stephen king - mist-第13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！


　A　tentacle　came　over　the　far　lip　of　the　concrete　loading　platform　and　grabbed　Norm　around　the　calf。　My　mouth　dropped　wide　open。　Ollie　made　a　very　short　glottal　sound　of　surprise　…　uk！　The　tentacle　tapered　from　a　thickness　of　a　foot…the　size　of　a　grass　snake…at　the　point　where　it　had　wrapped　itself　around　Norm's　lower　leg　to　a　thickness　of　maybe　four　or　five　feet　where　it　disappeared　into　the　mist。　It　was　slate　gray　on　top；　shading　to　a　fleshy　pink　underneath。　And　there　were　rows　of　suckers　on　the　underside。　They　were　moving　and　writhing　like　hundreds　of　small；　puckering　mouths。
　Norm　looked　down。　He　saw　what　had　him。　His　eyes　bulged。　〃Get　it　off　me！　Hey；　get　it　off　me！　Christ　Jesus；　get　this　frigging　thing　off　me！〃
　〃Oh　my　God；〃　Jim　whimpered。
　Norm　grabbed　the　bottom　edge　of　the　loading　door　and　yanked　himself　back　in。　The　tentacle　seemed　to　bulge；　the　way　your　arm　will　when　you　flex　it。　Norm　was　yanked　back　against　the　corrugated　steel　door…his　bead　clanged　against　it。　The　tentacle　bulged　more；　and　Norm's　legs　and　torso　began　to　slip　back　out。　The　bottom　edge　of　the　loading　door　scraped　the　shirttails　out　of　his　pants。　He　yanked　savagely　and　pulled　himself　back　in　like　a　man　doing　a　chin…up。
　〃Help　me；〃　he　was　sobbing。　〃Help　me；　you　guys；　please；　please。〃
　〃Jesus；　Mary　and　Joseph；〃　Myron　said。　He　had　e　out　of　the　generator　partment　to　see　what　was　going　on。
　I　was　the　closest；　and　I　grabbed　Norm　around　the　waist　and　yanked　as　hard　as　I　could；　rocking　back　on　my　heels。　For　a　moment　we　moved　backward；　but　only　for　a　moment。　it　was　like　stretching　a　rubber　band　or　pulling　taffy。　The　tentacle　yielded　but　gave　up　its　basic　grip　not　at　all。　Then　three　more　tentacles　floated　out　of　the　mist　towards　us。　One　curled　around　Norm's　flapping　red　Federal　apron　and　tore　it　away。　It　disappeared　back　into　the　mist　with　the　red　cloth　curled　in　its　grip　and　I　thought　of　something　my　mother　used　to　say　when　my　brother　and　I　would　beg　for　something　she　didn't　want　us　to　have…candy；　a　ic　book；　some　toy。　〃You　need　that　like　a　hen　needs　a　flag；〃　she'd　say。　I　thought　of　that；　and　I　thought　of　that　tentacle　waving　Norm's　red　apron　around；　and　I　got　laughing。　I　got　laughing；　except　my　laughter　and　Norm's　screams　sounded　about　the　same。　Maybe　no　one　even　knew　I　was　laughing　except　me。
　The　other　two　tentacles　slithered　aimlessly　back　and　forth　on　the　loading　platform　for　a　moment；　making　those　low　scraping　sounds　I　had　heard　earlier。　Then　one　of　them　slapped　against　Norm's　left　hip　and　slipped　around　it。　I　felt　it　touch　my　arm。　It　was　warm　and　pulsing　and　smooth。　I　think　now　that　if　it　had　gripped　me　with　those　suckers；　I　would　have　gone　out　into　the　mist　too。　But　it　didn't。　It　grabbed　Norm。　And　the　third　tentacle　ringleted　his　other　ankle。
　Now　he　was　being　pulled　away　from　me。　〃Help　me！〃　I　shouted。　〃Ollie！　Someone！　Give　me　a　hand　here！〃
　But　they　didn't　e。　I　don't　know　what　they　were　doing；　but　they　didn't　e。
　I　looked　down　and　saw　the　tentacle　around　Norm's　waist　working　into　his　skin。　The　suckers　were　eating　him　where　his　shirt　had　pulled　out　of　his　pants。　Blood；　as　red　as　his　missing　apron；　began　to　seep　out　of　the　trench　the　pulsing　tentacle　had　made　for　itself。
　I　banged　my　head　on　the　lower　edge　of　the　partly　raised　door。
　Norm's　legs　were　outside　again。　One　of　his　loafers　had　fallen　off。　A　new　tentacle　came　out　of　the　mist；　wrapped　its　tip　firmly　around　the　shoe；　and　made　off　with　it。　Norm's　fingers　clutched　at　the　door's　lower　edge。　He　had　it　in　a　death　grip。　His　fingers　were　livid。　He　was　not　screaming　anymore；　he　was　beyond　that。　His　head　whipped　back　and　forth　in　an　endless　gesture　of　negation；　and　his　long　black　hair　flew　wildly。
　I　looked　over　his　shoulder　and　saw　more　tentacles　ing；　dozens　of　them；　a　forest　of　them。　Most　were　small　but　a　few　were　gigantic；　as　thick　as　the　moss…corseted　tree　that　had　been　lying　across　our　driveway　that　morning。　The　big　ones　had　candy…pink　suckers　that　seemed　the　size　of　manhole　covers。　One　of　these　big　ones　struck　the　concrete　loading　platform　with　a　loud　and　rolling　thrrrrp！　sound　and　moved　sluggishly　toward　us　like　a　great　blind　earthworm。　I　gave　one　gigantic　tug；　and　the　tentacle　holding　Norm's　right　calf　slipped　a　little。　That　was　all。　But　before　it　reestablished　its　grip；　I　saw　that　the　thing　was　eating　him　away。
　One　of　the　tentacles　brushed　delicately　past　my　cheek　and　then　wavered　in　the　air；　as　if　debating。　I　thought　of　Billy　then。　Billy　was　lying　asleep　in　the　market　by　Mr。　McVey's　long　white　meat　cooler。　I　had　e　in　here　to　find
　something　to　cover　him　up　with。　If　one　of　those　things　got　hold　of　me；　there　would　be　no　one　to　watch　out　for　him…except　maybe　Norton。
　So　I　let　go　of　Norm　and　dropped　to　my　hands　and　knees。
　I　was　half　in　and　half　out；　directly　under　the　raised　door。　A　tentacle　passed　by　on　my　left；　seeming　to　walk　on　its　suckers。　It　attached　itself　to　one　of　Norm's　bulging　upper　arms；　paused　for　a　second；　and　then　slid　around　it　in　coils。
　Now　Norm　looked　like　something　out　of　a　madman's　dream　of　snake　charming。　Tentacles　twisted　over　him　uneasily　almost　everywhere　。。。　and　they　were　all　around　me；　as　well。　I　made　a　clumsy　leapfrog　jump　back　inside；　landed　on　my　shoulder；　and　rolled。　Jim；　Ollie　and　Myron　were　still　there。　They　stood　like　a　tableau　of　waxworks　in　Madame　Tussaud's；　their　faces　pale；　their　eyes　too　bright。　Jim　and　Myron　flanked　the　door　to　the　generator　partment。
　〃Start　the　generator！〃　I　yelled　at　them。
　Neither　moved。　They　were　staring　with　a　drugged；　thanatotic　avidity　at　the　loading　bay。
　I　groped　on　the　floor；　picked　up　the　first　thing　that　came　to　hand　…　a　box　of　Snowy　bleach…and　chucked　it　at　Jim。　It　hit　him　in　the　gut；　just　above　the　belt　buckle。　He　grunted　and　grabbed　at　himself。　His　eyes　flickered　back　into　some　semblance　of　normality。
　〃Go　start　that　fucking　generator！〃　I　screamed　so　loudly　it　hurt　my　throat。
　He　didn't　move；　instead　he　began　to　defend　himself；　apparently　having　decided　that；　with　Norm　being　eaten　alive　by　some　insane　horror　from　the　mist；　the　time　had　e　for　rebuttals。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　whined。　〃I　didn't　know；　how　the　hell　was　I　supposed　to　know？　You　said　you　heard　something　but　I　didn't　know　what　you　meant；　you　should　have　said　what　you　meant　better。　I　thought；　I　dunno；　maybe　a　bird；　or　something…〃
　So　then　Ollie　moved；　bunting　him　aside　with　one　thick　shoulder　and　blundering　into　the　generator　room。　Jim　stumbled　over　one　of　the　bleach　cartons　and　fell　down；　just　as　I　had　done　in　the　dark。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　said　again。　His　red　hair　had　tumbled　over　his　brow。　His　cheeks　were　cheese…white。　His　eyes　were　those　of　a　horrified　little　boy。　Seconds　later　the　generator　coughed　and　rumbled　into　life。
　I　turned　back　to　the　loading　door。　Norm　was　almost　gone；　yet　he　clung　grimly　with　one　hand。　His　body　boiled　with　tentacles；　and　blood　pattered　serenely　down　on　the　concrete　in　dime…size　droplets。　His　head　whipped　back　and　forth　and　his　eyes　bulged　with　terror　as　they　stared　off　into　the　mist。
　Other　tentacles　now　crept　and　crawled　over　the　floor　inside。　There　were　too　many　near　the　button　that　controlled　the　loading　door　to　even　think　of　approaching　it。　One　of　them　closed　around　a　half…liter　bottle　of　Pepsi　and　carried　it　off。　Another　slipped　around　a　cardboard　carton　and　squeezed。　The　carton　ruptured　and　rolls　of　toilet　paper；　two…packs　of　Delsey　wrapped　in　cellophane；　geysered　upward；　came　down；　and　rolled　everywhere。　Tentacles　seized　them　eagerly。
　One　of　the　big　ones　slipped　in。　its　tip　rose　from　the　floor　and　it　seemed　to　sniff　the　air。　it　began　to　advance　toward　Myron　and　he　stepped　mincingly　away　from　it；　his　eyes　rolling　madly　in　their　sockets。　A　high…pitched　little　moan　escaped　his　slack　lips。
　I　looked　around　for　something；　anything　at　all　long　enough　to　reach　over　the　questing　tentacles　and　punch　the　SHUT　button　on　the　wall。　I　saw　a　janitor's　push　broom　leaning　against　a　stack…up　of　beer　cases　and　grabbed　it。
　Norm's　good　hand　was　ripped　loose。　He　thudded　down　onto　the　concrete　loading　platform　and　scrabbled　madly　for　a　grip　with　his　one　free　hand。　His　eyes　met　mine　for　a　moment。　They　were　hellishly　bright　and　aware。　He　knew　what　was　happening　to　him。　Then　he　was　pulled；　bumping　and　rolling；　i