sk.thewastelands-第42部分

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ed　in　a　spring。
　　〃Roland？〃　Eddie　asked　uneasily。　〃Are　you　all　right？〃
　　Roland　whispered　something。　Eddie　couldn't　hear　what　it　was。
　　Susannah　looked　scared。　She　glanced　frantically　at　Eddie；　as　if　to　ask；　What　did　you　do　to　him？
　　Eddie　took　one　of　her　hands　in　both　of　his　own。　〃I　think　it's　all　right。〃
　　Roland's　hand　was　clamped　so　tightly　on　the　chunk　of　wood　that　Eddie　was　momentarily　afraid　he　might　snap　it　in　two；　but　the　wood　was　strong　and　Eddie　had　carved　thick。　The　gunslinger's　throat　bulged；　his　Adam's　apple　rose　and　fell　as　he　struggled　with　speech。　And　suddenly　he　yelled　at　the　sky　in　a　fair；　strong　voice：
　　〃GONE！　THE　VOICES　ARE　GONE！〃
　　He　looked　back　at　them；　and　Eddie　saw　something　he　had　never　expected　to　see　in　his　life…not　even　if　that　life　stretched　over　a　thousand　years。
　　Roland　of　Gilead　was　weeping。
　　　
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　　THE　GUNSLINGER　SLEPT　SOUNDLY　and　dreamlessly　that　night　for　the　first　time　in　months；　and　he　slept　with　the　not…quite　finished　key　clenched　tightly　in　his　hand。
　　　
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　　IN　ANOTHER　WORLD；　BUT　beneath　the　shadow　of　the　same　ka…tet；　Jake　Chambers　was　having　the　most　vivid　dream　of　his　life。
　　He　was　walking　through　the　tangled　remains　of　an　ancient　forest…a　dead　zone　of　fallen　trees　and　scruffy；　aggravating　bushes　that　bit　his　ankles　and　tried　to　steal　his　sneakers。　He　came　to　a　thin　belt　of　younger　trees　（alders；　he　thought；　or　perhaps　beeches…he　was　a　city　boy；　and　the　only　thing　he　knew　for　sure　about　trees　was　that　some　had　leaves　and　some　had　needles）　and　discovered　a　path　through　them。　He　made　his　way　along　this；　moving　a　little　faster。　There　was　a　clearing　of　some　sort　up　ahead。
　　He　stopped　once　before　reaching　it；　when　he　spied　some　sort　of　stone　marker　to　his　right。　He　left　the　path　to　look　at　it。　There　were　letters　carved　into　it；　but　they　were　so　eroded　he　couldn't　make　them　out。　At　last　he　closed　his　eyes　（he　had　never　done　this　in　a　dream　before）　and　let　his　fingers　trace　each　letter；　like　a　blind　boy　reading　Braille。　Each　formed　in　the　darkness　behind　his　lids　until　they　made　a　sentence　which　stood　forth　in　an　outline　of　blue　light：
　　TRAVELLER；　BEYOND　LIES　MID…WORLD。
　　Sleeping　in　his　bed；　Jake　drew　his　knees　up　against　his　chest。　The　hand　holding　the　key　was　under　his　pillow；　and　now　his　fingers　tightened　their　grip　on　it。
　　Mid…World；　he　thought；　of　course。　St。　Louis　and　Topeka　and　Oz　and　the　World's　Fair　and　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo。
　　He　opened　his　dreaming　eyes　and　pressed　on。　The　clearing　behind　the　trees　was　paved　with　old　cracked　asphalt。　A　faded　yellow　circle　had　been　painted　in　the　middle。　Jake　realized　it　was　a　playground　basketball　court　even　before　he　saw　the　boy　at　the　far　end；　standing　at　the　foul　line　and　shooting　baskets　with　a　dusty　old　Wilson　ball。　They　popped　in　one　after　another；　falling　neatly　through　the　netless　hole。　The　basket　jutted　out　from　something　that　looked　like　a　subway　kiosk　which　had　been　shut　up　for　the　night。　Its　closed　door　was　painted　in　alternating　diagonal　stripes　of　yellow　and　black。　From　behind　it…or　perhaps　from　below　it…Jake　could　hear　the　steady　rumble　of　powerful　machinery。　The　sound　was　somehow　disturbing。　Scary。
　　Don't　step　on　the　robots；　the　boy　shooting　the　baskets　said　without　turning　around。　I　guess　they're　all　dead；　but　I　wouldn't　take　any　chances；　if　I　were　you。
　　Jake　looked　around　and　saw　a　number　of　shattered　mechanical　devices　lying　around。　One　looked　like　a　rat　or　mouse；　another　like　a　bat。　A　mechanical　snake　lay　in　two　rusty　pieces　almost　at　his　feet。
　　ARE　you　me？　Jake　asked；　taking　a　step　closer　to　die　boy　at　the　basket；　but　even　before　he　turned　around；　Jake　knew　that　wasn't　the　case。　The　boy　was　bigger　than　Jake；　and　at　least　thirteen。　His　hair　was　darker；　and　when　he　looked　at　Jake；　he　saw　that　the　stranger's　eyes　were　hazel。　His　own　were　blue。
　　What　do　you　think？　the　strange　boy　asked；　and　bounce…passed　the　ball　to　Jake。
　　No；　of　course　not；　Jake　said。　He　spoke　apologetically。　It's　just　that　I've　been　cut　in　two　for　the　last　three　weeks　or　so。　He　dipped　and　shot　from　mid…court。　The　ball　arched　high　and　dropped　silently　through　the　hoop。　He　was　delighted　。　。　。　but　he　discovered　he　was　also　afraid　of　what　this　strange　boy　might　have　to　tell　him。
　　I　know；　the　boy　said。　It's　been　a　bitch　for　you；　hasn't　it？　He　was　wearing　faded　madras　shorts　and　a　yellow　t…shirt　that　said　NEVER　A　DULL　MOMENT　IN　MID…WORLD。　He　had　tied　a　green　bandanna　around　his　forehead　to　keep　his　hair　out　of　his　eyes。　And　things　are　going　to　get　worse　before　they　get　better。
　　What　is　this　place？　Jake　asked。　And　who　are　you？
　　It's　the　Portal　of　the　Bear　。　。　。　but　it's　also　Brooklyn。
　　That　didn't　seem　to　make　sense；　and　yet　somehow　it　did。　Jake　told　himself　that　things　always　seemed　that　way　in　dreams；　but　this　didn't　really　feel　like　a　dream。
　　As　for　me；　I　don't　matter　much；　the　boy　said。　He　hooked　the　basket…ball　over　his　shoulder。　It　rose；　then　dropped　smoothly　through　the　hoop。　I'm　supposed　to　guide　you；　that's　all。　I'll　take　you　where　you　need　to　go；　and　I'll　show　you　what　you　need　to　see；　but　you　have　to　be　careful　because　I　won't　know　you。　And　strangers　make　Henry　nervous。　He　can　get　mean　when　he's　nervous；　and　he's　bigger　than　you。
　　Who's　Henry？　Jake　asked。
　　Never　mind。　Just　don't　let　him　notice　you。　All　you　have　to　do　is　hang　out　。　。　。　and　follow　us。　Then；　when　we　leave　。　。　。
　　The　boy　looked　at　Jake。　There　was　both　pity　and　fear　in　his　eyes。　Jake　suddenly　realized　that　the　boy　was　starting　to　fade…lie　could　see　the　yellow　and　black　slashes　on　the　box　right　through　the　boy's　yellow　t…shirt。
　　How　will　I　find　you？　Jake　was　suddenly　terrified　that　the　boy　would　melt　away　pletely　before　he　could　say　everything　Jake　needed　to　hear。
　　No　problem；　the　boy　said。　His　voice　had　taken　on　a　queer；　chiming　echo。　Just　take　the　subway　to　Co…Op　City。　You'll　find　me。
　　No；　I　won't！　Jake　cried。　Co…Op　City's　huge！　There　must　be　a　hundred　thousand　people　living　there！
　　Now　the　boy　was　just　a　milky　outline。　Only　his　hazel　eyes　were　still　pletely　there；　like　the　Cheshire　cat's　grin　in　Alice。　They　regarded　Jake　with　passion　and　anxiety。　No　problem…o；　he　said。　You　found　the　key　and　the　rose；　didn't　you？　You'll　find　me　the　same　way。　This　afternoon；　Jake。　Around　three　o'clock　should　be　good。　You'll　have　to　be　careful；　and　you'll　have　to　be　quick。　He　paused；　a　ghostly　boy　with　an　old　basketball　lying　near　one　transparent　foot。　I　have　to　go　now　。　。　。　but　it　was　good　to　meet　you。　You　seem　like　a　nice　kid；　and　I'm　riot　surprised　he　loves　you。　Remember；　there's　danger；　though。　He　careful　。　。　。　and　he　quick。
　　Wait！　Jake　yelled；　and　run　across　the　basketball　court　toward　the　disappearing　boy。　One　of　his　feet　struck　a　shattered　robot　that　looked　like　a　child's　toy　tractor。　He　stumbled　and　fell　to　his　knees；　shredding　his　pants。　He　ignored　the　thin　burn　of　pain。　Wait！　You　have　to　tell　me　what　all　this　is　about！　You　have　to　tell　me　why　these　things　are　happening　to　me！
　　Because　of　the　Beam；　the　boy　who　was　now　only　a　pair　of　floating　eyes　replied；　and　because　of　the　Tower。　In　the　end；　all　things；　even　the　Beams；　serve　the　Dark　Tower。　Did　you　think　you　would　be　any　different？
　　Jake　flailed　and　stumbled　to　his　feet。　Will　I　find　him？　Will　I　find　the　gunslinger？
　　I　don't　know；　the　boy　answered。　His　voice　now　seemed　to　e　from　a　million　miles　away。　I　only　know　you　must　try。　About　that　you　have　no　choice。
　　The　boy　was　gone。　The　basketball　court　in　the　woods　was　empty。　The　only　sound　was　that　faint　rumble　of　machinery；　and　Jake　didn't　like　it。　There　was　something　wrong　with　that　sound；　and　he　thought　that　what　was　wrong　with　the　machinery　was　affecting　the　rose；　or　vice…versa。　It　was　all　hooked　together　somehow。
　　He　picked　up　the　old；　scuffed…up　basketball　and　shot。　It　went　neatly　through　the　hoop　。　。　。　and　disappeared。
　　A　river；　the　strange　boy's　voice　sighed。　It　was　like　a　puff　of　breeze。　It　came　from　nowhere　and　everywhere。　The　answer　is　a　river。
　　　
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　　JAKE　WOKE　IN　THE　first　milky　light　of　dawn；　looking　up　at　the　ceiling　of　his　room。　He　was　thinking　of　the　guy　in　The　Manhattan　Restaurant　of　the　Mind…Aaron　Deepneau；　who'd　been　hanging　around　o