sk.thetalisman-第136部分

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low　orange。　Fading　red　sunlight　painted　itself　slantingly　along　the　rocks　at　the　valley's　rim。　'I　just　thought　you　might　want　to　see　this；'　Richard　said。　A　few　more　small　sores　seemed　to　have　appeared　about　his　mouth。　Richard　grinned　weakly。　'It　seemed　sort　of　special…the　spectrum；　I　mean。'　
　　Jack　feared　that　Richard　was　going　to　launch　into　a　scientific　explanation　of　the　color　shift　at　sunset；　but　his　friend　was　too　tired　or　sick　for　physics。　In　silence　the　two　boys　watched　the　twilight　deepen　all　the　colors　about　them；　turning　the　western　sky　into　purple　glory。
　　'You　know　what　else　you're　carrying　on　this　thing？'　Richard　asked。
　　'What　else？'　Jack　asked。　In　truth；　he　hardly　cared。　It　could　be　nothing　good。　He　hoped　he　might　live　to　see　another　sunset　as　rich　as　this　one；　as　large　with　feeling。
　　'Plastic　explosive。　All　wrapped　up　in　two…pound　packages…I　think　two　pounds；　anyhow。　You've　got　enough　to　blow　up　a　whole　city。　If　one　of　these　guns　goes　off　accidentally；　or　if　someone　else　puts　a　bullet　into　those　bags；　this　train　is　going　to　be　nothing　but　a　hole　in　the　ground。'
　　'I　won't　if　you　won't；'　Jack　said。　And　let　himself　be　taken　by　the　sunset…it　seemed　oddly　premonitory；　a　dream　of　acplishment；　and　led　him　into　memories　of　all　he　had　undergone　since　leaving　the　Alhambra　Inn　and　Gardens。　He　saw　his　mother　drinking　tea　in　the　little　shop；　suddenly　a　tired　old　woman；　Speedy　Parker　sitting　at　the　base　of　a　tree；　Wolf　tending　his　herd；　Smokey　and　Lori　from　Oatley's　horrible　Tap；　all　the　hated　faces　from　the　Sunlight　Home：　Heck　Bast；　Sonny　Singer；　and　the　others。　He　missed　Wolf　with　a　particular　and　sharp　poignancy；　for　the　unfolding　and　deepening　sunset　summoned　him　up　wholly；　though　Jack　could　not　have　explained　why。　He　wished　he　could　take　Richard's　hand。　Then　he　thought；　Well；　why　not？　and　moved　his　hand　along　the　bench　until　he　encountered　his　friend's　rather　grubby；　clammy　paw。　He　closed　his　fingers　around　it。
　　'I　feel　so　sick；'　Richard　said。　'This　isn't　like…before。　My　stomach　feels　terrible；　and　my　whole　face　is　tingling。'
　　'I　think　you'll　get　better　once　we　finally　get　out　of　this　place；'　Jack　said。　But　what　proof　do　you　have　of　that；　doctor？　he　wondered。　What　proof　do　you　have　that　you're　not　just　poisoning　him？　He　had　none。　He　consoled　himself　with　his　newly　invented　（newly　discovered？）　idea　that　Richard　was　an　essential　part　of　whatever　was　going　to　happen　at　the　black　hotel。　He　was　going　to　need　Richard　Sloat；　and　not　just　because　Richard　Sloat　could　tell　plastic　explosive　from　bags　of　fertilizer。
　　Had　Richard　ever　been　to　the　black　hotel　before？　Had　he　actually　been　in　the　Talisman's　vicinity？　He　glanced　over　at　his　friend；　who　was　breathing　shallowly　and　laboriously。　Richard's　hand　lay　in　his　own　like　a　cold　waxen　sculpture。
　　'I　don't　want　this　gun　anymore；'　Richard　said；　pushing　it　off　his　lap。　'The　smell　is　making　me　sick。'
　　'Okay；'　Jack　said；　taking　it　onto　his　own　lap　with　his　free　hand。　One　of　the　trees　crept　into　his　peripheral　vision　and　howled　soundlessly　in　torment。　Soon　the　mutant　dogs　would　begin　foraging。　Jack　glanced　up　toward　the　hills　to　his　left…Richard's　side…and　saw　a　manlike　figure　slipping　through　the　rocks。
　　　
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　　'Hey；'　he　said；　almost　not　believing。　Indifferent　to　his　shock；　the　lurid　sunset　continued　to　beautify　the　unbeautifiable。　'Hey；　Richard。'
　　'What？　You　sick；　too？'
　　'I　think　I　saw　somebody　up　there。　On　your　side。'　He　peered　up　at　the　tall　rocks　again；　but　saw　no　movement。
　　'I　don't　care；'　Richard　said。
　　'You'd　better　care。　See　how　they're　timing　it？　They　want　to　get　to　us　just　when　it's　too　dark　for　us　to　see　them。'　
　　Richard　cracked　his　left　eye　open　and　made　a　half…hearted　inspection。　'Don't　see　anybody。'
　　'Neither　do　I；　now；　but　I'm　glad　we　went　back　and　got　these　guns。　Sit　up　straight　and　pay　attention；　Richard；　if　you　want　to　get　out　of　here　alive。'
　　'You're　such　a　cornball。　Jeez。'　But　Richard　did　pull　himself　up　straight　and　open　both　his　eyes。　'I　really　don't　see　anything　up　there；　Jack。　It's　getting　too　dark。　You　probably　imagined…'
　　'Hush；'　Jack　said。　He　thought　he　had　seen　another　body　easing　itself　between　the　rocks　at　the　valley's　top。　'There's　two。　I　wonder　if　there'll　be　another　one？'
　　'I　wonder　if　there'll　be　anything　at　all；'　Richard　said。　'Why　would　anyone　want　to　hurt　us；　anyhow？　I　mean；　it's　not…'　
　　Jack　turned　his　head　and　looked　down　the　tracks　ahead　of　the　train。　Something　moved　behind　the　trunk　of　one　of　the　screaming　trees。　Something　larger　than　a　dog；　Jack　recorded。
　　'Uh…oh；'　Jack　said。　'I　think　another　guy　is　up　there　waiting　for　us。'　For　a　moment；　fear　castrated　him…he　could　not　think　of　what　to　do　to　protect　himself　from　the　three　assailants。　His　stomach　froze。　He　picked　up　the　Uzi　from　his　lap　and　looked　at　it　dumbly；　wondering　if　he　really　would　be　able　to　use　this　weapon。　Could　Blasted　Lands　hijackers　have　guns；　too？
　　'Richard；　I'm　sorry；'　he　said；　'but　this　time　I　think　the　shit　is　really　going　to　hit　the　fan；　and　I'm　going　to　need　your　help。'
　　'What　can　I　do？'　Richard　asked；　his　voice　squeaky。
　　'Take　your　gun；'　Jack　said；　handing　it　to　him。　'And　I　think　we　ought　to　kneel　down　so　we　don't　give　them　so　much　of　a　target。'　
　　He　got　on　his　knees　and　Richard　imitated　him　in　a　slow…moving；　underwater　fashion。　From　behind　them　came　a　long　cry；　from　above　them　another。　'They　know　we　saw　them；'　Richard　said。　'But　where　are　they？'　
　　The　question　was　almost　immediately　answered。　Still　visible　in　the　dark　purplish　twilight；　a　man…or　what　looked　like　a　man…burst　out　of　cover　and　began　running　down　the　slope　toward　the　train。　Rags　fluttered　out　behind　him。　He　was　screaming　like　an　Indian　and　raising　something　in　his　hands。　It　appeared　to　be　a　flexible　pole；　and　Jack　was　still　trying　to　work　out　its　function　when　he　heard…more　than　saw…a　narrow　shape　slice　through　the　air　beside　his　head。　'Holy　mackerel！　They've　got　bows　and　arrows！'　he　said。
　　Richard　groaned；　and　Jack　feared　that　he　would　vomit　all　over　both　of　them。
　　'I　have　to　shoot　him；'　he　said。
　　Richard　gulped　and　made　some　noise　that　wasn't　quite　a　word。
　　'Oh；　hell；'　Jack　said；　and　flicked　off　the　safety　on　his　Uzi。　He　raised　his　head　and　saw　the　ragged　being　behind　him　just　loosing　off　another　arrow。　If　the　shot　had　been　accurate；　he　would　never　have　seen　another　thing；　but　the　arrow　whanged　harmlessly　into　the　side　of　the　cab。　Jack　jerked　up　the　Uzi　and　depressed　the　trigger。
　　He　expected　none　of　what　happened。　He　had　thought　that　the　gun　would　remain　still　in　his　hands　and　obediently　expel　a　few　shells。　Instead；　the　Uzi　jumped　in　his　hands　like　an　animal；　making　a　series　of　noises　loud　enough　to　damage　his　eardrums。　The　stink　of　powder　burned　in　his　nose。　The　ragged　man　behind　the　train　threw　out　his　arms；　but　in　amazement；　not　because　he　had　been　wounded。　Jack　finally　thought　to　take　his　finger　off　the　trigger。　He　had　no　idea　of　how　many　shots　he　had　just　wasted；　or　how　many　bullets　remained　in　the　clip。
　　'Didja　get　him；　didja　get　him？'　Richard　asked。
　　The　man　was　now　running　up　the　side　of　the　valley；　huge　flat　feet　flapping。　Then　Jack　saw　that　they　were　not　feet…the　man　was　walking　on　huge　platelike　constructions；　the　Blasted　Lands　equivalent　of　snowshoes。　He　was　trying　to　make　it　to　one　of　the　trees　for　cover。
　　He　raised　the　Uzi　with　both　hands　and　sighted　down　the　short　barrel。　Then　he　gently　squeezed　the　trigger。　The　gun　bucked　in　his　hands；　but　less　than　the　first　time。　Bullets　sprayed　out　in　a　wide　arc；　and　at　least　one　of　them　found　its　intended　target；　for　the　man　lurched　over　sideways　as　though　a　truck　had　just　smacked　into　him。　His　feet　flew　out　of　the　snowshoes。
　　'Give　me　your　gun；'　Jack　said；　and　took　the　second　Uzi　from　Richard。　Still　kneeling；　he　fired　half　a　clip　into　the　shadowy　dark　in　front　of　the　train　and　hoped　he　had　killed　the　creature　waiting　up　there。
　　Another　arrow　rattled　against　the　train；　and　another　thunked　solidly　into　the　side　of　the　boxcar。
　　Richard　was　shaking　and　crying　in　the　bottom　of　the　cab。　'Load　mine；'　Jack　said；　and　jammed　a　clip　from　his　pocket　under　Richard's　nose。　He　peered　up　the　side　of　the　valley　for　the　s