stephen king - mist-第13节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃Good；〃　Ollie　said。　〃We've　got　to　think　what　to　do　next。〃
　The　storage　area　was　beginning　to　stink　of　exhaust　again。　〃Shut　the　generator　down。　That's　the　first　thing。〃
　〃'Yeah；　let's　get　out　of　here；〃　Myron　said。　His　eyes　appealed　to　me。　〃I'm　sorry　about　the　kid。　But　you　got　to　understand…〃
　〃I　don't　got　to　understand　anything。　You　and　your　buddy　go　back　into　the　market；　but　you　wait　right　there　by　the　beer　cooler。　And　don't　say　a　word　to　anybody。　Not　yet。〃
　They　went　willingly　enough；　huddling　together　as　they　passed　through　the　swinging　doors。　Ollie　killed　the　generator；　and　just　as　the　lights　started　to　fail；　I　saw　a　quilted　rug…the　sort　of　thing　movers　use　to　pad　breakable　things…flopped　over　a　stack　of　returnable　soda　bottles。　I　reached　up　and　grabbed　it　for　Billy。
　There　was　the　shuffling；　blundering　sound　of　Ollie　ing　out　of　the　generator　partment。　Like　a　great　many　overweight　men；　his　breathing　had　a　slightly　heavy　wheezing　sound。
　〃David？〃　His　voice　wavered　a　little。　〃You　still　here？〃
　〃Right　here；　Ollie。　You　want　to　watch　out　for　all　those　bleach　cartons。〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　I　guided　him　with　my　voice　and　in　thirty　seconds　or　so　he　reached　out　of　the　dark　and　gripped　my　shoulder。　He　gave　a　long；　trembling　sigh。
　〃Christ；　let's　get　out　of　here。〃　I　could　smell　the　Rolaids　he　always　chewed　on　his　breath。　〃This　dark　is　。。。　is　bad。〃
　〃It　is；〃　I　said。　〃But　hang　tight　a　minute；　Ollie。　I　wanted　to　talk　to　you　and　I　didn't　want　those　other　two　fuckheads　listening。〃
　〃Dave　。。。　they　didn't　twist　Norm's　arm。　You　ought　to　remember　that。〃
　〃Norm　was　a　kid；　and　they　weren't。　But　never　mind；　that's　over。　We've　got　to　tell　them；　Ollie。　The　people　in　the　market。　〃
　〃If　they　panic…〃　Ollie's　voice　was　doubtful。
　〃Maybe　they　will　and　maybe　they　won't。　But　it　will　make　them　think　twice　about　going　out；　which　is　what　most　of　them　want　to　do。　Why　shouldn't　they？　Most　of　them　will　have　people　they　left　at　home。　I　do　myself。　We　have　to　make　them　understand　what　they're　risking　if　they　go　out　there。〃
　His　hand　was　gripping　my　arm　hard。　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃Yes；　I　just　keep　asking　myself　。。。　all　those　tentacles　。。。　like　a　squid　or　something　。。。　David；　what　were　they　hooked　to　？　What　were　those　tentacles　hooked　to？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　But　I　don't　want　those　two　telling　people　on　their　own　；　。　That　would　start　a　panic。　Let's　go。〃
　I　looked　around；　and　after　a　moment　or　two　located　the　thin　line　of　vertical　light　between　the　swing　doors。　We　started　to　shuffle　toward　it；　wary　of　scattered　cartons；　one　of　Ollie's　pudgy　hands　clamped　over　my　forearm。　it　occurred　to　me　that　all　of　us　had　lost　our　flashlights。
　As　we　reached　the　doors；　Ollie　said　flatly：　〃What　we　saw　it's　impossible；　David。　You　know　that；　don't　you？　Even　if　a　van　from　the　Boston　Seaquarium　drove　out　back　and　dumped　out　one　of　those　gigantic　squids　like　in　Twenty　Thousand　Leagues　Under　the　Sea；　it　would　die。　It　would　just　die。　〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃That's　right。〃
　〃So　what　happened？　Huh？　What　happened？　What　is　that　damned　mist？〃
　〃Ollie；　I　don't　know。〃
　We　went　out。
　　
　V。　An　Argument　with　Norton。A　Discussion　Near　the　Beer　Cooler。Verification。
　Jim　and　his　good　buddy　Myron　were　just　outside　the　doors；　each　with　a　Budweiser　in　his　fist。　I　looked　at　Billy；　saw　he　was　still　asleep；　and　covered　him　with　the　ruglike　mover's　pad。　He　moved　a　little；　muttered　something；　and　then　Jay　still　again。　I　looked　at　my　watch。　It　was　12：15　P。m。　That　seemed　utterly　impossible；　it　felt　as　if　at　least　five　hours　had　passed　since　I　had　first　gone　in　there　to　look　for　something　to　cover　him　with。　But　the　whole　thing；　from　first　to　last；　had　taken　only　about　thirty…five　minutes。
　I　went　back　to　where　Ollie　stood　with　Jim　and　Myron。　Ollie　had　taken　a　beer　and　he　offered　me　one。　I　took　it　and　gulped　down　half　the　can　at　once；　as　I　had　that　morning　cutting　wood。　it　bucked　me　up　a　little。
　Jim　was　Jim　Grondin。　Myron's　last　name　was　LaFleur　…　that　had　its　ic　side；　all　right。　Myron　the　flower　had　drying　blood　on　his　lips；　chin；　and　cheek。　The　eye　with　the　mouse　under　it　was　already　swelling　up。　The　girl　in　the　cranberry…colored　sweatshirt　walked　by　aimlessly　and　gave　Myron　a　cautious　look。　I　could　have　told　her　that　Myron　was　only　dangerous　to　teenage　boys　intent　on　proving　their　manhood；　but　saved　my　breath。　After　all；　Ollie　was　right…they　had　only　been　doing　what　they　thought　was　best；　although　in　a　blind；　fearful　way　rather　than　in　any　real　mon　interest。　And　now　I　needed　them　to　do　what　I　thought　was　best。　I　didn't　think　that　would　be　a　problem。　They　had　both　had　the　stuffing　knocked　out　of　them。　Neither…especially　Myron　the　flower…was　going　to　be　good　for　anything　for　some　time　to　e。　Something　that　had　been　in　their　eyes　when　they　were　fixing　to　send　Norm　out　to　unplug　the　exhaust　vent　had　gone　now。　Their　peckers　were　no　longer　up。
　〃We're　going　to　have　to　tell　these　people　something；〃　I　said。
　Jim　opened　his　mouth　to　protest。
　〃Ollie　and　I　will　leave　out　any　part　you　and　Myron　had　in　sending　Norm　out　there　if　you'll　back　up　what　he　and　I　say　about。。。　well；　about　what　got　him。〃
　〃　Sure；〃　Jim　said；　pitifully　eager。　〃Sure；　if　we　don't　tell；　people　might　go　out　there　。。。　like　that　woman　。。。　that　woman　who　。。。〃　He　wiped　his　hand　across　his　mouth　and　then　drank　more　beer　quickly。　〃Christ；　what　a　mess。〃
　〃　David；〃　Ollie　said。　〃What…〃　He　stopped；　then　made　himself　go　on。　〃What　if　they　get　in？　The　tentacles？〃
　〃　How　could　they？〃　Jim　asked。　〃You　guys　shut　the　door。〃
　〃Sure；〃　Ollie　said。　〃But　the　whole　front　wall　of　this　place　is　plate　glass。〃
　An　elevator　shot　my　stomach　down　about　twenty　floors。　I　had　known　that；　but　had　somehow　been　successfully　ignoring　it。　I　looked　over　at　where　Billy　…　lay　asleep。　I　thought　of　those　tentacles　swarming　over　Norm。　I　thought　about　that　happening　to　Billy。
　〃Plate　glass；〃　Myron　LaFleur　whispered。　〃Jesus　Christ　in　a　chariot…driven　sidecar。〃
　I　left　the　three　of　them　standing　by　the　cooler；　each　working　a　second　can　of　beer；　and　went　looking　for　Brent　Norton。　I　found　him　in　sober…sided　conversation　with　Bud　Brown　at　Register　2。　The　pair　of　them…Norton　with　his　styled　gray　hair　and　his　elderly…stud　good　looks；　Brown　with　his　dour　New　England　phiz　…　looked　like　something　out　of　a　New　Yorker　cartoon。
　As　many　as　two　dozen　people　milled　restlessly　in　the　space　between　the　end　of　the　checkout　lanes　and　the　long　show　window。　A　lot　of　them　were　lined　up　at　the　glass；　looking　out　into　the　mist。　I　was　again　reminded　of　the　people　that　congregate　at　a　building　site；
　Mrs。　Carmody　was　seated　on　the　stationary　conveyor　belt　of　one　of　the　checkout　lanes；　smoking　a　Parliament　in　a　One　Step　at　a　Time　filter。　Her　eyes　measured　me；　found　me　wanting；　and　passed　on。　She　looked　as　if　she　might　be　dreaming　awake。
　〃Brent　〃　I　said。
　〃David！　Where　did　you　get　off　to？〃
　〃That's　what　I'd　like　to　talk　to　you　about。〃
　〃There　are　people　back　at　the　cooler　drinking　beer；〃　Brown　said　grimly。　He　sounded　like　a　man　announcing　that　X…rated　movies　had　been　shown　at　the　deacons'　party。　〃I　can　see　them　in　the　security　mirror。　This　has　simply　got　to　stop。〃
　〃Brent？〃
　〃Excuse　me　for　a　minute；　would　you；　Mr。　Brown？〃
　〃Certainly。〃　He　folded　his　arms　across　his　chest　and　stared　grimly　up　into　the　convex　mirror。　〃It　is　going　to　stop。　I　can　promise　you　that。〃
　Norton　and　I　headed　toward　the　beer　cooler　in　the　far　corner　of　the　store；　walking　past　the　housewares　and　notions。　I　glanced　back　over　my　shoulder；　noticing　uneasily　how　the　wooden　beams　framing　the　tall；　rectangular　sections　of　glass　had　buckled　and　twisted　and　splintered。　And　one　of　the　windows　wasn't　even　whole；　I　remembered。　A　pie…shaped　chunk　of　glass　had　fallen　out　of　the　upper　corner　at　the　instant　of　that　queer　thump。　Perhaps　we　could　stuff　it　with　cloth　or　something…maybe　a　bunch　of　those　3。59　ladies'　tops　I　had　noticed　near　the　wine
　My　thoughts　broke　off　abruptly；　and　I　had　to　put　the　back　of　my　hand　over　my　mouth；　as　if　stifling　a　burp。　What　I　was　really　stifling　was　the　rancid　flood　of　horrified　giggles　that　wanted　to　escape　me　at　the　thought　of　stuffing　a　bunch　of　shirts　into　a　hole　to　keep　out　those　tentacles　that　had　carried　Norm　away。　I　had　seen　one　of　those　tentacles　…　a　small　one…squeeze　a　bag　of　dog　food　until　it　simply　ruptured。
　〃David　？　Are　you　okay？〃
　〃Huh？〃
　〃Your　face…you　looked　like　you　just　had　a　good　idea　or　a　bloody　awful　one。〃
　Something　hit　me　then。　〃Brent；　what　happened　to　that　man　who　came　in　raving　about　something　in　the　mist　getting　John　Lee　Frovin？〃
　〃The　guy　with　the　nosebleed？〃
　〃Yes；　him。〃
　〃He　passed　out　and　Mr。　Brown　brought　him　around　with　some　smelling　salts　from　the　first…aid　kit。　Why？〃
　〃Did　he　say　anything　else　when　he　woke　up？〃
　〃He　started　in　on　that　hallucination。　Mr。　Brown　conducted　him　up　to　the　office。　He　was　frightening　some　of　the　women。　He　seemed　happy　enough　to　go。　Something　about　the　glass。　When　Mr。　Brown　said　there　was　only　one　small　window　in　the　manager's　office；　and　that　that　one　was　reinforced　with　wire；　he　seemed　happy　enough　to　go。　I　presume　he's　still　there。〃
　〃What　he　was　talking　about　is　no　hallucination。〃
　〃No；　of　course　it　isn't。〃
　〃And　that　thud　we　felt？〃
　〃No；　but；　David…〃
　He's　scared；　I　kept　remindi