dk.intensity-第73节

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　But　the　woman　seems　unimpressed。　Wheezing；　because　of　either　the　fumes　or　the　blow　to　the　back；　she　says；　〃Fuck　you。〃
　When　he　kills　her；　he　will　have　to　eat　a　piece　of　her；　as　he　ate　the　spider；　because　in　the　difficult　days　ahead；　he　may　need　a　measure　of　her　extraordinary　strength。
　Ariel　is　fifty　or　sixty　feet　away；　and　the　sheriff　considers　going　after　her。　He　decides　to　finish　the　woman　first；　because　the　girl　can't　get　far　in　her　condition。
　When　Vess　looks　down　again；　the　woman　is　withdrawing　a　small　object　from　a　pocket　of　her　jeans。
　Chyna　held　the　butane　lighter　that　she'd　been　carrying　since　the　service　station　where　Vess　had　murdered　the　clerks。　She　released　the　childproof　lock　on　the　gas　lever　and　slid　her　thumb　onto　the　striker　wheel。　She　was　terrified　to　ignite　it。　She　lay　in　gasoline；　and　her　clothes；　her　hair；　were　soaked　with　it。　She　could　barely　draw　breath　through　the　suffocating　fumes。　Her　trembling　hand　was　damp　with　gasoline　too；　and　she　figured　that　the　flame　would　leap　immediately　to　her　thumb；　travel　down　her　hand；　her　arm；　enshrouding　her　entire　body　in　only　seconds。
　But　she　had　to　trust　that　there　was　justice　in　the　universe　and　meaning　in　the　redwood　mists；　for　without　that　trust；　she　would　be　no　better　than　Edgler　Vess；　no　better　than　a　mindlessly　seeking　palmetto　beetle。
　She　was　lying　at　Vess's　feet。　Even　if　the　worst　happened；　she　would　take　him　with　her。
　〃Forever；〃　she　said；　because　that　was　another　word　that　could　be　formed　from　the　letters　of　his　name；　and　she　thumbed　the　striker　wheel。
　A　pure　flame　spurted　from　the　Bic　but　didn't　instantly　leap　to　her　thumb；　so　she　thrust　the　lighter　against　Vess's　boot；　dropped　it；　and　the　flame　went　out　at　once　but　not　before　igniting　the　gasoline…soaked　leather。
　Even　as　Chyna　let　go　of　the　lighter；　she　rolled　away　from　Vess；　arms　tucked　against　her　breast；　spinning　across　the　blacktop；　shocked　by　how　quickly　fire　exploded　high　into　the　night　behind　her　with　a　wboosb　and　a　sudden　wave　of　heat。　Ethereally　beautiful　blue　flames　must　be　streaking　toward　her　across　the　saturated　pavement；　and　she　steeled　herself　for　the　killing　rapture　of　fire…but　then　she　was　out　of　the　gasoline；　rolling　across　dry　highway。
　Gasping　for　air；　she　shoved　onto　her　feet；　backing　farther　from　the　burning　pavement　and　from　the　beast　in　the　conflagration。
　Edgler　Vess　was　wearing　boots　of　fire；　screaming　and　stamping　his　feet　as　great　sheets　of　flame　were　flung　up　from　the　blacktop　around　him。
　Chyna　saw　his　hair　ignite；　and　she　looked　away。　Ariel　was　well　beyond　the　gasoline…wet　pavement　and　out　of　danger；　though　she　seemed　oblivious　of　the　blaze。　She　was　stopped　with　her　back　to　the　fire；　gazing　up　at　the　stars。
　Chyna　hurried　to　the　girl　and　led　her　another　twenty　feet　south　on　the　highway；　just　to　be　safe。
　Vess's　screaming　was　shrill　and　terrible　and　louder　now；　louder　because；　as　Chyna　discovered　when　she　turned　to　look　back；　the　freak　was　ing　after　them；　a　pillar　of　fire；　totally　engulfed。　Yet　he　was　on　his　feet；　slogging　through　the　boiling　tar　that　bubbled　out　of　the　softening　blacktop。　His　bright　arms　stretched　in　front　of　him；　blue…white　tongues　of　fire　seething　off　his　fingertips。　A　tornado　of　blood…red　fire　whirled　in　his　open　mouth；　dragon　fire　spouted　from　his　nostrils；　his　face　vanished　behind　an　orange　mask　of　flames；　yet　he　came　onward；　stubborn　as　a　sunset；　screaming。
　Chyna　pushed　the　girl　behind　her；　but　then　Vess　abruptly　veered　away　from　them；　and　it　became　clear　to　her　that　he　hadn't　seen　them。　He　was　seared　blind；　chasing　neither　her　nor　Ariel　but　an　undeserved　mercy。
　In　the　middle　of　the　highway；　he　fell　across　the　yellow　lines　and　lay　there；　jerking　and　twitching；　writhing　and　kicking；　gradually　turning　on　his　side'　pulling　his　knees　up　to　his　chest；　folding　his　blackened　hands　under　his　chin。　His　head　curled　down　to　his　hands　as　though　his　neck　were　melting　and　unable　to　support　it。　Soon　he　was　silent　in　his　burning。
　_V　On　one　level；　Vess　knew　the　fading　scream　was　his　own；　but　his　suffering　was　so　intense　that　bizarre　thoughts　flared　through　his　mind　in　a　blaze　of　delirium。　On　another　level；　he　believed　that　this　eerie　cry　was　not　his　own；　after　all；　but　issued　from　the　unborn　twin　of　the　service…station　clerk；　which　had　left　its　image　as　a　raw　pink　birthmark　on　the　forehead　of　its　brother。　At　the　end；　Vess　was　very　afraid　in　the　strangeness　of　the　consuming　fire；　and　then　he　was　not　a　man　any　more　but　only　an　enduring　darkness。
　Pulling　Ariel　with　her；　Chyna　backed　farther　from　the　fire；　but　at　last　she　was　unable　to　stand　one　moment　longer。　She　sat　on　the　highway；　shaking　uncontrollably；　pain…racked；　sick　with　relief　She　began　to　cry；　sobbing　like　a　child；　like　an　eight…year…old　girl；　loosing　all　of　the　tears　never　spent　under　beds　or　in　mice…infested　barn　lofts　or　on　lightningscorched　beaches。
　In　time；　headlights　appeared　in　the　distance。　Chyna　watched　as　they　approached；　while　beside　her　the　girl　mutely　studied　the　moon。
　From　her　hospital　bed；　Chyna　gave　detailed　statements　to　the　police　but　none　to　the　reporters　who　strove　so　arduously　to　reach　her。　From　the　cops；　in　a　spirit　of　reciprocity；　she　learned　a　great　many　things　about　Edgler　Vess　and　the　extent　of　his　crimes；　although　none　of　it　explained　him。
　Two　things　were　of　personal　interest　to　her：　First；　Paul　Templeton；　Laura's　father；　had　been　visiting　Oregon　on　a　business　trip；　weeks　before　Vess's　assault　on　his　family；　when　he　had　been　stopped　for　speeding。　The　officer　who　wrote　the　citation　was　the　young　sheriff　himself。　It　must　have　been　on　this　occasion　that　the　photographs　had　accidentally　dropped　out　of　Paul's　wallet　as　he　had　been　hunting　for　his　driver's　license；　giving　Vess　a　chance　to　see　Laura's　striking　face。
　Second；　Ariel's　plete　name　was　Ariel　Beth　Delane。　Until　one　year　ago；　she　had　lived　with　her　parents　and　her　nine…year…old　brother　in　a　quiet　suburb　of　Sacramento；　California。　The　mother　and　father　had　been　shot　in　their　beds。　The　boy　had　been　tortured　to　death　with　the　tools　from　a　kit　that　Mrs。　Delane　had　used　in　her　doll…making　hobby；　and　there　was　reason　to　believe　that　Ariel　had　been　forced　to　watch　before　Vess　had　taken　her　away。
　Besides　policemen；　Chyna　saw　numerous　physicians。　In　addition　to　the　necessary　treatment　for　her　physical　injuries；　she　was　more　than　once　urged　to　discuss　her　experiences　with　a　psychiatrist。　The　most　persistent　of　these　was　a　pleasant　man　named　Dr。　Kevin　Lofghm；　a　boyish　fifty…year…old　with　a　musical　laugh　and　a　nervous　habit　of　pulling　on　his　right　earlobe　until　it　was　cherry　red。　
　〃I　don't　need　therapy；〃　she　told　him；　〃because　life　is　therapy。〃
　He　didn't　quite　understand　this；　and　he　wanted　her　to　tell　him　about　her　codependent　relationship　with　her　mother；　though　it　hadn't　been　codependent　for　at　least　ten　years；　since　she　had　walked　out。
　He　wanted　to　help　her　learn　to　cope　with　grief；　but　she　told　him；　〃I　don't　want　to　learn　to　cope　with　it；　Doctor。　I　want　tofeel　it。〃
　When　he　spoke　of　post…traumatic　stress　syndrome；　she　spoke　of　hope；　when　he　spoke　of　self…fulfillment；　she　spoke　of　responsibility；　when　he　spoke　of　mechanisms　for　improving　self…esteem；　she　spoke　of　faith　and　trust；　and　after　a　while　he　seemed　to　decide　that　he　could　do　nothing　for　someone　who　was　speaking　a　language　so　different　from　his　own。
　The　doctors　and　nurses　were　worried　that　she　would　be　unable　to　sleep；　but　she　slept　soundly。　They　were　certain　that　she　would　have　nightmares；　but　she　only　dreamed　of　a　cathedral　forest　where　she　was　never　alone　and　always　safe。
　On　April　eleventh；　just　twelve　days　after　being　admitted　to　the　hospital；　she　was　discharged；　and　when　she　went　out　the　front　doors；　there　were　over　a　hundred　newspaper；　radio；　and　television　reporters　waiting　for　her；　including　those　from　the　sleazy　tabloid　shows　that　had　sent　her　contracts；　by　Federal　Express；　offering　large　sums　to　tell　her　story。　She　made　her　way　through　them　without　answering　any　of　their　shouted　questions　but　without　being　impolite。　As　she　reached　the　taxi　that　was　waiting；　for　her；　one　of　them　pushed　a　microphone　in　her　face　and　said　inanely；　〃Ms。　Shepherd；　what　does　it　feel　like　to　be　such　a　famous　hero？〃
　She　stopped　then　and　turned　and　said；　〃I'm　no　hero。　I'm　just　passing　through　like　all　of　you；　wondering　why　it　has　to　be　so　hard；　hoping　I　never　have　to　hurt　anyone　again。〃
　Those　close　enough　to　hear　what　she　said　fell　silent；　but　the　others　shrieked　at　her　again。　She　got　into　the　taxi　and　rode　away。
　The　Delane　family　had　been　heavily　mortgaged　and　addicted　to　easy　credit　from　Visa　and　MasterCard　before　Edgler　Vess　had　freed　them　from　their　debts；　so　there　was　no　estate　to　which　Ariel　was　heir。　Her　paternal　grandparents　were　alive　but　in　poor　health　and　with　only　limited　financial　resources。
　Even　if　there　had　been　any　relatives　financially　fortable　enough　to　assume　the　burden　of　raising　a　teenage　girl　with　Ariel's　singular　problems；　they　would　not　have　felt　adequate　to　the　task。　The　girl　was　made　a　ward　of　the　court；　remanded　to　the　care　of　a　psychiatric　hospital　operated　by　the　State　of　California。
　No　family　member　objected。　Through　that　summer　and　autumn；　Chyna　traveled　weekly　from　San　Francisco　to　Sacram