sk.thetalisman-第88部分
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'What happens to all our stuff？'
Singer theatrically sighed。 'You little creep； do you think we'd be interested in stealing anything you could have？'
Jack kept himself from responding。
Singer sighed again。 'Okay。 We keep it all for you； in a folder with your name on it。 In Reverend Gardener's office downstairs…that's where we keep your money； too； right up until the time you get released。 Okay？ Get in there now before I report you for disobedience。 I mean it。'
Wolf and Jack went into the little room。 When Singer slammed the door； the overhead light automatically went on； revealing a windowless cubicle with a metal bunkbed； a small corner sink； and a metal chair。 Nothing more。 On the white Sheetrock walls yellowing tape marks showed where pictures had been put up by the room's previous inhabitants。 The lock clicked shut。 Jack and Wolf turned to see Singer's driven face in the small rectangular window。 'Be good； now；' he said； grinning； and disappeared。
'No； Jacky；' Wolf said。 The ceiling was no more than an inch from the top of his head。 'Wolf can't stay here。'
'You'd better sit down；' Jack said。 'You want the top or the bottom bunk？'
'Huh？'
'Take the bottom one and sit down。 We're in trouble here。'
'Wolf knows； Jacky。 Wolf knows。 This is a bad bad place。 Can't stay。'
'Why is it a bad place？ How do you know it； I mean？'
Wolf sat heavily on the lower bunk； dropped his new clothes on the floor； and idly picked up the book and two pamphlets set out there。 The book was a Bible bound in some artificial fabric that looked like blue skin； the pamphlets； Jack saw by looking at those on his own bunk； were entitled The High Road to Everlasting Grace and God Loves You！ 'Wolf knows。 You know； too； Jacky。' Wolf looked up at him； almost scowling。 Then he glanced back down at the books in his hands； began turning them over； almost shuffling them。 They were； Jack supposed； the first books Wolf had ever seen。
'The white man；' Wolf said； almost too softly for Jack to hear。
'White man？'
Wolf held up one of the pamphlets； its back cover showing。 The whole rear cover was a black…and…white photograph of Sunlight Gardener； his beautiful hair lifting in a breeze； his arms outstretched…a man of everlasting grace； beloved of God。
'Him；' Wolf said。 'He kills； Jacky。 With whips。 This is one of his places。 No Wolf should ever be in one of his places。 No Jack Sawyer； either。 Never。 We have to get away from here； Jacky。'
'We'll get out；' Jack said。 'I promise you。 Not today； not tomorrow…we have to work it out。 But soon。'
Wolf's feet protruded far past the edge of his bunk。 'Soon。'
3
Soon； he had promised； and Wolf had required the promise。 Wolf was terrified。 Jack could not tell if Wolf had ever seen Osmond in the Territories； but he had certainly heard of him。 Osmond's reputation in the Territories； at least among members of the Wolf family； appeared to be even worse than Morgan's。 But though both Wolf and Jack had recognized Osmond in Sunlight Gardener； Gardener had not recognized them…which brought up two possibilities。 Either Gardener was just having fun with them； pretending ignorance； or he was a Twinner like Jack's mother； profoundly connected to a Territories figure but unaware of the connection at any but the deepest level。
And if that was true； as Jack thought it was； then he and Wolf could wait for the really right moment to escape。 They had time to watch； time to learn。
Jack put on the scratchy new clothes。 The square black shoes seemed to weigh several pounds apiece； and to be suited to either foot。 With difficulty； he persuaded Wolf to put on the Sunlight Home uniform。 Then the two of them lay down。 Jack heard Wolf begin to snore； and after a while； he drifted off himself。 In his dreams his mother was somewhere in the dark； calling for him to help her； help her。
CHAPTER 22
The Sermon
1
At five that afternoon； an electric bell went off in the hallway； a long； toneless blare of sound。 Wolf leaped from his bunk； thudding the metal frame of the upper with the side of his head hard enough to wake up Jack； who had been dozing； with a jolt。
The bell stopped shrieking after fifteen seconds or so； Wolf went right on。
He staggered over into the corner of the room； his hands wrapped around his head。
'Bad place； Jack！' he screamed。 'Bad place right here and now！ Gotta get outta here！ Gotta get outta here RIGHT HERE AND NOW！'
Pounding on the wall。 'Shut the dummy up！'
From the other side； a shrieking； whinnying； horsey laugh。 'You gittin some sunlight in you souls now； boys！ And from de way dat big fella soun； it sho feel fine！' The giggling； whinnying laugh； too much like a horrified scream； came again。
'Bad； Jack！ Wolf！ Jason！ Bad！ Bad； bad…'
Doors were opening all up and down the hall。 Jack could hear the rumble of many feet dressed in blocky Sunlight Home shoes。
He got down from the top bunk； forcing himself to move。 He felt cross…grained to reality…not awake； not really asleep； either。 Moving across the mean little room to Wolf was like moving through Karo syrup instead of air。
He felt so tired now 。 。 。 so very tired。
'Wolf；' he said。 'Wolf； stop it。'
'Can't； Jacky！' Wolf sobbed。 His arms were still wrapped around his head； as if to keep it from exploding。
'You got to； Wolf。 We have to go out in the hall now。'
'Can't； Jacky；' Wolf sobbed； 'it's a bad place； bad smells ' From the hallway； someone…Jack thought it was Heck Bast…yelled； 'Out for confession！'
'Out for confession！' someone else yelled； and they all took up the chant： Out for confession！ Out for confession！ It was like some weird football cheer。
'If we're going to get out of here with our skins on； we've got to stay cool。'
'Can't； Jacky； can't stay cool； bad 。 。 。 '
Their door was going to open in a minute and Bast or Sonny Singer would be there 。 。 。 maybe both。 They were not 'out for confession；' whatever that was； and while newers to the Sunlight Home might be allowed a few screw…ups during their orientation period； Jack thought their chances for escape would be better if they blended in as pletely as they could as soon as they could。 With Wolf； that wasn't going to be easy。 Christ； I'm sorry I got you into this； big guy； Jack thought。 But the situation is what the situation is。 And if we can't ride it； it's gonna ride us down。 So if I'm hard with you； it's for your own good。 He added miserably to himself； I hope。
'Wolf；' he whispered； 'do you want Singer to start beating on me again？'
'No； Jack； no 。 。 。 '
'Then you better e out in the hall with me；' Jack said。 'You have to remember that what you do is going to have a lot to do with how Singer and that guy Bast treat me。 Singer slapped me around because of your stones…'
'Someone might slap him around；' Wolf said。 His voice was low and mild； but his eyes suddenly narrowed； flared orange。 For a moment Jack saw the gleam of white teeth between Wolf's lips…not as if Wolf had grinned； but as if his teeth had grown。
'Don't even think of that；' Jack said grimly。 'It'll only makes things worse。' Wolf's arms fell away from his head。 'Jack； I don't know 。 。 。 '
'Will you try？' Jack asked。 He threw another urgent glance at the door。
'I'll try；' Wolf whispered shakily。 Tears shone in his eyes。
2
The upstairs corridor should have been bright with late…afternoon light； but it wasn't。 It was as if some sort of filtering device had been fitted over the windows at the end of the corridor so that the boys could see out…out to where the real sunlight was…but that the light itself wasn't allowed to enter。 It seemed to drop dead on the narrow inner sills of those high Victorian windows。
There were forty boys standing in front of twenty doors； ten on each side。 Jack and Wolf were by far the last to appear； but their lateness was not noticed。 Singer； Bast； and two other boys had found someone to rag and could not be bothered with taking attendance。
Their victim was a narrow…chested； bespectacled kid of maybe fifteen。 He was standing at a sorry approximation
