sk.thetalisman-第76部分
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he had picked in through the pop…top hole。 Five minutes or so later； a terrible smell…a reek； not to put too fine a point on it…began to rise on the steam。 Jack winced。 He had no doubt at all that Wolf would want him to drink that stuff； and Jack also had no doubt it would kill him。 Slowly and horribly； probably。
He closed his eyes and began snoring loudly and theatrically。 If Wolf thought he was sleeping； he wouldn't wake him up。 No one woke up sick people； did they？ And Jack was sick； his fever had e back at dark； raging through him； punishing him with chills even while he oozed sweat from every pore。
Looking through his lashes； he saw Wolf set the can aside to cool。 Wolf sat back and looked skyward； his hairy hands locked around his knees； his face dreamy and somehow beautiful。
He's looking at the moon； Jack thought； and felt a thread of fear。
We don't go near the herd when we change。 Good Jason； no！ We'd eat them！
Wolf； tell me something： am I the herd now？
Jack shivered。
Five minutes later…Jack almost had gone to sleep by then…Wolf leaned over the can； sniffed； nodded； picked it up； and came over to where Jack was leaning against a fallen； fire…blackened beam with an extra shirt behind his neck to pad the angle。 Jack closed his eyes tightly and resumed snoring。
'e on； Jack；' Wolf said jovially。 'I know you're awake。 You can't fool Wolf。'
Jack opened his eyes and looked at Wolf with bleary resentment。 'How did you know？'
'People have a sleep…smell and a wake…smell；' Wolf said。 'Even Strangers must know that； don't they？'
'I guess we don't；' Jack said。
'Anyway； you have to drink this。 It's medicine。 Drink it up； Jack； right here and now。'
'I don't want it；' Jack said。 The smell ing from the can was swampy and rancid。
'Jack；' Wolf said； 'you've got a sick…smell； too。'
Jack looked at him； saying nothing。
'Yes；' Wolf said。 'And it keeps getting worse。 It's not really bad； not yet； but…Wolf！…it's going to get bad if you don't take some medicine。'
'Wolf； I'll bet you're great at sniffing out herbs and things back in the Territories； but this is the Country of Bad Smells； remember？ You've probably got ragweed in there； and poison oak； and bitter vetch； and…'
'They're good things；' Wolf said。 'Just not very strong； God pound them。' Wolf looked wistful。 'Not everything smells bad here； Jack。 There are good smells； too。 But the good smells are like the medicine plants。 Weak。 I think they were stronger； once。'
Wolf was looking dreamily up at the moon again； and Jack felt a recurrence of his earlier unease。
'I'll bet this was a good place once；' Wolf said。 'Clean and full of power 。 。 。 '
'Wolf？' Jack asked in a low voice。 'Wolf； the hair's e back on your palms。'
Wolf started and looked at Jack。 For a moment…it might have been his feverish imagination； and even if not； it was only for a moment…Wolf looked at Jack with a flat； greedy hunger。 Then he seemed to shake himself； as if out of a bad dream。
'Yes；' he said。 'But I don't want to talk about that； and I don't want you to talk about that。 It doesn't matter； not yet。 Wolf！ Just drink your medicine； Jack； that's all you have to do。'
Wolf was obviously not going to take no for an answer； if Jack didn't drink the medicine； then Wolf might feel duty…bound to simply pull open his jaws and pour it down his throat。
'Remember； if this kills me； you'll be alone；' Jack said grimly； taking the can。 It was still warm。
A look of terrible distress spread over Wolf's face。 He pushed the round glasses up on his nose。 'Don't want to hurt you； Jack…Wolf never wants to hurt Jack。' The expression was so large and so full of misery that it would have been ludicrous had it not been so obviously genuine。
Jack gave in and drank the contents of the can。 There was no way he could stand against that expression of hurt dismay。 The taste was as awful as he had imagined it would be 。 。 。 and for a moment didn't the world waver？ Didn't it waver as if he were about to flip back into the Territories？
'Wolf！' he yelled。 'Wolf； grab my hand！'
Wolf did； looking both concerned and excited。 'Jack？ Jacky？ What is it？'
The taste of the medicine began to leave his mouth。 At the same time； a warm glow…the sort of glow he got from a small sip of brandy on the few occasions his mother had allowed him to have one…began to spread in his stomach。 And the world grew solid around him again。 That brief wavering might also have been imagination 。 。 。 but Jack didn't think so。
We almost went。 For a moment there it was very close。 Maybe I can do it without the magic juice 。 。 。 maybe I can！
'Jack？ What is it？'
'I feel better；' he said； and managed a smile。 'I feel better； that's all。' He discovered that he did； too。
'You smell better； too；' Wolf said cheerfully。 'Wolf！ Wolf！'
2
He continued to improve the next day； but he was weak。 Wolf carried him 'horseyback' and they made slow progress west。 Around dusk they started looking for a place to lie up for the night。 Jack spotted a woodshed in a dirty little gully。 It was surrounded by trash and bald tires。 Wolf agreed without saying much。 He had been quiet and morose all day long。
Jack fell asleep almost at once and woke up around eleven needing to urinate。 He looked beside him and saw that Wolf's place was empty。 Jack thought he had probably gone in search of more herbs in order to administer the equivalent of a booster shot。 Jack wrinkled his nose； but if Wolf wanted him to drink more of the stuff； he would。 It surely had made him feel one hell of a lot better。
He went around to the side of the shed； a straight slim boy wearing Jockey shorts； unlaced sneakers； and an open shirt。 He peed for what seemed like a very long time indeed； looking up at the sky as he did so。 It was one of those misleading nights which sometimes es to the midwest in October and early November； not so long before winter es down with a cruel； iron snap。 It was almost tropically warm； and the mild breeze was like a caress。
Overhead floated the moon； white and round and lovely。 It cast a clear and yet eerily misleading glow over everything； seeming to simultaneously enhance and obscure。 Jack stared at it； aware that he was almost hypnotized； not really caring。
We don't go near the herd when we change。 Good Jason； no！
Am I the herd now； Wolf？
There was a face on the moon。 Jack saw with no surprise that it was Wolf's face 。 。 。 except it was not wide and open and a little surprised； a face of goodness and simplicity。 This face was narrow； ah yes； and dark； it was dark with hair； but the hair didn't matter。 It was dark with intent。
We don't go near them； we'd eat them； eat them； we'd eat them； Jack； when we change we'd…
The face in the moon； a chiaroscuro carved in bone； was the face of a snarling beast； its head cocked in that final moment before the lunge； the mouth open and filled with teeth。
We'd eat we'd kill we'd kill； kill； KILL KILL
A finger touched Jack's shoulder and ran slowly down to his waist。
Jack had only been standing there with his penis in his hand； the foreskin pinched lightly between thumb and forefinger； looking at the moon。 Now a fresh； hard jet of urine spurted out of him。
'I scared you；' Wolf said from behind him。 'I'm sorry； Jack。 God pound me。'
But for a moment Jack didn't think Wolf was sorry。
For a moment it sounded as if Wolf were grinning。
And Jack was suddenly sure he was going to be eaten up。
House of bricks？ he thought incoherently。 I don't even have a house of straw that I can run to。
Now the fear came； dry terror in his veins hotter than any fever。
Who's afraid of the big bad Wolf the big bad Wolf the big bad…
'Jack？'
I am； I am； oh God I am afraid of the big bad Wolf…
He turned around slowly。
Wolf's face； which had been lightly scruffed with stubble when the two of them crossed to the shed and lay down； was now heavily bearded from a point so high on his cheekbones that the hair almost seemed to begin at his temples。 His eyes glared a bright red…orange。
'Wolf； are you all right？' Jack
