jg.atimetokill-第1部分

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hree…year　veteran　of　the　state　penitentiary　at　Parchm^an。　Possession；　with　intent　to　sell。　He　was　a　lean；　tough　little　punk　who　had　survived　prison　by　somehow　maintaining　a　ready　supply　of　drugs　th^at　he　sold　and　sometimes　gave　to　the　blacks　and　the　guards　for　protection。　In　the　year　since　his　release　he　had　continued　to　prosper；　and　his　small…time　narcotics　business　had　elevated　him　to　the　position　of　one　of　the　more　affluent　rednecks　in　Ford　County。　He　was　a　businessman；　with　employees；　obligations；　deals；　everything　but　taxes。　Down　at　the　Ford　place　in　Clanton　he　was　known　as　the　last　man　in　recent　history　to　pay　cash　for　a　new　pickup　truck。　Sixteen　thousand　cash；　for　a　custom…built；　four…wheel　drive；　canary　yellow；　luxury　Ford　pickup。　The　fancy　chrome　wheels　and　mudgrip　racing　tires　had　been　received　in　a　business　deal。　The　rebel　flag　hanging　across　the　rear　window　had　been　stolen　by　Cobb　from　a　drunken　fraternity　boy　at　an　Ole　Miss　football　game。　The　pickup　was　Billy　Ray's　most　prized　possession。　He　sat　on　the　tailgate　drinking　a　beer；　smoking　a　joint；　watching　his　friend　Willard　take　his　turn　with　the　black　girl。
　Willard　was　four　years　older　and　a　dozen　years　slower。　He　was　generally　a　harmless　sort　who　had　never　been　in　serious　trouble　and　had　never　been　seriously　employed。　Maybe　an　occasional　fight　with　a　night　in　jail；　but　nothing　that　would　distinguish　him。　He　called　himself　a　pulpwood　cutter；　but　a　bad　back　customarily　kept　him　out　of　the　woods。　He　had　hurt　his　back　working　on　an　offshore　rig　somewhere　in　the　Gulf；　and　the　oil　pany　paid　him　a　nice　settlement；　which　he　lost　when　his　ex…wife　cleaned　him　out。　His　primary　vocation　was　that　of　a　part…time　employee　of　Billy　Ray　Cobb；　who　didn't　pay　much　but　was　liberal　with　his　dope。　For　the　first　time　in　years　Willard　could　always　get　his　hands　on　something。　And　he　always　needed　something。　He'd　been　that　way　since　he　hurt　his　back。
　She　was　ten；　and　small　for　her　age。　She　lay　on　her
　elbows；　which　were　stuck　and　bound　together　with　yellow　nylon　rope。　Her　legs　were　spread　grotesquely　with　the　right　foot　tied　tight　to　an　oak　sapling　and　the　left　to　a　rotting；　leaning　post　of　a　long…neglected　fence。　The　ski　rope　had　cut　into　her　ankles　and　the　blood　ran　down　her　legs。　Her　face　was　bloody　and　swollen；　with　one　eye　bulging　and　closed　and　the　other　eye　half　open　so　she　could　see　the　other　white　man　sitting　on　the　truck。　She　did　not　look　at　the　man　on　top　of　her。　He　was　breathing　hard　and　sweating　and　cursing。　He　was　hurting　her。
　When　he　finished；　he　slapped　her　and　laughed；　and　the　other　man　laughed　in　return；　then　they　laughed　harder　and　rolled　around　the　grass　by　the　truck　like　two　crazy　men；　screaming　and　laughing。　She　turned　away　from　them　and　cried　softly；　careful　to　keep　herself　quiet。　She　had　been　slapped　earlier　for　crying　and　screaming。　They　promised　to　kill　her　if　she　didn't　keep　quiet。
　They　grew　tired　of　laughing　and　pulled　themselves　onto　the　tailgate；　where　Willard　cleaned　himself　with　the　little　nigger's　shirt；　which　by　now　was　soaked　with　blood　and　sweat。　Cobb　handed　him　a　cold　beer　from　the　cooler　and　mented　on　the　humidity。　They　watched　her　as　she　sobbed　and　made　strange；　quiet　sounds；　then　became　still。　Cobb's　beer　was　half　empty；　and　it　was　not　cold　anymore。　He　threw　it　at　the　girl。　It　hit　her　in　the　stomach；　splashing　white　foam；　and　it　rolled　off　in　the　dirt　near　some　other　cans；　all　of　which　had　originated　from　the　same　cooler。　For　two　six…packs　now　they　had　thrown　their　half…empty　cans　at　her　and　laughed。　Willard　had　trouble　with　the　target；　but　Cobb　was　fairly　accurate。　They　were　not　ones　to　waste　beer；　but　the　heavier　cans　could　be　felt　better　and　it　was　great　fun　to　watch　the　foam　shoot　everywhere。
　The　warm　beer　mixed　with　the　dark　blood　and　ran　down　her　face　and　neck　into　a　puddle　behind　her　head。　She　did　not　move。
　Willard　asked　Cobb　if　he　thought　she　was　dead。　Cobb　opened　another　beer　and　explained　that　she　was　not　dead　because　niggers　generally　could　not　be　killed　by　kicking　and　beating　and　raping。　It　took　much　more；　something　like　a　knife　or　a　gun　or　a　rope　to　dispose　of　a　nigger。　Although　he　had　never　taken　part　in　such　a　killing；　he　had　lived　with　a
　bunch　of　niggers　in　prison　and　knew　all　about　them。　They　were　always　killing　each　other；　and　they　always　used　a　weapon　of　some　sort。　Those　who　were　just　beaten　and　raped　never　died。　Some　of　the　whites　were　beaten　and　raped；　and　some　of　them　died。　But　none　of　the　niggers。　Their　heads　were　harder。　Willard　seemed　satisfied。
　Willard　asked　what　he　planned　to　do　now　that　they　were　through　with　her。　Cobb　sucked　on　his　joint；　chased　it　with　beer；　and　said　he　wasn't　through。　He　bounced　from　the　tailgate　and　staggered　across　the　small　clearing　to　where　she　was　tied。　He　cursed　her　and　screamed　at　her　to　wake　up；　then　he　poured　cold　beer　in　her　face；　laughing　like　a　crazy　man。
　She　watched　him　as　he　walked　around　the　tree　on　her　right　side；　and　she　stared　at　him　as　he　stared　between　her　legs。　When　he　lowered　his　pants　she　turned　to　the　left　and　closed　her　eyes。　He　was　hurting　her　again。
　She　looked　out　through　the　woods　and　saw　something　…a　man　running　wildly　through　the　vines　and　underbrush。　It　was　her　daddy；　yelling　and　pointing　at　her　and　ing　desperately　to　save　her。　She　cried　out　for　him；　and　he　disappeared。　She　fell　asleep。
　When　she　awoke　one　of　the　men　was　lying　under　the　tailgate；　the　other　under　a　tree。　They　were　asleep。　Her　arms　and　legs　were　numb。　The　blood　and　beer　and　urine　had　mixed　with　the　dirt　underneath　her　to　form　a　sticky　paste　that　glued　her　small　body　to　the　ground　and　crackled　when　she　moved　and　wiggled。　Escape；　she　thought；　but　her　mightiest　efforts　moved　her　only　a　few　inches　to　the　right。　Her　feet　were　tied　so　high　her　buttocks　barely　touched　the　ground。　Her　legs　and　arms　were　so　deadened　they　refused　to　move。
　She　searched　the　woods　for　her　daddy　and　quietly　called　his　name。　She　waited；　then　slept　again。
　When　she　awoke　the　second　time　they　were　up　and　moving　around。　The　tall　one　staggered　to　her　with　a　small　knife。　He　grabbed　her　left　ankle　and　sawed　furiously　on　the　rope　until　it　gave　way。　Then　he　freed　the　right　leg；　and　she　curled　into　a　fetal　position　with　her　back　to　them。
　Cobb　strung　a　length　of　quarter…inch　ski　rope　over　a
　limb　and　tied　a　loop　in　one　end　with　a　slip　knot。　He　grabbed　her　and　put　the　noose　around　her　head；　then　walked　across　the　clearing　with　the　other　end　of　the　rope　and　sat　on　the　tailgate；　where　Willard　was　smoking　a　fresh　joint　and　grinning　at　Cobb　for　what　he　was　about　to　do。　Cobb　pulled　the　rope　tight；　then　gave　a　vicious　yank；　bouncing　the　little　nude　body　along　the　ground　and　stopping　it　directly　under　the　limb。　She　gagged　and　coughed；　so　he　kindly　loosened　the　rope　to　spare　her　a　few　more　minutes。　He　tied　the　rope　to　the　bumper　and　opened　another　beer。
　They　sat　on　the　tailgate　drinking；　smoking；　and　staring　at　her。　They　had　been　at　the　lake　most　of　the　day；　where　Cobb　had　a　friend　with　a　boat　and　some　extra　girls　who　were　supposed　to　be　easy　but　turned　out　to　be　untouchable。　Cobb　had　been　generous　with　his　drugs　and　beer；　but　the　girls　did　not　reciprocate。　Frustrated；　they　left　the　lake　and　were　driving　to　no　place　in　particular　when　they　happened　across　the　girl。　She　was　walking　along　a　gravel　road　with　a　sack　of　groceries　when　Willard　nailed　her　in　the　back　of　the　head　with　a　beer　can。
　〃You　gonna　do　it？〃　asked　Willard；　his　eyes　red　and　glazed。
　Cobb　hesitated。　〃Naw；　I'll　let　you　do　it。　It　was　your　idea。〃
　Willard　took　a　drag　on　his　joint；　then　spit　and　said；　〃Wasn't　my　idea。　You're　the　expert　on　killin'　niggers。　Do　it。〃
　Cobb　untied　the　rope　from　the　bumper　and　pulled　it　tight。　It　peeled　bark　from　the　limb　and　sprinkled　fine　bits　of　elm　around　the　girl；　who　was　watching　them　carefully　now。　She　coughed。
　Suddenly；　she　heard　something…like　a　car　with　loud　pipes。　The　two　men　turned　quickly　and　looked　down　the　dirt　road　to　the　highway　in　the　distance。　They　cursed　and　scrambled　around；　one　slamming　the　tailgate　and　the　other　running　toward　her。　He　tripped　and　landed　near　her。　They　cursed　each　other　while　they　grabbed　her；　removed　the　rope　from　her　neck；　dragged　her　to　the　pickup　and　threw　her　over　the　tailgate