¾ÅζÊéÎÝ > ÎÄѧ¾­¹Üµç×ÓÊé > p&c.thunderhead >

µÚ93²¿·Ö

p&c.thunderhead-µÚ93²¿·Ö

С˵£º p&c.thunderhead ×ÖÊý£º ÿҳ4000×Ö

°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡û »ò ¡ú ¿É¿ìËÙÉÏÏ·­Ò³£¬°´¼üÅÌÉ쵀 Enter ¼ü¿É»Øµ½±¾ÊéĿ¼ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡ü ¿É»Øµ½±¾Ò³¶¥²¿£¡
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªÎ´ÔĶÁÍꣿ¼ÓÈëÊéÇ©ÒѱãÏ´μÌÐøÔĶÁ£¡



e¡¡knew¡¡she¡¡would¡­her¡¡silhouette¡¡would¡¡make¡¡a¡¡perfect¡¡target¡£¡¡
¡¡Her¡¡thoughts¡¡drifted¡¡briefly¡¡to¡¡Black£»¡¡sick¡¡and¡¡alone£»¡¡waiting¡¡for¡¡her¡¡back¡¡at¡¡the¡¡kiva¡£¡¡She¡¡tried¡¡to¡¡ready¡¡herself¡¡for¡¡what¡¡was¡¡to¡¡e¡£¡¡Once¡¡this¡¡business¡¡was¡¡done£»¡¡she¡¡could¡¡quickly¡¡drag¡¡Nora¡¡down¡¡to¡¡the¡¡river¡£¡¡In¡¡seconds£»¡¡the¡¡current¡¡would¡¡sweep¡¡her¡¡into¡¡the¡¡narrow¡¡meat¡­grinder¡¡of¡¡a¡¡canyon¡¡at¡¡the¡¡far¡¡end¡¡of¡¡the¡¡valley¡£¡¡And¡¡when¡¡Nora's¡¡body¡¡reached¡¡the¡¡Colorado¡¡River¡­eventually¡­there¡¡wouldn't¡¡be¡¡enough¡¡left¡¡for¡¡a¡¡postmortem¡£¡¡It¡¡would¡¡be¡¡the¡¡same¡¡as¡¡if¡¡Nora¡¡had¡¡been¡¡washed¡¡out¡¡by¡¡the¡¡flash¡¡flood¡¡in¡¡the¡¡first¡¡place¡­as£»¡¡by¡¡all¡¡rights£»¡¡she¡¡should¡¡have¡¡been¡£¡¡No¡¡one¡¡would¡¡know¡£¡¡And¡¡then£»¡¡of¡¡course£»¡¡she'd¡¡have¡¡to¡¡do¡¡the¡¡same¡¡to¡¡Smithback¡£¡¡Sloane¡¡closed¡¡her¡¡eyes¡¡a¡¡moment£»¡¡unwilling¡¡to¡¡think¡¡about¡¡that¡£¡¡But¡¡there¡¡was¡¡no¡¡longer¡¡any¡¡choice£º¡¡she¡¡had¡¡to¡¡finish¡¡what¡¡the¡¡flood¡¡had¡¡failed¡¡to¡¡do¡£¡¡
¡¡Resting¡¡both¡¡elbows¡¡on¡¡the¡¡ground£»¡¡Sloane¡¡eased¡¡the¡¡pistol¡¡forward£»¡¡balancing¡¡it¡¡with¡¡both¡¡hands¡£¡¡Then¡¡she¡¡settled¡¡down¡¡to¡¡wait¡£¡¡
¡¡
¡¡
63
¡¡
¡¡AARON¡¡BLACK¡¡LAY¡¡IN¡¡THE¡¡KIVA£»¡¡CONFUSED¡¡and¡¡horribly¡¡frightened¡£¡¡The¡¡fitful¡¡glow¡¡of¡¡the¡¡dying¡¡lamp¡¡still¡¡faintly¡¡illuminated¡¡the¡¡close£»¡¡dusty¡¡space¡£¡¡But¡¡Black's¡¡eyes¡¡were¡¡shut¡¡fast¡¡against¡¡the¡¡darkness£»¡¡against¡¡the¡¡overwhelming¡¡evidence¡¡of¡¡his¡¡failure¡£¡¡It¡¡seemed¡¡that¡¡hours¡¡had¡¡passed¡¡since¡¡Sloane¡¡had¡¡left£»¡¡but¡¡perhaps¡¡it¡¡was¡¡only¡¡minutes£º¡¡it¡¡was¡¡impossible¡¡for¡¡him¡¡to¡¡tell¡£¡¡
¡¡He¡¡forced¡¡his¡¡gluey¡¡eyes¡¡open¡£¡¡Something¡¡terrible¡¡was¡¡happening£»¡¡perhaps¡¡it¡¡had¡¡been¡¡ing¡¡on¡¡for¡¡a¡¡while£»¡¡and¡¡now¡¡that¡¡the¡¡fevered¡¡digging¡¡had¡¡given¡¡way¡¡to¡¡crushing¡¡disappointment£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡upon¡¡him¡¡at¡¡last¡£¡¡Perhaps¡¡the¡¡air¡¡was¡¡bad¡£¡¡He¡¡needed¡¡to¡¡get¡¡out£»¡¡breathe¡¡some¡¡fresh¡¡air¡£¡¡He¡¡mustered¡¡the¡¡energy¡¡to¡¡rise£»¡¡staggered£»¡¡and¡¡with¡¡astonishment¡¡felt¡¡his¡¡legs¡¡buckle¡£¡¡
¡¡He¡¡fell¡¡back£»¡¡arms¡¡flailing¡¡weakly¡£¡¡A¡¡pot¡¡rolled¡¡crazily¡¡around¡¡him¡¡and¡¡came¡¡to¡¡rest¡¡against¡¡his¡¡thigh£»¡¡leaving¡¡a¡¡snake's¡¡trail¡¡in¡¡the¡¡dusty¡¡floor¡£¡¡He¡¡must¡¡have¡¡tripped¡£¡¡He¡¡tried¡¡to¡¡rise¡¡and¡¡saw¡¡one¡¡leg¡¡jerk¡¡sideways¡¡in¡¡a¡¡spastic¡¡motion£»¡¡muscles¡¡refusing¡¡to¡¡obey¡£¡¡The¡¡lantern£»¡¡canted¡¡sideways£»¡¡threw¡¡out¡¡a¡¡pale¡¡corona£»¡¡suffused¡¡by¡¡dust¡£¡¡
¡¡From¡¡time¡¡to¡¡time£»¡¡growing¡¡up£»¡¡Black¡¡had¡¡been¡¡tortured¡¡by¡¡a¡¡recurring¡¡nightmare£º¡¡he¡¡found¡¡himself¡¡paralyzed£»¡¡unable¡¡to¡¡move¡£¡¡Now£»¡¡he¡¡felt¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was¡¡living¡¡that¡¡nightmare¡£¡¡His¡¡limbs¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡have¡¡grown¡¡frozen£»¡¡unwilling¡¡or¡¡unable¡¡to¡¡respond¡¡to¡¡his¡¡mands¡£¡¡
¡¡¡¨I¡¡can't¡¡move£¡¡¨¡¡he¡¡cried¡£¡¡And¡¡then£»¡¡with¡¡a¡¡sudden¡¡terror£»¡¡he¡¡realized¡¡he¡¡hadn't¡¡been¡¡able¡¡to¡¡articulate¡¡the¡¡words¡£¡¡Air¡¡had¡¡e¡¡out¡¡of¡¡his¡¡mouth£»¡¡yes¡­an¡¡ugly¡¡splutter£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡felt¡¡saliva¡¡dribbling¡¡down¡¡his¡¡chin¡­but¡¡no¡¡words¡¡came¡£¡¡He¡¡tried¡¡again¡¡and¡¡heard¡¡once¡¡more¡¡the¡¡ugly¡¡choking¡¡rush¡¡of¡¡air£»¡¡felt¡¡the¡¡refusal¡¡of¡¡his¡¡tongue¡¡and¡¡lips¡¡to¡¡form¡¡words¡£¡¡The¡¡terror¡¡increased¡£¡¡In¡¡a¡¡spasm¡¡of¡¡panic£»¡¡he¡¡struggled¡¡unsuccessfully¡¡to¡¡rise¡£¡¡Weird¡¡shapes¡¡and¡¡writhing¡¡figures¡¡began¡¡crowding¡¡the¡¡darkness¡¡beyond¡¡his¡¡eyes£»¡¡he¡¡turned¡¡to¡¡look¡¡away£»¡¡but¡¡his¡¡neck¡¡refused¡¡to¡¡move¡£¡¡Closing¡¡his¡¡eyes¡¡now¡¡only¡¡caused¡¡the¡¡shapes¡¡to¡¡spring¡¡to¡¡greater¡¡definition¡£¡¡
¡¡¡¨Sloane£¡¡¨¡¡he¡¡tried¡¡to¡¡call£»¡¡staring¡¡up¡¡into¡¡the¡¡cloudy¡¡dimness£»¡¡afraid¡¡even¡¡to¡¡blink¡£¡¡But¡¡not¡¡even¡¡the¡¡splutter¡¡of¡¡air¡¡came¡¡now¡£¡¡And¡¡then¡¡the¡¡lantern¡¡flickered¡¡again£»¡¡and¡¡went¡¡black¡£¡¡
¡¡He¡¡tried¡¡to¡¡scream£»¡¡but¡¡nothing¡¡happened¡£¡¡Sloane¡¡was¡¡supposed¡¡to¡¡be¡¡bringing¡¡medicine¡£¡¡Where¡¡was¡¡she£¿¡¡In¡¡the¡¡close¡¡darkness£»¡¡the¡¡hallucinations¡¡were¡¡all¡¡around¡¡him£»¡¡babbling£»¡¡whispering£º¡¡twisted¡¡creatures£»¡¡grinning¡¡skulls£»¡¡teeth¡¡inlaid¡¡with¡¡bloody¡¡carnelians£»¡¡the¡¡clinking¡¡of¡¡skeletons¡¡moving¡¡restlessly¡¡around¡¡the¡¡kiva£»¡¡the¡¡flickering¡¡of¡¡fires¡¡and¡¡the¡¡smell¡¡of¡¡roasting¡¡human¡¡meat£»¡¡the¡¡screams£»¡¡the¡¡victims¡¡gargling¡¡their¡¡own¡¡blood¡£¡¡
¡¡It¡¡was¡¡too¡¡terrible¡£¡¡He¡¡could¡¡not¡¡close¡¡his¡¡eyes£»¡¡and¡¡they¡¡burned¡¡with¡¡an¡¡internal¡¡pressure¡£¡¡His¡¡mouth¡¡was¡¡locked¡¡open¡¡in¡¡a¡¡scream¡¡that¡¡never¡¡came¡£¡¡At¡¡least¡¡he¡¡still¡¡recognized¡¡the¡¡shapes¡¡around¡¡him¡¡as¡¡hallucinations¡£¡¡That¡¡meant¡¡he¡¡wasn't¡¡too¡¡far¡¡gone¡¡to¡¡tell¡¡reality¡¡from¡¡unreality¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡but¡¡how¡¡unspeakably¡¡dreadful¡¡it¡¡was¡¡to¡¡not¡¡feel¡¡anything£»¡¡not¡¡to¡¡know¡¡any¡¡longer¡¡where¡¡his¡¡limbs¡¡were¡¡lying£»¡¡whether¡¡or¡¡not¡¡he¡¡had¡¡fouled¡¡himself£»¡¡to¡¡lose¡¡some¡¡profound¡¡internal¡¡sense¡¡of¡¡where¡¡his¡¡body¡¡was¡£¡¡The¡¡panic¡¡of¡¡paralysis£»¡¡that¡¡dream¡­fear¡¡out¡¡of¡¡his¡¡worst¡¡nightmares£»¡¡washed¡¡over¡¡him¡¡yet¡¡again¡£¡¡
¡¡He¡¡couldn't¡¡understand¡¡what¡¡had¡¡gone¡¡wrong¡£¡¡Was¡¡Nora¡¡really¡¡dead£¿¡¡Was¡¡he¡¡himself¡¡also¡¡dying£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡horrible¡¡darkness¡¡of¡¡this¡¡kiva£¿¡¡Had¡¡Sloane¡¡and¡¡Bonarotti¡¡really¡¡been¡¡inside¡¡the¡¡kiva¡¡with¡¡him£¿¡¡Perhaps¡¡they¡¡were¡¡going¡¡to¡¡Aragon¡¡for¡¡help¡£¡¡But¡¡no¡­Aragon¡¡was¡¡dead£»¡¡like¡¡Nora¡£¡¡
¡¡Aragon£»¡¡Smithback£»¡¡Nora¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡and¡¡he¡¡had¡¡been¡¡as¡¡guilty¡¡of¡¡their¡¡deaths¡¡as¡¡if¡¡he¡¡had¡¡pulled¡¡the¡¡trigger¡£¡¡He¡¡hadn't¡¡spoken¡¡up£»¡¡down¡¡there¡¡in¡¡the¡¡valley¡£¡¡He'd¡¡let¡¡his¡¡own¡¡desire¡¡for¡¡immortal¡¡fame£»¡¡for¡¡that¡¡ultimate¡¡discovery£»¡¡get¡¡the¡¡better¡¡of¡¡him¡£¡¡He¡¡groaned¡¡inwardly£º¡¡clearly£»¡¡nobody¡¡would¡¡e¡¡to¡¡help£»¡¡after¡¡all¡£¡¡He¡¡was¡¡alone¡¡in¡¡the¡¡darkness¡£¡¡
¡¡Then¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡another¡¡light£»¡¡very¡¡faint£»¡¡almost¡¡indivisible¡¡from¡¡the¡¡darkness¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡acpanied¡¡by¡¡a¡¡rustling¡¡sound¡£¡¡His¡¡heart¡¡surged¡¡with¡¡fresh¡¡hope¡£¡¡Sloane¡¡was¡¡returning¡¡at¡¡last¡£¡¡
¡¡The¡¡light¡¡grew¡¡stronger¡£¡¡And¡¡then¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡it£»¡¡through¡¡the¡¡film¡¡of¡¡his¡¡sickness£º¡¡fire£»¡¡strangely¡¡disembodied£»¡¡moving¡¡through¡¡the¡¡darkness¡¡of¡¡the¡¡kiva£»¡¡dropping¡¡sparks¡¡as¡¡it¡¡went¡£¡¡And¡¡carrying¡¡this¡¡burning¡¡brand¡¡was¡¡a¡¡hideous¡¡apparition£º¡¡a¡¡single¡¡figure£»¡¡half¡­man£»¡¡half¡­animal¡£¡¡
¡¡Black¡¡fell¡¡into¡¡renewed¡¡despair¡£¡¡Not¡¡a¡¡rescue¡£¡¡Just¡¡another¡¡hallucination¡£¡¡He¡¡wept¡¡inwardly£»¡¡he¡¡wailed¡¡in¡¡his¡¡mind£»¡¡but¡¡his¡¡eyes¡¡remained¡¡dry£»¡¡his¡¡body¡¡flexed¡¡and¡¡immobile¡£¡¡
¡¡Now¡¡the¡¡apparition¡¡was¡¡ing¡¡toward¡¡him¡£¡¡He¡¡smelled¡¡juniper¡¡smoke£»¡¡mixed¡¡with¡¡the¡¡ripe£»¡¡sweet¡¡scent¡¡of¡¡morning¡¡glories£»¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡in¡¡the¡¡flickering¡¡light¡¡the¡¡glittering¡¡black¡¡of¡¡an¡¡obsidian¡¡blade¡£¡¡
¡¡Distantly£»¡¡he¡¡wondered¡¡where¡¡such¡¡an¡¡image£»¡¡where¡¡such¡¡an¡¡unexpected¡¡scent£»¡¡could¡¡have¡¡e¡¡from¡£¡¡Some¡¡grotesque¡¡recess¡¡of¡¡his¡¡mind£»¡¡no¡¡doubt£»¡¡some¡¡dreadful¡¡ceremony¡¡that¡¡perhaps¡¡he'd¡¡read¡¡about¡¡in¡¡graduate¡¡school£»¡¡long¡¡forgotten¡¡and¡¡now£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡extremity¡¡of¡¡his¡¡delirium£»¡¡resurrected¡¡to¡¡haunt¡¡him¡£¡¡
¡¡The¡¡figure¡¡bent¡¡closer£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡its¡¡blood¡­stiffened¡¡buckskin¡¡mask£»¡¡eyes¡¡fiery¡¡behind¡¡the¡¡ragged¡¡slits¡£¡¡Surprisingly¡¡real¡£¡¡The¡¡coldness¡¡of¡¡the¡¡blade¡¡on¡¡his¡¡throat¡¡was¡¡astonishingly¡¡real£»¡¡as¡¡well¡£¡¡Only¡¡a¡¡person¡¡who¡¡was¡¡as¡¡gravely¡¡ill¡¡as¡¡he¡¡was£»¡¡he¡¡knew£»¡¡could¡¡hallucinate¡¡something¡¡so¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡
¡¡And¡¡then¡¡he¡¡felt¡¡the¡¡unyielding¡¡knife¡¡blade¡¡trace¡¡a¡¡hard¡¡cold¡¡line¡¡across¡¡his¡¡neck£»¡¡felt¡¡the¡¡abrupt¡¡wheeze¡¡of¡¡his¡¡own¡¡air£»¡¡the¡¡gush¡¡of¡¡hot¡¡blood¡¡filling¡¡his¡¡windpipe£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡realized£»¡¡with¡¡transcendent¡¡astonishment£»¡¡that¡¡it¡¡was¡¡not¡¡a¡¡hallucination£»¡¡after¡¡all¡£¡¡
¡¡
¡¡
64
¡¡
¡¡SLOANE¡¡WAITED£»¡¡EVERY¡¡MUSCLE¡¡TENSED£»¡¡LISTENING¡¡with¡¡rapt¡¡concentration¡£¡¡There¡¡was¡¡a¡¡break¡¡in¡¡the¡¡storm£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡rain¡¡had¡¡slowed¡¡to¡¡an¡¡occasional¡¡patter¡£¡¡Cupping¡¡her¡¡watch¡¡to¡¡shield¡¡the¡¡glow£»¡¡she¡¡briefly¡¡illuminated¡¡it£º¡¡almost¡¡ten¡¡thirty¡£¡¡The¡¡sky¡¡had¡¡broken¡¡into¡¡patches¡¡of¡¡light¡¡as¡¡tattered¡¡clouds¡¡swept¡¡past¡¡a¡¡gibbous¡¡moon¡£¡¡Still£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡mostly¡¡dark¡­dark¡¡enough¡¡for¡¡a¡¡person¡¡to¡¡think¡¡she¡¡could¡¡creep¡¡into¡¡camp¡¡unobserved¡£¡¡
¡¡She¡¡shifted£»¡¡rubbing¡¡her¡¡elbows¡£¡¡Once¡¡again£»¡¡she¡¡found¡¡herself¡¡wondering¡¡what¡¡had¡¡happened¡¡to¡¡Swire¡¡and¡¡Bonarotti¡£¡¡No¡¡one¡¡had¡¡appeared¡¡at¡¡the¡¡mouth¡¡of¡¡the¡¡city¡£¡¡And¡¡they¡¡obviously¡¡weren't¡¡in¡¡camp¡£¡¡Perhaps¡¡they'd¡¡never¡¡left¡¡Quivira¡¡in¡¡the¡¡first¡¡place£»¡¡and¡¡were¡¡even¡¡now¡¡back¡¡in¡¡the¡¡kiva£»¡¡watching¡¡over¡¡Black¡£¡¡In¡¡any¡¡case£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡best¡¡they¡¡were¡¡not¡¡around¡£¡¡Nora¡¡couldn't¡¡hide¡¡forever¡£¡¡Soon£»¡¡she¡¡would¡¡be¡¡ing¡¡for¡¡Smithback¡£¡¡
¡¡Sloane¡¡returned¡¡her¡¡gaze¡¡to¡¡the¡¡tent¡¡and¡¡its¡¡thin£»¡¡small¡¡glow£»¡¡like¡¡a¡¡canvas¡¡lampshade¡¡in¡¡the¡¡center¡¡of¡¡the¡¡dark¡¡landscape¡£¡¡The¡¡camp¡¡remained¡¡still¡£¡¡Concentrating¡¡on¡¡dismissing¡¡all¡¡irrelevant¡¡noise£»¡¡she¡¡waited£»¡¡ready¡¡to¡¡distinguish¡¡the¡¡sound¡¡of¡¡Nora's¡¡approach¡¡from¡¡the¡¡distant¡¡rush¡¡of¡¡the¡¡swollen¡¡creek¡£¡¡Ten¡¡minutes¡¡went¡¡by£»¡¡then¡¡fifteen¡£¡¡The¡¡moon¡¡fell¡¡once¡¡more¡¡behind¡¡ragged¡¡clouds¡£¡¡The¡¡rain¡¡came¡¡on¡¡again£»¡¡acpanied¡¡by¡¡distant¡¡thunder¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡more¡¡difficult¡¡than¡¡she¡¡could¡¡have¡¡imagined£»¡¡waiting¡¡here¡¡like¡¡this£»¡¡gun¡¡in¡¡hand¡£¡¡She¡¡felt¡¡an¡¡undercurrent¡¡of¡¡rage£º¡¡partly¡¡at¡¡Nora£»¡¡but¡¡partly¡¡at¡¡her¡¡father¡£¡¡If¡¡he¡¡had¡¡trusted¡¡her£»¡¡put¡¡her¡¡in¡¡charge¡¡of¡¡the¡¡expedition£»¡¡none¡¡of¡¡this¡¡would¡¡have¡¡happened¡£¡¡She¡¡suppressed¡¡the¡¡sweep¡¡of¡¡dread¡¡that¡¡came¡¡over¡¡her¡¡as¡¡she¡¡contemplated¡¡what¡¡was¡¡about¡¡to¡¡happen¡­what¡¡she¡¡was¡¡being¡¡forced¡¡to¡¡do¡£¡¡
¡¡She¡¡forced¡¡her¡¡thoughts¡¡back¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡limitless¡¡wonder

·µ»ØĿ¼ ÉÏÒ»Ò³ ÏÂÒ»Ò³ »Øµ½¶¥²¿ ÔÞ£¨0£© ²È£¨0£©

Äã¿ÉÄÜϲ»¶µÄ