gns.theplutopact-第21部分

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　　Rupe　didn't　know　why　he　called　his　newly　found　friend　Loup。　He　seemed　to　have　heard　the　word　somewhere；　maybe　long　ago　in　school；　and　had　stored　it　away　in　his　memory。　Anyway；　it　rhymed　with　his　own　name；　and　they　were　going　to　be　partners　for　sure。　Rupe　and　Loup。
　　
　　They　had　to　lie　low　in　the　daytime；　scavenging　for　food　at　night；　under　cover　of　darkness。　Sometimes　they　would　slink　through　the　deserted　streets　together；　but　usually　Loup　would　disappear　on　his　own　after　supper；　returning　before　dawn　to　lie　down　on　the　length　of　frayed　matting　hi　the　corner；　licking　his　chops　with　the　satisfaction　of　a　dog　which　has　hunted　and　fed　well；　and　ready　to　sleep　for　a　few　hours。
　　
　　Then　came　the　moment　when　Rupe　killed。　Not　a　bludgeoning　or　knifing　on　one　of　his　nocturnal　prowls；　but　in　a　busy　street　in　broad　daylight。　He　knew　not　why　he　had　ventured　out；　mingling　with　the　jostling　crowds；　hustled　along　like　a　cork　in　a　millstream。　Perhaps　he　was　suddenly　enjoying　a　sense　of　superiority；　a　dawning　of　the　knowledge　that　he　was　not　as　others；　a　chosen　disciple　of　the　one　who　would　surely　e。　He　was　tied　by　no　bonds　of　convention。
　　
　　It　happened　on　the　pedestrian　crossing。　The　traffic　lights　showed　green；　and　the　vehicles　roared　by。　The　pedestrian　control　showed　'Wait'；　illuminated　in　red。　Twenty　or　more　people　clustered　together　on　each　pavement；　impatiently　watching　for　it　to　change　to　the　green　light　and　'Cross　now'。　The　little　old　lady　hi　front　of　him　picked　up　her　heavily…laden　shopping　bags　in　anticipation。　At　that　moment　Rupe　heard　the　old　man's　voice；　loud　and　clear　as　though　he　was　standing　next　to　him。　'Go　on；　kill。　Now！'　Rupe　pushed　her；　firmly　but　surreptitiously；　so　that　nobody　would　notice　the　movement。　Her　scream　of　terror　was　drowned　by　the　clanking　of　an　approaching　articulated　lorry。　Before　the　driver　realised　what　was　happening；　she　was　beneath　his　front　wheels　with　a　screech　of　rubber；　the　rear　wheels　came　to　rest　on　her　already　lifeless　body。
　　
　　Rupe　retired　to　the　rear　of　the　shocked；　sensation…seeking　crowd　which　gathered　within　seconds。　He'd　enjoyed　that。　He　felt　great。　It　had　been　so　subtle。　A　touch　of　perfection。　And　the　blood。　He　liked　the　colour；　so　richly　delicious；　and　the　odour；　too。　He'd　never　noticed　the　smell　before。　Such　a　delightful；　tangy　aroma。　Nobody　even　glanced　at　him　as　he　slunk　away。　And　the　voice；　those　same　mellow　tones…seeming　further　away　this　time…said　'Well　done；　my　son'。
　　
　　It　was　on　one　of　his　dustbin　crawls　on　the　edge　of　the　old　town　that　Rupe　met　the　girl。　He　was　on　his　own　that　night；　as　was　usually　the　case…Loup　having　gone　off　on　a　foray　to　the　deserted　open…air　market。　The　moon　was　full；　and　the　young　vagrant　took　extra　care　that　he　was　not　spotted　by　a　patrolling　panda　car。　As　he　turned　into　a　side　street；　near　the　cinema；　he　saw　the　girl　standing　in　the　shadows　of　the　munity　Centre。　He　hadn't　bothered　with　women　before；　classing　both　sexes　of　mankind　as　his　natural　enemies；　but　somehow　he　felt　different　at　this　moment。　Perhaps　it　was　the　way　she　looked　at　him；　the　smiling；　smirking　invitation　on　her　face　caused　a　tightening　of　his　muscles。　The　fact　that　her　hair　was　straggly；　her　short　topcoat　creased　and　stained；　and　there　were　holes　in　her　tights；　was　of　no　consequence　to　him。　He　just　stood　and　stared。
　　
　　'Ow　about　it　then；　lover　boy？'　she　croaked。　'It　don't　matter　if　you　ain't　got　no　money。　Elsie　won't　charge　you　~　this　time！'
　　
　　For　a　few　seconds　they　stood　looking　at　each　other　in　silence；　Rupe　anticipating　a　thrill　he'd　never　experienced　before；　and　Elsie　contemplating　the　enrolment　of　yet　another　regular　client。　Then；　he　allowed　her　to　take　him　by　the　hand；　and　lead　him　towards　the　cinema　car…park。
　　
　　And　he　heard　that　voice　again；　very　faintly：　'Go　with　her；　my　son。　Enjoy　yourself。　。　。　and　then　kill！'
　　
　　It　was　snug　behind　the　deserted　attendant's　hut；　and　soon　Rupe　forgot　everything　else；　until　finally　she　pushed　him　off　her　partially　clothed　body。
　　
　　'Christ！'　she　croaked。　'Yer　don't　'arf　stink。　A　bath　wouldn't　do　yer　no　'arm…nor　a　shave；　for　that　matter。　Yer　like　a　bloody　'edge　'og！'
　　
　　Rupe's　fingers　touched　the　face。　Funny；　he　thought；　I　never　noticed　that　before。　He　hadn't　expected　a　beard　to　start　for　another　year　at　least。　But　now；　suddenly；　he　felt　a　roughness　on　his　face；　as　though　his　skin　was　corrugated。　But　it　was　not　hair。　It　was　something　else　entirely…something　which　burned　him　as　though　he　had　passed　through　boiling　steam。
　　
　　'Yer'll　learn　in　time；'　Elsie　was　sneering　now；　adjusting　her　coat。　'Only　next　time　it'll　cost　yer　a　couple　o'　quid。　Worth　a　fiver　to　put　up　with　that　stink！'
　　
　　Suddenly；　his　hands　were　around　her　throat；　but　not　the　small　slender　hands　of　youth。　They　were　massive；　strong　。　。　。　and　they　had　choked　the　life　out　of　the　street…walker　before　she　had　time　to　scream。　Then；　with　terrible　ferocity；　he　began　to　mutilate　the　dead　body　lying　beneath　him；　punching　and　tearing　at　the　face　with　his　bare　hands…finally　kicking　and　stamping　on　the　now　unrecognisable　form　with　his　heavy　boots。　At　last　he　stood　still；　smiling　into　the　darkness…waiting　to　hear　those　words　of　praise：　'Well　done；　my　son。'
　　
　　It　was　some　hours　later　when　Rupe　returned　to　the　den　he　shared　with　Loup。　All　that　sudden　strength　seemed　to　have　ebbed　from　him；　and　it　required　a　supreme　physical　effort　to　peel　the　filthy　rags　from　his　grimy　body。　He　dropped　them　on　the　floor；　and　then；　with　a　groan；　he　flung　himself　on　the　stiff　tarpaulin。　He　did　not　sleep；　but　just　lay　there；　watching　the　sky　grow　lighter　every　minute　through　the　hole　in　the　wall。　Something　was　dreadfully　wrong；　and　he　could　not　understand　what。
　　
　　Loup　had　been　asleep　when　he　entered…but　now　he　opened　his　eyes　and　regarded　his　panion。　Rupe　looked　back　at　him；　then　he　glanced　down　at　his　own　body；　the　dirt　clinging　to　his　flesh　like　scales。　He　stared　at　the　marks　that　now　covered　him　like　a　series　of　red　rashes…millions　of　tiny　pimples　that　oozed　yellowish　pus　and　burned　with　a　scalding　sensation。　He　felt　weak；　faint；　and　frightened。　He　tried　to　stand；　but　fell…his　whole　body　stinging　yet　more　painfully。　He　knew　he　needed　help　urgently。　Despite　his　hatred　of　his　fellow　men；　he　would　have　to　seek　their　aid。　No　longer　were　those　mystic　words　of　encouragement　to　be　heard。
　　
　　He　began　to　crawl；　slowly；　painfully；　dragging　along　on　his　stomach；　instinctively　heading　towards　the　new　suburbs。　The　burning　now　seemed　to　be　growing　inside　him　as　well；　as　though　his　intestines　were　on　fire。
　　
　　He　had　covered　almost　two　hundred　yards；　and　it　was　full　daylight　now。　The　first　rays　of　the　rising　sun　lay　on　the　rooftops。　Soon　the　new　town　would　be　ing　to　life；　people　scurrying　to　and　fro。　Then　someone　would　find　him。　He　tried　to　shout　for　help；　but　the　sound　was　scarcely　a　whisper…a　hoarse　croak　that　went　unanswered。
　　
　　That　damned　dog　had　deserted　him　in　his　hour　of　need。
　　
　　He　could　hear　footsteps。　No。　It　was　the　thudding　of　his　own　heart；　pumping　frantically；　faster　than　ever　before。
　　
　　Sheer　terror　gripped　him。　The　burning。　He　was　like　a　human　inferno；　except　there　were　no　flames。　Never　in　his　life　had　he　known　a　day's　illness；　and　now；　so　suddenly　。　。　。
　　
　　He　covered　another　ten　yards；　and　felt　the　flagstones　of　a　pavement　beneath　him。　And　as　he　lay　there　he　heard　laughter；　mocking　tones　inside　his　head；　a　familiar　voice。　'All　must　die；　Rupe。　You　are　the　first　of　many。　This　is　the　curse　of　Balzur。'
　　
　　Then　he　died。
　　
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　7
　　
　　'Two　bloody　murders　within　twenty…four　hours；　and　one　dead　vagrant；'　Chief　Superintendent　Rollason　addressed　Inspector　McLane　and　Sergeant　Conniston　from　behind　his　cigarette；　its　half　inch　or　so　of　ash　liable　to　fall　at　any　second。
　　
　　'And　the　vagrant　kid　could　probably　have　done　both；'　McLane　replied。　'What'd　he　die　of；　anyway？　Looked　like　the　bloody　plague　to　me。'
　　
　　'We'll　have　to　wait　for　the　autopsy'…Rollason's　ash　finally　fell　into　his　lap…'but　in　the　meantime　we've　got　to　find　this　Coyle　kid。　Personally；　I　don't　think　the　murders　are　related；　but　we've　got　to　solve　'em　。