cpatricia.blacknotice-第35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！


　　〃If　someone　had　one　tattoo　on　his　back　and　nowhere　else　on　his　body；　as　best　I　can　tell？　Important？　Maybe　something　more　than　bravado　or　being　drunk？〃　I　asked。
　　〃I'd　say　so。　The　back's　a　place　people　see；　unless　you　never　take　your　shirt　off。　So　yeah；　I'd　say　it　probably　meant　something。〃
　　He　looked　at　the　bag　on　the　countertop。
　　〃So　the　tattoo　in　there　came　from　the　guy's　back；〃　he　said。
　　〃'No　round　yellow　dots；　each　one　about　the　circumference　of　a　nailhead。〃
　　Pit　stood　still　and　pondered　this；　his　face　screwed。up　as　if　he　were　in　pain。　。
　　〃Ibey　got　pupils；　like　eyes　would？〃　he　asked。
　　〃No；〃　I　said；　glancing　at　Chuck　to　see　if　he　was　in　range　of　our　conversation。
　　He　was　sitting　on　a　couch；　flipping　through　a　magazine。
　　〃Gosh；〃　Pit　said。　〃That's　a　hard　one。　No　pupils。　Can't　think　of　anything　without　pupils　if　it's　an　animal　or　bird　of　some　kind。　Sounds　to　me　you　aren't　talking　flash。　More　likely　it's　custom。〃
　　He　swept　both　hands　over　his　shop；　conducting　his　own　orchestra　of　outrageous　design。
　　〃Now　all　that's　sheets　of　flash；〃　he　said；　〃as　opposed　to　a　tattoo　artist's　original　work；　like　Grime。　I'm　saying；　you　can　look　at　some　tattoos　and　recognize　a　particular　style。　No　different　than　Van　Gogh　or　Picasso。　For　example；　I　could　spot　a　Jack　Rudy　or　Tin　Tin　anywhere；　most　beautiful　gray　work　you'll　ever　see。〃
　　Pit　led　me　across　the　shop　into　what　looked　like　a　typical　examining　room　in　a　doctor's　office。　It　was　equipped　with　an　autoclave；　ultrasonic　cleaner；　surgical　soap；　Biowrap；　A　&　D　ointment；　tongue　depressors　and　packs　of　sterile　needles　in　big　glass　jars。　The　actual　tattooing　machine　looked　like　something　an　electrologist　would　use；　and　there　was　a　cart　with　squirt　bottles　of　bright　paints　and　caps　for　mixing。　Central　to　all　this　was　a　gynecological　chair。　I　supposed　stirrups　made　it　easier　to　work　on　legs　and　other　parts　of　the　body　I　didn't　want　to　think　about。
　　Pit　spread　a　towel　on　a　countertop；　and　we　pulled　on　surgical　gloves。　He　switched　on　a　surgical　lamp；　pulling　it　close　as　I　unscrewed　the　lid　from　the　jar；　my　nose　instantly　assaulted　by　formalin's　acrid　bite。　I　dipped　into　the　pink　chemical　and　pulled　out　the　block　of　skin。　It　was　rubbery；　the　tissue　permanently　preserved；　and　Pit　took　it　from　me　without　pause　and　held　it　up　in　the　light。　He　turned　it　this　way　and　that　and　looked　at　it　through　a　magnifying　glass。
　　〃Oh；　yeah；〃　he　said。　〃I　see　those　little　suckers。　Yup；　there's　claws　holding　on　a　branch。　If　you　kinda　lift　the　image　out　of　the　background；　you　can　see　the　tail　feathers。〃
　　〃A　bird？〃
　　〃It's　a　bird　all　right；〃　he　said。　〃Maybe　an　owl。　You　know；　it's　the　eyes　that　jump　out　at　you；　and　I　think　they　were　bigger　than　this　at　one　time。　The　shading　gives　it　away。　Right　here。〃
　　I　leaned　closer；　his　gloved　finger　moving　over　the　skin　in　brushstrokes。
　　〃See　it？〃　No。
　　〃It's　very　faint。　Eyes　have　dark　circles；　like　a　bandit；　sort　of；　kind　of　uneven；　not　very　skillfully　drawn。　Someone　tried　to　make　them　a　whole　lot　smaller；　and　there's　stripes　radiating　out　from　the　edges　of　the　bird。　You　wouldn't　notice　it　unless　you've　worked　with　this　sort　of　thing　before；　because　all　of　it's　so　dark；　you　know；　in　such　bad　shape。
　　〃But　if　you　really　scrutinize；　you　can　see　it's　darker　and　heavier　around　the　eyes；　for　lack　of　anything　to　call　them。　Yup。　The　more　I　look　at　it；　I　think　it's　an　owl；　and　the　yellow　dots　are　a　messy　attempt　to　cover　them　up　by　turning　them　into　owl　eyes。　Or　something　like　owl　eyes。〃
　　I　was　beginning　to　see　the　stripes；　the　feathers　in　the　dark　shading　he　was　describing；　and　the　way　the　bright　yellow　eyes　were　lined　with　dark　ink　as　if　someone　had　wanted　to　make　them　smaller。
　　〃Someone　gets　something　with　yellow　dots；　doesn't　want　it　anymore　arid　has　something　else　put　on　top　of　it；〃　Pit　said。　〃Since　the　top　layer　of　skin's　gone；　most　of　the　new　tattoo…the　owl…came　off。　I　guess　the　needles　didn't　go　in　as　deep　on　that　one。　But　they　went　in　real　deep　with　the　yellow　dots。　A　lot　deeper　than　necessary；　which　tells　me　two　different　artists　are　involved。〃
　　He　studied　the　block　of　skin　some　more。
　　〃You　can　never　really　cover　up　an　old　tattoo；〃　he　resumed。　〃But　if　you　know　what　you're　doing；　you　can　work　over　and　around　it　so　the　eye　is　taken　away　from　it。　That's　the　trick。　I　guess　you　could　almost　call　it　an；　optical　illusion。〃
　　〃Is　there　any　way　we　can　figure　out　what　the　yellow　eyes　might　originally　have　been　part　of？〃　I　asked　him。
　　Pit　looked　disappointed　and　sighed。
　　〃It's　just　a　damn　shame　it's　in　such　bad　shape；〃　he　muttered；　placing　the　skin　on　the　towel　and　blinking　several　times。　〃Man；　those　fumes　will　get　you。　How　do　you　work　around　that　all　the　time？〃
　　〃Very；　very　carefully；〃　：I　said。　〃Would　you　mind　if　I　use　your　phone？〃
　　〃Help　yourself。〃
　　I　stepped　behind　the　counter；　keeping　an　uneasy　eye　on　Taxi　as　she　sat　up　in　her　bed。　She　stared　at　me　as　if　daring　me　to　make　one　move　she　didn't　like。
　　〃It's　okay；〃　I　told　her　in　a　soothing　voice。　〃Pit？　Is　it　all　right　if　I　page　someone　and　give　him　this；　number？〃
　　〃It　ain't　a　secret。　Help　yourself。〃
　　〃You're　a　good　girl。〃　I　encouraged　Taxi　to　be　one　as　I　stepped　around　the　counter　to　use　。the　phone。
　　Her　small；　dull　eyes　reminded　me　of　a　shark's；　her　head　hick　and　triangular　like　a　snake's。　She　looked　like　something　primitive　that　had　evolved　no　further　since　the　beginning　of　time；　and　I　thought　of　what　was　written　on　the　box　inside　the　container。
　　〃Could　it　be　a　wolf？〃　I　said　to　Pit。　〃Even　a　werewolf？〃
　　Pit　sighed　again；　the　hard　work　of　payday　weekend　shadowing　his　eyes。
　　〃Well；　wolves　are　real　popular。　You　know；　pack　instinct；　lone　wolf；〃　he　told　me。　〃Hard　to　cover　up　one　of　those　with　a　bird；　an　owl　or　whatever。〃
　　〃Yeah：'　Marino's　voice　came　over　the　line。
　　〃Hell；　it　could　be　so　many　things。〃　Pit　kept　on　talking　loudly。　〃Coyote；　dog；　cat。　Whatever's　got　a　furry　coat　and　yellow　eyes　with　no　pupils。　Had　to　be　small　to　cover　it　up　with　an　owl；　though。　Real　small。〃
　　〃Who　the　hell　is　that　talking　about　a　furry　coat？〃　Marino　rudely　asked。
　　I　told　him　where　I　was　and　why；　Pit　rambling　on　all　the　while；　pointing　out　all　sorts　of　furry　flash　on　a　wall。
　　〃Great。〃…　Marino　got　mad　right　away。　〃Why　don't　you　get　one　while　you're　there。〃
　　〃Maybe　another　time。〃
　　〃I　can't　believe　you　would　go　to　a　tattoo　parlor　alone。　You　got　an　idea　the　kind　of　people　who　go　in　a　place　like　that？　Drug　dealers；　assholes　out　on　parole；　motorcycle　gangs。11'41t's　all　right。〃
　　〃Oh；　no；　it　ain't　all　right！'　Marino　erupted。
　　He　was　upset　about　something　that　went　beyond　my　visiting　a　tattoo　parlor。
　　〃What's　wrong；　Marino？〃
　　〃Not　a　damn　thing　unless　you　consider　being　suspended　without　pay　something　wrong。〃
　　〃There's　no　justification　for　that；〃　I　angrily　said；　although　I'd　been　afraid　it　was　inevitable。
　　〃Bray　thinks　so。　I　guess　I　ruined　her　dinner　last　night。
　　She　says　if　I　do　one　more　thing；　I'm　fired。　The　good　news　is　I'm　having　fun　thinking　what　the　one　more　thing　is　I　might　decide　to　do。〃
　　〃Hey！　Let　me　show　you　something；〃　Pit　called　out　to　me　from　across　the　room。
　　〃We'll　do　something　about　this；〃　I　promised　Marino。
　　'Yeah。〃
　　Taxi's　eyes　followed　me　as　I　hung　up　and　picked　my　way　around　her。　I　scanned　the　flash　on　the　wall　and　only　felt　worse。　I　wanted　the　tattoo　to　be　a　wolf；　a　werewolf；　a　small　one；　when　in　fact　it　could　be　something　else　entirely　and　probably　was。　I　couldn't　tolerate　it　when　a　question　remained　unanswered；　when　science　and　rational　thinking　went　as　far　as　they　could　go　and　quit。
　　1　couldn't　remember　ever　feeling　this　discouraged　and　unsettled。　The　walls　seemed　to　move　in　on　me　and　sheets　of　flash　jumped　out　like　demons。　Daggers　through　hearts　and　skulls；　gravestones；　skeletons；　evil　animals　and　ghastly　ghouls　played　〃Ring　Around　the　Rosie〃　with　me。
　　〃Why　do　people　want　to　wear　death？〃　I　raised　my　voice　and　Taxi　raised　her　head。　〃Isn't　living　with　it　enough？　Why　would　someone　want　to　spend　the　rest　of　his　life　looking　at　death　on　his　arm？〃
　　Pit　shrugged　and　didn't　seem　bothered　in　the　least　that　I　was　questioning　his　art。
　　〃See；〃　he　said；　〃when　you　think　about　it；　Doc；　there's　nothing　to　fear　but　fear。　So　people　want　death　tattoos　so　they　won't　be　afraid　of　death。　It's　kind　of　like　people　who　are　terrified　by　snakes　and　then　touch　one　in　the　zoo。　In　a　way；　you　wear　death　every　day；　too；〃　he　said　to　me。　〃Don't　you　think　you　might　fear　it　more　if　you　didn't　look　at　it　every　day？〃
　　I　didn't　know　how　to　answer　that。
　　〃See；　you　got　a　piece　of　a　dead　person's　skin　in　that　jar　and　you're　not　afraid　of　it；〃　he　went　on。　〃But　someone　else　walking　in　here　and　seeing　that　would　probably　scream　or　puke。　Now；　I'm　no　psychologist〃…he　vigorously　chewed　gum…〃but　there's　something　real　important　behind　what　someone　chooses　to　have　permanently　drawn　on　his　body。　So　you　take　this　dead　guy？　That　owl　says　something　about　him。　What　went　on　inside　him。　Most　of　all；　。what　he　was　scared　of；　which　may　have　more　to　do　with　whatever's　under　that　owl。〃
　　〃It　would　seem　that　quite　a　lot　of　your　clients　are　afraid　of　voluptuous　naked　women；〃　I　mented。
　　Pit　c