gns.snakes-第23部分

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　
　　'What's　that？'　Kirsten's　head　was　suddenly　erect；　listening。
　　
　　'What's　what？'　He　didn't　want　to　be　in　a　hurry　to　go。
　　
　　Savour　every　second；　you'll　remember　this　night　for　the　rest　of　your　life。
　　
　　'I　heard　something。'　She　was　staring　into　the　sandpit　darkness；　trying　to　make　out　shapes　and　silhouettes　that　would　be　gone　in　a　matter　of　minutes。　'Like　something's　round　the　front　of　the　van。'
　　
　　Probably　rats；　he　thought；　but　you　don't　tell　emotional　girls　that。　'A　rabbit　maybe；'　he　sighed；　'there　are　lots　of　them　in　here。　The　sand　is　full　of　their　burrows。'
　　
　　'There　it　is　again。'　She　was　tense；　holding　on　to　him。　T　can　feel　it　vibrating　on　the　。。　。　Keith！'　A　piercing　scream；　she　was　clutching　at　him；　almost　hysterical。　'There；　do　you　see　it？'
　　
　　He　saw　it　all　right；　felt　his　stomach　heave　up；　tasted　something　sharp　and　sour　at　the　back　of　his　throat；　recalled　a　TV　documentary　he　had　once　watched　about　snake…charming；　the　way　the　snake　came　up　out　of　a　wicker　basket；　a　wriggling　revolting　creature　mastering　a　vertical　stance　with　a　body　that　had　no　backbone。　And　the　snake　was　doing　just　that　now；　rising　up　from　somewhere　in　the　region　of　the　radiator　grille；　uncoiling；　going　up　and　up；　aware　of　the　two　humans　inside　the　vehicle；　its　tiny　eyes　fixed　on　them；　scenting　their　terror　and　mocking　them　with　open　jaws　that　seemed　to　laugh。
　　
　　'It　can't　get　at　us；'　Keith　Doyle　whispered　hoarsely。　'No　way。　We're　safe。'
　　
　　'Let's　get　away　from　here；'　she　pleaded；　shuddered　and　closed　her　eyes。　'Oh　Keith；　take　me　home。'
　　
　　'No　problem。'　He　laughed　but　it　sounded　forced　and　the　fingers　that　rested　on　the　ignition　key　trembled。　'No　problem　at　all；　we　can　swing　round；　drive　right　back　on　to　the　road；　and　if　we　don't　dislodge　this　bugger　on　the　way　then　there　are　loads　of　police　and　soldiers　in　the　village　who　will　be　only　too　delighted　to　shoot　it。'
　　
　　Seconds　later　he　knew　that　he　did　have　a　problem；　a　very　frightening　one。　The　starter…motor　whirred　but　did　not　fire；　vibrated　hollowly　beneath　the　bonnet。　He　tried　it　again；　much　slower　this　time；　they　felt　it　groaning；　stopping。　A　third　time；　it　would　not　even　turn　over。
　　
　　'Keith！'　Kirsten　was　on　the　verge　of　panic。　He　gripped　her　wrist　hard；　was　not　taking　any　chances　on　her　opening　the　door　and　trying　to　make　a　run　for　it。　He　recalled　his　own　flight　three　days　ago。　He　had　only　made　it　to　the　garage　by　the　grace　of　God。　Kirsten　certainly　would　not　make　it　back　to　the　road。
　　
　　'Don't　worry。'　He　tried　to　sound　convincing。　'She'll　go　in　a　minute。'　But　he　knew　it　wouldn't　because　it　had　been　reluctant　to　start　even　on　these　hot　summer　mornings。　It　was　the　battery；　sure　enough；　possibly　the　same　one　that　was　on　this　S…registered　vehicle　from　new；　now　old　and　tired。　Dying；　maybe　dead　already。　There　was　just　a　faint　chance　that　if　they　waited　a　few　minutes　it　might　fire。　A　very　faint　chance；　the　kind　you　only　relied　on　when　there　was　nothing　else　left。　The　snake　was　on　the　bonnet　now；　coils　of　it。　Keith　would　not　even　attempt　to　guess　at　its　length　but　in　the　fading　daylight　he　was　just　able　to　make　out　its　colouring；　a　ringed　body；　　red；　　black　　and　　white　rings；　　the　fearsome　snout　jet…black。　Colourful；　deadly；　its　head　only　inches　from　the　glass　of　the　windscreen；　staring　inside　intently。　'Keith；　I　don't　want　to　look！'　'You　don't　have　to。　Close　your　eyes。'　'I　can't；　it's　like　I've　'got　to　look！'
　　
　　A　thought　crossed　his　mind；　one　that　would　have　been　funny　in　any　other　situation　except　this。　You　paid　a　quid　or　so　to　go　into　a　reptile　house　and　gawp　at　snakes　through　glass　but　this　bugger　was　getting　a　close…up　of　humans　in　a　cage　for　free！　Jesus；　that　was　rich；　it　kind　of　put　things　in　perspective；　made　you　realise　that　when　it　came　down　to　the　law　of　the　jungle　Man　counted　for　nothing。　'Keith；　I　can't　stand　it　any　longer！'
　　
　　'Hang　on；　I'll　try　the　battery　again。'　He　knew　before　he　turned　the　key　that　it　wasn't　going　to　be　any　good。　This　time　the　starter…motor　didn't　even　turn　over。　The　engine　was　as　dead　as　the　proverbial　dodo；　and　even　if　it　hadn't　been　he　wondered　if　there　was　enough　petrol　in　the　tank　to　get　them　out　of　there。　You're　a　stupid　prick；　Keith　Doyle。　The　snake　on　the　bonnet　seemed　to　be　laughing　in　agreement　with　him。
　　
　　'We're　stuck。'　Kirsten　was　sobbing　again。　'There's　no　way　we're　going　to　get　out　of　here。'
　　
　　'Don't　be　stupid；　we're　only　yards　from　the　village；　the　main　street。　I've　only　got　to　blow　the　horn　and　the　soldiers　will　e　on　the　run。'
　　
　　'Blow　it　then。'
　　
　　He　pressed　the　klaxon　button；　knew　even　as　he　did　so　that　it　would　not　even　muster　up　the　force　of　a　good　fart。　Simply　because　the　horn　worked　off　the　battery　like　everything　else　on　a　vehicle…lights；　flashers…the　battery　was　the　heart　of　a　motor　car；　determined　whether　it　lived　or　died。　And　Keith　Doyle's　van　right　now　was　very　dead。
　　
　　'I'll　think　of　something。　Don't　panic。'　He　leaned　across　her　and　locked　the　door；　as　much　to　prevent　her　from　leaping　out　as　the　snake　from　getting　in。　'It　can't　get　to　us。'
　　
　　'It's　。　。　。　horrible。'
　　
　　'I　wonder　what　species　it　is。'　Talking　for　the　sake　of　talking。　'It　certainly　isn't　a　rattler　because　I　know　what　they　look　like。'　A　joke　that　did　not　sound　funny。
　　
　　'I　don't　care　what　sort　it　is；'　she　snapped。　'I　just　wish　it　was　dead　along　with　all　its　mates。'
　　
　　It　was　dark　now；　the　two　people　inside　the　vehicle　could　barely　see　each　other's　silhouettes。　Even　the　dashboard　lights　were　too　faint　to　give　off　so　much　as　a　glow。　But　there　was　enough　light　for　them　to　be　able　to　make　out　the　shape　of　the　snake　that　held　them　prisoner。　It　had　coiled　itself　up　again；　settled　down　on　the　bonnet；　head　up　against　the　glass　windscreen。　Watching　and　waiting。
　　
　　And　the　coral　snake　which　had　so　recently　witnessed　the　death　of　its　mate　at　the　hands　of　Man　was　in　no　hurry。　Vengeance　was　within　its　grasp　and　there　was　no　way　it　was　going　to　allow　its　prisoners　to　escape。　After　it　had　killed　them　it　would　die　because　there　would　be　nothing　left　to　live　for。　It　would　wait。
　　
　　'We　can't　stop　here。'
　　
　　Keith　was　relieved　to　hear　Kirsten　speak　fairly　normally；　keeping　her　face　turned　away　from　the　windscreen；　pushing　herself　back　into　the　seat。
　　
　　'At　the　moment　we　can't　do　much　else。'　he　answered。　He　remembered　that　the　rear　doors　of　the　van　were　not　locked　but　it　did　not　really　matter；　no　snake　would　be　capable　of　turning　the　handle；　and；　in　any　case；　the　lock　only　functioned　from　the　outside。　Don't　think　about　it。　'We'll　just　have　to　be　patient。　Somebody　is　bound　to　find　us　soon。'
　　
　　He　did　not　add　that　it　was　unlikely　to　be　before　morning。　The　searchers　had　called　off　the　hunt　for　today；　it　would　be　seven　o'clock　before　they　remenced。　He　and　Kirsten　were　almost　certainly　there　for　the　night。
　　
　　It　was　going　to　be　a　long　one。
　　
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　12
　　
　　PC　KEN　AYLOTT　stared　around　the　small　room　that　for　the　past　two　years　had　been　his　office。　It　bore　little　resemblance　to　the　neatly　arranged　room　that　had　contained　only　a　week　ago　two　filing　cabinets；　a　desk　with　some　wire　trays　on　it；　telephone；　a　notice…board　with　warnings　about　such　relatively　harmless　creatures　as　Colorado　beetles　pinned　on　it。　Dull　and　boring　but　at　least　it　had　been　his。　Whatever　his　resentment　about　this　out…of…the…way　posting；　he　had　had　the　small　consolation　of　knowing　that　this　was　his　pad　and　he　was　the　boss。　Now；　within　the　space　of　a　few　days；　all　that　had　been　taken　from　him。
　　
　　The　office　was　a　shambles；　piles　of　untidily　heaped　papers　that　would　in　all　probability　never　be　sorted　and　filed；　a　mountain　of　rubber　boots　in　the　corner；　discarded　clothing。　If　he　had　been　in　charge　of　operations　the　place　would　never　have　been　allowed　to　get　into　this　state。　Damn　it；　he　had　been　relegated　to　the　status　of　office　boy。　Stop　here　and　answer　the　phone；　Aylott；　radio　us　if　anything　important　crops　up。　Your　job　is　to　hold　the　fort。　The　super　made　it　sound　important；　like　telling　a　child　he　was　responsible　for　picking　up　his　scattered　toys；　do　your　best　and　we'll　check