stephen king - mist-第22节

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　〃Ask　me　in　the　morning。〃
　〃I'm　asking　you　now。〃
　I　opened　my　mouth　to　answer　and　then　Ollie　Weeks　materialized　out　of　the　gloom　like　something　from　a　horror　tale。　He　had　a　flashlight　with　one　of　the　ladies'　blouses　over　the　lens；　and　he　was　pointing　it　toward　the　ceiling。　It　made　strange　shadows　on　his　haggard　face。　〃David；〃　be　whispered。
　Amanda　looked　at　him；　first　startled；　then　scared　again；
　〃Ollie；　what　is　it？〃　I　asked。
　〃David；〃　he　whispered　again。　Then：　〃e　on。　Please。〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　leave　Billy；　He　just　went　to　sleep。〃
　〃I'll　be　with　him；〃　Amanda　said。　〃You　better　go。　Then；　in　a　lower　voice：　〃Jesus；　this　is　never　going　to　end。〃
　　
　VIII。　What　Happened　to　the　Soldiers。With　Amanda。A　Conversation　with　Dan　Miller。
　I　went　with　Ollie。　He　was　headed　for　the　storage　area。　As　we　passed　the　cooler；　he　grabbed　a　beer。
　〃Ollie；　what　is　it？〃
　〃I　want　you　to　see　it？〃
　He　pushed　through　the　double　doors。　They　slipped　shut　behind　us　with　a　little　backwash　of　air。　it　was　cold。　I　didn't　like　this　place；　not　after　what　had　happened　to　Norm。　A　part　of　my　mind　insisted　on　reminding　me　that　there　was　still　a　small　scrap　of　dead　tentacle　lying　around　someplace。
　Ollie　led　the　blouse　drop　from　the　lens　of　his　light。　He　trained　it　overhead。　At　first　I　had　an　idea　that　someone　had　hung　a　couple　of　mannequins　from　one　of　the　heating　pipes　below　the　ceiling。　That　they　had　hung　them　on　piano　wire　or　something；　a　kid's　Halloween　trick。
　Then　I　noticed　the　feet；　dangling　about　seven　inches　off　the　cement　floor。　There　were　two　piles　of　kicked…over　cartons。　I　looked　up　at　the　faces　and　a　scream　began　to　rise　in　my　throat　because　they　were　not　the　faces　of　department…　store　dummies。　Both　heads　were　cocked　to　the　side；　as　if　appreciating　some　horribly　funny　joke；　a　joke　that　had　made　them　laugh　until　they　turned　purple。
　Their　shadows。　Their　shadows　thrown　long　on　the　wall　behind　them。　Their　tongues。　Their　protruding　tongues。
　They　were　both　wearing　uniforms。　They　were　the　kids　I　had　noticed　earlier　and　had　lost　track　of　along　the　way；　The　army　brats　from…
　The　scream。　I　could　hear　it　starting　in　my　throat　as　a　moan；　rising　like　a　police　siren；　and　then　Ollie　gripped　my　arm　just　above　the　elbow。　〃Don't　scream；　David。　No　one　knows　about　this　but　you　and　me。　And　that's　how　I　want　to　keep　it。〃
　Somehow　I　bit　it　back。
　〃Those　army　kids；〃　I　managed。
　〃From　the　Arrowhead　Project；〃　Ollie　said。　〃Sure〃
　Something　cold　was　thrust　into　my　hand。　The　beer　can。　〃Drink　this。　You　need　it。〃
　I　drained　the　can　pletely　dry。
　Ollie　said；　〃I　came　back　to　see　if　we　had　any　extra　cartridges　for　that　gas　grill　Mr。　McVey　has　been　using。　I　saw　these　guys。　The　way　I　figure；　they　must　have　gotten　the　nooses　ready　and　stood　on　top　of　those　two　piles　of　cartons。　They　must　have　tied　their　hands　for　each　other　and　then　balanced　each　other　while　they　stepped　through　the　length　of　rope　between　their　wrists。　So　。。。　so　that　their　hands　would　be　behind　them；　you　know。　Then…this　is　the　way　I　figure…they　stuck　their　heads　into　the　nooses　and　pulled　them　tight　by　jerking　their　heads　to　one　side。　Maybe　one　of　them　counted　to　three　and　they　jumped　together。　I　don't　know。〃
　〃It　couldn't　be　done；〃　I　said　through　a　dry　mouth。　But　their　hands　were　tied　behind　them；　all　right。　I　couldn't　seem　to　take　my　eyes　away　from　that。
　〃It　could。　If　they　wanted　to　bad　enough；　David；　they　could。〃
　〃But　why？〃
　〃I　think　you　know　why。　Not　any　of　the　tourists；　the　summer　people…like　that　guy　Miller…but　there　are　people　from　around　here　who　could　make　a　pretty　decent　guess。
　〃The　Arrowhead　Project？〃
　Ollie　said；　〃I　stand　by　one　of　those　registers　all　day　long　and　I　hear　a　lot。　All　this　spring　I've　been　hearing　things　about　that　damned　Arrowhead　thing；　none　of　it　good。　The　black　ice　on　the　lakes…〃
　I　thought　of　Bill　Giosti　leaning　in　my　window；　blowing　warm　alcohol　in　my　face。　Not　just　atoms；　but　different　atoms。　Now　these　bodies　hanging　from　that　overhead　pipe。　The　cocked　heads。　The　dangling　shoes。　The　tongues　protruding　like　summer　sausages。
　I　realized　with　fresh　horror　that　new　doors　of　perception　were　opening　up　inside。　New？　Not　so。　Old　doors　of　perception。　The　perception　of　a　child　who　has　not　yet　learned　to　protect　itself　by　developing　the　tunnel　vision　that　keeps　out　ninety　percent　of　the　universe。　Children　see　everything　their　eyes　happen　upon；　hear　everything　in　their　ears'　range。　But　if　life　is　the　rise　of　consciousness　（as　a　crewel…work　sampler　my　wife　made　in　high　school　proclaims）；　then　it　is　also　the　reduction　of　input。
　Terror　is　the　widening　of　perspective　and　perception。　The　horror　was　in　knowing　I　was　swimming　down　to　a　place　most　of　us　leave　when　we　get　out　of　diapers　and　into　training　pants。　I　could　see　it　on　Ollie's　face；　too。　When　rationality　begins　to　break　down；　the　circuits　of　the　human　brain　can　overload。　Axons　grow　bright　and　feverish。　Hallucinations　turn　real：　the　quicksilver　puddle　at　the　point　where　perspective　makes　parallel　lines　seem　to　intersect　is　really　there；　the　dead　walk　and　talk；　a　rose　begins　to　sing。
　〃I've　heard　stuff　from　maybe　two　dozen　people；〃　Ollie　said。　〃Justine　Robards。　Nick　Tochai。　Ben　Michaelson。　You　can't　keep　secrets　in　small　towns。　Things　get　out。　Sometimes　it's　like　a　spring　…　it　just　bubbles　up　out　of　the　earth　and　no　one　has　an　idea　where　it　came　from。　You　overhear　something　at　the　library　and　pass　it　on；　or　at　the　marina　in　Harrison。　Christ　knows　where　else；　or　why。　But　all　spring　and　summer　I've　been　hearing　Arrowhead　Project；　Arrowhead　Project。〃
　〃But　these　two；〃　I　said。　〃Christ；　Ollie；　they're　just　kids。〃
　〃There　were　kids　in　Nam　who　used　to　take　ears。　I　was　there。　I　saw　it。〃
　〃But…what　would　drive　them　to　do　this？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Maybe　they　knew　something。　Maybe　they　only　suspected。　They　must　have　known　people　in　here　would　start　asking　them　questions　eventually。　If　there　is　an　eventually。〃
　〃If　you're　right；〃　I　said；　〃it　must　be　something　really　bad。〃
　〃That　storm；〃　Ollie　said　in　his　soft；　level　voice。　〃Maybe　it　knocked　something　loose　up　there。　Maybe　there　was　an　accident。　They　could　have　been　fooling　around　with　anything。　Some　people　claim　they　were　messing　with　high…intensity　lasers　and　masers。　Sometimes　I　hear　fusion　power。　And　suppose。。。　suppose　they　ripped　a　hole　straight　through　into　another　dimension？〃
　〃That's　hogwash；〃　I　said。
　〃Are　they？〃　Ollie　asked；　and　pointed　at　the　bodies。
　〃No。　The　question　now　is：　What　do　we　do？〃
　〃I　think　we　ought　to　cut　them　down　and　hide　them；〃　he　said　promptly。　〃Put　them　under　a　pile　of　stuff　people　won't　want…dog　food；　dish　detergent；　stuff　like　that。　If　this　gets　out；　it　will　only　make　things　worse。　That's　why　I　came　to　you；　David。　I　felt　you　are　the　only　one　I　could　really　trust。'
　I　muttered；　〃It's　like　the　Nazi　war　criminals　killing　themselves　in　their　cells　after　the　war　was　lost。〃
　〃Yeah。　I　had　the　same　thought。〃
　We　fell　silent；　and　suddenly　those　soft　shuffling　noises　began　outside　the　steel　loading　door　again…the　sound　of　the　tentacles　feeling　softly　across　it。　We　drew　together。　My　flesh　was　crawling。
　〃Okay；〃　I　said。
　〃We'll　make　it　as　quick　as　we　can；〃　Ollie　said。　His　sapphire　ring　glowed　mutely　as　he　moved　his　flashlight。　〃I　want　to　get　out　of　here　fast。〃
　I　looked　up　at　the　ropes。　They　had　used　the　same　sort　of　clothesline　the　man　in　the　golf　cap　had　allowed　me　to　tic　around　his　waist。　The　nooses　had　sunk　into　the　puffed　flesh　of　their　necks；　and　I　wondered　again　what　it　could　have　been　to　make　both　of　them　go　through　with　it。　I　knew　what　Ollie　meant　by　saying　that　if　the　news　of　the　double　suicide　got　out；　it　would　make　things　worse。　For　me　it　already　had…and　I　wouldn't　have　believed　that　possible。
　There　was　a　snicking　sound。　Ollie　had　opened　his　knife；　a　good　heavy　job　made　for　slitting　open　cartons。　And；　of　course；　cutting　rope。
　〃You　or　me？〃　he　asked。
　I　swallowed。　〃One　each。〃
　We　did　it。
　When　I　got　back；　Amanda　was　gone　and　Mrs。　Turman　was　with　Billy。　They　were　both　sleeping。　I　walked　down　one　of　the　aisles　and　a　voice　said：　〃Mr。　Drayton。　David。〃　It　was　Amanda；　standing　by　the　stairs　to　the　manager's　office；　her　eyes　like　emeralds。　〃What　was　it？〃
　〃Nothing；〃　I　said。
　She　came　over　to　me。　I　could　smell　faint　perfume。　And　oh　how　I　wanted　her。　〃You　liar；〃　she　said。
　〃It　was　nothing。　A　false　alarm。〃
　〃If　that's　bow　you　want　it。〃　She　took　my　hand。　〃I've　just　been　up　to　the　office。　It's　empty　and　there's　a　lock　on　the　door。〃　Her　face　was　perfectly　calm；　but　her　eyes　were　lambent；　almost　feral；　and　a　pulse　beat　steadily　in　her　throat。
　〃I　don't…〃
　〃I　saw　the　way　you　looked　at　me；〃　she　said。　〃If　we　need　to　talk　about　it；　it's　no　good。　The　Turman　woman　is　with　your　son。
　〃Yes。〃　It　came　to　me　that　this　was　a　way　…　maybe　not　the　best　one；　but　a　way；　nevertheless…to　take　the　curse　off　what　Ollie　and　I　had　just　done。　Not　the　best　way；　just　the　only　way。
　We　went　up　the　narrow　flight　of　stairs　and　into　the　office。　it　was　empty；　as　she　had　said。　And　there　was　a　lock　on　the　door。　I　turned　it。　In　the　darkness　she　was　nothing　but　a　shape。　I　put　my　arms　out；　touched　her；　and　pulled　her　to　me。　She　was　trembling。　We　went　down　on　the　floor；　first　kneeling；　kissing；　and　I　cupped　one　firm　breast　an