sk.petsematary-第26部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

elt　us　going　downhill？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃This　is　the　edge　of　what　the　Micmacs　used　to　call　Little　Cod　Swamp。　The　fur　traders　who　came　through　called　it　Dead　Man's　Bog；　and　most　of　them　who　came　once　and　got　out　never　came　gain。〃
　　〃Is　there　quicksand？〃
　　〃Oh；　ayuh；　quicksand　aplenty！　Streams　that　bubble　up　through　a　big　deposit　of　quartz　sand　left　over　from　the　glacier。　Silica　sand；　we　always　called　it；　although　there's　probably　a　proper　name　for　it。〃
　　Jud　looked　at　him；　and　for　a　moment　Louis　thought　he　saw　something　bright　and　not　pletely　pleasant　in　the　old　man's　eyes。
　　Then　Jud　shifted　the　flashlight　and　that　look　was　gone。
　　〃There's　a　lot　of　funny　things　down　this　way；　Louis。　The　air's　heavier。　。　。　more　electrical。　。　。　or　somethin。〃
　　Louis　started。
　　〃What's　wrong？〃
　　〃Nothing；〃　Louis　said；　thinking　of　that　night　on　the　dead…end　road。
　　〃You　might　see　St。　Elmo's　fire…what　the　sailors　call　foo…lights。　It　makes　funny　shapes；　but　it's　nothing。　If　you　should　see　some　of　those　shapes　and　they　bother　you；　just　look　the　other　way。　You　may　hear　sounds　like　voices；　but　they　are　the　loons　down　south　toward　Prospect。　The　sound　carries。　It's　funny。〃
　　〃Loons？〃　Louis　said　doubtfully。　〃This　time　of　year？〃
　　〃Oh；　ayuh；〃　Jud　said　again；　and　his　voice　was　terribly　bland　and　totally　unreadable。　For　a　moment　Louis　wished　desperately　he　could　see　the　old　man's　face　again。　That　look…　〃Jud；　where　are　we　going？　What　the　hell　are　we　doing　out　here　in　the　back　of　the　beyond？〃
　　〃I'll　tell　you　when　we　get　there。〃　Jud　turned　away。　〃Mind　the　tussocks。〃
　　They　began　to　walk　again；　stepping　from　one　broad　hummock　to　the　next。　Louis　did　not　feel　for　them。　His　feet　seemed　to　find　them　automatically；　with　no　effort　from　him。　He　slipped　only　once；　his　left　shoe　breaking　through　a　thin　scum　of　ice　and　dipping　into　cold　and　somehow　slimy　standing　water。　He　pulled　it　out　quickly　and　went　on；　following　Jud's　bobbing　light。　That　light；　floating　through　the　woods；　brought　back　memories　of　the　pirate　tales　he　had　liked　to　read　as　a　boy。　Evil　men　off　to　bury　gold　doubloons　by　the　dark　of　the　moon。　。　。　and　of　course　one　of　them　would　be　tumbled　into　the　pit　on　top　of　the　chest；　a　bullet　in　his　heart；　because　the　pirates　had　believed…or　so　the　authors　of　these　lurid　tales　solemnly　attested…that　the　dead　rade's　ghost　would　remain　there　to　guard　the　swag。
　　Except　it's　not　treasure　we've　e　to　bury。　Just　my　daughter's　castrated　cat。
　　He　felt　wild　laughter　bubble　up　inside　and　stifled　it。
　　He　did　not　hear　any　〃sounds　like　voices；〃　nor　did　he　see　any　St。　Elmo's　fire；　but　after　stepping　over　half　a　dozen　tussocks；　he　looked　down　and　saw　that　his　feet；　calves；　knees；　and　lower　thighs　had　disappeared　into　a　ground　fog　that　was　perfectly　smooth；　perfectly　white；　and　perfectly　opaque。　It　was　like　moving　through　the　world's　lightest　drift　of　snow。
　　The　air　seemed　to　have　a　quality　of　light　in　it　now；　and　it　was　warmer；　he　could　have　sworn　it。　He　could　see　Jud　before　him；　moving　steadily　along；　the　blunt　end　of　the　pick　hooked　over　his　shoulder。　The　pick　enhanced　the　illusion　of　a　man　intent　on　burying　treasure。
　　That　crazy　sense　of　exhilaration　persisted；　and　he　suddenly　wondered　if　maybe　Rachel　was　trying　to　call　him；　if；　back　in　the　house；　the　phone　was　ringing　and　ringing；　making　its　rational；　prosaic　sound。　If…　He　almost　walked　into　Jud's　back　again。　The　old　man　had　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　path。　His　head　was　cocked　to　one　side。　His　mouth　was　pursed　and　tense。
　　〃Jud？　What's…〃
　　〃Shhh！〃
　　Louis　hushed；　looking　around　uneasily。　Here　the　ground　mist　was　thinner；　but　he　still　couldn't　see　his　own　shoes。　Then　he　heard　crackling　underbrush　and　breaking　branches。　Something　was　moving　out　there…something　big。
　　He　opened　his　mouth　to　ask　Jud　if　it　was　a　moose　（bear　was　the　thought　that　actually　crossed　his　mind）；　and　then　he　closed　it　again。　The　sound　carries；　Jud　had　said。
　　He　cocked　his　head　to　one　side　in　unconscious　imitation　of　Jud；　unaware　that　he　was　doing　it；　and　listened。　The　sound　seemed　at　first　distant；　then　very　close；　moving　away　arid　then　moving　ominously　toward　them。　Louis　felt　the　sweat　on　his　forehead　begin　to　trickle　down　his　chapped　cheeks。　He　shifted　the　Hefty　Bag　with　Church's　body　in　it　from　one　hand　to　the　other。　His　palm　had　dampened；　and　the　green　plastic　seemed　greasy；　wanting　to　slide　through　his　fist。　Now　the　thing　out　there　seemed　so　close　that　Louis　expected　to　see　its　shape　at　any　moment；　rising　up　on　two　legs；　perhaps；　blotting　out　the　stars　with　some　unthought…of；　immense　and　shaggy　body。
　　Bear　was　no　longer　what　he　was　thinking　of。
　　Now　he　didn't　know　just　what　he　was　thinking　of。
　　Then　it　moved　away　and　disappeared。
　　Louis　opened　his　mouth　again；　the　words　What　was　that？　already　on　his　tongue。　Then　a　shrill；　maniacal　laugh　came　out　of　the　darkness；　rising　and　falling　in　hysterical　cycles；　loud；　piercing；　chilling。　To　Louis　it　seemed　that　every　joint　in　his　body　had　frozen　solid　and　that　he　had　somehow　gained　weight；　so　much　weight　that　if　he　turned　to　run　he　would　plunge　down　and　out　of　sight　in　the　swampy　ground。
　　The　laughter　rose；　split　into　dry　cackles　like　some　rottenly　friable　chunk　of　rock　along　many　fault　lines；　it　reached　the　pitch　of　a　scream；　then　sank　into　a　guttural　chuckling　that　might　have　bee　sobs　before　it　faded　out　altogether。
　　Somewhere　there　was　a　drip　of　water　and　above　them；　like　a　steady　river　in　a　bed　of　sky；　the　monotonous　whine　of　the　wind。　Otherwise　Little　God　Swamp　was　silent。
　　Louis　began　to　shudder　all　over。　His　flesh…particularly　that　of　his　lower　belly…began　to　creep。　Yes；　creep　was　the　right　word；　his　flesh　actually　seemed　to　be　moving　on　his　body。　His　mouth　was　totally　dry。　There　seemed　to　be　no　spit　at　all　left　in　it。　Yet　that　feeling　of　exhilaration　persisted；　an　unshakable　lunacy。
　　〃What　in　Christ's　name？〃　he　whispered　hoarsely　to　Jud。
　　Jud　turned　to　look　at　him；　and　in　the　dim　light　Louis　thought　the　old　man　looked　a　hundred　and　twenty。　There　was　no　sign　of　that　odd；　dancing　light　in　his　eyes　now。　His　face　was　drawn；　and　there　was　stark　terror　in　his　eyes。　But　when　he　spoke；　his　voice　was　steady　enough。　〃Just　a　loon；〃　he　said。　〃e　on。　Almost　there。〃
　　They　went　on。　The　tussocks　became　firm　ground　again。　For　a　few　moments　Louis　had　a　sensation　of　open　space；　although　that　dim　glow　in　the　air　had　now　faded；　and　it　was　all　he　could　do　to　make　out　Jud's　back　three　feet　in　front　of　him。　Short　grass　stiff　with　frost　was　underfoot。　It　broke　like　glass　at　every　step。　Then　they　were　in　the　trees　again。　He　could　smell　aromatic　fir；　feel　needles。　Occasionally　a　twig　or　a　branch　scraped　against　him。
　　Louis　had　lost　all　sense　of　time　or　direction；　but　they　did　not　walk　long　before　Jud　stopped　again　and　turned　toward　him。
　　〃Steps　here；〃　he　said。　〃Cut　into　rock。　Forty…two　or　forty…four；　I　disremember　which。　Just　follow　me。　We　get　to　the　top　and　we're　there。〃
　　He　began　to　climb　again；　and　again　Louis　followed。
　　The　stone　steps　were　wide　enough；　but　the　sense　of　the　ground　dropping　away　was　unsettling。　Here　and　there　his　shoe　gritted　on　a　strew　of　pebbles　and　stone　fragments
　　。　。　。　twelve。　。　。　thirteen。　。　。　fourteen。
　　The　wind　was　sharper；　colder；　quickly　numbing　his　face。　Are　we　above　the　treeline？　he　wondered。　He　looked　up　and　saw　a　billion　stars；　cold　lights　in　the　darkness。　Never　in　his　life　had　the　stars　made　him　feel　so　pletely　small；　infinitesimal；　without　meaning。　He　asked　himself　the　old　question…is　there　anything　intelligent　out　there？…and　instead　of　wonder；　the　thought　brought　a　horrid　cold　feeling；　as　if　he　had　asked　himself　what　it　might　be　like　to　eat　a　handful　of　squirming　bugs。
　　twenty…six。　。　。　twenty…seven。　。　。　twenty…eight。
　　Who　carved　these；　anyway？　Indians？　The　Micmacs？　Were　they　tool…bearing　Indians？　I'll　have　to　ask　Jud。　〃Tool…bearing　Indians〃　made　him　think　of　〃fur…bearing　animals；〃　and　that　made　him　think　of　that　thing　that　had　been　moving　near　them　in　the　woods。　One　foot　stumbled；　and　he　raked　a　gloved　hand　along　the　rock　wall　to　his　left　for　balance。　The　wall　felt　old；　chipped　and　channeled　and　wrinkled。　Like　dry　skin　that's　almost　worn　out；　he　thought。
　　〃You　all　right；　Louis？〃　Jud　murmured。
　　〃I'm　okay；〃　he　said；　although　he　was　nearly　out　of　breath　and　his　muscles　throbbed　from　the　weight　of　Church　in　the　bag。
　　forty…two。　。　。　forty…three。　。　。　forty…four。
　　〃Forty…five；〃　Jud　said。　〃I've　forgot。　Haven't　been　up　here　in　twelve　years；　I　guess。　Don't　suppose　I'll　ever　have　a　reason　to　e　again。　Here。　。　。　up　you　e　and　up　you　get。〃
　　He　grabbed　Louis's　arm　and　helped　him　up　the　last　step。
　　〃We're　here；〃　Jud　said。
　　Louis　looked　around。　He　could　see　well　enough；　the　starlight　was　dim　but　adequate。　They　were　standing　on　a　rocky；　rubble　strewn　plate　of　rock　which　slid　out　of　the　thin　earth　directly　ahead　like　a　dark　tongue。　Looking　the　other　way；　he　could　see　the　tops　of　the　fir　trees　they　had　e　through　in　order　to　reach　the　steps。　They　had　apparently　climbed　to　the　top　of　some　weird；　flat…topped　mesa；　a　geological　anomaly　that　would　have　seemed　far　more　normal　in　Arizona　or　New　Mexico。　Because　the　grassed…over　top　of　the　mesa…or　hill；　or　trunc