p&c.thunderhead-第78节

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　There　was　a　dead　weight　pushing　against　her　back。　She　struggled；　and　the　weight　moved　slightly；　allowing　a　dim　light　to　filter　into　the　cavity。　The　roar　in　the　canyon　had　now　abated　to　a　deep…throated；　thunderous　vibration　that　rattled　her　gut。　Or　perhaps　it　was　just　her　water…clogged　ears　that　were　muffling　the　sound。　
　Uncramping　her　legs　and　turning　painfully　around　inside　the　cavity；　she　saw　that　the　dead　weight　against　her　back　was　Smithback。　Now　he　was　lying　on　his　side；　motionless。　His　shirt　lay　across　his　chest　in　torn　ribbons。　The　light　was　very　dim　inside　the　cavity；　but　as　she　peered　more　closely　she　noticed；　with　horror；　that　his　back　was　as　lacerated　as　if　it　had　been　brutally　lashed。　The　leading　surge　of　the　flood　had　passed　over　them　while　they　were　jammed　in　the　rock　shelter；　Smithback　had　shielded　her…and　taken　the　brunt　of　the　water's　force…with　his　own　back。　
　Nora　gently　laid　her　head　on　his　chest；　placing　a　trembling　hand　on　his　face　as　she　listened。　The　heartbeat　was　faint；　but　at　least　it　was　there。　Hardly　knowing　what　she　was　doing；　she　kissed　his　hands；　his　face。　His　eyelids　struggled　open；　the　eyes　beneath　glassy　and　dull。　After　a　moment；　the　eyes　focused。　His　mouth　moved　soundlessly；　his　face　screwing　up　into　a　rictus　of　pain。　
　Over　his　shoulder；　beyond　the　lip　of　their　little　crawlspace；　she　could　see　the　flood　about　five　feet　below　them；　now　a　smooth　sheet　of　water；　surging；　falling；　and　surging　again。　It　had　fallen　since　the　first　intense　rush。　And　yet　Nora　was　surprised　to　see　that　the　water　seemed　to　be　rising　again；　not　falling。　Rivulets　were　trickling　down　the　sides　of　the　canyon　and　dripping　outside　the　mouth　of　the　cavity；　and　she　realized　that　it　must　be　raining　hard　again　in　the　upper　watershed。　It　was　not　just　their　little　space　that　was　dark：　it　was　growing　dark　outside；　as　well。　She　must　have　been　unconscious　for　hours。　
　〃Can　you　sit　up？〃　she　asked。　At　the　effort　to　speak；　a　pain　stabbed　through　her　temples。　
　Smithback　struggled；　wincing　and　breathing　hard。　The　movement　brought　small　streams　of　fresh　blood　trickling　down　across　his　stomach　and　onto　his　thighs。　As　Nora　helped　him　into　a　sitting　position；　she　got　a　better　look　at　the　damage　that　had　been　done　to　his　back。　
　〃You　saved　my　life；〃　said　Nora；　squeezing　his　hand。　
　〃It's　not　saved　yet；〃　he　gasped；　shivering。　
　Carefully；　she　peered　out　from　their　shelter；　scanning　the　rock　face　above　for　some　hint　of　handholds。　It　was　polished　smooth；　there　was　no　way　to　climb　farther　up。　She　looked　back　down；　thinking。　They　had　to　get　out　of　the　crawlspace；　that　was　certain。　They　could　not　spend　a　night　in　there。　If　the　temperature　continued　to　drop；　Smithback　might　bee　hypothermic。　And　if　the　water　rose　farther…or　if　another　flood　surge　came　through…they　could　not　hope　to　survive。　But　there　was　no　way　out。　
　No　way；　except　to　launch　themselves　into　the　current　and　hope　for　the　best。　
　The　current　just　beneath　their　shelter　was　fast　but　smooth；　a　laminar　flow　that　moved　straight　down　the　polished　walls　of　the　narrow　canyon。　She　watched　pieces　of　debris　flashing　by；　all　trending　toward　the　center。　If　they　could　make　it　out　into　the　middle　of　the　current；　they　might　be　able　to　ride　it　through　the　slot　and　into　the　valley　without　being　battered　against　the　canyon　walls　along　the　way。　
　Smithback　watched　her；　the　lines　around　his　mouth　tightening　as　he　followed　her　train　of　thought。　
　She　returned　the　look。　〃Can　you　swim？〃　she　asked。　
　Smithback　shrugged。　
　〃I'm　going　to　bind　us　together；〃　she　said。　
　〃No；〃　he　protested。　〃I'll　only　drag　you　down。〃　
　〃You　saved　my　life。　Now　you're　stuck　with　me。〃　Carefully；　she　peeled　off　the　tattered　remnant　of　his　shirt；　ripped　off　the　sleeves；　and　twisted　them　into　a　short　tether。　Leaving　as　much　slack　as　possible；　she　tied　one　end　to　her　left　wrist；　and　the　other　end　to　Smithback's　right。　
　〃This　is　a　crazy…〃　Smithback　began。　
　〃Save　your　breath　for　the　ride。　Now　look；　we're　only　going　to　get　one　chance　at　this。　It's　getting　dark；　we　can't　wait　any　longer。　The　most　important　thing　is　to　stick　as　much　to　the　middle　as　possible。　That　won't　be　easy；　because　the　canyon　is　so　narrow。　So　when　you　find　yourself　getting　too　close　to　one　of　the　walls；　lightly　kick　away　from　it。　The　most　dangerous　moment　will　be　when　the　flood　drops　us　into　the　valley。　Once　we're　there；　we'd　better　head　for　the　shore　damn　quick。　If　we　get　swept　through　into　the　far　canyon；　we're　done　for。〃　
　Smithback　nodded。　
　〃Ready？〃　
　Smithback　nodded　again；　eyes　narrow；　lips　white。　
　They　waited　for　a　surge　to　subside。　Then　Nora　looked　at　Smithback；　their　eyes　locking　as　she　took　tight　hold　of　his　hand。　There　was　a　moment's　hesitation。　And　then；　together；　they　slid　out　into　the　flood。　
　Nora's　first　impression　was　of　the　water　itself：　mind…numbingly　cold。　The　second　was　of　the　current：　it　was　shockingly　strong；　infinitely　stronger　than　it　had　appeared　from　the　rock　cavity。　As　they　tore　along；　she　realized　there　was　no　chance　of　controlling　their　descent：　all　she　could　do　was　struggle　to　keep　from　colliding　with　the　murderous　walls；　blurring　past　sometimes　a　foot；　sometimes　mere　inches　away。　The　surface　of　the　water　boiled　and　churned；　full　of　tiny　particles　of　wood　and　plant　material　dancing　hysterically　around　them。　Deeper；　a　chaos　of　gravel　and　sand　churning　in　the　turbulence　battered　her　legs。　Smithback　struggled　beside　her；　crying　out　once　when　the　gnarled　root　of　a　tree　collided　with　his　shoulder。　
　A　harrowing　minute　passed。　And　then　Nora　saw　light　ahead；　a　vertical　notch　of　gray　amid　the　rushing　darkness。　The　canyon　wall　came　dangerously　close；　and　she　pushed　it　away　with　a　desperate　kick。　Suddenly　they　were　soaring　out　of　the　canyon；　riding　a　huge　hump　of　water　that　sailed　over　the　scree　slope　and　collapsed　into　a　boiling　pool。　There　was　an　angry　roar　and　Nora　felt　herself　tumbled　under　the　waves。　Jerking　on　the　improvised　cord；　she　frantically　propelled　them　upward；　breaking　the　surface。　Looking　around　and　spitting　water；　she　was　horrified　to　see　they　had　already　traveled　halfway　through　the　valley。　Only　a　few　seconds'　ride　ahead　of　them　lay　the　narrow　crevice　at　the　far　end　of　the　valley；　the　flood　boiling　and　sucking　into　it　with　a　furious　confusion　of　sound。　Then　they　were　briefly　caught　in　a　swirl　that　propelled　them　into　the　slacker　water　near　shore。　
　As　she　thrashed；　Nora　felt　a　blow　to　her　midriff；　followed　by　a　painful　scraping。　She　reached　down　into　the　water；　grasping　for　a　hold；　while　they　swung　about　in　the　current。　She　realized　it　was　the　top　of　a　stiff　juniper　bush。　She　clawed　her　way　across　its　top；　groping　downward　for　a　thicker　branch；　feeling　the　current　tugging　at　them；　trying　to　tear　them　away。　
　〃We're　hung　up　on　a　treetop；〃　she　said。　Smithback　nodded　his　understanding。　
　Steadying　herself；　Nora　glanced　toward　shore。　It　was　only　fifty　feet　away；　but　it　might　as　well　have　been　fifty　miles　for　all　the　ability　they　had　to　swim　across　the　current。　
　She　looked　downstream。　There　was　another　treetop；　this　one　sticking　out　of　the　flood；　lashed　and　shivered　by　the　water。　If　they　let　go；　they　could　grab　that　one。　As　long　as　the　roots　didn't　give　way　under　the　tug　of　the　water；　there　was　a　third　tree；　a　little　farther　downstream…and　from　that　they　could　reach　the　slacker　water　near　shore。　
　〃Ready？〃　she　asked。　
　〃Stop　asking　me　that。　I　hate　the　water。〃　
　She　launched　into　the　current；　grasped　the　next　tree；　then　the　next；　dragging　Smithback　along；　his　head　barely　above　water。　Suddenly　her　feet　touched　bottom；　wonderfully　solid　after　the　flood。　Slowly；　she　pulled　herself　up　on　the　muddy　bank　toward　the　copse　of　cottonwoods；　Smithback　staggering　behind　her。　They　sat　down　heavily　amid　a　whirlwind　of　splintered　branches；　Smithback　collapsing　in　pain。　Nora　undid　the　twisted　rag　that　bound　them；　then　rolled　onto　her　back；　sides　heaving；　coughing　up　water。　
　There　was　a　ragged　flash　of　lightning；　followed　by　the　sharp　crackle　of　thunder。　She　looked　up　to　see　that　a　second；　smaller　storm　had　covered　the　canyon　with　a　counterpane　of　darkness。　Her　thoughts　turned　to　the　weather　report。　Clear　skies；　it　had　said。　How　could　the　report　have　been　so　wrong？　
　The　rain　grew　heavier。　Nora　turned　her　face　away　from　it；　looking　up　the　ruined　bank　toward　camp。　There　was　something　strange　about　the　camp　that　she　couldn't　quite　put　her　finger　on。　Then　she　understood：　it　had　been　carefully　set　up　again；　the　struck　tents　repitched；　the　equipment　carefully　tarped　against　the　rain。　
　Makes　sense；　I　suppose；　she　thought。　No　one　was　going　anywhere　for　a　long　time；　at　least；　not　out　the　slot　canyon。　
　And　yet　the　camp　was　deserted。　
　Had　the　rest　of　the　expedition　sought　sanctuary　in　Quivira　itself？　But　if　so；　why　would　they　still　be　there；　now　that　the　worst　of　the　flood　had　passed？　
　She　sat　up　and　looked　at　Smithback；　who　was　lying　on　his　stomach；　water　and　blood　trickling　together　into　the　sand。　He　was　hurt。　But　at　least　he　was　alive。　Not　like　Aragon。　She　had　better　get　him　to　the　warmth　and　safety　of　a　tent。　
　〃Can　you　walk？〃　she　asked。　
　He　swallowed　hard　and　nodded。　She　helped　him　to　his　feet；　he　staggered　a　little；　took　a　few　steps；　then　staggered　against　her　again。　
　〃Just　a　l