sk.theshining-第29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！


　　He　backed　up　against　the　wall；　weeping　with　terror　now；　his　heart　racing　like　the　heart　of　a　rabbit　caught　in　a　snare。　When　his　back　was　against　the　light　blue　silk　wallpaper　with　the　embossed　pattern　of　wavy　lines；　his　legs　gave　way　and　he　collapsed　to　the　carpet；　hands　splayed　on　the　jungle　of　woven　vines　and　creepers；　the　breath　whistling　in　and　out　of　his　throat。
　　Louder。　Louder。
　　There　was　a　tiger　in　the　hall；　and　now　the　tiger　was　just　around　the　corner；　still　crying　out　in　that　shrill　and　petulant　and　lunatic　rage；　the　roque　mallet　slamming；　because　this　tiger　walked　on　two　legs　and　it　was…　He　woke　with　a　sudden　indrawn　gasp；　sitting　bolt　upright　in　bed；　eyes　wide　and　staring　into　the　darkness；　hands　crossed　in　front　of　his　face。
　　Something　on　one　hand。　Crawling。
　　Wasps。　Three　of　them。
　　They　stung　him　then；　seeming　to　needle　all　at　once；　and　that　was　when　all　the　images　broke　apart　and　fell　on　him　in　a　dark　flood　and　he　began　to　shriek　into　the　dark；　the　wasps　clinging　to　his　left　hand；　stinging　again　and　again。
　　The　lights　went　on　and　Daddy　was　standing　there　in　his　shorts；　his　eyes　glaring。　Mommy　behind　him；　sleepy　and　scared。
　　〃Get　them　o　me！〃　Danny　screamed。
　　〃Oh　my　God；〃　Jack　said。　He　saw。
　　〃Jack；　what's　wrong　with　him？　What's　wrong？〃　He　didn't　answer　her。　He　ran　to　the　bed；　scooped　up　Danny's　pillow；　and　slapped　Danny's　thrashing　left　hand　with　it。　Again。　Again。　Wendy　saw　lumbering；　insectile　forms　rise　into　the　air；　droning。
　　〃Get　a　magazine！〃　he　yelled　over　his　shoulder。　〃Kill　them！〃
　　〃Wasps？〃　she　said；　and　for　a　moment　she　was　inside　herself；　almost　detached　in　her　realization。　Then　her　mind　crosspatched；　and　knowledge　was　connected　to　emotion。　〃Wasps；　oh　Jesus；　Jack；　you　said…〃
　　〃Shut　the　fuck　up　and　kill　them！〃　he　roared。　〃Will　you　do　what　I　say！〃　One　of　them　had　landed　on　Danny's　reading　desk。　She　took　a　coloring　book　off　his　worktable　and　slammed　it　down　on　the　wasp。　It　left　a　viscous　brown　smear。
　　〃There's　another　one　on　the　curtain；〃　he　said；　and　ran　out　past　her　with　Danny　in　his　arms。
　　He　took　the　boy　into　their　bedroom　and　put　him　on　Wendy's　side　of　the　makeshift　double。　〃Lie　right　there；　Danny。　Don't　e　back　until　I　tell　you。
　　Understand？〃　His　face　puffed　and　streaked　with　tears；　Danny　nodded。
　　〃That's　my　brave　boy。〃　Jack　ran　back　down　the　hall　to　the　stairs。　Behind　him　he　heard　the　coloring　book　slap　twice；　and　then　his　wife　screamed　in　pain。　He　didn't　slow　but　went　down　the　stairs　two　by　two　into　the　darkened　lobby。　He　went　through　Ullman's　office　into　the　kitchen；　slamming　the　heavy　part　of　his　thigh　into　the　corner　of　Ullman's　oak　desk；　barely　feeling　it。　He　slapped　on　the　kitchen　overheads　and　crossed　to　the　sink。　The　washed　dishes　from　supper　were　still　heaped　up　in　the　drainer；　where　Wendy　had　left　them　to　drip…dry。　He　snatched　the　big　Pyrex　bowl　off　the　top。　A　dish　fell　to　the　floor　and　exploded。　Ignoring　it；　he　turned　and　ran　back　through　the　office　and　up　the　stairs。
　　Wendy　was　standing　outside　Danny's　door；　breathing　hard。　Her　face　was　the　color　of　table　linen。　Her　eyes　were　shiny　and　flat；　her　hair　hung　damply　against　her　neck。　〃I　got　all　of　them；〃　she　said　dully；　〃but　one　stung　me。　Jack；　you　said　they　were　all　dead。〃　She　began　to　cry。
　　He　slipped　past　her　without　answering　and　carried　the　Pyrex　bowl　over　to　the　nest　by　Danny's　bed。　It　was　still。　Nothing　there。　On　the　outside；　anyway。　He　slammed　the　bowl　down　over　the　nest。
　　〃There；〃　he　said。　〃e　on。〃　They　went　back　into　their　bedroom。
　　〃Where　did　it　get　you？〃　he　asked　her。
　　〃My　。　。　。　on　my　wrist。〃
　　〃Let's　see。〃　She　showed　it　to　him。　Just　above　the　bracelet　of　lines　between　wrist　and　palm；　there　was　a　small　circular　hole。　The　flesh　around　it　was　puffing　up。
　　〃Are　you　allergic　to　stings？〃　he　asked。　〃Think　hard！　If　you　are；　Danny　might　be。　The　fucking　little　bastards　got　him　five　or　six　times。〃
　　〃No；〃　she　said；　more　calmly。　〃I　。　。　。　I　just　hate　them；　that's　all。　Hate　them。〃　Danny　was　sitting　on　the　foot　of　the　bed；　holding　his　left　hand　and　looking　at　them。　His　eyes；　circled　with　the　white　of　shock；　looked　at　Jack　reproachfully。
　　〃Daddy；　you　said　you　killed　them　all。　My　hand　。　。　。　it　really　hurts。〃
　　〃Let's　see　it；　doe　。　。　。　no；　I'm　not　going　to　touch　it。　That　would　make　it　hurt　even　more。　Just　hold　it　out。〃　He　did　and　Wendy　moaned。　〃Oh　Danny　。　。　。　oh；　your　poor　hand！〃　Later　the　doctor　would　count　eleven　separate　stings。　Now　all　they　saw　was　a　dotting　of　small　holes；　as　if　his　palm　and　fingers　had　been　sprinkled　with　grains　of　red　pepper。　The　swelling　was　bad。　His　hand　had　begun　to　look　like　one　of　those　cartoon　images　where　Bugs　Bunny　or　Daffy　Duck　had　just　slammed　himself　with　a　hammer。
　　〃Wendy；　go　get　that　spray　stuff　in　the　bathroom；〃　he　said。
　　She　went　after　it；　and　he　sat　down　next　to　Danny　and　slipped　an　arm　around　his　shoulders。
　　〃After　we　spray　your　hand；　I　want　to　take　some　Polaroids　of　it；　doc。　Then　you　sleep　the　rest　of　the　night　with　us；　Tay？〃
　　〃Sure；〃　Danny　said。　〃But　why　are　you　going　to　take　pictures？〃
　　〃So　maybe　we　can　sue　the　ass　out　of　some　people。〃　Wendy　came　back　with　a　spray　tube　in　the　shape　of　a　chemical　fire　extinguisher。
　　〃This　won't　hurt；　honey；〃　she　said；　taking　off　the　cap。
　　Danny　held　out　his　hand　and　she　sprayed　both　sides　until　it　gleamed。　He　let　out　a　long；　shuddery　sigh。
　　〃Does　it　smart？〃　she　asked。
　　〃No。　Feels　better。〃
　　〃Now　these。　Crunch　them　up。〃　She　held　out　five　orangeflavored　baby　aspirin。
　　Danny　took　them　and　popped　them　into　his　mouth　one　by　one。
　　〃Isn't　that　a　lot　of　aspirin？〃　Jack　asked。
　　〃It's　a　lot　of　stings；〃　she　snapped　at　him　angrily。　〃You　go　and　get　rid　of　that　nest；　John　Torrance。　Right　now。〃
　　〃Just　a　minute。〃　He　went　to　the　dresser　and　took　his　Polaroid　Square　Shooter　out　of　the　top　drawer。　He　rummaged　deeper　and　found　some　flashcubes。
　　〃Jack；　what　are　you　doing？〃　she　asked；　a　little　hysterically。
　　〃He's　gonna　take　some　pictures　of　my　hand；〃　Danny　said　gravely；　〃and　then　we're　gonna　sue　the　ass　out　of　some　people。　Right；　Dad？〃
　　〃Right；〃　Jack　said　grimly。　He　had　found　the　flash　attachment；　and　he　jabbed　it　onto　the　camera。　〃Hold　it　out；　son。　I　figure　about　five　thousand　dollars　a　sting。〃
　　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　Wendy　nearly　screamed。
　　〃I'll　tell　you　what；〃　he　said。　〃I　followed　the　directions　on　that　fucking　bug　bomb。　We're　going　to　sue　them。　The　damn　thing　was　defective。　Had　to　have　been。
　　How　else　can　you　explain　this？〃
　　〃Oh；〃　she　said　in　a　small　voice。
　　He　took　four　pictures；　pulling　out　each　covered　print　for　Wendy　to　time　on　the　small　locket　watch　she　wore　around　her　neck。　Danny；　fascinated　with　the　idea　that　his　stung　hand　might　be　worth　thousands　and　thousands　of　dollars；　began　to　lose　some　of　his　fright　and　take　an　active　interest。　The　hand　throbbed　dully；　and　he　had　a　small　headache。
　　When　Jack　had　put　the　camera　away　and　spread　the　prints　out　on　top　of　the　dresser　to　dry；　Wendy　said：　〃Should　we　take　him　to　the　doctor　tonight？〃
　　〃Not　unless　he's　really　in　pain；〃　Jack　said。　〃If　a　person　has　a　strong　allergy　to　wasp　venom；　it　hits　within　thirty　seconds。〃
　　〃Hits？　What　do　you…〃
　　〃A　a。　Or　convulsions。〃
　　〃Oh。　Oh　my　Jesus。〃　She　cupped　her　hands　over　her　elbows　and　hugged　herself；　looking　pale　and　wan。
　　〃How　do　you　feel；　son？　Think　you　could　sleep？〃　Danny　blinked　at　them。　The　nightmare　had　faded　to　a　dull；　featureless　background　in　his　mind；　but　he　was　still　frightened。
　　〃If　I　can　sleep　with　you。〃
　　〃Of　course；〃　Wendy　said。　〃Oh　honey；　I'm　so　sorry。〃
　　〃It's　okay；　Mommy。〃　She　began　to　cry　again；　and　Jack　put　his　hands　on　her　shoulders。　〃Wendy；　I　swear　to　you　that　I　followed　the　directions。〃
　　〃Will　you　get　rid　of　it　in　the　morning？　Please？〃
　　〃Of　course　I　will。〃　The　three　of　them　got　in　bed　together；　and　Jack　was　about　to　snap　off　the　light　over　the　bed　when　he　paused　and　pushed　the　covers　back　instead。　〃Want　a　picture　of　the　nest；　too。〃
　　〃e　right　back。〃
　　〃I　will。〃　He　went　to　the　dresser；　got　the　camera　and　the　last　flashcube；　and　gave　Danny　a　closed　thumb…and…forefinger　circle。　Danny　smiled　and　gave　it　back　with　his　good　hand。
　　Quite　a　kid　he　thought　as　he　walked　down　to　Danny's　room。　All　of　that　and　then　some。
　　The　overhead　was　still　on。　Jack　crossed　to　the　bunk　setup；　and　as　he　glanced　at　the　table　beside　it；　his　skin　crawled　into　goose　flesh。　The　short　hairs　on　his　neck　prickled　and　tried　to　stand　erect。
　　He　could　hardly　see　the　nest　through　the　clear　Pyrex　bowl。　The　inside　of　the　glass　was　crawling　with　wasps。　It　was　hard　to　tell　how　many。　Fifty　at　least。
　　Maybe　a　hundred。
　　His　heart　thudding　slowly　in　his　chest；　he　took　his　pictures　and　then　set　the　camera　down　to　wait　for　them　to　develop。　He　wiped　his　lips　with　the　palm　of　his　hand。　One　thought　played　over　and　over　in　his　mind；　echoing　with　（You　lost　your　temper。　You　lost　your　temper。　You　lost　your　temper。）　an　almost　superstitious　dread。　They　had　e　back。　He　had　killed　the　wasps　but　they　had　e　back。
　　In　his　mind　he　heard　himself　screaming　into　his　frightened；　crying　son's　face：　Don't　stutter/　He　wiped　his　lips　again。
　　He　went　to　Danny's　worktable；　rummaged　in　its　drawers；　and