bl.necroscope2-第72节

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eams。　Blood　gushed　from　where　the　bolt　was　bedded　in　her　with　little　more　than　its　flight　protruding。　She　grasped　it；　and　still　screaming　jerked　her　body　this　way　and　that。　The　bolt　came　loose　from　the　wall　in　a　crunching　of　tiles　and　plaster　and　she　staggered　to　and　fro　in　the　shower；　yanking　on　the　bolt　and　screaming　endlessly。
　〃God；　God；　oh　God！〃　Jordan　cried；　riveted　to　the　spot。
　Layard　shouldered　him　aside；　squeezed　the　trigger　on　his　flame…thrower；　turned　the　entire　shower　unit　into　a　blistering；　steaming　pressure…cooker。　After　several　seconds　he　stopped　hosing；　and　stared　with　Jordan　at　the　result。　Black　smoke　and　steam　cleared　and　the　water　continued　to　hiss；　spurting　from　half…a…dozen　places　now　in　the　molten　plastic　tubing　of　the　shower's　system。　In　the　shallow　well；　Helen　Lake's　body　slumped；　features　bubbling；　hair　like　smouldering　stubble；　every　inch　of　her　skin　peeling　from　her　in　great　raw　strips。
　〃God　help　us！〃　Jordan　gasped；　turned　away　to　be　sick。
　〃God？〃　the　thing　in　the　shower　croaked；　like　a　voice　from　the　abyss。　〃What　god？　You　bloody　black　bastards！〃
　Impossibly　she　came　erect；　took　a　blind；　stumbling；　groping　step　forward。
　Layard　torched　her　again；　but　more　out　of　mercy　than　from　fear。　He　let　his　flame…thrower　roar　until　fire　belched　out　of　the　shower　and　threatened　to　burn　him；　too。　Then　he　switched　off；　backed　away　down　the　corridor　to　where　Jordan　stood　retching　over　the　stair's　balustrade。
　From　below；　Roberts's　voice　reached　anxiously　up　to　them：　〃Ken？　Trevor？　What　is　it？〃
　Layard　wiped　his　forehead。　〃We。。。　we　got　the　girl；〃　he　whispered；　then　shouted；　〃We　got　the　girl！〃
　〃We　got　her　mother；〃　Roberts　answered；　〃and　Bodescu's　dog。　That　leaves　Bodescu　himself；　and　his　mother。〃
　〃There's　a　door　up　here；　locked；〃　Layard　called　back。　〃I　thought　I　heard　someone　in　there。〃
　〃Can't　you　break　it　in？〃
　〃No；　it's　oak；　old　and　heavy。　I　could　burn　it。　。
　〃No　time　for　that。　And　if　there　is　anyone　in　there；　they're　finished　anyway。　The　cellars　are　mined　by　now。
　
　You'd　better　e　down…and　quickly！　We　have　to　get　out　of　here。〃
　Layard　dragged　Jordan　after　him　down　the　stairs；　calling　ahead；　〃Guy；　where　the　hell　have　you　been？〃
　〃I'm　on　my　own；〃　Roberts　responded。　〃Trask's　out　of　it　for　now…but　he's　OK。　Where've　I　been？　I've　been　checking　this　place　through　downstairs。〃
　〃A　waste　of　time；〃　Jordan　groaned；　half　to　himself。
　〃What？〃　Roberts　raised　his　voice　more　yet。
　〃I　said；　we'd　already　done　it！〃　Jordan　yelled；　but　needlessly　for　they　were　down　the　stairs；　with　Roberts　propelling　them　towards　the　entrance　hall　and　the　open　door。。。
　
　Simon　Gower　and　Harvey　Newton　had　gone　down　into　the　cellars　via　the　outbuilding　with　its　narrow　steps　and　central　ramp。　Loaded　down　with　almost　two　hundred　pounds　of　explosives　between　them；　they　had　found　the　lights　out　of　order；　and　so　been　obliged　to　use　pocket　torches。　The　vaults　under　the　house　were　black　and　silent　as　a　tomb；　seemed　extensive　as　a　catab。　They　stuck　close　together；　dumping　thermite　and　plastic　explosive　packages　wherever　they　found　support　walls　or　buttressed　archways；　and　even　though　they　went　with　something　of　caution；　still　they　managed　rapidly　to　fairly　well　saturate　the　place　with　their　load。　Newton　carried　a　small　can　of　petrol　with　which　he　left　a　trail　from　one　dump　to　the　next；　until　the　whole　place　reeked　of　highly　volatile　fuel。
　Finally　they　were　satisfied　that　they'd　explored　and　mined　every　part…and　likewise　pleased　that　they'd　e　across　nothing　dangerous…and　so　turned　back　and　retraced　their　tracks　to　the　exit。　At　a　place　they　both　agreed　to　be　approximately　central　under　the　house；　they　set　down　the　last　of　their　load。　Then　Newton　splashed　what　was　left　of　his　petrol　all　the　way　to　the　foot　of　the　out　building　steps；　while　Gower　double…checked　the　charges　they'd　planted；　making　sure　they　were　all　amply　primed。…At　the　steps　Newton　tossed　down　his　empty　can；　turned　and　looked　back　into　the　gloom。　From　a　little　way　back；　round　a　corner；　he　could　hear　Gower's　hoarse　breathing　and　he　knew　that　the　other　man　worked　furiously　at　his　task。　Gower's　torch　made　flickering　patches　of　light　back　there；　its　beam　swinging　this　way　and　that　as　he　worked。
　Roberts　appeared　at　the　top　of　the　steps；　called　down；　〃Newton；　Gower？　You　can　e　up　out　of　there　as　quick　as　you　like。　We're　all　set　if　you　are。　The　others　are　spread　out　round　the　house；　just　waiting。　The　mist　has　cleared。　So　if　anything　tries　to　break　loose；　we'll　…〃
　〃Harvey？〃　Gower's　tremulous　voice　came　out　of　the　darkness；　several　notes　higher　up　the　scale　than　it　should　be。　〃Harvey；　was　that　you　just　then？〃
　Newton　called　back；　〃No；　it's　Roberts。　Hurry　up；　will　you？〃
　〃No；　not　Roberts；〃　Gower　was　breathless；　almost　whispering。　〃Something　else　。　。
　Roberts　and　Newton　looked　at　each　other　round…eyed。　The　ground　gave　itself　a　shake；　a　very　definite　tremor。　From　inside　the　cellars；　Gower　screamed。
　Roberts　came　half…way　down　the　steps；　stumbling　and　yelling：　〃Simon；　get　out　of　there！　Hurry；　man！〃
　Gower　screamed　again；　the　cry　of　a　trapped　animal。　〃It's　here；　Guy！　Oh；　God…it's　here！　Under　the　ground！〃
　Newton　made　to　go　in　after　him　but　Roberts　reached　down　and　grabbed　his　collar。　The　ground　was　shaking　now；　dust　billowing　out　of　the　yawning　mouth　of　the　old　cellars。　There　were　rending　sounds；　and　other　noises　which　might　or　might　not　be　Gower　choking　his　life　out。　Bricks　started　to　slide　loose　from　rotten　mortar　in　the　retaining　walls；　spilling　down　the　sides　of　the　ramp。
　Newton　started　to　back　up　the　trembling　steps；　with　Roberts　dragging　him　from　above。　When　they　were　almost　at　the　top；　they　saw　a　cloud　of　dust　and　debris　suddenly　expelled　forcefully　from　the　entrance　to　the　cellar…and　then　the　door　itself　was　lifted　off　its　rusty　hinges　and　hurled　down　at　the　foot　of　the　ramp；　a　mass　of　splintered　boards。
　Something　was　framed　in　the　dusty　gap　of　the　entrance。　It　was　Gower；　and　it　was　more　than　Gower。　He　hung　for　a　moment　suspended　in　the　otherwise　empty　doorway；　swaying　left　and　right。　Then　he　emerged　more　fully　and　the　watchers　saw　the　huge；　leprous　trunk　which　propelled　him。　The　thing…indeed　〃the　Other〃…had　entered　his　back　in　a　solid　shaft　of　matter；　but　inside　Gower　its　massive　pseudopod　of　vampire　flesh　had　branched；　following　his　pipes　and　conduits　to　several　exits。　Tentacles　writhed　from　his　gaping　mouth　and　nostrils；　the　sockets　of　his　dislocated　eyes；　his　ruptured　ears。　And　even　as　Roberts　and　Newton　clambered　in　a　frenzy　of　terror　up　the　last　few　steps　from　the　ramp；　so　Gower's　entire　front　burst　open；　revealing　a　lashing　nest　of　crimson；　groping　worms！
　〃Jesus！〃　Guy　Roberts　shouted　then；　his　voice　a　sand…papered　howl　of　horror　and　hatred。　〃Sweet　J…e…s…u…s！〃
　He　aimed　his　hose　down　the　ramp。　〃Goodbye；　Simon。　God　grant　you　peace！〃
　Liquid　fire　roared　its　rage；　ran　like　a　flood　down　the　ramp；　hurled　itself　in　a　fireball　at　the　suspended　man　and　the　beast…thing　holding　him　upright。　The　great　pseudopod　was　instantly　retracted…Gower　with　it；　snatched　back　like　a　rag　doll…and　Roberts　aimed　his　hose　directly　at　the　doorway　at　the　foot　of　the　steps。　He　turned　the　valve　up　full；　and　a　shimmering　jet　of　heat　blasted　its　way　into　the　cellar；　fanning　out　inside　the　labyrinth　of　vaults　into　every　niche　and　corner。　For　a　count　of　five　Roberts　held　it。　Then　came　the　first　explosion。
　Down　went　the　entrance　in　a　massive　shuddering　of　earth。　A　shockwave　of　lashing　heat　hurled　dirt　and　pebbles　up　the　ramp；　knocking　Roberts　and　Newton　off　their　feet。　Roberts's　finger　automatically　came　off　the　trigger。　His　weapon　smoked　hot　but　silent　in　his　hands。　And　crump！　crump！　crump！　came　evenly　spaced；　muffled　concussions　from　deep　in　the　earth；　each　one　shaking　the　ground　with　pile…driver　power。
　Faster　came　the　underground　explosions；　occurring　in　sporadic　bursts；　occasionally　twinned；　as　the　planted　charges　reacted　to　the　heat　and　added　to　the　unseen　inferno。　Newton　got　up　and　helped　Roberts　to　his　feet。　They　stumbled　clear　of　the　house；　took　up　positions　with　Layard　and　Jordan；　a　man　to　each　of　the　four　corners　but　standing　well　back。　The　old　barn；　still　blazing；　began　to　vibrate　as　if　itself　alive　and　suffering　its　death　agonies。　Finally　it　shook　itself　to　pieces　and　slid　down　into　the　suddenly　seething　earth。　For　a　moment　a　lashing　tentacle　reached　up　from　the　shuddering　foundations　to　a　height　of　some　twenty　feet；　then　collapsed　and　was　sucked　back　down　into　the　quaking；　liquefying　quag　of　earth　and　fire。
　Ken　Layard　was　closest　to　that　area。　He　ran　raggedly　away　from　the　house；　put　distance　between　himself　and　the　barn；　too；　before　stumbling　to　a　halt　and　staring　with　wide　eyes　and　gaping　mouth　at　the　upstairs　windows　of　the　main　building。　Then　he　beckoned　to　Roberts　to　e　and　join　him。
　〃Look！〃　Layard　yelled；　over　the　sound　of　subterranean　thunder　and　the　hiss　and　crackle　of　fire。　They　both　stared　at　the　house。　Framed　in　a　second…floor　window；　the　figure　of　a　mature　woman　stood　with　her　arms　held　high；　almost　in　an　attitude　of　supplication。　〃Bodescu's　mother；〃　Roberts　said。　〃It　can　only　be　her：　Georgina　Bodescu…God　help　her！〃
　A　corner　of　the　house　collapsed；　sank　into　the　earth　in　ruins。　Where　it　went　down；　a　geyser　of　fire　spouted　high　as　th