gns.snakes-第2部分

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　　A　little　more　personal　care　and　she　could　have　been　attractive。　A　perm　for　that　shoulder…length　blonde　hair；　she　didn't　have　the　money；　but　a　good　bing　and　brushing　would　have　helped　to　separate　those　tangled　strands。　Cosmetics　would　have　masked　the　lines　in　her　face；　knocked　five　years　off　her；　maybe　even　made　her　feel　thirty　again。　The　flowered　cotton　dress；　the　one　she　had　picked　up　for　50p　at　a　jumble　sale　down　at　the　hall；　clung　wetly　to　a　figure　that　was　still　sensuous。　An　observer　could　see　that　she　wasn't　wearing　a　bra；　that　she　didn't　really　care　any　longer。　The　hardness　was　there　in　her　expression；　the　pressed　lips；　the　lines　beneath　the　eyes；　the　resentment　towards　life。
　　
　　Once；　almost　six　years　ago；　it　seemed　an　eternity；　she　had　been　happy。　Her　boyfriend　was　going　to　rescue　her　from　a　life　of　downtown　squalor　and　hardship；　a　man　of　some　means　was　going　to　spirit　her　away　from　all　this；　take　her　someplace　else　where　she　could　forget　the　past　like　a　bad　dream。　Which　was　why　she　had　let　him　have　his　way　most　nights　and　had　not　been　too　bothered　about　being　careful。
　　
　　The　same　week　that　she　discovered　that　she　was　pregnant　Ken　wasn't　around。　No　goodbyes；　no　sudden　heart…breaking　parting；　she　was　just　on　her　own　again；　like　it　always　used　to　be　except　that　this　time　she　was　going　to　have　a　baby　to　look　after。　Ken　didn't　leave；　he　just　didn't　e　any　more；　faded　back　into　the　mists　of　a　background　which　she　had　not　bothered　too　much　to　explore。　Not　a　new　story；　just　another　one　of　many　thousands。　And　the　kid　was　a　burden　on　her；　a　perpetual　memory　of　what　might　have　been　if　it　had　not　all　been　a　lie。
　　
　　Oh　God；　where　was　that　bloody　exit？　The　crowd　had　slowed；　bunched　again；　not　even　jostling　one　another；　staring　at　the　glass　cages　on　either　side；　transfixed；　immobile。　So　hot　you　could　scarcely　breathe；　drawing　the　humidity　down　into　your　lungs；　holding　on　to　strangers；　afraid　you　might　faint。
　　
　　Faces　staring　back　at　you；　reptilian　features　seemingly　distorted　by　the　heavy　glass　so　that　heads　and　bodies　were　out　of　proportion。　Evil　masks；　things　that　might　have　been　dead；　except　that　you　knew　they　weren't。　They　fixed　you　with　those　awful　penetrating　evil　stares。　Wanted　to　get　to　you；　to　coil　themselves　around　you；　let　you　feel　the　coldness　of　their　supple　bodies　as　they　slid　over　your　flesh。　Savoured　their　sadistic　delight　before　they　sank　their　venomous　fangs　into　you。　Slid　to　the　floor　with　you；　writhed　with　you　until　you　died。
　　
　　Somebody　screamed；　another　child；　not　Ian　this　time。　Her　son　clutched　her　cold　sweaty　hand　and　she　felt　his　sobs；　his　fear。　He　was　shaking　violently。
　　
　　'We'll　soon　be　outside；'　she　said　and　her　words　echoed；　hung　in　the　sultry　stillness　as　though　to　mock　her。
　　
　　Her　anger　welled　up；　temporarily　overcame　that　claustrophobic　terror　that　had　engulfed　her。　She　wanted　to　push　these　stupid　people　who　stood　about　obstructing　her；　bang　on　those　glass　cages　with　her　puny　fists　and　scream　obscenities　at　their　occupants。　I　hope　you　die　in　there！
　　
　　Instead　she　spoke　loudly　and　surprisingly　calmly。　'The　zoo's　closing　in　a　couple　of　days。　All　the　animals　will　have　to　go。　These　snakes　will　probably　be　put　down；　destroyed。　Killed。　They　haven't　long　to　live。'
　　
　　Silence。　People　turned；　she　was　aware　of　them　looking　at　her　in　the　half…darkness；　wondering　who　she　was　and　how　she　knew。　Sensing　relief；　jubilation；　not　a　trace　of　pity。　Kill　the　snakes；　kill　'em　all。
　　
　　And　then　her　terror　came　back。　A　fleeting　sensation　but　she　knew　she　was　not　mistaken。　She　heard　the　rustling　of　reptilian　bodies　behind　the　prison　screens；　serpent　shapes　being　erect；　rearing　up　and　seeking　out　the　puny　mortal　who　had　voiced　her　contempt；　dared　to　issue　a　threat　to　the　deadly　killers　from　the　swamps　and　jungles　of　the　world。
　　
　　Veronica　cowered；　wanted　to　throw　up　her　hands　to　shield　her　eyes　from　them；　but　Ian　was　clinging　on　to　her　in　a　panic…stricken　determination。　Again　she　had　to　look；　meet　their　gazes；　found　herself　muttering　incoherent　apologies　for　her　blasphemy　in　this　temple　of　serpents。
　　
　　We　shall　not　die；　Human。　Our　hour　is　nigh　and　soon　we　shall　be　free　and　there　will　be　nowhere　for　Man　to　hide。　Our　vengeance　will　be　terrible。
　　
　　Suddenly　everybody　was　pushing　and　shoving；　a　once…dormant　crowd　that　had　awoken　from　a　nightmare　and　was　stampeding　towards　the　dim　neon　exit　sign。　You　went　with　them　because　you　had　no　choice；　swept　along　by　a　tide　of　panic；　away　from　the　evil　green　fluorescence　towards　a　shaft　of　sunlight。　Euphoria　that　it　had　all　been　a　trick　of　the　mind；　your　imagination　succumbing　to　the　mock　swamps　and　forests　and　their　awful　reptilian　killers。　Staggering；　gulping　in　the　hot　sunlit　atmosphere；　looking　for　a　bench　so　that　you　could　rest　and　allow　your　trembling　legs　to　recover。　A　real　live　scare　show　but　it　hadn't　hurt　you；　just　made　you　appreciate　living　in　a　safe　world。
　　
　　'Mam；　I　want　to　go　home。'
　　
　　'We're　going　home。'　Veronica　glanced　about　her；　spotted　a　blue…painted　arrow　with　the　words　'Way　Out'　painted　on　it。　'We're　going　home　right　now。'
　　
　　'Mam；　what're　they　doin'　over　there？'
　　
　　She　stopped；　looked　where　he　pointed。　A　large　covered　lorry　was　backed　up　to　the　elephant　enclosure；　its　tailboard　down。　Several　men　were　trying　to　coax　a　lumbering　elephant　up　the　ramp。　The　animal　trumpeted　once；　then　shambled　up　into　the　trailer。　The　men　hurried　to　close　the　doors；　bolting　them。
　　
　　'Where　are　they　takin'　the　elephant；　Mam？'
　　
　　'Away　somewhere。　The　zoo's　closing；　all　the　animals　have　got　to　go。'
　　
　　'They　goin'　to　kill　the　elephant？'
　　
　　'I　。。。　I　shouldn't　think　so。　They're　probably　taking　it　to　another　zoo。　A　bigger　and　better　place　than　this　scruffy　dump　where　it'll　have　more　room　and　be　better　looked　after。'
　　

　　Then　why　don't　they　take　the　snakes　there　instead　of　killing　them？　Like　you　said　they　were　goin'　to。'
　　
　　'I　。。。　I　could've　been　wrong。'　An　instinctive　mental　apology　to　those　serpents　that　saw　into　your　mind。　'Maybe　they'll　take　the　snakes　too。'
　　
　　'But　maybe　they'll　kill　'em　after　all。　I'd　like　that。　Snakes　are　horrible。'
　　
　　'e　on。'　Veronica　grabbed　her　son's　hand　and　pulled　him　along　with　her；　almost　running　until　they　reached　the　open　gate　that　led　out　into　the　street　by　the　bus…stop。
　　
　　Veronica　Jones　felt　foolish　now。　It　had　been　the　excessive　heat；　the　eerie　lighting　in　the　reptile　house　which　had　been　responsible。　She　was　just　glad　that　nobody　there　had　recognised　her；　witnessed　her　terror。　Everything　was　going　to　be　all　right　now。
　　
　　All　the　same；　that　night　mother　and　son　had　a　dual　nightmare　in　the　cramped　bed　which　they　shared　in　the　council　flat。
　　
　　In　the　darkness　the　snakes　came；　condemned　creatures　that　had　escaped　from　their　death　cells；　slithering　their　way　up　the　steep　flights　of　stairs　and　across　the　dingy　ill…lit　landings　until　they　smelled　out　flat　number　117。　Their；　serpent　bodies　shrank　and　flattened；　enabling　them　to　pass　beneath　the　warped　door；　guided　by　that　sour　human　body　odour　emanating　from　the　woman　who　had　scorned　and　defied　them。
　　
　　Growing　again　to　their　full　size　once　they　were　within；　wriggling　and　sliding　up　on　to　the　bed；　wrapping　themselves　around　the　warm…blooded　forms　of　the　adult　and　the　boy；　delighting　in　the　screams　of　their　victims；　entwining　them　until　their　death　throes　ceased。
　　
　　And　then　moving　on　in　search　of　others　。　。　。
　　
　　'It　was　only　a　bad　dream。'　Veronica　forted　the　sobbing　Ian　until　the　first　light　of　a　summer　dawn　crept　through　the　dirt…stained　bedroom　window。
　　
　　'It　was　real。'　he　muttered。　'But　they've　gone　now。'
　　
　　'It's　always　worse　at　night。'　She　held　him　close　and　kissed　him。　'Tell　you　what；　tonight　we'll　sleep　with　the　light　on。'　She　wondered　how　much　the　meter　would　take　and　regretted　her　rash　statement。　'It's　always　all　right　in　the　light。'

　　
　　But　she　still　had　that　uneasy　feeling　and　wondered　how　long　it　would　take　to　get　yesterday　out　of　her　system。　Even　in　full　daylight　she　could　still　see　those　snakes；　the　way　they　glared　their　hate　out　of　their