sk.thetalisman-第81部分

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　　By　the　middle　of　the　night；　Jack　had　walked　seven　or　eight　miles…he'd　lost　count　of　the　number　of　times　he　had　reached　one　hundred　and　sixty…five；　but　it　was　something　like　seven　or　eight。　He　was　parched；　and　his　stomach　was　rumbling。　The　shed　stank　of　urine；　for　Jack　had　been　forced　to　pee　against　the　far　wall；　where　a　crack　in　the　boards　meant　that　at　least　some　of　it　went　outside。　His　body　was　tired；　but　he　did　not　think　he　could　sleep。　According　to　clock…time；　Jack　had　been　in　the　shed　barely　five　hours；　in　shed…time　it　was　more　like　twenty…four。　He　was　afraid　to　lie　down。
　　His　mind　would　not　let　him　go…that　was　how　it　felt。　He　had　tried　making　lists　of　all　the　books　he'd　read　in　the　past　year；　of　every　teacher　he'd　had；　of　every　player　on　the　Los　Angeles　Dodgers　。　。　。　but　disturbing；　disorderly　images　kept　breaking　in。　He　kept　seeing　Morgan　Sloat　tearing　a　hole　in　the　air。　Wolf's　face　floated　underwater；　and　his　hands　drifted　down　like　heavy　weeds。　Jerry　Bledsoe　twitched　and　rocked　before　the　electrical　panel；　his　glasses　smeared　over　his　nose。　A　man's　eyes　turned　yellow；　and　his　hand　became　a　claw…hoof。　Uncle　Tommy's　false　teeth　coruscated　in　the　Sunset　Strip　gutter。　Morgan　Sloat　came　toward　his　mother；　not　himself。
　　'Songs　by　Fats　Waller；'　he　said；　sending　himself　around　another　circuit　in　the　dark。　'　'Your　Feets　Too　Big。'　'Ain't　Misbehavin。'　'Jitterbug　Waltz。'　'Keepin　Out　of　Mischief　Now。'　'　
　　The　Elroy…thing　reached　out　toward　his　mother；　whispering　lewdly；　and　clamped　a　hand　down　over　her　hip。
　　'Countries　in　Central　America。　Nicaragua。　Honduras。　Guatemala。　Costa　Rica　。　。　。　'　
　　Even　when　he　was　so　tired　he　finally　had　to　lie　down　and　curl　into　a　ball　on　the　floor；　using　his　knapsack　as　a　pillow；　Elroy　and　Morgan　Sloat　rampaged　through　his　mind。　Osmond　flicked　his　bullwhip　across　Lily　Cavanaugh's　back；　and　his　eyes　danced。　Wolf　reared　up；　massive；　absolutely　inhuman；　and　caught　a　rifle　bullet　directly　in　the　heart。
　　
　　The　first　light　woke　him；　and　he　smelled　blood。　His　whole　body　begged　for　water；　then　for　food。　Jack　groaned。　Three　more　nights　of　this　would　be　impossible　to　survive。　The　low　angle　of　the　sunlight　allowed　him　dimly　to　see　the　walls　and　roof　of　the　shed。　It　all　looked　larger　than　he　had　felt　it　to　be　last　night。　He　had　to　pee　again；　though　he　could　scarcely　believe　that　his　body　could　afford　to　give　up　any　moisture。　Finally　he　realized　that　the　shed　seemed　larger　because　he　was　lying　on　the　floor。
　　Then　he　smelled　blood　again；　and　looked　sideways；　toward　the　door。　The　skinned　hindquarters　of　a　rabbit　had　been　thrust　through　the　gap。　They　lay　sprawled　on　the　rough　boards；　leaking　blood；　glistening。　Smudges　of　dirt　and　a　long　ragged　scrape　showed　that　they　had　been　forced　into　the　shed。　Wolf　was　trying　to　feed　him。
　　'Oh；　Jeez；'　Jack　groaned。　The　rabbit's　stripped　legs　were　disconcertingly　human。　Jack's　stomach　folded　into　itself。　But　instead　of　vomiting；　he　laughed；　startled　by　an　absurd　parison。　Wolf　was　like　the　family　pet　who　each　morning　presents　his　owners　with　a　dead　bird；　an　eviscerated　mouse。
　　With　two　fingers　Jack　delicately　picked　up　the　horrible　offering　and　deposited　it　under　the　bench。　He　still　felt　like　laughing；　but　his　eyes　were　wet。　Wolf　had　survived　the　first　night　of　his　transformation；　and　so　had　Jack。
　　
　　The　next　morning　brought　an　absolutely　anonymous；　almost　ovoid　knuckle　of　meat　around　a　startingly　white　bone　splintered　at　both　ends。
　　　
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　　On　the　morning　of　the　fourth　day　Jack　heard　someone　sliding　down　into　the　gully。　A　startled　bird　squawked；　then　noisily　lifted　itself　off　the　roof　of　the　shed。　Heavy　footsteps　advanced　toward　the　door。　Jack　raised　himself　onto　his　elbows　and　blinked　into　the　darkness。
　　A　large　body　thudded　against　the　door　and　stayed　there。　A　pair　of　split　and　stained　penny　loafers　was　visible　through　the　gap。
　　'Wolf？'　Jack　asked　softly。　'That's　you；　isn't　it？'
　　'Give　me　the　key；　Jack。'
　　Jack　slipped　his　hand　into　his　pocket；　brought　out　the　key；　and　pushed　it　directly　between　the　penny　loafers。　A　large　brown　hand　dropped　into　view　and　picked　up　the　key。
　　'Bring　any　water？'　Jack　asked。　Despite　what　he　had　been　able　to　extract　from　Wolf's　gruesome　presents；　he　had　e　close　to　serious　dehydration…his　lips　were　puffy　and　cracked；　and　his　tongue　felt　swollen；　baked。　The　key　slid　into　the　lock；　and　Jack　heard　it　click　open。
　　Then　the　lock　came　away　from　the　door。
　　'A　little；'　Wolf　said。　'Close　your　eyes；　Jacky。　You　have　night…eyes　now。'　
　　Jack　clasped　his　hands　over　his　eyes　as　the　door　opened；　but　the　light　which　boomed　and　thundered　into　the　shed　still　managed　to　trickle　through　his　fingers　and　stab　his　eyes。　He　hissed　with　the　pain。　'Better　soon；'　Wolf　said；　very　close　to　him。　Wolf's　arms　circled　and　lifted　him。　'Eyes　closed；'　Wolf　warned；　and　stepped　backward　out　of　the　shed。
　　Even　as　Jack　said；　'Water；'　and　felt　the　rusty　lip　of　an　old　cup　meet　his　own　lips；　he　knew　why　Wolf　had　not　lingered　in　the　shed。　The　air　outside　seemed　unbelievably　fresh　and　sweet…it　might　have　been　imported　directly　from　the　Territories。　He　sucked　in　a　double　tablespoon　of　water　that　tasted　like　the　best　meal　on　earth　and　wound　down　through　him　like　a　sparkling　little　river；　reviving　everything　it　touched。　He　felt　as　though　he　were　being　irrigated。
　　Wolf　removed　the　cup　from　his　lips　long　before　Jack　considered　he　was　through　with　it。　'If　I　give　you　more　you'll　just　sick　it　up；'　Wolf　said。　'Open　your　eyes；　Jack…but　only　a　little　bit。'　
　　Jack　followed　directions。　A　million　particles　of　light　stormed　into　his　eyes。　He　cried　out。
　　Wolf　sat　down；　cradling　Jack　in　his　arms。　'Sip；'　he　said；　and　put　the　cup　once　more　to　Jack's　lips。　'Eyes　open；　little　more。'　
　　Now　the　sunlight　hurt　much　less。　Jack　peered　out　through　the　screen　of　his　eyelashes　at　a　flaring　dazzle　while　another　miraculous　trickle　of　water　slipped　down　his　throat。
　　'Ah；'　Jack　said。　'What　makes　water　so　delicious？'
　　'The　western　wind；'　Wolf　promptly　replied。　
　　Jack　opened　his　eyes　wider。　The　swarm　and　dazzle　resolved　into　the　weathered　brown　of　the　shed　and　the　mixed　green　and　lighter　brown　of　the　gully。　His　head　rested　against　Wolf's　shoulder。　The　bulge　of　Wolf's　stomach　pressed　into　his　backbone。
　　'Are　you　okay；　Wolf？'　he　asked。　'Did　you　get　enough　to　eat？'
　　'Wolfs　always　get　enough　to　eat；'　Wolf　said　simply。　He　patted　the　boy's　thigh。
　　'Thanks　for　bringing　me　those　pieces　of　meat。'
　　'I　promised。　You　were　the　herd。　Remember？'
　　'Oh；　yes；　I　remember；'　Jack　said。　'Can　I　have　some　more　of　that　water？'　He　slid　off　Wolf's　huge　lap　and　sat　on　the　ground；　where　he　could　face　him。
　　Wolf　handed　him　the　cup。　The　John　Lennon　glasses　were　back；　Wolf's　beard　was　now　little　more　than　a　scurf　covering　his　cheeks；　his　black　hair；　though　still　long　and　greasy；　fell　well　short　of　his　shoulders。　Wolf's　face　was　friendly　and　peaceful；　almost　tired…looking。　Over　the　bib　overalls　he　wore　a　gray　sweatshirt；　about　two　sizes　too　small；　with　INDIANA　UNIVERSITY　ATHLETIC　DEPARTMENT　stencilled　on　the　front。
　　He　looked　more　like　an　ordinary　human　being　than　at　any　other　time　since　he　and　Jack　had　met。　He　did　not　look　as　if　he　could　have　made　it　through　the　simplest　college　course；　but　he　could　have　been　a　great　high…school　football　player。
　　Jack　sipped　again…Wolf's　hand　hovered　above　the　rusty　tin　cup；　ready　to　snatch　it　away　if　Jack　gulped。　'You're　really　okay？'
　　'Right　here　and　now；'　Wolf　said。　He　rubbed　his　other　hand　over　his　belly；　so　distended　that　it　stretched　the　fabric　at　the　bottom　of　the　sweatshirt　as　taut　as　a　hand　would　a　rubber　glove。　'Just　tired。　Little　sleep；　Jack。　Right　here　and　now。'
　　'Where'd　you　get　the　sweatshirt？'
　　'It　was　hanging　on　a　line；'　Wolf　said。　'Cold　here；　Jacky。'
　　'You　didn't　hurt　any　people；　did　you？'
　　'No　people。　Wolf！　Drink　that　water　slow；　now。'　His　eyes　disconcertingly　shaded　into　happy　Halloween　orange　for　a　second；　and　Jack　saw　that　Wolf　could　never　really　be　said　to　resemble　an　ordinary　human　being。　Then　Wolf　opened　his　wide　mouth　and　yawned。　'Little　sleep。'　He　hitched　himself　into　a　more　fortable　position　on　the　slope　and　put　down　his　head。　H