mc.prey-第10节

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　〃The　vacuum　men；〃　he　said。　〃They　vacuumed　everything。　And　they　vacuumed　up　the　ghost。〃
　From　the　backseat；　Nicole　snickered。　〃The　ghost　。。。〃
　I　said；　〃I　think　you　were　dreaming；　son。〃　Lately　Eric　had　been　having　vivid　nightmares　that　often　woke　him　in　the　night。　I　was　pretty　sure　it　was　because　Nicole　let　him　watch　horror　movies　with　her；　knowing　they　would　upset　him。　Nicole　was　at　the　age　where　her　favorite　movies　featured　masked　killers　who　murdered　teenagers　after　they　had　had　sex。　It　was　the　old　formula：　you　have　sex；　you　die。　But　it　wasn't　appropriate　for　Eric。　I'd　spoken　to　her　many　times　about　letting　him　see　them。
　〃No；　Dad；　it　wasn't　a　dream；〃　Eric　said；　yawning　again。　〃The　men　were　there。　A　whole　bunch　of　them。〃
　〃Uh…huh。　And　what　was　the　ghost？〃
　〃He　was　a　ghost。　All　silver　and　shimmery；　except　he　didn't　have　a　face。〃
　〃Uh…huh。〃　By　now　we　were　pulling　up　at　the　school；　and　Nicole　was　saying　I　had　to　pick　her　up　at　4：15　instead　of　3：45　because　she　had　a　chorus　rehearsal　after　class；　and　Eric　was　saying　he　wasn't　going　to　his　pediatrician　appointment　if　he　had　to　get　a　shot。　I　repeated　the　timeless　mantra　of　all　parents：　〃We'll　see。〃
　The　two　kids　piled　out　of　the　car；　dragging　their　backpacks　behind　them。　They　both　had　backpacks　that　weighed　about　twenty　pounds。　I　never　got　used　to　this。　Kids　didn't　have　huge　backpacks　when　I　was　their　age。　We　didn't　have　backpacks　at　all。　Now　it　seemed　all　the　kids　had　them。　You　saw　little　second…graders　bent　over　like　sherpas；　dragging　themselves　through　the　school　doors　under　the　weight　of　their　packs。　Some　of　the　kids　had　their　packs　on　rollers；　hauling　them　like　luggage　at　the　airport。　I　didn't　understand　any　of　this。　The　world　was　being　digital；　everything　was　smaller　and　lighter。　But　kids　at　school　lugged　more　weight　than　ever。　A　couple　of　months　ago；　at　a　parents'　meeting；　I'd　asked　about　it。　And　the　principal　said；　〃Yes；　it's　a　big　problem。　We're　all　concerned。〃　And　then　changed　the　subject。　I　didn't　get　that；　either。　If　they　were　all　concerned；　why　didn't　they　do　something　about　it？　But　of　course　that's　human　nature。　Nobody　does　anything　until　it's　too　late。　We　put　the　stoplight　at　the　intersection　after　the　kid　is　killed。
　I　drove　home　again；　through　sluggish　morning　traffic。　I　was　thinking　I　might　get　a　couple　of　hours　of　sleep。　It　was　the　only　thing　on　my　mind。
　Maria　woke　me　up　around　eleven；　shaking　my　shoulder　insistently。　〃Mr。　Forman。　Mr。　Forman。〃
　I　was　groggy。　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃The　baby。〃
　I　was　immediately　awake。　〃What　about　her？〃
　〃You　see　the　baby；　Mr。　Forman。　She　all　。。。〃　She　made　a　gesture；　rubbing　her　shoulder　and　arm。
　〃She's　all　what？〃
　〃You　see　the　baby；　Mr。　Forman。〃
　I　staggered　out　of　bed；　and　went　into　the　nursery。　Amanda　was　standing　up　in　her　crib；　holding　on　to　the　railing。　She　was　bouncing　and　smiling　happily。　Everything　seemed　normal；　except　for　the　fact　that　her　entire　body　was　a　uniform　purple…blue　color。　Like　a　big　bruise。　〃Oh；　Jesus；〃　I　said。
　I　couldn't　take　another　episode　at　the　hospital；　I　couldn't　take　more　white…coated　doctors　who　didn't　tell　you　anything；　I　couldn't　take　being　scared　all　over　again。　I　was　still　drained　from　the　night　before。　The　thought　that　there　was　something　wrong　with　my　daughter　wrenched　my　stomach。　I　went　over　to　Amanda；　who　gurgled　with　pleasure；　smiling　up　at　me。　She　stretched　one　hand　toward　me；　grasping　air；　her　signal　for　me　to　pick　her　up。　So　I　picked　her　up。　She　seemed　fine；　immediately　grabbing　my　hair　and　trying　to　pull　off　my　glasses；　the　way　she　always　did。　I　felt　relieved；　even　though　I　could　now　see　her　skin　better。　It　looked　bruised…it　was　the　color　of　a　bruise…except　it　was　absolutely　uniform　everywhere　on　her　body。　Amanda　looked　like　she'd　been　dipped　in　dye。　The　evenness　of　the　color　was　alarming。
　I　decided　I　had　to　call　the　doctor　in　the　emergency　room；　after　all。　I　fished　in　my　pocket　for　his　card；　while　Amanda　tried　to　grab　my　glasses。　I　dialed　one…handed。　I　could　do　pretty　much　everything　one…handed。　I　got　right　through；　he　sounded　surprised。　〃Oh；〃　he　said。　〃I　was　just　about　to　call　you。　How　is　your　daughter　feeling？〃
　〃Well；　she　seems　to　feel　fine；〃　I　said；　jerking　my　head　back　so　Amanda　couldn't　get　my　glasses。　She　was　giggling；　it　was　a　game；　now。　〃She's　fine；〃　I　said；　〃but　the　thing　is…〃
　〃Has　she　by　any　chance　had　bruising？〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　she　has。　That's　why　I　was　calling　you。〃
　〃The　bruising　is　all　over　her　body？　Uniformly？〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃Pretty　much。　Why　do　you　ask？〃
　〃Well；〃　the　doctor　said；　〃all　her　lab　work　has　e　back；　and　it's　all　normal。　pletely　normal。　Healthy　child。　The　only　thing　we're　still　waiting　on　is　the　MRI　report；　but　the　MRI's　broken　down。　They　say　it'll　be　a　few　days。〃
　I　couldn't　keep　ducking　and　weaving；　I　put　Amanda　back　in　her　crib　while　I　talked。　She　didn't　like　that；　of　course；　and　scrunched　up　her　face；　preparing　to　cry。　I　gave　her　her　Cookie　Monster　toy；　and　she　sat　down　and　played　with　that。　I　knew　Cookie　Monster　was　good　for　about　five　minutes。
　〃Anyway；〃　the　doctor　was　saying；　〃I'm　glad　to　hear　she's　doing　well。〃
　I　said　that　I　was　glad；　too。
　There　was　a　pause。　The　doctor　coughed。
　〃Mr。　Forman；　I　noticed　on　your　hospital　admissions　form　you　said　your　occupation　was　software　engineer。〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃Does　that　mean　you　are　involved　with　manufacturing？〃
　〃No。　I　do　program　development。〃
　〃And　where　do　you　do　that　work？〃
　〃In　the　Valley。〃
　〃You　don't　work　in　a　factory；　for　example？〃
　〃No。　I　work　in　an　office。〃
　〃I　see。〃　A　pause。　〃May　I　ask　where？〃
　〃Actually；　at　the　moment；　I'm　unemployed。〃
　〃I　see。　All　right。　How　long　has　that　been？〃
　〃Six　months。〃
　〃I　see。〃　A　short　pause。　〃Well；　okay；　I　just　wanted　to　clear　that　up。〃
　I　said；　〃Why？〃
　〃I'm　sorry？〃
　〃Why　are　you　asking　me　those　questions？〃
　〃Oh。　They're　on　the　form。〃
　〃What　form？〃　I　said。　〃I　filled　out　all　the　forms　at　the　hospital。〃
　〃This　is　another　form；〃　he　said。　〃It's　an　OHS　inquiry。　Office　of　Health　and　Safety。〃
　I　said；　〃What's　this　all　about？〃
　〃There's　been　another　case　reported；〃　he　said；　〃that's　very　similar　to　your　daughter's。〃
　〃Where？〃
　〃Sacramento　General。〃
　〃When？〃
　〃Five　days　ago。　But　it's　a　pletely　different　situation。　This　case　involved　a　forty…two…year…old　naturalist　sleeping　out　in　the　Sierras；　some　wildflower　expert。　There　was　a　particular　kind　of　flower　or　something。　Anyway；　he　was　hospitalized　in　Sacramento。　And　he　had　the　same　clinical　course　as　your　daughter…sudden　unexplained　onset；　no　fever；　painful　erythematous　reaction。〃
　〃And　an　MRI　stopped　it？〃
　〃I　don't　know　if　he　had　an　MRI；〃　he　said。　〃But　apparently　this　syndrome…whatever　it　is…is　self…limited。　Very　sudden　onset；　and　very　abrupt　termination。〃
　〃He's　okay　now？　The　naturalist？〃
　〃He's　fine。　A　couple　of　days　of　bruising；　and　nothing　more。〃
　〃Good；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　glad　to　hear　it。〃
　〃I　thought　you'd　want　to　know；〃　he　said。　Then　he　said　he　might　be　calling　me　again；　with　some　more　questions；　and　would　that　be　all　right？　I　said　he　could　call　whenever　he　wanted。　He　asked　me　to　call　if　there　was　any　change　in　Amanda；　and　I　said　I　would；　and　I　hung　up。
　*　*　*
　Amanda　had　abandoned　Cookie　Monster；　and　was　standing　in　the　crib；　holding　on　to　the　railing　with　one　hand　and　reaching　for　me　with　the　other；　her　little　fingers　clutching　air。　I　picked　her　up…and　in　an　instant　she　had　my　glasses　off。　I　grabbed　for　them　as　she　squealed　with　pleasure。　〃Amanda　。。。〃　But　too　late；　she　threw　them　on　the　floor。　I　blinked。
　I　don't　see　well　without　my　glasses。　These　were　wire…frames；　hard　to　see　now。　I　got　down　on　my　hands　and　knees；　still　holding　the　baby；　and　swept　my　hand　across　the　floor　in　circles；　hoping　to　touch　glass。　I　didn't。　I　squinted；　edged　forward；　swept　my　hand　again。　Still　nothing。　Then　I　saw　a　glint　of　light　underneath　the　crib。　I　set　the　baby　down　and　crawled　under　the　crib；　retrieved　the　glasses；　and　put　them　on。　In　the　process　I　banged　my　head　on　the　crib；　dropped　down　low　again。
　And　I　found　myself　staring　at　the　electrical　outlet　on　the　wall　underneath　the　crib。　A　small　plastic　box　was　plugged　into　the　outlet。　I　pulled　it　out　and　looked　at　it。　It　was　a　two…inch　cube；　a　surge　suppressor　by　the　look　of　it；　an　ordinary　mercial　product；　made　in　Thailand。　The　input/output　voltages　were　molded　into　the　plastic。　A　white　label　ran　across　the　bottom；　reading　PROP。　SSVT；　with　a　bar　code。　It　was　one　of　those　stickers　that　panies　put　on　their　inventory。　I　turned　the　cube　over　in　my　hand。　Where　had　this　e　from？　I'd　been　in　charge　of　the　house　for　the　last　six　months。　I　knew　what　was　where。　And　certainly　Amanda　didn't　need　a　surge　suppressor　in　her　room。　You　only　needed　that　for　sensitive　electronic　equipment；　like　puters。
　I　got　to　my　feet；　and　looked　around　the　room　to　see　what　else　was　different。　To　my　surprise；　I　realized　that　everything　was　different…but　just　slightly　different。　Amanda's　night…light　had　Winnie…the…Pooh　characters　printed　on　the　shade。　I　always　kept　Tigger　facing　toward　her　crib；　because　Tigger　was　her　favorite。　Now；　Eeyore　faced　the　crib。　Amanda's　changing　pad　was　stained　in　one　corner；　I　always　kept　the　stain　bottom　left。　Now　it　was　top　right。　I　kept　her　diaper…rash　ointments　on　th