gns.throwback-第53节

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fying　their　role　in　Nature's　plans；　the　big　cleaning…up　operation。
　　
　　Jackie　had　not　regained　consciousness　for　a　week；　and　for　a　fortnight　after　that　Jon　fed　her　with　fresh　warm　goats'　milk。　Gradually　her　strength　returned　and　then　began　the　makings　of　a　new　relationship　which　both　realised　that　they　would　have　to　work　at；　developing　their　own　means　of　understanding　and　munication。　Adaptation。　It　wasn't　easy　but；　as　Jon　reminded　himself；　they　had　to　stick　together　because　they　might　never　see　another　human　being　again；　civilised　or　throwback。
　　
　　Spring　eased　its　way　into　summer　and　with　it　came　the　knowledge　that　Jackie　was　pregnant。　And　something　else　。　。　。
　　
　　He　had　not　been　feeling　well　for　a　day　or　two；　nothing　which　he　could　be　absolutely　positive　about；　more　a　kind　of　lethargy；　having　to　exert　his　will　power　to　plete　even　the　simplest　chore。　His　reasoning　was　dulled；　a　simple
　　
　　lifestyle　suddenly　taking　on　plications。　And　throughout　it　all　Jackie　seemed　closer；　their　understanding　so　much　easier。
　　
　　A　casual　glance　in　the　mirror　brought　on　that　same　sensation　of　shock　that　he　had　experienced　the　day　he　had　looked　down　upon　Jackie's　features　on　those　snowy　slopes；　his　flesh　goosepimpling；　his　brain　reeling。　Staring　into　the　cracked　and　dirt…streaked　mirror　over　the　kitchen　sink；　seeing　a　reflection　that　he　barely　recognised　as　his　own。
　　
　　The　skin　was　coarser；　seemed　to　be　afflicted　with　some　kind　of　allergy　rash；　eyes　sunken　and　red…rimmed；　a　beard　that　was　coarse　and　straggling。　Lips　thicker；　nose　squashed　as　though　at　some　time　it　had　been　pushed　back；　broken　by　a　heavy　blow。　Changed　。　。　。
　　
　　Wrestling　with　realisation；　giving　up。　Accepting　it。　He　went　outside　into　the　yard。　The　hillsides　were　starting　to　green　over　again　with　the　lush　surge　of　a　new　growth。　A　new　beginning　to　a　new　world。
　　
　　He　breathed　deeply；　no　longer　smelled　the　odour　of　putrefaction。　He　sensed　Jackie　by　his　side；　both　of　them　standing　there　looking　up　towards　the　forest　on　the　skyline。　A　wilderness；　just　the　two　of　them　left　in　it。
　　
　　Suddenly　this　was　how　it　had　always　been；　how　it　would　go　on。　Nothing　would　change；　they　did　not　want　it　to。



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