying　a　candle；　carrying　the　fire；　was　a　very　big　deal　for　him。　it　helped　him　forget　about　being　afraid。
　It　was　too　dark　to　see　what　damage　had　been　done　around　the　house。　It　was　past　Billy's　bedtime；　but　neither　of　us　suggested　putting　him　in。　We　sat　in　the　living　room；　listened　to　the　wind；　and　looked　at　the　lightning。
　About　an　hour　later　it　began　to　crank　up　again。　For　three　weeks　the　temperature　had　been　over　ninety；　and　on　six　of　those　twenty…one　days　the　National　Weather　Service　station　at　the　Portland　Jetport　had　reported　tem