osc.am2.redprophet-第45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！


　telling　my　body　what　to　do。　Feeding　it；　using　it；　taking　it　wherever　it　wants　to　go。　Is　that　what　you　feel？〃
　　That　wasn't　at　all　what　Ta…Kumsaw　felt。　When　the　land　came　into　him；　it　was　like　he　was　more　alive　than　ever；　not　absent　from　his　body；　but　more　strongly　present　in　it　than　at　any　other　time。　But　he　didn't　explain　this　to　the　boy。　Instead　he　turned　the　question　back　to　Alvin。　〃You　say　it's　like　dreaming。　What　did　you　dream　last　night？〃
　　〃I　dreamed　again　about　a　lot　of　the　visions　I　saw　when　I　was　in　the　crystal　tower　with　the　Shining　with　the　Prophet。〃
　　〃The　Shining　Man。　I　know　you　call　him　that　　he　told　me　why。〃
　　〃I　dreamed　those　things　again。　Only　it　was　different。　I　could　see　some　things　more　clearly　now；　and　other　things　I　forgot。〃
　　〃Did　you　dream　anything　you　hadn't　seen　before？〃
　　〃This　place。　The　statues　in　the　cathedral。　And　that　man　we　visited；　the　general。　And　something　even　stranger。　A　big　hill；　almost　round　no；　with　eight　sides。　I　remember　that；　it　was　real　clear。　A　hill　with　eight　straight　sides　to　it；　sloping　down。　Inside　it　there　was　a　whole　city；　lots　of　little　rooms；　like　in　anthills；　only　people…sized。　Or　anyway　bigger　than　ants。　And　I　was　on　top　of　it；　wandering　around　in　all　these　strange　trees　　they　had　silver　leaves；　not　green　　and　I　was　looking　for　my　brother。　For　Measure。〃
　　Ta…Kumsaw　said　nothing　for　a　long　time。　But　he　thought　many　things。　No　White　man　had　ever　seen　that　place　　the　land　was　still　strong　enough　to　keep　them　from　finding　that。　Yet　this　boy　had　dreamed　of　it。　And　a　dream　of　Eight…Face　Mound　never　came　by　chance。　It　always　meant　something。　It　always　meant　the　same　thing。
　　〃We　have　to　go　there；〃　Ta…Kumsaw　said。
　　〃Where？〃
　　〃To　the　hill　you　dreamed　of；〃　said　Ta…Kumsaw。
　　〃There　is　such　a　place？〃
　　〃No　White　man　has　ever　seen　it。　For　a　White　man　to　stand　there　would　be　filthy。〃　Alvin　didn't　answer　that。　What　could　he　say？　Ta…Kumsaw　swallowed　hard。　〃But　if　you　dream　of　it；　you　have　to　go。〃
　　〃What　is　it？〃
　　Ta…Kumsaw　shook　his　head。　〃The　place　you　dreamed　of。　That's　all。　If　you　want　to　know　more；　dream　again。〃
　　It　was　near　night　when　they　reached　the　camp；　wigwams　had　been　erected；　because　it　looked　like　more　rain　tonight。　The　others　insisted　that　Ta…Kumsaw　share　a　hut　with　Alvin；　for　his　safety's　sake。　But　Ta…Kumsaw　didn't　want　to。　The　boy　made　him　afraid。　The　land　was　doing　things　with　this　boy；　and　not　giving　Ta…Kumsaw　any　idea　what　was　happening。
　　But　when　you　saw　yourself　at　the　Eight…Face　Mound　in　your　dreams；　you　had　no　choice　but　to　go。　And　since　Alvin　could　never　find　the　way　alone；　Ta…Kumsaw　had　to　take　him。
　　He　could　never　explain　it　to　the　others；　and　even　if　he　could；　he　wouldn't　do　it。　Word　would　get　out　that　Ta…Kumsaw　had　taken　a　White　to　the　ancient　holy　place；　and　then　many　Reds　would　refuse　to　listen　to　Ta…Kumsaw　anymore。
　　So　in　the　morning　he　told　the　others　he　was　taking　the　boy　off　to　teach　him；　as　the　Prophet　had　told　him　he　must。　〃Meet　me　in　five　days　where　the　Pickawee　flows　into　the　Hio；〃　he　told　them。　〃From　there　we'll　go　south　to　talk　to　the　Chok…Taw　and　the　Chicky…Saw。〃
　　Take　us　with　you；　they　said。　You　won't　be　safe　alone。　But　he　didn't　answer　them；　and　soon　enough　they　gave　up。　He　set　off　at　a　run；　and　once　again　Alvin　fell　in　step　behind　him；　matching　him　stride　for　stride。　It　was　almost　as　far　again　as　the　journey　from　Mizogan　to　Detroit。　By　nightfall　they　would　be　at　the　edge　of　the　Land　of　Flints。　Ta…Kumsaw　planned　to　sleep　there；　and　find　dreams　of　his　own；　before　daring　to　lead　a　White　boy　to　Eight…Face　Mound。
　　
　　
　　Chapter　12　　Cannons
　　
　　Measure　heard　them　ing　only　seconds　before　the　door　swung　open　and　light　flooded　the　root　cellar。　Time　enough　to　dump　out　the　dirt　and　tuck　his　loincloth　into　the　deerhide　belt；　then　scramble　forward　onto　the　potatoes。　The　breechclout　was　so　filthy　it　was　like　wearing　dirt；　but　this　wasn't　a　time　to　get　finicky。
　　They　didn't　waste　no　time　on　prison　inspection；　so　they　didn't　see　the　hole　that　was　now　reaching　a　good　two　feet　under　the　back　wall。　Instead　they　reached　in　and　drug　him　out　by　the　armpits；　slamming　the　root　cellar　doors　shut　behind　him。　The　light　was　so　sudden　it　dazzled　him；　and　he　couldn't　make　out　who　had　him；　or　how　many　they　were。　Didn't　much　matter。　Anyone　local　would　have　known　him　right　off；　so　they　had　to　be　Harrison's　boys；　and　once　he　knew　that；　he　knew　it　wasn't　nothing　good　going　to　happen　to　him。
　　〃Like　a　pig；〃　said　Harrison。　〃Disgusting。　You　look　like　a　Red。〃
　　〃You　put　me　in　a　hole　in　the　ground；〃　said　Measure。　〃I　ain't　about　to　e　out　clean。〃
　　〃I　gave　you　one　long　night　to　think　about　it；　boy；〃　said　Harrison；　〃Now　you　got　to　make　up　your　mind。　There's　two　ways　you　can　be　useful　to　me。　One　is　alive；　you　telling　all　about　how　they　tortured　your　brother　to　death；　him　screaming　every　second。　You　make　it　a　good　story；　and　you　tell　all　about　how　Ta…Kumsaw　and　the　Prophet　were　there；　getting　their　own　hands　into　the　boy's　blood。　You　tell　a　story　like　that；　and　it's　worth　keeping　you　alive。〃
　　〃Ta…Kumsaw　saved　my　life　from　your　Chok…Taw　Reds；〃　said　Measure；　〃That's　the　only　story　I'll　tell。　Except　to　mention　how　you　wanted　me　to　tell　another　story。〃
　　〃That's　what　I　thought；〃　said　Harrison。　〃Fact　is；　even　if　you　lied　to　me　and　promised　to　tell　the　story　my　way；　I　reckon　I　wouldn't've　believed　you。　So　we　both　agree　　it's　the　other　choice。〃
　　Measure　knew　Harrison　meant　to　produce　his　body；　with　the　evidence　of　torture　on　it。　Dead；　he　couldn't　tell　anybody　who　did　the　cutting　and　burning。　Well；　thought　Measure；　you'll　see　I　die　as　brave　as　any　man。
　　But　because　he　wasn't　one　to　wele　death　with　both　hands；　he　thought　he'd　give　talking　a　bit　more　of　a　try。　〃You　let　me　go　and　call　off　this　war；　Harrison；　and　I'll　keep　my　mouth　shut。　Just　let　me　wander　in；　and　you　allow　as　how　it　was　all　a　terrible　mistake　and　take　your　boys　on　home　and　leave　Prophetstown　in　peace；　and　I　won't　tell　a　word　otherwise。　That's　a　lie　I'm　glad　to　tell。〃
　　Harrison　hesitated　just　a　moment；　and　Measure　allowed　himself　to　hope　he　might　actually　have　some　spark　of　godliness　left　in　him；　to　turn　away　from　the　sin　of　murder　before　it　was　fully　done。　Then　Harrison　smiled；　shook　his　head；　and　waved　his　hand　at　a　big　ugly　riverman　standing　right　up　against　the　wall。
　　〃Mike　Fink；　this　here's　a　renegade　White　boy；　who　has　joined　in　with　all　the　evil　doings　of　Ta…Kumsaw　and　his　gang　of　child…killers　and　wife…rapers。　I　hope　you'll　break　several　of　his　bones。〃
　　Fink　stood　there；　contemplating。　〃I　reckon　he'll　make　a…powerful　lot　of　noise；　Gov。〃
　　〃Well；　jam　in　a　gag　on　him。〃　Harrison　took　a　kerchief　out　of　his　own　coat　pocket。　〃Here；　stuff　this　in　his　mouth　and　tie　it　there。〃
　　Fink　plied。　Measure　tried　to　keep　his　eyes　off　him；　tried　to　calm　the　dread　that　made　his　belly　so　tight　and　his　bladder　so　full。　The　kerchief　filled　his　mouth　so　full　he　choked　on　it。　He　only　got　control　of　himself　by　breathing　slow　and　steady　through　his　nose。　Fink　tied　his　own　red　scarf　so　tight　around　Measure's　face　that　it　forced　the　gag　down　into　his　throat　even　farther；　again　it　took　all　his　concentration　just　to　breathe　evenly　and　stop　from　gagging　and　retching。　If　he　did　that；　he'd　sure　breathe　the　that　kerchief；　right　down　into　his　lungs；　and　then　he　would　die。
　　Which　was　a　crazy　thought；　seeing　as　how　Harrison　meant　to　have　him　dead　no　matter　what。　Maybe　choking　on　a　kerchief　would　be　better　than　the　pain　Fink　meant　to　cause。　But　Measure　had　too　strong　a　spark　of　life　to　choose　to　die　like　that。　Pain　or　not；　when　he　died　he'd　go　out　gasping；　not　smothering　himself　just　to　get　off　easy。
　　〃Breaking　his　bones　ain't　the　way　Reds　do　it。〃　Fink　was　being　helpful。　〃They　usually　cut　and　burn。〃
　　〃Well；　we　don't　have　time　for　cutting；　and　you　can　burn　the　body　after　he's　dead。　The　point　of　this　is　to　have　a　colorful　corpse；　Mike；　not　to　cause　this　boy　pain。　We're　not　savages；　or　at　least　some　of　us　aren't。〃
　　Mike　chuckled；　then　reached　out；　took　Measure　by　the　shoulder；　and　kicked　his　feet　out　from　under　him。　Measure　never　felt　so　helpless　in　his　life　as　in　that　moment　when　he　fell。　Fink　didn't　have　an　inch　of　height　or　reach　on　him；　and　Measure　knew　a　few　wrassling　tricks；　but　Fink　never　even　tried　to　grapple　with　him。　Just　a　grab　and　a　kick；　and　Measure　was　on　the　floor。
　　〃Don't　you　need　to　tie　him　first？〃　asked　Harrison。
　　In　answer；　Fink　picked　up　Measure's　left　leg　so　fast　and　high　that　Measure　slid　across　the　floor　and　his　buttocks　lifted　right　into　the　air。　No　chance　to　get　leverage；　no　chance　to　kick。　Then　Fink　brought　Measure's　leg　down　across　his　own　thigh　hard　and　sharp。　His　leg　bones　snapped　like　dry　kindling　wood。　Measure　screamed　into　the　gag；　then　nearly　inhaled　the　kerchief　gasping　for　breath。　He　never　felt　pain　like　that　in　all　his　life。　For　one　crazy　moment　he　thought；　This　is　how　Alvin　felt　when　that　millstone　fell　on　his　leg。
　　〃Not　in　here；〃　said　Harrison。　〃Take　him　out　back。　Do　it　in　the　root　cellar。〃
　　〃How　many　bones　you　want　me　to　break？〃　asked　Fink。
　　〃All　of　them。〃
　　Fink　picked　Measure　up　by　an　arm　and　a　leg　and　practically　tossed　him　up　over　his　shoulders。　Despite　the　pain；　Measure