sk.thewastelands-第6节

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e　。　。　。　but　the　fresh　claw…marks　which　appeared　were　at　least　seven　feet　below　the　branch　on　which　Eddie's　feet　were　planted。
　　The　worms　were　dying；　he　realized…must　have　begun　dying　as　soon　as　they　left　the　infected　swamps　inside　the　monster's　body。　It　made　him　feel　a　little　better；　and　he　began　to　climb　again。　He　stopped　twelve　feet　further　up；　daring　to　go　no　higher。　The　trunk　of　the　pine；　easily　eight　feet　in　diameter　at　its　base；　was　now　no　more　than　eighteen　inches　through　the　middle。　He　had　distributed　his　weight　on　two　branches；　but　he　could　feel　both　of　them　bending　springily　beneath　him。　He　had　a　crow's　nest　view　of　the　forest　and　foothills　to　the　west　now；　spread　out　below　him　in　an　undulating　carpet。　Under　other　circumstances；　it　would　have　been　a　view　to　relish。
　　Top　of　the　world；　Ma；　he　thought。　He　looked　down　into　the　bear's　upturned　face　again；　and　for　a　moment　all…coherent　thought　was　driven　from　his　mind　by　simple　amazement。
　　There　was　something　growing　out　of　the　bear's　skull；　and　to　Eddie　it　looked　like　a　small　radar…dish。
　　The　gadget　turned　jerkily；　kicking　up　flashes　of　sun　as　it　did；　and　Eddie　could　hear　it　screaming　thinly。　He　had　owned　a　few　old　cars　in　his　time…the　kind　that　sat　in　the　used…car　lots　with　the　words　HANDYMAN'S　SPECIAL　soaped　on　the　windshields…and　he　thought　the　sound　ing　from　that　gadget　was　the　sound　of　bearings　which　will　freeze　up　if　they　are　not　replaced　soon。
　　The　bear　uttered　a　long；　purring　growl。　Yellowish　foam；　thick　with　worms；　squeezed　between　its　paws　in　curdled　gobbets。　If　he　had　never　looked　into　the　face　of　utter　lunacy　（and　he　supposed　he　had；　having　been　eyeball　to　eyeball　with　that　world…class　bitch　Detta　Walker　on　more　than　one　occasion）；　Eddie　was　looking　into　it　now　。　。　。　but　that　face　was；　thankfully；　a　good　thirty　feet　below　him；　and　at　their　highest　reach　those　killing　talons　were　fifteen　feet　under　the　soles　of　his　feet。　And；　unlike　the　trees　upon　which　the　bear　had　vented　its　spleen　as　it　approached　the　clearing；　this　one　was　not　dead。
　　〃Mexican　standoff；　honey；　Eddie　panted。　　He　wiped　sweat　from　his　forehead　with　one　sap…sticky　hand　and　flicked　the　mess　down　into　the　bugbear's　face。
　　Then　the　creature　the　Old　People　had　called　Mir　embraced　the　tree　with　its　great　forepaws　and　began　to　shake　it。　Eddie　grabbed　the　trunk　and　held　on　for　dear　life；　eyes　squeezed　into　grim　slits；　as　the　pine　began　to　sway　back　and　forth　like　a　pendulum。
　　
　　　6
　　ROLAND　HALTED　AT　THE　EDGE　of　the　clearing。　Susannah；　perched　on　his　shoulders；　stared　unbelievingly　across　the　open　space。　The　creature　stood　at　the　base　of　the　tree　where　Eddie　had　been　when　the　two　of　them　left　the　clearing　forty…five　minutes　ago。　She　could　see　only　chunks　and　sections　of　its　body　through　the　screen　of　branches　and　dark　green　needles。　Roland's　other　gunbelt　lay　beside　one　of　the　monster's　feet。　The　holster；　she　saw；　was　empty。
　　〃My　God；〃　she　murmured。
　　The　bear　screamed　like　a　distraught　woman　and　began　shaking　the　tree。　The　branches　lashed　as　if　in　a　high　wind。　Her　eyes　skated　upward　and　she　saw　a　dark　form　near　the　top。　Eddie　was　hugging　the　trunk　as　the　tree　rocked　and　rolled。　As　she　watched；　one　of　his　hands　slipped　and　flailed　wildly　for　purchase。
　　〃What　do　we　do？〃　she　screamed　down　at　Roland。　〃It's　goan　shake　him　loose！　What　do　we　do？〃
　　Roland　tried　to　think　about　it；　but　that　queer　sensation　had　returned　again…it　was　always　with　him　now；　but　stress　seemed　to　make　it　worse。　He　felt　like　two　men　existing　inside　one　skull。　Each　man　had　his　own　set　of　memories；　and　when　they　began　to　argue；　each　insisting　that　his　memories　were　the　true　ones；　the　gunslinger　felt　as　if　he　were　being　ripped　in　two。　He　made　a　desperate　effort　to　reconcile　these　two　halves　and　succeeded　。。。　at　least　for　the　moment。
　　〃It's　one　of　the　Twelve！〃　he　shouted。　〃One　of　the　Guardians！　Must　be！　But　I　thought　they　were…〃
　　The　bear　bellowed　up　at　Eddie　again。　Now　it　began　to　slap　at　the　tree　like　a　punchy　fighter。　Branches　snapped　and　fell　around　its　feet　in　a　tangle。
　　〃What？〃　Susannah　screamed。　〃What's　the　rest？〃
　　Roland　closed　his　eyes。　Inside　his　head；　a　voice　shouted；　The　boy's　name　was　Jake！　Another　voice　shouted　back；　There　WAS　no　boy！　There　WAS　no　boy；　and　you　know　it！
　　Get　away；　both　of　you！　he　snarled；　and　then　called　out　aloud：　〃Shoot　it！　Shoot　it　in　the　ass；　Susannah！　It'll　turn　and　charge！　When　it　does；　look　for　something　on　its　head！　It…〃
　　The　bear　squalled　again。　It　gave　up　slapping　the　tree　and　went　back　to　shaking　it。　Ominous　popping；　grinding　sounds　were　now　ing　from　the　upper　part　of　the　trunk。
　　When　he　could　be　heard　again；　Roland　shouted：　〃I　think　it　looks　like　a　hat！　A　little　steel　hat！　Shoot　it；　Susannah！　And　don't　miss！〃
　　Terror　suddenly　filled　her…terror　and　another　emotion；　one　she　would　never　have　expected：　crushing　loneliness。
　　〃No！　I'll　miss！　You　do　it；　Roland！〃　She　began　to　fumble　his　revolver　out　of　the　belt　she　wore；　meaning　to　give　it　to　him。
　　〃Can't！〃　Roland　shouted。　〃The　angle's　bad！　You　have　to　do　it；　Susan…nah！　This　is　the　real　test；　and　you'd　better　pass　it！〃
　　〃Roland…〃
　　〃It　means　to　snap　the　top　of　the　tree　off！〃　he　roared　at　her。　〃Can't　you　see　that？〃
　　She　looked　at　the　revolver　in　her　hand。　Looked　across　the　clearing；　at　the　gigantic　bear　obscured　in　the　clouds　and　sprays　of　green　needles。　Looked　at　Eddie；　swaying　back　and　forth　like　a　metronome。　Eddie　proba…bly　had　Roland's　other　gun；　but　Susannah　could　see　no　way　he　could　use　it　without　being　shaken　from　his　perch　like　an　over…ripe　plum。　Also；　he　might　not　shoot　at　the　right　thing。
　　She　raised　the　revolver。　Her　stomach　was　thick　with　dread。　〃Hold　me　still；　Roland；〃　she　said。　〃If　you　don't…〃
　　〃Don't　worry　about　me！〃
　　She　fired　twice；　squeezing　the　shots　as　Roland　had　taught　her。　The　heavy　reports　cut　across　the　sound　of　the　bear　shaking　the　tree　like　the　cracks　of　a　bullwhip。　She　saw　both　bullets　strike　home　in　the　left　cheek　of　the　bear's　rump；　less　than　two　inches　apart。
　　It　shrieked　in　surprise；　pain；　and　outrage。　One　of　its　huge　front　paws　came　out　of　the　dense　screen　of　branches　and　needles　and　slapped　at　the　hurt　place。　The　hand　came　away　dripping　scarlet　and　rose　back　out　of　sight。　Susannah　could　imagine　it　up　there；　examining　its　bloody　palm。　Then　there　was　a　rushing；　rustling；　snapping　sound　as　the　bear　turned；　bending　down　at　the　same　time；　dropping　to　all　fours　in　order　to　achieve　maximum　speed。　For　the　first　time　she　saw　its　face；　and　her　heart　quailed。　Its　muzzle　was　lathered　with　foam；　its　huge　eyes　glared　like　lamps。　Its　shaggy　head　swung　to　the　left　。　。　。　back　to　the　right　。　。　。　and　centered　upon　Roland；　who　stood　with　his　legs　apart　and　Susannah　Dean　balanced　on　his　shoulders。
　　With　a　shattering　roar；　the　bear　charged。
　　
　　　7
　　SAY　YOUR　LESSON；　Susannah　Dean；　and　be　true。
　　The　bear　came　at　them　in　a　rumbling　lope；　it　was　like　watching　a　runaway　factory　machine　over　which　someone　had　thrown　a　huge；　moth…eaten　rug。
　　It　looks　like　a　hat！　A　little　steel　hat！
　　She　saw　it　。。。　but　it　didn't　look　like　a　hat　to　her。　It　looked　like　a　radar…dish…a　much　smaller　version　of　the　kind　she　had　seen　in　Movie　Tone　newsreel　stories　about　how　the　DEW…line　was　keeping　everyone　safe　from　a　Russian　sneak　attack。　It　was　bigger　than　the　pebbles　she　had　shot　off　the　boulder　earlier；　but　the　distance　was　greater。　Sun　and　shadow　ran　across　it　in　deceiving　dapples。
　　I　do　not　aim　with　my　hand；　she　who　aims　with　her　hand　has　forgotten　the　face　of　her　father。
　　I　can't　do　it！
　　I　do　not　shoot　with　my　hand；　she　who　shoots　with　her　hand　has　forgotten　the　face　of　her　father。
　　I'll　miss！　I　know　I'll　miss！
　　I　do　not　kill　with　my　gun；　she　who　kills　with　her　gun…
　　〃Shoot　it！〃　Roland　roared。　〃Susannah；　shoot　it！〃
　　With　the　trigger　as　yet　unpulled；　she　saw　the　bullet　go　home；　guided　from　muzzle　to　target　by　nothing　more　or　less　than　her　heart's　fierce　desire　that　it　should　fly　true。　All　fear　fell　away。　What　was　left　was　a　feeling　of　deep　coldness　and　she　had　time　to　think：　This　is　what　he　feels。　My　God…how　does　he　stand　it？
　　〃I　kill　with　my　heart；　motherfucker；〃　she　said；　and　the　gunslinger's　revolver　roared　in　her　hand。
　　　
　　　8
　　THE　SILVERY　THING　SPUN　on　a　steel　rod　planted　in　the　bear's　skull。　Susannah's　bullet　struck　it　dead　center　and　the　radar…dish　blew　into　a　hundred　glittering　fragments。　The　pole　itself　was　suddenly　engulfed　in　a　burst　of　crackling　blue　fire　which　reached　out　in　a　net　and　seemed　to　grasp　the　sides　of　the　bear's　face　for　a　moment。
　　It　rose　on　its　rear　legs　with　a　whistling　howl　of　agony；　its　front　paws　boxing　aimlessly　at　the　air。　It　turned　in　a　wide；　staggering　circle　and　began　to　flap　its　arms；　as　if　it　had　decided　to　fly　away。　It　tried　to　roar　again　but　what　came　out　instead　was　a　weird　warbling　sound　like　an　air…raid　siren。
　　〃It　is　very　well。〃　Roland　sounded　exhausted。　〃A　good　shot；　fair　and　true。〃
　　〃Should　I　shoot　it　again？〃　she　asked　uncertainly。　The　bear　was　still　blundering　around　in　its　mad　circle　but　now　its　body　had　begun　to　tilt　sidewards　and　inwards。　It　struck　a　small　tree；　rebounded；　almost　fell　over；　and　then　began　to　circle　again。
　　〃No　need；〃　Rolan