sk.thetalisman-第131部分
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d plump juicy unfamiliar vegetables； a spicy pink juice that Jack for some reason thought of as papaya though he knew it was not。 Richard chewed in a happy trance； the juice running down his chin until Jack wiped it off for him。 'California；' he said once。 'I should have known。' Assuming that he was alluding to that state's reputation for craziness； Jack did not question him。 He was more concerned about what the two of them were doing to Anders's presumably limited stock of food； but the old man kept nipping behind the counter； where he or his father before him had installed a small wood…burning stove； and returning with yet more food。 Corn muffins； calf's…foot jelly； things that looked like chicken legs but tasted of 。 。 。 what？ Frankincense and myrrh？ Flowers？ The taste fairly exploded over his tongue； and he thought that he； too； might begin to drool。
The three of them sat around a little table in the warm and mellow room。 At the end of the meal Anders almost shyly brought forth a heavy beaker half…filled with red wine。 Feeling as if he were following someone else's script； Jack drank a small glassful。
3
Two hours later； beginning to feel drowsy； Jack wondered if that enormous meal had been an equally enormous error。 First of all； there had been the departure from Ellis…Breaks and The Depot； which had not gone easily； secondly； there was Richard； who threatened to go seriously crazy； and thirdly； and above all else； there were the Blasted Lands。 Which were far crazier than Richard would ever be； and which absolutely demanded concentrated attention。
After the meal the three of them had returned to the shed； and the trouble had started。 Jack knew that he was fearful of whatever might be ahead…and； he now knew； that fear was perfectly justified…and perhaps his trepidation had made him behave less well than he should have。 The first difficulty had e when he tried to pay old Anders with the coin Captain Farren had given him。 Anders responded as if his beloved Ja…son had just stabbed him in the back。 Sacrilege！ Outrage！ By offering the coin； Jack had done more than merely insult the old liveryman； he had metaphorically smeared mud on his religion。 Supernaturally restored divine beings apparently were not supposed to offer coins to their followers。 Anders had been upset enough to smash his hand into the 'devil…box；' as he called the metal container for the rank of batteries； and Jack knew that Anders had been mightily tempted to strike another target besides the train。 Jack had managed only a semi…truce： Anders did not want his apologies any more than he wanted his money。 The old man had finally calmed down once he realized the extent of the boy's dismay； but he did not really return to his normal behavior until Jack speculated out loud that the Captain Farren coin might have other functions； other roles for him。 'Ye're not Jason entire；' the old man gloomed； 'yet the Queen's coin may aid ye toward yer destiny。' He shook his head heavily。 His farewell wave had been distinctly half…hearted。
But a good portion of that had been due to Richard。 What had begun as a sort of childish panic had quickly blossomed into full…blown terror。 Richard had refused to get in the cab。 Up until that moment he had mooned around the shed； not looking at the train； seemingly in an uncaring daze。 Then he had realized that Jack was serious about getting him on that thing； and he had freaked…and； strangely； it had been the idea of ending up in California which had disturbed him most。 'NO！ NO！ CAN'T！' Richard had yelled when Jack urged him toward the train。 'I WANT TO GO BACK TO MY ROOM！'
'They might be following us； Richard；' Jack said wearily。 'We have to get going。' He reached out and took Richard's arm。 'This is all a dream； remember？'
'Oh my Lord； oh my Lord；' Anders had said； moving aimlessly around in the big shed； and Jack understood that for once the liveryman was not addressing him。
'I HAVE TO GO BACK TO MY ROOM！' Richard squalled。 His eyes were clamped shut so tightly that a single painful crease ran from temple to temple。
Echoes of Wolf again。 Jack had tried to pull Richard toward the train； but Richard had stuck fast； like a mule。 'I CAN'T GO THERE！' he yelled。
'Well； you can't stay here； either；' Jack said。 He made another futile effort at yanking Richard toward the train； and this time actually budged him a foot or two。 'Richard；' he said； 'this is ridiculous。 Do you want to be here alone？ Do you want to be left alone in the Territories？' Richard shook his head。 'Then e with me。 It's time。 In two days we'll be in California。'
'Bad business；' Anders muttered to himself； watching the boys。 Richard simply continued to shake his head； offering a single prehensive negative。 'I can't go there；' he repeated。 'I can't get on that train and I can't go there。'
'California？'
Richard bit his mouth into a lipless seam and closed his eyes again。 'Oh hell；' Jack said。 'Can you help me； Anders？' The huge old man gave him a dismayed； almost disgusted look； then marched across the room and scooped up Richard in his arms…as if Richard were the size of a puppy。 The boy let out a distinctly puppyish squeal。 Anders dropped him onto the padded bench in the cab。 'Jack！' Richard called； afraid that he somehow was going to wind up in the Blasted Lands all by himself。 'I'm here；' Jack said； and was in fact already climbing into the other side of the cab。 'Thank you； Anders；' he said to the old liveryman； who nodded gloomily and retreated back into a corner of the shed。 'Take care。' Richard had begun to weep； and Anders looked at him without pity。
Jack pushed the ignition button； and two enormous blue sparks shot out from the 'devil…box' just as the engine whirred into life。 'Here goes；' Jack said； and eased the lever forward。 The train began to glide out of the shed。 Richard whimpered and drew up his knees。 Saying something like 'Nonsense' or 'Impossible'…Jack chiefly heard the hiss of the sibilants…he buried his face between his knees。 He looked as though he were trying to bee a circle。 Jack waved to Anders； who waved back； and then they were out of the lighted shed and were covered only by the vast dark sky。 Anders's silhouette appeared in the opening through which they had gone； as if he had decided to run after them。 The train was not capable of going more than thirty miles an hour； Jack thought； and at present was doing no better than eight or nine。 This seemed excruciatingly slow。 West； Jack said to himself； west； west； west。 Anders stepped back inside the shed； and his beard lay against his massive chest like a covering of frost。 The train lurched forward…another sizzling blue spark snapped upward…and Jack turned around on the padded seat to see what was ing。
'NO！' Richard screamed； almost making Jack fall out of the cab。 'I CAN'T！ CAN'T GO THERE！' He had drawn his head up from his knees； but he wasn't seeing anything…his eyes were still clamped shut； and his whole face looked like a knuckle。
'Be quiet；' Jack said。 Ahead the tracks arrowed through the endless fields of waving grain； dim mountains； old teeth； floated in the western clouds。 Jack glanced one last time over his shoulder and saw the little oasis of warmth and light which was The Depot and the octagonal shed； slipping slowly backward behind him。 Anders was a tall shadow in a lighted doorway。 Jack gave a final wave； and the tall shadow waved； too。 Jack turned around again and looked over the immensity of grain； all that lyric distance。 If this was what the Blasted Lands were like； the next two days were going to be positively restful。
Of course they were not； not like that at all。 Even in the moonlit dark he could tell that the grain was thinning out； being scrubby…about half an hour out of The Depot the change had begun。 Even the color seemed wrong now； almost artificial； no longer the beautiful organic yellow he had seen before； but the yellow of something left too near a powerful heat source…the yellow of something with most of the life bleached out of it。 Richard now had a similar quality。 For a time he had hyperventilated； then he had wept as silently and shamelessly as a jilted girl； then he had fallen into a
