sk.thewastelands-第97节

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　　Blaine　replied　only　with　silence　。　。　。　but　when　the　sphere　began　floating　down　the　corridor；　Roland　and　Jake　followed　it。
　　
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　　JAKE　HAD　NO　CLEAR　memory　of　the　time　which　followed；　and　that　was　probably　merciful。　He　had　left　his　world　over　a　year　before　nine　hundred　people　would　mit　suicide　together　in　a　small　South　American　country　called　Gyana；　but　he　knew　about　the　periodic　death…rushes　of　the　lem…mings；　and　what　was　happening　in　the　disintegrating　undercity　of　the　Grays　was　like　that。
　　There　were　explosions；　some　on　their　level　but　most　far　below　them；　acrid　smoke　occasionally　drifted　from　the　ventilator　grilles；　but　most　of　the　air…purifiers　were　still　working　and　they　whipped　the　worst　of　it　away　before　it　could　gather　in　choking　clouds。　They　saw　no　fires。　Yet　the　Grays　were　reacting　as　if　the　time　of　the　apocalypse　had　e。　Most　only　fled；　their　faces　blank　O's　of　panic；　but　many　had　mitted　suicide　in　the　halls　and　interconnected　rooms　through　which　the　steel　sphere　led　Roland　and　Jake。　Some　had　shot　themselves；　many　more　had　slashed　their　throats　or　wrists；　a　few　appeared　to　have　swallowed　poison。　On　all　the　faces　of　the　dead　was　the　same　expression　of　overmastering　terror。　Jake　could　only　vaguely　understand　what　had　driven　them　to　this。　Roland　had　a　better　idea　of　what　had　happened　to　them…to　their　minds…when　the　long…dead　city　first　came　to　life　around　them　and　then　seemed　to　mence　tearing　itself　apart。　And　it　was　Roland　who　understood　that　Blaine　was　doing　it　on　purpose。　That　Blaine　was　driving　them　to　it。
　　They　ducked　around　a　man　hanging　from　an　overhead　heating…duct　and　pounded　down　a　flight　of　steel　stairs　behind　the　floating　steel　ball。
　　〃Jake！〃　Roland　shouted。　〃You　never　let　me　in　at　all；　did　you？〃
　　Jake　shook　his　head。
　　〃I　didn't　think　so。　It　was　Blaine。〃
　　They　reached　the　bottom　of　the　stairs　and　hurried　along　a　narrow　corridor　toward　a　hatch　with　the　words　ABSOLUTELY　NO　ADMITTANCE　printed　on　it　in　the　spiked　letters　of　the　High　Speech。
　　〃Is　it　Blaine？〃　Jake　asked。
　　〃Yes…that's　as　good　a　name　as　any。〃
　　〃What　about　the　other　v…〃
　　〃Hush！〃　Roland　said　grimly。
　　The　steel　ball　paused　in　front　of　the　hatchway。　The　wheel　spun　and　the　hatch　popped　ajar。　Roland　pulled　it　open；　and　they　stepped　into　a　huge　underground　room　which　stretched　away　in　three　directions　as　far　as　they　could　see。　It　was　filled　with　seemingly　endless　aisles　of　control　panels　and　electronic　equipment。　Most　of　the　panels　were　still　dark　and　dead；　but　as　Jake　and　Roland　stood　inside　the　door；　looking　about　with　wide　eyes；　they　could　see　pilot…lights　ing　on　and　hear　machinery　cycling　up。
　　〃The　Tick…Tock　Man　said　there　were　thousands　of　puters；〃　Jake　said。　〃I　guess　he　was　right。　My　God；　look！〃
　　Roland　did　not　understand　the　word　Jake　had　used　and　so　said　nothing。　He　only　watched　as　row　after　row　of　panels　lit　up。　A　cloud　of　sparks　and　a　momentary　tongue　of　green　fire　jumped　from　one　of　the　consoles　as　some　ancient　piece　of　equipment　malfunctioned。
　　Most　of　the　machinery；　however；　appeared　to　be　up　and　running　just　fine。　Needles　which　hadn't　moved　in　centuries　suddenly　jumped　into　the　green。　Huge　aluminum　cylinders　spun；　spilling　data　stored　on　silicon　chips　into　memory　banks　which　were　once　more　wide　awake　and　ready　for　input。　Digital　displays；　indicating　everything　from　the　mean　aquifer　water…pressure　in　the　West　River　Barony　to　available　power　amperage　in　the　hibernating　Send　Basin　Nuclear　Plant；　lit　up　in　brilliant　dot…matrices　of　red　and　green。　Overhead；　banks　of　hanging　globes　began　to　flash　on；　radiating　outward　in　spokes　of　light。　And　from　below；　above；　and　around　them…from　everywhere…came　the　deep　bass　hum　of　generators　and　slo…trans　engines　awakening　from　their　long　sleep。
　　Juke　had　begun　to　flag　badly。　Roland　swept　him　into　his　arms　again　and　chased　the　steel　ball　past　machines　at　whose　function　and　intent　he　could　not　even　guess。　Oy　ran　at　his　heels。　The　ball　banked　left；　and　the　aisle　in　which　they　now　found　themselves　ran　between　banks　of　TV　monitors；　thousands　of　them；　stacked　in　rows　like　a　child's　building　blocks。
　　My　dad　would　love　it；　Jake　thought。
　　Some　sections　of　this　vast　video　arcade　were　still　dark；　but　many　of　the　screens　were　on。　They　showed　a；　city　in　chaos；　both　above　and　below。　Clumps　of　Pubes　surged　pointlessly　through　the　streets；　eyes　wide；　mouths　moving　soundlessly。　Many　were　leaping　from　the　tall　buildings。　Jake　observed　with　horror　that　hundreds　more　had　congregated　at　the　Send　Bridge　and　were　throwing　themselves　into　the　river。　Other　screens　showed　large；　cot…filled　rooms　like　dormitories。　Some　of　these　rooms　were　on　fire；　but　the　panic…stricken　Grays　seemed　to　be　setting　the　fires　themselves…torching　their　own　mattresses　and　furniture　for　God　alone　knew　what　reason。
　　One　screen　showed　a　barrel…chested　giant　tossing　men　and　women　into　what　looked　like　a　blood…spattered　stamping　press。　This　was　bad　enough；　but　there　was　something　worse：　the　victims　were　standing　in　an　unguarded　line；　docilely　waiting　their　turns。　The　executioner；　his　yellow　scarf　pulled　tight　over　his　skull　and　the　knotted　ends　swinging　below　his　ears　like　pigtails；　seized　an　old　woman　and　held　her　up；　waiting　patiently　for　the　stainless　steel　block　of　metal　to　clear　the　killing　floor　so　he　could　toss　her　in。　The　old　woman　did　not　struggle；　seemed；　in　fact；　to　be　smiling。
　　〃IN　THE　ROOMS　THE　PEOPLE　E　AND　GO；〃　Blaine　said；　〃BUT　I　DON'T　THINK　ANY　OF　THEM　ARE　TALKING　OF　MICHELANGELO。〃　He　suddenly　laughed…strange；　tittery　laughter　that　sounded　like　rats　scampering　over　broken　glass。　The　sound　sent　chills　chasing　up　Jake's　neck。　He　wanted　nothing　at　all　to　do　with　an　intelligence　that　laughed　like　that　。　。　。　but　what　choice　did　they　have？
　　He　turned　his　gaze　helplessly　back　to　the　monitors　。　。　。　and　Roland　at　once　turned　his　head　away。　He　did　this　gently　but　firmly。　〃There's　nothing　there　you　need　to　look　at；　Jake；〃　he　said。
　　〃But　why　are　they　doing　it？〃　Jake　asked。　He　had　eaten　nothing　all　day；　but　he　still　felt　like　vomiting。　〃Why？〃
　　〃Because　they're　frightened；　and　Blaine　is　feeding　their　fear。　But　mostly；　I　think；　because　they've　lived　too　long　in　the　graveyard　of　their　grandfathers　and　they're　tired　of　it。　And　before　you　pity　them；　remember　how　happy　they　would　have　been　to　take　you　along　with　them　into　the　clearing　where　the　path　ends。〃
　　The　steel　ball　zipped　around　another　corner；　leaving　the　TV　screens　and　electronic　monitoring　equipment　behind。　Ahead；　a　wide　ribbon　of　some　synthetic　stuff　was　set　into　the　floor。　It　gleamed　like　fresh　tar　between　two　narrow　strips　of　chrome　steel　that　dwindled　to　a　point　on　what　was　not　the　far　side　of　this　room；　but　its　horizon。
　　The　ball　bounced　impatiently　above　the　dark　strip；　and　suddenly　the　belt…for　that　was　what　it　was…swept　into　silent　motion；　trundling　along　between　its　steel　facings　at　jogging　speed。　The　ball　made　small　arcs　in　the　air；　urging　them　to　climb　on。
　　Roland　trotted　beside　the　moving　strip　until　he　was　roughly　match…ing　its　speed；　then　did　just　that。　He　set　Jake　down　and　the　three　of　them…gunslinger；　boy；　and　golden…eyed　bumbler…were　carried　rapidly　across　this　shadowy　underground　plain　where　the　ancient　machines　were　awakening。　The　moving　strip　carried　them　into　an　area　of　what　looked　like　filing　cabinets…row　after　endless　row　of　them。　They　were　dark　。　。　。　but　not　dead。　A　low；　sleepy　humming　sound　came　from　within　them；　and　Jake　could　see　hairline　cracks　of　bright　yellow　light　shining　between　the　steel　panels。
　　He　suddenly　found　himself　thinking　of　the　Tick…Tock　Man。
　　There's　maybe　a　hundred　thousand　of　those　ever…fucking　dipolar　puters　under　the　ever…fucking　city！　I　want　those　puters！
　　Well；　Jake　thought；　they're　waking　up；　so　I　guess　you're　getting　what　you　wanted；　Ticky　。　。　。　but　if　you　were　here；　I'm　not　sure　you'd　still　want　it。
　　Then　he　remembered　Tick…Tock's　great…grandfather；　who'd　been　brave　enough　to　climb　into　an　airplane　from　another　world　and　take　it　into　the　sky。　With　that　kind　of　blood　running　in　his　veins；　Jake　supposed；　Tick…Tock；　far　from　being　frightened　to　the　point　of　suicide；　would　have　been　delighted　by　this　turn　of　events　。　。　。　and　the　more　people　who　killed　themselves　in　terror；　the　happier　he　would　have　been。
　　Too　late　now；　Ticky；　he　thought。　Thank　God。
　　Roland　spoke　in　a　soft；　wondering　voice。　〃All　these　boxes　。。。　I　think　we're　riding　through　the　mind　of　the　thing　that　calls　itself　Blaine；　Jake。　/　think　we're　riding　through　its　mind。〃
　　Jake　nodded；　and　found　himself　thinking　of　his　Final　Essay。　〃Blaine　the　Brain　is　a　hell　of　a　pain。〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　Jake　looked　closely　at　Roland。　〃Are　we　going　to　e　out　where　I　think　we're　going　to　e　out？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　Roland　said。　〃If　we're　still　following　the　Path　of　the　Beam；　we'll　e　out　in　the　Cradle。〃
　　Jake　nodded。　〃Roland？〃
　　〃What？〃
　　〃Thanks　for　ing　after　me。〃
　　Roland　nodded　and　put　an　arm　around　Jake's　shoulders。
　　Far　ahead　of　them；　huge　motors　rumbled　to　life。　A　moment　later　a　heavy　grinding　sound　began　and　new　light…the　harsh　glow　of　orange　arc…sodiums…flooded　down　on　them。　Jake　could　now　see　the　place　where　the　moving　belt　stopped。　Beyond　it　was　a　steep；　narrow　escalator；　l