stephen king - mist-第32部分

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　〃Where　did　you　think　you　were　going？〃
　It　was　Mrs。　Carmody。
　She　stood　at　the　head　of　the　checkout　line　where　Ollie　had　hidden　the　bags　of　groceries。　Her　pantsuit　was　a　yellow　scream　in　the　gloom。　Her　hair　frizzed　out　wildly　in　all　directions；　reminding　me　momentarily　of　Elsa　Lanchester　in　The　Bride　of　Frankenstein。　Her　eyes　blazed。　Ten　or　fifteen　people　stood　behind　her；　blocking　the　IN　and　OUT　doors。　They　had　the　look　of　people　who　had　been　in　car　accidents；　or　who　had　seen　a　UFO　land；　or　who　had　seen　a　tree　pull　its　roots　up　and　walk。
　Billy　cringed　against　Amanda　and　buried　his　face　against　her　neck。
　〃Going　out　now；　Mrs。　Carmody；〃　Ollie　said。　His　voice　was　curiously　gentle。　〃Stand　away；　please。〃
　〃You　can't　go　out。　That　way　is　death。　Don't　you　know　that　by　now？〃
　〃No　one　has　interfered　with　you；〃　I　said。　〃All　we　want　is　the　same　privilege。〃
　She　bent　and　found　the　bags　of　groceries　unerringly。　She　must　have　known　what　we　were　planning　all　along。　She　pulled　them　out　from　the　shelf　where　Ollie　had　placed　them。　One　ripped　open；　spilling　cans　across　the　floor。　She　threw　the　other　and　it　smashed　open　with　the　sound　of　breaking　glass。　Soda　ran　fizzing　every　which　way　and　sprayed　off　the　chrome　facing　of　the　next　checkout　lane。
　〃These　are　the　sort　of　people　who　brought　it　on！〃　she　shouted。　〃People　who　will　not　bend　to　the　will　of　the　Almighty！　Sinners　in　pride；　haughty　they　are；　and　stiff…necked！　it　is　from　their　number　that　the　sacrifice　must　e！　From　their　number　the　blood　of　expiation！〃
　A　rising　rumble　of　agreement　spurred　her　on。　She　was　in　a　frenzy　now。　Spittle　flew　from　her　lips　as　she　screamed　at　the　people　crowding　up　behind　her：　〃It's　the　boy　we　want！　Grab　him！　Take　him！　It's　the　boy　we　want！〃
　They　surged　forward；　Myron　LaFleur　in　the　lead；　his　eyes　blankly　joyous。　Mr。　McVey　was　directly　behind　him；　his　face　blank　and　stolid。
　Amanda　faltered　backward；　holding　Billy　more　tightly。　His　arms　were　wrapped　around　her　neck。　She　looked　at　me；　terrified。　〃David；　what　do　I…〃
　〃Get　them　both！　〃　Mrs。　Carmody　screamed。　〃Get　his　whore；　too。；　〃
　She　was　an　apocalypse　of　yellow　and　dark　joy。　Her　purse　was　still　over　her　arm。　She　began　to　jump　up　and　down。　〃Get　the　boy；　get　the　whore；　get　them　both；　get　them　all；　get…〃
　A　single　sharp　report　rang　out。
　Everything　froze；　as　if　we　were　a　classroom　full　of　unruly　children　and　the　teacher　had　just　stepped　back　in　and　shut　the　door　sharply。　Myron　LaFleur　and　Mr。　McVey　stopped　where　they　were；　about　ten　paces　away。　Myron　looked　back　uncertainly　at　the　butcher。　He　didn't　look　back　or　even　seem　to　realize　that　LaFleur　was　there。　Mr。　McVey　had　a　look　I　had　seen　on　too　many　other　faces　in　the　last　two　days。　He　had　gone　over。　His　mind　had　snapped。
　Myron　backed　up；　staring　at　Ollie　Weeks　with　widening；　fearful　eyes。　His　backing…up　became　a　run。　He　turned　the　corner　of　the　aisle；　skidded　on　a　can；　fell　down；　scrambled　up　again；　and　was　gone。
　Ollie　stood　in　the　classic　target　shooter's　position；　Amanda's　gun　clasped　in　both　hands。　Mrs。　Carmody　still　stood　at　the　head　of　the　checkout　lane。　Both　of　her　liver…spotted　hands　were　clasped　over　her　stomach。　Blood　poured　out　between　her　fingers　and　splashed　her　yellow　slacks。
　Her　mouth　opened　and　closed。　Once。　Twice。　She　was　trying　to　talk。　At　last　she　made　it。
　〃You　will　all　die　out　there；〃　she　said；　and　then　she　pitched　slowly　forward。　Her　purse　slithered　off　her　arm；　struck　the　floor；　and　spilled　its　contents。　A　paper…wrapped　tube　rolled　across　the　distance　between　us　and　struck　one　of　my　shoes。　Without　thinking；　I　bent　over　and　picked　it　up。　it　was　a　half…used　package　of　Rolaids。　I　threw　it　down　again。　I　didn't　want　to　touch　anything　that　belonged　to　her。
　The　〃congregation〃　was　backing　away；　spreading　out；　their　focus　broken。　None　of　them　took　their　eyes　from　the　fallen　figure　and　the　dark　blood　spreading　out　from　beneath　her　body。　〃You　murdered　her！〃　someone　cried　out　in　fear　and　anger。　But　no　one　pointed　out　that　she　had　been　planning　something　similar　for　my　son。
　Ollie　was　still　frozen　in　his　shooter's　position；　but　now　his　mouth　was　trembling。　I　touched　him　gently。　〃Ollie；　let's　go。　And　thank　you。〃
　〃　I　killed　her；〃　he　said　hoarsely。　〃Damn　if　I　didn't　kill　her。〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃That's　why　I　thanked　you。　Now　let's　go。〃
　We　began　to　move　again。
　With　no　grocery　bags　to　carry　…　thanks　to　Mrs。　Carmody　…　I　was　able　to　take　Billy。　We　paused　for　a　moment　at　the　door；　and　Ollie　said　in　a　low；　strained；　voice；　〃I　wouldn't　have　shot　her；　David。　Not　if　there　had　been　any　other　way。〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃You　believe　it？〃
　〃Yeah；　I　do。〃
　〃Then　let's　go。〃
　We　went　out。；
　　
　XI。　The　End。
　Ollie　moved　fast；　the　pistol　in　his　right　hand。　Before　Billy　and　I　were　more　than　out　the　door　he　was　at　my　Scout；　an　insubstantial　Ollie；　like　a　ghost　in　a　television　movie。　He　opened　the　driver's　door。　Then　the　back　door。　Then　something　came　out　of　the　mist　and　cut　him　nearly　in　half。
　I　never　got　a　good　look　at　it；　and　for　that　I　think　I'm　grateful。　it　appeared　to　be　red；　the　angry　color　of　a　cooked　lobster。　It　had　claws。　It　was　making　a　low　grunting　sound；　not　much　different　from　the　sound　we　had　heard　after　Norton　and　his　little　band　of　Flat…Earthers　went　out。
　Ollie　got　off　one　shot；　and　then　the　thing's　claws　scissored　forward　and　Ollie's　body　seemed　to　unhinge　in　a　terrible　glut　of　blood。　Amanda's　gun　fell　out　of　his　hand；　struck　the　pavement；　and　discharged。　I　caught　a　nightmare　glimpse　of　huge　black　lusterless　eyes；　the　size　of　giant　handfuls　of　sea　grapes；　and　then　the　thing　lurched　back　into　the　mist　with　what　remained　of　Ollie　Weeks　in　its　grip。　A　long；　multisegmented　scorpion's　body　dragged　harshly　on　the　paving。
　There　was　an　instant　of　choices。　Maybe　there　always　is；　no　matter　how　short。　Half　of　me　wanted　to　run　back　into　the　market　with　Billy　hugged　to　my　chest。　The　other　half　was　racing　for　the　Scout；　throwing　Billy　inside；　lunging　after　him。　Then　Amanda　screamed。　It　was　a　high；　rising　sound　that　seemed　to　spiral　up　and　up　until　it　was　nearly　ultrasonic。　Billy　cringed　against　me；　digging　his　face　against　my　chest。
　One　of　the　spiders　had　Hattie　Turman。　It　was　big。　It　had　knocked　her　down。　Her　dress　had　pulled　Lip　over　her　scrawny　knees　as　it　crouched　over　her；　its　bristly；　spiny　legs　caressing　her　shoulders。　It　began　to　spin　its　web。
　Mrs。　Carmody　was　right；　I　thought。　We're　going　to　die　out　here；　we　are　really　going　to　die　out　here。
　〃Amanda！〃　I　yelled。
　No　response。　She　was　totally　gone。　The　spider　straddled　what　remained　of　Billy's　babysitter；　who　had　enjoyed　jigsaw　puzzles　and　those　damned　Double…Crostics　that　no　normal　person　can　do　without　going　nuts。　Its　threads　crisscrossed　her　body；　the　white　strands　already　turning　red　as　the　acid　coating　sank　into　her。
　Cornell　was　backing　slowly　toward　the　market；　his　eyes　as　big　as　dinner　plates　behind　his　specs。　Abruptly　he　turned　and　ran。　He　clawed　the　IN　door　open　and　ran　inside。
　The　split　in　my　mind　closed　as　Mrs。　Reppler　stepped　briskly　forward　and　slapped　Amanda；　first　forehand；　then　backhand。　Amanda　stopped　screaming。　I　went　to　her；　spun　her　around　to　face　the　Scout；　and　screamed　〃GO！〃　into　her　face。
　She　went。　Mrs。　Reppler　brushed　past　me。　She　pushed　Amanda　into　the　Scout's　back　seat；　got　in　after　her；　and　slammed　the　door　shut。
　I　yanked　Billy　loose　and　threw　him　in。　As　I　climbed　in　myself；　one　of　those　spider　threads　drifted　down　and　lit　on　my　ankle。　It　burned　the　way　a　fishing　line　pulled　rapidly　through　your　closed　fist　will　burn。　And　it　was　strong。　I　gave　my　foot　a　hard　yank　and　it　broke。　I　slipped　in　behind　the　wheel。
　〃Shut　it；　oh　shut　the　door；　dear　God！〃　Amanda　screamed
　I　shut　the　door。　A　bare　instant　later；　one　of　the　spiders　thumped　softly　against　it。　I　was　only　inches　from　it's　red；　viciously　stupid　eyes。　Its　legs；　each　as　thick　as　my　wrist；　slipped　back　and　forth　across　the　square　bonnet。　Amanda　screamed　ceaselessly；　like　a　firebell。
　〃Woman；　shut　your　head；〃　Mrs。　Reppler　told　her。
　The　spider　gave　up。　It　could　not　smell　us；　ergo　we　were　no　longer　there。　It　strutted　back　into　the　mist　on　its　unsettling　number　of　legs；　became　a　phantasm；　and　then　was　gone。
　I　looked　out　the　window　to　make　sure　it　was　gone