stephen king - mist-第6部分

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er。
　〃e　on；　Dad！　〃　Billy　was　tugging　at　my　pants。
　We　all　went　back　to　the　kitchen。　Brent　Norton　spared　one　final　glance　at　the　tree　that　had　crashed　into　our　living　room。
　〃Too　bad　it　wasn't　an　apple　tree；　huh？〃　Billy　remarked　brightly。　〃That's　what　my　mom　said。　Pretty　funny；　don't　you　think？〃
　〃Your　mother's　a　real　card；　Billy；〃　Norton　said。　He　ruffled　Billy's　hair　in　a　perfunctory　way　and　his　eyes　went　to　the　front　of　Steff's　T…shirt　again。　No；　he　was　not　a　man　I　was　ever　going　to　be　able　to　really　like。
　〃Listen；　why　don't　you　e　with　us；　Steff？〃　I　asked。　For　no　concrete　reason　I　suddenly　wanted　her　to　e　along。
　〃No；　I　think　I'll　stay　here　and　pull　some　weeds　in　the　garden；〃　she　said。　Her　eyes　shifted　toward　Norton　and　then　back　to　me。　〃This　morning　it　seems　like　I'm　the　only　thing　around　here　that　doesn't　run　on　electricity。〃
　Norton　laughed　too　heartily。
　I　was　getting　her　message；　but　tried　one　more　time。　〃You　sure　？〃
　〃Sure；〃　she　said　firmly。　〃The　old　bend　…and　…stretch　will　do　me　good。〃
　〃Well；　don't　get　too　much　sun。〃
　〃I'll　put　on　my　straw　hat。　We'll　have　sandwiches　when　you　get　back。〃
　〃Good。〃
　She　turned　her　face　up　to　be　kissed。　〃Be　careful。　There　might　be　blowdowns　on　Kansas　Road　too；　you　know。〃
　〃I'll　be　careful。〃
　〃You　be　careful；　too；〃　she　told　Billy；　and　kissed　his　cheek。
　〃Right；　Mom。〃　He　banged　out　of　the　door　and　the　screen　cracked　shut　behind　him。
　Norton　and　I　walked　out　after　him。　〃Why　don't　we　go　over　to　your　place　and　cut　the　tree　off　your　Bird？〃　I　asked　him。　All　of　a　sudden　I　could　think　of　lots　of　reasons　to　delay　leaving　for　town。
　〃I　don't　even　want　to　look　at　it　until　after　lunch　and　a　few　more　of　these〃　Norton　said；　holding　up　his　beer　can。　〃The　damage　has　been　done；　Dave　old　buddy。〃
　I　didn't　like　him　calling　me　buddy；　either。
　We　all　got　into　the　front　seat　of　the　Scout　（in　the　far　corner　of　the　garage　my　scarred　Fisher　plow　blade　sat　glimmering　yellow；　like　the　ghost　of　Christmas　yet…to…e）　and　I　backed　out；　crunching　over　a　litter　of　storm…blown　twigs。　Steff　was　standing　on　the　cement　path　which　leads　to　the　vegetable　patch　at　the　extreme　west　end　of　；　our　property。　She　had　a　pair　of　clippers　in　one　gloved　hand　and　the　weeding　claw　in　the　other。　She　had　put　on　her　old　floppy　sunhat；　and　it　cast　a　band　of　shadow　over　her　face。　I　tapped　the　horn　twice；　lightly；　and　she　raised　the　hand　holding　the　clippers　in　answer。　We　pulled　out。　I　haven't　seen　my　wife　since　then。
　We　had　to　stop　once　on　our　way　up　to　Kansas　Road。　Since　the　power　truck　had　driven　through；　a　pretty　fair…sized　pine　had　dropped　across　the　road。　Norton　and　I　got　out　and　moved　it　enough　so　I　could　inch　the　Scout　by；　getting　our　hands　all　pitchy　in　the　process。　Billy　wanted　to　help　but　I　waved　him　back。　I　was　afraid　he　might　get　poked　in　the　eye。　Old　trees　have　always　reminded　me　of　the　Ents　in　Tolkien's　wonderful　Rings　saga；　only　Ents　that　have　gone　bad。　Old　trees　want　to　hurt　you。　It　doesn't　matter　if　you're　snowshoeing；　cross…country　skiing；　or　just　taking　a　walk　in　the　woods。　Old　trees　want　to　hurt　you；　and　I　think　they'd　kill　you　if　they　could。
　Kansas　Road　itself　was　clear；　but　in　several　places　we　saw　more　lines　down。　About　a　quarter…mile　past　the　Vicki…Linn　Campground　there　was　a　power　pole　lying　full…length　in　the　ditch；　heavy　wires　snarled　around　its　top　like　wild　hair。
　〃That　was　some　storm；〃　Norton　said　in　his　mellifluous；　courtroom…　trained　voice；　but　he　didn't　seem　to　be　pontificating　now；　only　solemn。
　〃Yeah；　it　was。〃
　〃Look；　Dad！〃
　He　was　pointing　at　the　remains　of　the　Ellitches'　barn。　For　twelve　years　it　had　been　sagging　tiredly　in　Tommy　Ellitch's　back　field；　up　to　its　hips　in　sunflowers；　goldenrod；　and　Lolly…e…see…me。　Every　fall　I　would　think　it　could　not　last　through　another　winter。　And　every　spring　it　would　still　be　there。　But　it　wasn't　anymore。　All　that　remained　was　a　splintered　wreckage　and　a　roof　that　had　been　mostly　stripped　of　shingles。　Its　number　had　e　up。　And　for　some　reason　that　echoed　solemnly；　even　ominously；　inside　me。　The　storm　had　e　and　smashed　it　flat。
　Norton　drained　his　beer；　crushed　the　can　in　one　hand；　and　dropped　it　indifferently　to　the　floor　of　the　Scout。　Billy　opened　his　mouth　to　say　something　and　then　closed　it　again…good　boy。　Norton　came　from　New　Jersey；　where　there　was　no　bottle…can…law；　I　guess　he　could　be　forgiven　for　squashing　my　nickel　when　I　could　barely　remember　not　to　do　it　myself。
　Billy　started　fooling　with　the　radio；　and　I　asked　him　to　see　if　WOXO　was　back　on　the　air。　He　dialed　up　to　FM　92　and　got　nothing　but　a　blank　hum。　He　looked　at　me　and　shrugged。　I　thought　for　a　moment。　What　other　stations　were　on　the　far　side　of　that　peculiar　fog　front？
　〃Try；　WBLM；〃　I　said。
　He　dialed　down　to　the　other　end；　passing　WJBQ…FM　and　WIGY…FM　on　the　way。　They　were　there；　doing　business　as　usual　。。。　but　WBLM；　Maine's　premier　progressive…rock　station；　was　off　the　air。
　〃Funny；〃　I　said。
　〃What's　that？〃　Norton　asked。
　〃Nothing。　Just　thinking　out　loud。〃
　Billy　had　tuned　back　to　the　musical　cereal　on　WJBQ。　Pretty　soon　we　got　to　town。
　The　Norge　Washateria　in　the　shopping　center　was　closed；　it　being　impossible　to　run　a　coin…op　laundry　without　electricity；　but　both　the　Bridgton　Pharmacy　and　the　Federal　Foods　Supermarket　were　open。　The　parking　lot　was　pretty　full；　and　as　always　in　the　middle　of　the　summer；　a　lot　of　the　cars　had　out…of…state　plates。　Little　knots　of　people　stood　here　and　there　in　the　sun；　noodling　about　the　storm；　women　with　women；　men　with　men。
　I　saw　Mrs。　Carmody；　she　of　the　stuffed　animals　and　the　stump…water　lore。　She　sailed　into　the　supermarket　decked　out　in　an　amazing　canary…yellow　pantsuit。　A　purse　that　looked　the　size　of　a　small　Samsonite　suitcase　was　slung　over　one　forearm。　Then　an　idiot　on　a　Yamaha　roared　past　me；　missing　my　front　bumper　by　a　few　scant　inches。　He　wore　a　denim　jacket；　mirror　sunglasses；　and　no　helmet。
　〃Look　at　that　stupid　shit；〃　Norton　growled。
　I　circled　the　parking　lot　once；　looking　for　a　good　space。　There　were　none。　I　was　just　resigning　myself　to　a　long　walk　from　the　far　end　of　the　lot　when　I　got　lucky。　A　lime…green　Cadillac　the　size　of　a　small　cabin　cruiser　was　easing　out　of　a　slot　in　the　rank　closest　to　the　market's　doors。　The　moment　it　was　gone；　I　slid　into　the　space。
　I　gave　Billy　Steffs　shopping　list。　He　was　five；　but　he　could　read　printing。　〃Get　a　cart　and　get　started。　I　want　to　give　your　mother　a　jingle。　Mr。　Norton　will　help　you。　And　I'll　be　right　along。〃
　We　got　out　and　Billy　immediately　grabbed　Mr。　Norton's　hand。　He'd　been　taught　not　to　cross　the　parking　lot　without　holding　an　adult's　hand　when　he　was　younger　and　hadn't　yet　lost　the　habit。　Norton　looked　surprised　for　a　moment；　and　then　smiled　a　little。　I　could　almost　forgive　him　for　feeling　Steff　up　with　his　eyes。　The　two　of　them　went　into　the　market。
　I　strolled　over　to　the　pay　phone；　which　was　on　the　wall　between　the　drugstore　and　the　Norge。　A　sweltering　woman　in　a　purple　sunsuit　was　jogging　the　cutoff　switch　up　and　down。　I　stood　behind　her　with　my　hands　in　my　pockets；　wondering　why　I　felt　so　uneasy　about　Steff；　and　why　the　unease　should　be　all　wrapped　up　with　that　line　of　white　but　unsparkling　fog；　the　radio　stations　that　were　off　the　air
　and　the　Arrowhead　Project。
　The　woman　in　the　purple　sunsuit　had　a　sunburn　and　freckles　on　her　fat　shoulders。　She　looked　like　a　sweaty　orange　baby。　She　slammed　the　phone　back　down　on　its　cradle；　turned　toward　the　drugstore　and　saw　me　there。
　〃Save　your　dime；〃　she　said。　〃Just　dah…dah…dah。〃　She　walked　grumpily　away。
　I　almost　slapped　my　forehead。　The　phone　lines　were　down　someplace；　of　course。　Some　of　them　were　underground；　but　nowhere　near　all　of　them。　I　tried　the　phone　anyway。　The　pay　phones　in　the　area　are　what　Steff　calls　Paranoid　Pay　Phones。　Instead　of　putting　your　dime　right　in；　you　get　a　dial　tone　and　make　your　call。　When　someone　answers；　there's　an　automatic　cutoff　and　you　have　to　shove　your　dime　in　before　your　party　hangs　up。　They're　irritating；　but　that　day　it　did　save　me　my　dime。　There　was　no　dial　tone。　As　the　lady　had　said；　it　was　just　dah…dah…dah。
　I　hung　up　and　walked　slowly　toward　the　market；　just　in　time　to　see　an　amusing　little　incident。　An　elderly　couple　walked　toward　the　IN　door；　chatting　together。　And　still　chatting；　they　walked　right　into　it。　They　stopped　talking　in　a　jangle　and　the　woman　squawked　her　surprise。　They　stared　at　each　other　ically。　Then　they　laughed；　and　the　old　guy　pushed　the　door　open　for　his　wife　with　some　effort…those　electric…eye　doors　are　heavy　…　and　they　went　in。　When　the　electricity　goes　off；　it　catches　you　in　a　hundred　different　ways。
　I　pushed　the　door　open　myself　and　noticed　the　lack　of　air　conditioning　first　thing。　Usually　in　the　summer　they　have　it　cranked　up　high　enough　to　give　you　frostbite　if　you　stay　in　the　market　more　than　an　hour　at　a　stretch。
　Like　most　modern　markets；　the　Federal　was　constructed　like　a　Skinner　box…modern　marketing　techniques　turn　all　customers　into　white　rats。　The　stuff　you　really　needed；　staples；　like　bread；　milk；　meat；　beer；　and　frozen　dinners；　was　all　on　the　far　side　of　the　store。　To　get　there　you　had　to　walk　past　all　the　impulse　items　known　to　modern　man…everything　from　Cricket　lighters　to　rubber　dog　bones。