stephen king - mist-第12部分

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us　Christ；　you　want　to　take　ten　years　off　my…〃　He　saw　my　face。　〃What's　the　matter　with　you？〃
　〃Did　you　hear　it？〃　I　asked。　My　voice　sounded　strange　in　my　own　ears；　high　and　squeaking。　〃Did　any　of　you　hear　it？〃
　They　hadn't　heard　anything；　of　course。　They　had　e　up　to　see　why　the　generator　had　gone　off。　As　Ollie　told　me　that；　one　of　the　bag…boys　bustled　up　with　an　armload　of　flashlights。　He　looked　from　Ollie　to　me　curiously。
　〃I　turned　the　generator　off；〃　I　said；　and　explained　why。
　〃What　did　you　hear？〃　one　of　the　other　men　asked。　He　worked　for　the　town　road　department；　his　name　was　Jim　something。
　〃I　don't　know。　A　scraping　noise。　Slithery。　I　don't　want　to　hear　it　again。〃
　〃Nerves；〃　the　other　fellow　with　Ollie　said。
　〃No。　It　was　not　nerves。〃
　〃Did　you　hear　it　before　the　lights　went　out？〃
　〃No；　only　after。　But　。。。〃　But　nothing。　I　could　see　the　way　they　were　looking　at　me。　They　didn't　want　any　more　bad　news；　anything　else　frightening　or　off…kilter。　There　was　enough　of　that　already。　Only　Ollie　looked　as　if　he　believed　〃Let's　go　in　and　start　her　up　again；〃　the　bag…boy　said；　handing　out　the　flashlights。　Ollie　took　his　doubtfully。　The　bag…boy　offered　me　one；　a　slightly　contemptuous　shine　in　his　eyes。　He　was　maybe　eighteen。　After　a　moment's　thought；　I　took　the　light。　I　still　needed　something　to　cover　Billy　with。
　Ollie　opened　the　doors　and　chocked　them；　letting　in　some　light。　The　bleach　cartons　lay　scattered　around　the　half…open　door　in　the　plywood　partition。
　The　fellow　named　Jim　sniffed　and　said；　〃Smells　pretty　rank；　all　right。　Guess　you　was　right　to　shut　her　down。〃
　The　flashlight　beams　bobbed　and　danced　across　cartons　of　canned　goods；　toilet　paper；　dog　food。　The　beams　were　smoky　in　the　drifting　fumes　the　blocked　exhaust　had　turned　back　into　the　storage　area。　The　bag…boy　trained　his　light　briefly　on　the　wide　loading　door　at　the　extreme　right。
　The　two　men　and　Ollie　went　inside　the　generator　partment。　Their　lights　flashed　uneasily　back　and　forth；　reminding　me　of　something　out　of　a　boys'　adventure　story　…and　I　illustrated　a　series　of　them　while　I　was　still　in　college。　Pirates　burying　their　bloody　gold　at　midnight；　or　maybe　the　mad　doctor　and　his　assistant　snatching　a　body。　Shadows；　made　twisted　and　monstrous　by　the　shifting；　conflicting　flashlight　beams；　bobbed　on　the　walls。　The　generator　ticked　irregularly　as　it　cooled。
　The　bag…boy　was　walking　toward　the　loading　door；　flashing　his　light　ahead　of　him。　〃I　wouldn't　go　over　there；〃　I　said。
　〃No；　I　know　you　wouldn't。〃
　〃Try　it　now；　Ollie；〃　one　of　the　men　said。　The　generator　wheezed；　then　roared。
　〃Jesus！　Shut　her　down！　Holy　crow；　don't　that　stink！〃
　The　generator　died　again。
　The　bag…boy　walked　back　from　the　loading　door　just　as　they　came　out。　〃Something's　plugged　that　exhaust；　all　right；〃　one　of　the　men　said。
　〃I'll　tell　you　what；〃　the　bag…boy　said。　His　eyes　were　shining　in　the　glow　of　the　flashlights；　and　there　was　a　devil…may…care　expression　on　his　face　that　I　had　sketched　too　many　times　as　part　of　the　frontispieces　for　my　boys'　adventure　series。　〃Get　it　running　long　enough　for　me　to　raise　the　loading　door　back　there。　I'll　go　around　and　clear　away　whatever　it　is。〃
　〃Norm；　I　don't　think　that's　a　very　good　idea；〃　Ollie　said　doubtfully：
　〃Is　it　an　electric　door？〃　the　one　called　Jim　asked。
　〃Sure；〃　Ollie　said。　〃But　I　just　don't　think　it　would　be　wise　for…〃
　〃That's　okay；〃　the　other　guy　said。　He　tipped　his　baseball　cap　back　on　his　head。　〃I'll　do　it。〃
　〃No；　you　don't　understand；〃　Ollie　began　again。　〃I　really　don't　think　anyone　should…〃
　〃Don't　worry；〃　he　said　indulgently　to　Ollie；　dismissing　him。
　Norm；　the　bag…boy；　was　indignant。　〃Listen；　it　was　my　idea；〃　he　said。
　All　at　once；　by　some　magic；　they　had　gotten　around　to　arguing　about　who　was　going　to　do　it　instead　of　whether　or　not　it　should　be　done　at　all。　But　of　course；　none　of　them　had　heard　that　nasty　slithering　sound。　〃Stop　it！〃　I　said　loudly。
　They　looked　around　at　me。
　〃You　don't　seem　to　understand；　or　you're　trying　as　hard　as　you　can　not　to　understand。　This　is　no　ordinary　fog。　Nobody　has　e　into　the　market　since　it　hit。　If　you　open　that　loading　door　and　something　es　in…〃
　〃Something　like　what？〃　Norm　said　with　perfect　eighteen…year…old　macho　contempt。
　〃Whatever　made　the　noise；　I　heard。〃
　〃Mr。　Drayton；〃　Jim　said。　〃Pardon　me；　but　I'm　not　convinced　you　heard　anything。　I　know　you're　a　big…shot　artist　with　connections　in　New　York　and　Hollywood　and　all；　but　that　doesn't　make　you　any　different　from　anyone　else；　in　my　book。　Way　I　figure；　you　got　in　here　in　the　dark　and　maybe　you　just　。。。　got　a　little　confused。〃
　〃Maybe　I　did；〃　I　said。　〃And　maybe　if　you　want　to　start　screwing　around　outside；　you　ought　to　start　by　making　sure　that　lady　got　home　safe　to　her　kids。〃　His　attitude…and　that　of　his　buddy　and　of　Norm　the　bag…boy　…　was　making　me　mad　and　scaring　me　more　at　the　same　time。　They　had　the　sort　of　light　in　their　eyes　that　some　men　get　when　they　go　shooting　rats　at　the　town　dump。
　〃Hey；〃　Jim's　buddy　said。　〃When　any　of　us　here　want　your　advice；　we'll　ask　for　it。〃
　Hesitantly；　Ollie　said：　〃The　generator　really　isn't　that　important；　you　know。　The　food　in　the　cold　cases　will　keep　for　twelve　hours　or　more　with　absolutely　no…〃
　〃Okay；　kid；　you're　it；〃　Jim　said　brusquely。　〃I'll　start　the　motor；　you　raise　the　door　so　that　the　place　doesn't　stink　up　too　bad。　Me　and　Myron　will　be　standing　by　the　exhaust　outflow。　Give　us　a　yell　when　it's　clear。。〃
　〃Sure；〃　Norm　said；　and　bustled　excitedly　away。
　〃This　is　crazy；〃　I　said。　〃You　let　that　lady　go　by　herself…〃
　〃I　didn't　notice　you　breaking　your　ass　to　escort　her；〃　Jim's　buddy　Myron　said。　A　dull；　brick…colored　flush　was　creeping　out　of　his　collar。
　〃…but　you're　going　to　let　this　kid　risk　his　life　over　a　generator　that　doesn't　even　matter？〃
　〃Why　don't　you　just　shut　the　fuck　up！〃　Norm　yelled。
　〃Listen；　Mr　Drayton；〃　Jim　said；　and　smiled　at　me　coldly。　〃I'll　tell　you　what。　If　you've　got　anything　else　to　say；　I　think　you　better　count　your　teeth　first；　because　I'm　tired　of　listening　to　your　bullshit。〃
　Ollie　looked　at　me；　plainly　frightened。　I　shrugged。　They　were　crazy；　that　was　all。　Their　sense　of　proportion　was　temporarily　gone。　Out　there　they　had　been　confused　and　scared。　In　here　was　a　straight…　forward　mechanical　problem：　a　balky　generator。　It　was　possible　to　solve　this　problem。　Solving　the　problem　would　help　make　them　feel　less　confused　and　helpless。　Therefore　they　would　solve　it。
　Jim　and　his　friend　Myron　decided　I　knew　when　I　was　licked　and　went　back　into　the　generator　partment。　〃Ready；　Norm？〃　Jim　asked。
　Norm　nodded；　then　realized　they　couldn't　hear　a　nod。　〃Yeah；〃　he　said。
　〃Norm；〃　I　said。　〃Don't　be　a　fool。〃
　〃It's　a　mistake；〃　Ollie　added。
　He　looked　at　us；　and　suddenly　his　face　was　much　younger　than　eighteen。　it　was　the　face　of　a　boy。　His　Adam's　apple　bobbed　convulsively；　and　I　saw　that　he　was　scared　green。　He　opened　his　mouth　to　say　something　…　I　think　he　was　going　to　call　it　off…and　then　the　generator　roared　into　life　again；　and　when　it　was　running　smoothly；　Norm　lunged　at　the　button　to　the　right　of　the　door　and　it　began　to　rattle　upward　on　its　dual　steel　tracks。　The　emergency　lights　had　e　back　on　when　the　generator　started。　Now　they　dimmed　down　as　the　motor　which　lifted　the　door　sucked　away　the　juice。
　The　shadows　ran　backward　and　melted。　The　storage　area　began　to　fill　with　the　mellow　white　light　of　an　overcast　late…winter　day。　I　noticed　that　odd；　acrid　smell　again。
　The　loading　door　went　up　two　feet；　then　four。　Beyond　I　could　see　a　square　cement　platform　outlined　around　the　edges　with　a　yellow　stripe。　The　yellow　faded　and　washed　out　in　just　three　feet。　The　fog　was　incredibly　thick。
　〃Ho　up！〃　Norm　yelled。
　Tendrils　of　mist；　as　white　and　fine　as　floating　lace；　eddied　inside。　The　air　was　cold。　It　had　been　noticeably　cool　all　morning　long；　especially　after　the　sticky　heat　of　the　last　three　weeks；　but　it　had　been　a　summery　coolness。　This　was　cold。　It　was　like　March。　I　shivered。　And　I　thought　of　Steff。
　The　generator　died。　Jim　came　out　just　as　Norm　ducked　under　the　door。　He　saw　it。　So　did　I。　So　did　Ollie。
　A　tentacle　came　over　the　far　lip　of　the　concrete　loading　platform　and　grabbed　Norm　around　the　calf。　My　mout