dclegg.purity-第14部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃You　need　protection。〃
　〃From　what？〃
　〃Jimmy；〃　Owen　said。　He　sucked　a　breath　in　briefly。　It　was　time　to　let　it　begin。　He　felt　a　curious　shiver　sweep　through　his　body；　as　if　he　were　on　the　verge　of　some　delightful　pleasure。　〃He　told　me。。。〃
　〃Told　you　what？　What　did　he　say？　Was　it　about　me？〃
　Owen　paused。　He　wanted　her　to　feel　the　words　as　he　said　them。　He　wanted　to　make　sure　that　she　was　pletely　focused　on　him。　On　his　lips　as　he　spoke。　〃No；　it's　nothing。　I　just　think　you　should　keep　the　gun。〃
　〃No；　he　said　something；〃　she　nearly　snarled。　〃Tell　me。〃
　〃I'm　sure　he　didn't　mean　it；〃　Owen　said。
　〃It　made　you　think　I　needed　a　gun？〃　she　asked。　Her　face　went　blank。
　She　looked　down　at　her　feet　for　a　moment。　Then；　she　glanced　up　and　looked　him　in　the　eye。　〃What's　been　going　on　between　you　two？〃
　〃Nothing；〃　Owen　whispered。
　〃Owen；　what's　going　on？〃　she　said。
　He　looked　at　her　and　said；　〃Jenna；　I　want　you　to　be　safe。　That's　all。
　Look；　I　know　you　don't　care　for　me；　and　that's　fine。　I　can't　make　you　like　me。
　And　I　know　I　can't　make　you。。。care　for　me。。。in　a　way　I　happen　to　care　for　you。
　No　one　is　magician　enough　for　that。　I've　thought　about　you　since　we　were　both　little　kids。　I've　always　considered　you　someone　special。〃
　〃What？〃　she　asked　in　a　voice　that　was　barely　more　than　mouse　squeak。
　〃I　know　that　you'll　go　on　to　some　really　great　college　and　you'll　meet　lots　of　guys　like　Jimmy　and　you'll　e　back　to　the　island　during　the　summer　and　be　friendly　with　me　but　you'll　see　me　as　the　island　townie　who　paints　houses　for　a　living；　or　perhaps　works　on　boats。　And　you'll　have　a　different　life。〃
　〃What　is　this　all　getting　to　…〃　Jenna　gasped；　and　then　her　eyes　lit　up。
　〃You　lost　the　island　accent。　You　talk　like　one　of　us　now。〃
　She　said　it　as　if　it　was　one　of　the　most　dreadful　things　imaginable。　As　if　the　〃one　of　us〃　was　the　worst　thing　that　could　happen。
　〃That　isn't　true；〃　Owen　said。　Then；　he　glanced　away　from　her；　at　the　house　and　the　beginnings　of　the　roses　his　father　so　lovingly　tended。　〃Look；　I　know　I'm　nothing　to　you。　Just　consider　the　gun　some　kind　of　protection。　He's　dangerous。〃
　He　walked　away　from　her；　his　body　barely　dry　from　the　swimming　pool。
　She　called　after　him；　but　he　didn't　turn。　He　walked　from　the　pool　to　the　back　lawn；　and　then　disappeared　down　the　path。
　4
　Another　morning；　he　helped　Mr。　M　with　his　golf　clubs　and　luggage；　driving　the　truck　up　from　the　ferry。　Mr。　M　had　almost　missed　the　summer　on　the　island。　〃Business　takes　a　man　over；〃　he　told　Owen　on　the　way　up　the　hill　to　the　house。　He　was　the　biggest　man　Owen　had　ever　seen　…　like　a　bear；　but　slick；　too；　and　shiny。　He　had　on　dark　glasses　and　a　rumpled　blue　oxford　cloth　shirt；　his　skin　was　like　pink　snow。　When　Owen　got　to　the　door　with　the　last　of　the　bags；　Mrs。　M　（he　had　to　start　thinking　of　her　as　Cathy　if　he　was　going　to　ever　grow　up）　kissed　her　husband　lightly　on　the　nose。
　〃How's　the　summer？〃
　〃Quiet；〃　Mrs。　M　said。
　〃Where's　that　boy？〃
　〃Which？〃
　〃McTeague；〃　Mr。　M　said。
　〃I　think　it's　over。　She's　gone　to　Dr。　Vaughan　three　times　in　two　weeks。
　That's　a　record　for　her；〃　Mrs。　M　said；　and　then　turned　to　Owen。　〃Sweetie；　can　you　go　grab　the　mail？〃
　Owen　nodded；　feeling　far　too　obedient；　feeling　his　heart　beating　too　fast；　feeling　too　much　within　his　frame；　as　if　his　muscles　were　about　to　twist　and　untangle　and　he　was　afraid　for　a　moment　that　he　had　not　heard　what　he　thought　he'd　heard。
　5
　Owen　sat　by　the　koi　pond；　absorbing　the　last　of　an　afternoon　sun　on　one　of　his　days　off　…　the　weather　had　gone　back　and　forth；　between　brief　bouts　of　showers　and　then　sudden　sunbursts。　He　was　about　to　reach　for　Dagon　beneath　the　placid　green　water；　when　he　noticed　a　shadow　reflection　move　across　the　water。
　He　didn't　turn；　but　knew　that　Jimmy　had　e　up　behind　him。
　〃Aren't　you　ever　going　to　talk　to　me　again？〃
　Owen　shrugged。
　〃I　thought。。。I　thought　we　could。。。we　could　at　least　be　friends；〃　Jimmy　said。　〃I　think　about　you。　All　the　time。〃
　〃Don't　e　here　again；〃　Owen　measured　his　words　carefully。　The　shadow　withdrew；　and　Owen　had　the　sun　again。
　6
　Owen　lay　back　in　the　grass　and　closed　his　eyes　to　the　sun。　As　the　violet　darkness　of　his　inner　mind　grew；　he　began　to　see　the　shadow　sea　of　Dagon's　realm。　From　the　dusky　waves；　a　form　emerged；　a　magnificent　sea　god；　its　eyes　round　and　without　mind；　like　those　of　a　shark；　its　body　slick　as　oil　with　thousands　of　fins　sprouting　along　its　back；　and　as　it　grew；　Owen　knew　what　the　god　asked　of　him。
　7
　〃I　said　peel　the　potatoes；〃　his　mother　said；　but　he　could　see　the　look　in　her　eyes。　His　mother　was　afraid　of　him。　A　little。　Just　a　little　fear。　That　was　good。
　〃Don't　use　that　tone　of　voice　with　me；〃　Owen　said　almost　politely；　as　he　lifted　the　first　potato　and　brought　it　to　the　small　sharp　knife。
　〃Something's　missing　in　the　house；〃　she　said；　but　his　mother　had　begun　saying　strange　things　for　the　past　few　weeks　…　sentences　that　didn't　go　together；　phrases　that　meant　something　only　in　her　mind。
　〃You　probably　misplaced　whatever　it　is；〃　he　told　her　almost　nonchalantly。　〃You've　always　been　like　that；　haven't　you？〃
　8
　And　then；　the　storm　came。
　When　storms　e　to　Outerbridge；　they　usually　have　lost　most　of　their　power；　they　usually　have　been　downgraded　from　hurricanes　by　the　time　they　hit　Bermuda　to　Tropical　Storms　when　they　reach　Long　Island；　and　by　the　time　they　make　it　past　Block　Island　and　start　heading　to　the　Avalons；　it's　usually　high　winds　and　warm　rains　but　not　much　damage。　The　islanders　who　are　over　sixty　remember　the　storm　of　'53　that　〃took　the　hats　off　houses；〃　as　they　said；　and　generally　made　a　mess　of　the　summer　homes。
　The　storm　that　arrived　the　last　week　of　August　was　not　a　terror；　nor　did　it　threaten　to　take　the　hats　off　houses。　It　was　a　warm　palace　of　rain　and　wind　and　it　changed　the　geometry　of　the　island　with　its　shifts　and　movements。
　The　sky　became　a　hardened　gray；　and　the　rain　was　constant；　and　the　koi　pond　overflowed。　Owen　ran　outside　with　his　father；　newspapers　curled　over　their　heads；　to　try　and　save　the　fish　as　they　flip…flopped　along　the　mud　and　grass；　their　patchwork　colors　seeming　to　melt　beneath　the　downpour。
　9
　Owen　was　on　his　way　to　work；　using　his　father's　truck　to　get　to　the　Salty　Dog；　when　he　saw　the　figure　standing　in　the　pouring　rain　of　afternoon　down　by　the　docks。　Owen　pulled　the　truck　to　the　edge　of　the　road　and　parked。　He　got　out　in　the　rain；　opening　his　dark　umbrella。　The　smell　of　fish　was　overpowering　…　it　was　a　stink　he　was　used　to；　but　with　the　storm　it　was　worse。
　Jimmy　looked　otherworldly：　he　wore　a　shiny　parka；　and　his　face　was　pale　beneath　it。　He　nearly　galloped　over　to　Owen；　and　reached　out　to　touch　him　on　the　shoulder；　but　Owen　pulled　back。　Owen　slammed　the　truck　door　shut。
　〃I'm　going　to　work；〃　Owen　said。
　〃Mooncalf？〃
　〃Leave　me　alone。〃
　〃I　thought　you　…　〃
　〃You　thought　wrong。〃
　〃I've　been　waiting　for　you。　At　the　boat。　Every　night；　I　watch　you　leave　the　restaurant　and　walk　home。　Every　night　I　wish　you'd　e　to　me。〃
　〃You　disgust　me。〃
　〃Stop　it。　I　know　that's　not　true。〃　Jimmy's　shoulders　began　heaving。　The　sound　of　the　rain　became　thunderous　and　sheets　and　blocks　of　it　seemed　to　dump　right　down　around　them。　〃God。　God！〃　Jimmy　cried　out；　his　arms　going　up　to　the　sky　like　some　clown；　like　some　revival　preacher　clown；　the　rain　pouring　against　his　face。　A　thunderclap　hid　the　sound　of　his　bleating。　〃If　only　you　knew！　If　only　you　could　grow　up　inside　me！　Knowing　how　I've　been　pushed　and　pulled；　first　my　father　forcing　me　into　tennis　and　basketball　and　soccer　since　I　was　six　years　old；　the　camps　I've　gone　to　every　summer；　and　these　schools　I　go　to；　and　what　it　all　means　when　inside。。。inside　Owen。。。you　know　something　about　yourself　that's　like　a　doorway　into　a　different　world。
　Something　that's　like。。。I　don't　know。。。like　a　doorway　out　of　this　torture　place　and　into　this　garden。　When　I　was　nine　I　had　this　garden　that　I　helped　create。
　It　had　vegetables　and　flowers　in　it；　nothing　pretty　and　nothing　special；　but　it　was　mine。　My　dad　dug　it　up　in　the　middle　of　the　night。
　He　dug　it　up　and　told　me　that　no　son　of　his　was　going　to　be　a　goddamn　gardener。　That's　what　this　feels　like。　Like　someone　is　trying　to　dig　u