dk.solesurvivor-第68节

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　　He　covered　her　hand　with　both　of　his；　held　it　fast；　would　not　let　it　slip　from　his　grasp。
　　Voice　ravelling　away；　she　seemed　to　be　receding　from　him　though　she　did　not　move：　'Open。　。　。　open　your　heart　to　her；　Joe。'
　　Her　eyelids　fluttered。
　　'Rose；　please　don't。'
　　'It's　all　right。'
　　'Please。　Don't。'
　　'See　you　later；　Joe。'
　　'Please。'
　　'See　you。'
　　Then　he　was　alone　in　the　night。　He　held　her　small　hand　alone　in　the　night　while　the　wind　played　a　hollow　threnody。　When　at　last　he　was　able　to　do　so；　he　kissed　her　brow。
　　
　　The　directions　Rose　had　given　him　were　easy　to　follow。　The　cabin　was　neither　in　the　town　of　Big　Bear　Lake　nor　elsewhere　along　the　lake　front；　but　higher　on　the　northern　slopes　and　nestled　deep　in　pines　and　birches。　The　cracked　and　potholed　blacktop　led　to　a　dirt　driveway；　at　the　end　of　which　was　a　small　white　clapboard　house　with　a　shake…shingle　roof。
　　A　green　Jeep　Wagoneer　stood　beside　the　cabin。　Joe　parked　behind　the　Jeep。
　　The　cabin　boasted　a　deep；　elevated　porch；　on　which　three　cane　backed　rocking　chairs　were　arranged　side　by　side。　A　handsome　black　man；　tall　and　athletically　built；　stood　at　the　railing；　his　ebony　skin　highlighted　with　a　brass　tint　cast　by　two　bare；　yellow　light　bulbs　in　the　porch　ceiling。
　　The　girl　waited　at　the　head　of　the　flight　of　four　steps　that　led　up　from　the　driveway　to　the　porch。　She　was　blond　and　about　six　years　old。
　　From　under　the　driver's　seat；　Joe　retrieved　the　gun　that　he　had　taken　from　the　white…haired　storyteller　after　the　scuffle　on　the　beach。　Getting　out　of　the　car；　he　tucked　the　weapon　under　the　waistband　of　his　jeans。
　　The　wind　shrieked　and　hissed　through　the　needled　teeth　of　the　pines。
　　He　walked　to　the　foot　of　the　steps。
　　The　child　had　descended　two　of　the　four　treads。　She　stared　past　Joe；　at　the　Ford。　She　knew　what　had　happened。
　　On　the　porch；　the　black　man　began　to　cry。
　　The　girl　spoke　for　the　first　time　in　over　a　year；　since　the　moment　outside　the　Ealings'　ranch　house　when　she　had　told　Rose　that　she　wanted　to　be　called　Nina。　Gazing　at　the　car；　she　said　only　one　word　in　a　voice　soft　and　small：　'Mother。'
　　Her　hair　was　the　same　shade　as　Nina's　hair。　She　was　as　fine…boned　as　Nina。　But　her　eyes　were　not　grey　like　Nina's　eyes；　and　no　matter　how　hard　Joe　tried　to　see　Nina's　face　before　him；　he　could　not　deceive　himself　into　believing　that　this　was　his　daughter。
　　Yet　again；　he　had　been　engaged　in　searching　behaviour；　seeking　what　was　lost　forever。
　　The　moon　above　was　a　thief；　its　glow　not　a　radiance　of　its　own　but　a　weak　reflection　of　the　sun。　And　like　the　moon；　this　girl　was　a　thief…not　Nina　but　only　a　reflection　of　Nina；　shining　not　with　Nina's　brilliant　light　but　with　a　pale　fire。
　　Regardless　of　whether　she　was　only　a　lab…born　mutant　with　strange　mental　powers　or　really　the　hope　of　the　world；　Joe　hated　her　at　that　moment；　and　hated　himself　for　hating　her…but　hated　her　nonetheless。
　　
　　　5
　　Hot　wind　huffed　at　the　windows；　and　the　cabin　smelled　of　pine；　dust；　and　the　black　char　from　last　winter's　cosy　blazes；　which　coated　the　brick　walls　of　the　big　fireplace。
　　The　ining　electrical　lines　had　sufficient　slack　to　swing　in　the　wind。　From　time　to　time　they　slapped　against　the　house；　causing　the　lights　to　throb　and　flicker。　Each　tremulous　brown…out　reminded　Joe　of　the　pulsing　lights　at　the　Delmann　house；　and　his　skin　prickled　with　dread。
　　The　owner　was　the　tall　black　man　who　had　broken　into　tears　on　the　porch。　He　was　Louis　Tucker；　Mahalia's　brother；　who　had　divorced　Rose　eighteen　years　ago；　when　she　proved　unable　to　have　children。　She　had　turned　to　him　in　her　darkest　hour。　And　after　all　this　time；　though　he　had　a　wife　and　children　whom　he　loved；　Louis　clearly　still　loved　Rose　too。
　　'If　you　really　believe　she's　not　dead；　that　she's　only　moved　on；'　Joe　said　coldly；　'why　cry　for　her？'
　　'I'm　crying　for　me；'　said　Louis。　'Because　she's　gone　from　here　and　I'll　have　to　wait　through　a　lot　of　days　to　see　her　again。'
　　Two　suitcases　stood　in　the　front　room；　just　inside　the　door。　They　contained　the　belongings　of　the　child。
　　She　was　at　a　window；　staring　out　at　the　Ford；　with　sorrow　pulled　around　her　like　sackcloth。
　　'I'm　scared；'　Louis　said。　'Rose　was　going　to　stay　up　here　with　Nina；　but　I　don't　think　it's　safe　now。　I　don't　want　to　believe　it　could　be　true…but　they　might've　found　me　before　I　got　out　of　the　last　place　with　Nina。　Couple　times；　way　back；　I　thought　the　same　car　was　behind　us。　Then　it　didn't　keep　up。'
　　'They　don't　have　to。　With　their　gadgets；　they　can　follow　from　miles　away。'
　　'And　then　just　before　you　pulled　into　the　driveway；　I　went　out　on　to　the　porch　'cause　I　thought　I　heard　a　helicopter。　Up　in　these　mountains　in　this　wind…does　that　make　sense？'
　　'You　better　get　her　out　of　here；'　Joe　agreed。
　　As　the　wind　slapped　the　electrical　lines　against　the　house；　Louis　paced　to　the　fireplace　and　back；　a　hand　pressed　to　his　forehead　as　he　tried　to　put　the　loss　of　Rose　out　of　his　mind　long　enough　to　think　what　to　do。　'I　figured　you　and　Rose。。。　well；　I　thought　the　two　of　you　were　taking　her。　And　if　they're　on　to　me；　then　won't　she　be　safer　with　you？'
　　'If　they're　on　to　you；'　Joe　said；　'then　none　of　us　is　safe　here；　now；　any　more。　There's　no　way　out。'
　　The　lines　slapped　the　house；　slapped　the　house；　and　the　lights　pulsed；　and　Louis　walked　to　the　fireplace　and　picked　up　a　battery…powered；　long…necked；　butane　match　from　the　hearth。
　　The　girl　turned　from　the　window；　eyes　wide；　and　said；　'No。'
　　Louis　Tucker　flicked　the　switch　on　the　butane　match；　and　blue　flame　spurted　from　the　nozzle。　Laughing；　he　set　his　own　hair　on　fire　and　then　his　shirt。
　　'Nina！'　Joe　cried。
　　The　girl　ran　to　his　side。
　　The　stink　of　burning　hair　spread　through　the　room。
　　Ablaze；　Louis　moved　to　block　the　front　door。
　　From　the　waistband　of　his　jeans；　Joe　drew　the　pistol；　aimed　…but　couldn't　pull　the　trigger。　This　man　confronting　him　was　not　really　Louis　Tucker　now；　it　was　the　boy…thing；　reaching　out　three　thousand　miles　from　Virginia。　And　there　was　no　chance　that　Louis　would　regain　control　of　his　body　and　live　through　this　night。　Yet　Joe　hesitated　to　squeeze　off　a　shot；　because　the　moment　that　Louis　was　dead；　the　boy　would　remote　someone　else。
　　The　girl　was　probably　untouchable；　able　to　protect　herself　with　her　own　paranormal　power。　So　the　boy　would　use　Joe…and　the　gun　in　Joe's　hand…to　shoot　the　girl　point…blank　in　the　head。
　　'This　is　fun；'　the　boy　said　in　Louis's　voice；　as　flames　seethed　off　his　hair；　as　his　ears　charred　and　crackled；　as　his　forehead　and　cheeks　blistered。　'Fun；'　he　said；　enjoying　his　ride　inside　Louis　Tucker　but　still　blocking　the　exit　to　the　porch。
　　Maybe；　at　the　instant　of　greatest　jeopardy；　Nina　could　send　herself　into　that　safe　bright　blueness　as　she　had　done　just　before　the　747　ploughed　into　the　meadow。　Maybe　the　bullets　fired　at　her　would　merely　pass　through　the　empty　air　where　she　had　been。　But　there　was　a　chance　that　she　was　still　not　fully　recovered；　that　she　wasn't　yet　able　to　perform　such　a　taxing　feat；　or　even　that　she　could　perform　it　but　would　be　mortally　drained　by　it　this　time。
　　'Out　the　back！'　Joe　shouted。　'Go；　go！'
　　Nina　raced　to　the　door　between　the　front　room　and　the　kitchen　at　the　rear　of　the　cabin。
　　Joe　backed　after　her；　keeping　the　pistol　trained　on　the　burning　man；　even　though　he　didn't　intend　to　use　it。
　　Their　only　hope　was　that　the　boy's　love　of　'fun'　would　give　them　the　chance　to　get　out　of　the　cabin；　into　the　open；　where　his　ability　to　conduct　remote　viewing　and　to　engage　in　mind　control　would　be；　according　to　Rose；　severely　diminished。　If　he　gave　up　the　toy　that　was　Louis　Tucker；　he　would　be　into　Joe's　head　in　an　instant。
　　Tossing　aside　the　butane　match；　with　flames　spreading　along　the　sleeves　of　his　shirt　and　down　his　pants；　the　boy…thing　said；　'Oh；　yeah；　oh；　wow；'　and　came　after　them。
　　Joe　recalled　too　clearly　the　feeling　of　the　ice…cold　needle　that　had　seemed　to　pierce　the　summit　of　his　spine　as　he　had　barely　escaped　the　Delmann　house　the　previous　night。　That　invading　energy　scared　him　more　than　the　prospect　of　being　embraced　by　the　fiery　arms　of　this　shambling　spectre。
　　Frantically　he　retreated　into　the　kitchen；　slamming　the　door　as　he　went；　which　was　pointless　because　no　door　no　wall；　no　steel　vault　could　delay　the　boy　if　he　abandoned　Louis's　body　and　went　incorporeal。
　　Nina　slipped　out　the　back　door　of　the　cabin；　and　a　wolf　pack　of　wind；　chuffing　and　puling；　rushed　past　her　and　inside。
　　As　Joe　followed　her　into　the　night；　he　heard　the　living　room　door　crash　into　the　kitchen。
　　Behind　the　cabin　was　a　small　yard　of　dirt　and　natural　bunch…grass。　The　air　was　full　of　wind…torn　leaves；　pine　needles；　grit。　Beyond　a　redwood　picnic　table　and　four　redwood　chairs；　the　forest　rose　again。
　　Nina　was　already　running　for　the　trees；　short　legs　pumping；　sneakers　slapping　on　the　hard…packed　earth。　She　thrashed　through　tall　weeds　at　the　perimeter　of　the　woods　and　vanished　in　the　gloom　among　the　pines　and　birches。
　　Nearly　as　terrified　of　losing　the　girl　in　the　wilds　as　he　was　frightened　of　the　boy　in　the　burning　man；　Joe　sprinted　between　the　trees；　shouting　the　girl's　name；