sk.thewastelands-第72节

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　　〃Mercy　said　there　was　another　one；〃　Susannah　reminded　him。
　　〃Yeah。　She　also　said　she　hadn't　heard　it　in　seven　or　eight　years；　and　Aunt　Talitha　said　it　was　more　like　ten。　What　do　you　think；　Jake　。　。　。　Jake？　Earth　to　Jake；　Earth　to　Jake；　e　in；　little　buddy。〃
　　Jake；　who　had　been　staring　intently　at　the　remains　of　the　train　in　the　river；　only　shrugged。
　　〃You're　a　big　help；　Jake；〃　Eddie　said。　〃Valuable　input…that's　why　I　love　you。　Why　we　all　love　you。〃
　　Jake　paid　no　attention。　He　knew　what　he　was　seeing；　and　it　wasn't　Blaine。　The　remains　of　the　mono　sticking　out　of　the　river　were　blue。　In　his　dream；　Blaine　had　been　the　dusty；　sugary　pink　of　the　bubblegum　you　got　with　baseball　trading　cards。
　　Roland；　meanwhile；　had　cinched　the　straps　of　Susannah's　carry…har…ness　across　his　chest。　〃Eddie；　boost　your　lady　into　this　contraption。　It's　time　we　moved　on　and　saw　for　ourselves。〃
　　Jake　now　shifted　his　gaze；　looking　nervously　toward　the　bridge　loom…ing　ahead。　He　could　hear　a　high；　ghostly　humming　noise　in　the　distance…the　sound　of　the　wind　playing　in　the　decayed　steel　hangers　which　con…nected　the　overhead　cables　to　the　concrete　deck　below。
　　〃Do　you　think　it'll　be　safe　to　cross？〃　Jake　asked。
　　〃We'll　find　out　tomorrow；〃　Roland　replied。
　　　
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　　THE　NEXT　MORNING；　ROLAND'S　band　of　travellers　stood　at　the　end　of　the　long；　rusty　bridge；　gazing　across　at　Lud。　Eddie's　dreams　of　wise　old　elves　who　had　preserved　a　working　technology　on　which　the　pilgrims　could　draw　were　disappearing。　Now　that　they　were　this　close；　he　could　see　holes　in　the　city…scape　where　whole　blocks　of　buildings　appeared　to　have　been　either　burned　or　blasted。　The　skyline　reminded　him　of　a　diseased　jaw　from　which　many　teeth　have　already　fallen。
　　It　was　true　that　most　of　the　buildings　were　still　standing；　but　they　had　a　dreary；　disused　look　that　filled　Eddie　with　an　uncharacteristic　gloom；　and　the　bridge　between　the　travellers　and　that　shuttered　maze　of　steel　and　concrete　looked　anything　but　solid　and　eternal。　The　vertical　hangers　on　the　left　sagged　slackly；　the　ones　remaining　on　the　right　almost　screamed　with　tension。　The　deck　had　been　constructed　of　hollow　con…crete　boxes　shaped　like　trapezoids。　Some　of　these　had　buckled　upward；　displaying　empty　black　interiors；　others　had　slipped　askew。　Many　of　these　latter　had　merely　cracked；　but　others　were　badly　broken；　leaving　gaps　big　enough　to　drop　trucks…big　trucks…into。　In　places　where　the　bottoms　of　the　box…sections　as　well　as　the　tops　had　shattered；　they　could　see　the　muddy　riverbank　and　the　gray…green　water　of　the　Send　beyond　it。　Eddie　put　the　distance　between　the　deck　and　the　water　as　three　hundred　feet　at　the　center　of　the　bridge。　And　that　was　probably　a　conservative　estimate。
　　Eddie　peered　at　the　huge　concrete　caissons　to　which　the　main　cables　were　anchored　and　thought　the　one　on　the　right　side　of　the　bridge　looked　as　if　it　had　been　pulled　partway　out　of　the　earth。　He　decided　he　might　do　well　not　to　mention　this　fact　to　the　others；　it　was　bad　enough　that　the　bridge　was　swaying　slowly　but　perceptibly　back　and　forth。　Just　looking　at　it　made　him　feel　seasick。　〃Well？〃　he　asked　Roland。　〃What　do　you　think？〃
　　Roland　pointed　to　the　right　side　of　the　bridge。　Here　was　a　canted　walkway　about　five　feet　wide。　It　had　been　constructed　atop　a　series　of　smaller　concrete　boxes　and　was；　in　effect；　a　separate　deck。　This　seg…mented　deck　appeared　to　be　supported　by　an　undercable…or　perhaps　it　was　a　thick　steel　rod…anchored　to　the　main　support　cables　by　huge　bow…clamps。　Eddie　inspected　the　closest　one　with　the　avid　interest　of　a　man　who　may　soon　be　entrusting　his　life　to　the　object　he　is　studying。　The　bow…clamp　appeared　rusty　but　still　sound。　The　words　LaMERK　FOUNDRY　had　been　stamped　into　its　metal。　Eddie　was　fascinated　to　realize　he　no　longer　knew　if　the　words　were　in　the　High　Speech　or　in　English。
　　〃I　think　we　can　use　that；〃　Roland　said。　〃There's　only　one　bad　place。　Do　you　see　it？〃
　　〃Yeah…it's　land　of　hard　to　miss。〃
　　The　bridge；　which　had　to　be　at　least　three　quarters　of　a　mile　long；　might　not　have　had　any　proper　maintenance　for　over　a　thousand　years；　but　Roland　guessed　that　the　real　destruction　might　have　been　going　on　for　only　the　last　fifty　or　so。　As　the　hangers　on　the　right　snapped；　the　bridge　had　listed　farther　and　farther　to　the　left。　The　greatest　twist　had　occurred　in　the　center　of　the　bridge；　between　the　two　four…hundred…foot　cable…towers。　At　the　place　where　the　pressure　of　the　twist　was　the　great…est；　a　gaping；　eye…shaped　hole　ran　across　the　deck。　The　break　in　the　walkway　was　narrower；　but　even　so；　at　least　two　adjoining　concrete　box…sections　had　fallen　into　the　Send；　leaving　a　gap　at　least　twenty　or　thirty　feet　wide。　Where　these　boxes　had　been；　they　could　clearly　see　the　rusty　steel　rod　or　cable　which　supported　the　walkway。　They　would　have　to　use　it　to　get　across　the　gap。
　　〃I　think　we　can　cross；〃　Roland　said；　calmly　pointing。　〃The　gap　is　inconvenient；　but　the　side…rail　is　still　there；　so　we'll　have　something　to　hold　onto。〃
　　Eddie　nodded；　but　he　could　feel　his　heart　pounding　hard。　The　exposed　walkway　support　looked　like　a　big　pipe　made　of　jointed　steel；　and　was　probably　four　feet　across　at　the　top。　In　his　mind's　eye　he　could　see　how　they　would　have　to　edge　across；　feet　on　the　broad；　slightly　curved　back　of　the　support；　hands　clutching　the　rail；　while　the　bridge　swayed　slowly　like　a　ship　in　a　mild　swell。
　　〃Jesus；〃　he　said。　He　tried　to　spit；　but　nothing　came　out。　His　mouth　was　too　dry。　〃You　sure；　Roland？〃
　　〃So　far　as　I　can　see；　it's　the　only　way。〃　Roland　pointed　downriver　and　Eddie　saw　a　second　bridge。　This　one　had　fallen　into　the　Send　long　ago。　The　remains　stuck　out　of　the　water　in　a　rusted　tangle　of　ancient　steel。
　　〃What　about　you；　Jake？〃　Susannah　asked。
　　〃Hey；　no　problem；〃　Jake　said　at　once。　He　was　actually　smiling。
　　〃I　hate　you；　kid；〃　Eddie　said。
　　Roland　was　looking　at　Eddie　with　some　concern。　〃If　you　feel　you　can't　do　it；　say　so　now。　Don't　get　halfway　across　and　then　freeze　up。〃
　　Eddie　looked　along　the　twisted　surface　of　the　bridge　for　a　long　time；　then　nodded。　〃I　guess　I　can　handle　it。　Heights　have　never　been　my　favorite　thing；　but　I'll　manage。〃
　　〃Good。〃　Roland　surveyed　them。　〃Soonest　begun；　soonest　done。　I'll　go　first；　with　Susannah。　Then　Jake；　and　Eddie's　drogue。　Can　you　handle　the　wheelchair？〃
　　〃Hey；　no　problem；〃　Eddie　said　giddily。
　　〃Let's　go；　then。〃
　　
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　　As　SOON　AS　HE　stepped　onto　the　walkway；　fear　filled　up　Eddie's　hollow　places　like　cold　water　and　he　began　to　wonder　if　he　hadn't　made　a　very　dangerous　mistake。　From　solid　ground；　the　bridge　seemed　to　be　swaying　only　a　little；　but　once　he　was　actually　on　it；　he　felt　as　if　he　were　standing　on　the　pendulum　of　the　world's　biggest　grandfather　clock。　The　movement　was　very　slow；　but　it　was　regular；　and　the　length　of　the　swings　was　much　longer　than　he　had　anticipated。　The　walkway's　surface　was　badly　cracked　and　canted　at　least　ten　degrees　to　the　left。　His　feet　gritted　in　loose　piles　of　powdery　concrete；　and　the　low　squealing　sound　of　the　box…segments　grinding　together　was　constant。　Beyond　the　bridge；　the　city　skyline　tilted　slowly　back　and　forth　like　the　artificial　horizon　of　the　world's　slowest…moving　video　game。
　　Overhead；　the　wind　hummed　constantly　in　the　taut　hangers。　Below；　the　ground　fell　away　sharply　to　the　muddy　northwest　bank　of　the　river。　He　was　thirty　feet　up　。。。　then　sixty　。　。　。　then　a　hundred　and　ten。　Soon　he　would　be　over　the　water。　The　wheelchair　banged　against　his　left　leg　with　every　step。
　　Something　furry　brushed　between　his　feet　and　he　clutched　madly　for　the　rusty　handrail　with　his　right　hand；　barely　holding　in　a　scream。　Oy　went　trotting　past　him　with　a　brief　upward　glance；　as　if　to　say　Excuse　mejust　passing。
　　〃Fucking　dumb　animal；〃　Eddie　said　through　gritted　teeth。
　　He　discovered　that；　although　he　didn't　like　looking　down；　he　had　an　even　greater　aversion　to　looking　at　the　hangers　which　were　still　managing　to　hold　the　deck　and　the　overhead　cables　together。　They　were　sleeved　with　rust　and　Eddie　could　see　snarls　of　metal　thread　poking　out　of　most…these　snarls　looked　like　metallic　puffs　of　cotton。　He　knew　from　his　Uncle　Reg；　who　had　worked　on　both　the　George　Washington　and　Triborough　bridges　as　a　painter；　that　the　hangers　and　overhead　cables　were　〃spun〃　from　thousands　of　steel　threads。　On　this　bridge；　the　spin　was　finally　letting　go。　The　hangers　were　quite　literally　being　unravelled；　and　as　they　did；　the　threads　were　snapping；　one　interwoven　strand　at　a　time。
　　It's　held　this　long；　it'll　hold　a　little　longer。　You　think　this　thing's　going　to　fall　into　the　river　just　because　you're　crossing　it？　Don't　flatter　yourself。
　　He　wasn't　forted；　however。　For　all　Eddie　knew；　they　might　be　the　first　people　to　attempt　the　crossing　in　decades。　And　the　bridge；　after　all；　would　have　to　collapse　sometime；　and　from　the　look　of　things；　it　was　going　to　be　soon。　Their　bined　weight　might　be　the　straw　that　broke　the　camel's　back。
　　His　moccasin　struck　a　chunk　of　concrete　and　Eddie　watched；　sick…ened　but　helpless　to　look　away；　as　the　chunk　fell　down　and　down　and　down；　turning　over　as　it　went。　There　was　a　small…very　small…splash　when　it　hit　the　river。　The　freshening