cw.blackalibi-第9部分

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　　Something　else　now　assailed　her；　again　from　without　herself；　but　of　a　different　sensory　plane　than　hearing　this　time。　A　prickly　sensation　of　being　watched　steadily　from　behind；　of　something　ing　stealthily　but　continuously　after　her；　spread　slowly　like　a　contraction　of　the　pores；　first　over　the　back　of　her　neck；　then　up　and　down　the　entire　length　of　her　spine。　She　couldn't　shake　it　off；　quell　it。　She　knew　eyes　were　upon　her；　something　was　treading　with　measured　intent　in　her　wake。
　　And　at　this　moment；　meaningless　now；　for　terror　no　longer　had　bounds；　was　no　longer　confined　but　on　the　move；　the　black　archway　of　the　tunnel　roof　fell　back　a　second　time　and　she　was　in　the　open　once　more。　But　dragging　terror　out　into　the　open　after　her。
　　Her　numbed　feet；　beginning　to　falter　with　faulty　muscular　co…ordination；　carried　her　a　few　yards　onward　up　the　lane。　She　knew　she　couldn't　manage　them　any　longer；　they　were　slowing；　they　were　stopping；　they　had　stopped。　She　had　fallen　still；　vibrating　all　over。　A　sort　of　pulsing　that　came　from　within；　like　the　ague。
　　She　had　to　see；　she　had　to　know；　her　fright…distended　soul　could　bear　no　more。　The　muscles　of　her　neck　started　to　tug；　to　pull　her　head　around；　to　look　behind　her　at　the　doom…pregnant　entrance　she　had　just　quitted。　And　even　while　they　did　so；　before　the　motion　had　been　pleted；　the　sack　of　charcoal　started　to　slowly　sidle　out　from　between　her　nerveless　hands；　about　to　topple　to　the　ground　at　her　feet；　in　catastrophic　premonition。
　　She　was　trapped　there；　held　fast；　as　surely　as　a　bird　is　by　a　snake；　unable　to　move　another　step　until　her　head　had　acplished　that　devoted；　self…destructive　turn　to　rearward　to　see　what　it　was　that　the　tunnel　mouth　was　about　to　spew；　rabid；　at　her　heels。
　　
　　
　　The　slowly　mounting　anger　of　Teresa's　mother　had　increased　in　inverse　ratio　to　the　dwindling　heat　within　her　brasero。　When　fanning　would　no　longer　bring　the　faintest　flush　of　red　to　the　charcoal　ash；　then　her　ire　reached　its　hottest。
　　She　bent　low　above　it；　dexterously　manipulated　her　breath　upon　it；　trying　at　one　and　the　same　time　to　skim　the　film　of　incinerated　white　ash　off　the　top　and　unearth　some　spark　of　continued　heat　below。　That　failed　too。　Her　fire；　the　core　of　her　daily　existence；　had　given　up　the　ghost。
　　She　straightened；　flung　up　her　arms；　let　them　fall　again。　〃Out；〃　she　said　catastrophically。　This　was　the　unforgivable　sin；　to　have　one's　fire　expire　like　this。　Any　woman　who　had　that　happen　to　her…well；　she　knew　what　the　others　about　here　would　say　and　think　of　her。
　　〃Why　don't　you　put　some　straw　on　it　until　she　gets　back？〃　the　small　boy　over　in　the　corner　suggested。
　　〃Straw！　Is　straw　charcoal？　How　long　does　it　last？　It　flames　and　goes；　and　fills　the　room　with　smoke。　And　there　isn't　any　anyway。〃　She　picked　up　the　broom；　shook　it　threateningly　in　the　general　direction　of　the　door。　〃It's　her　fault。　Had　she　gone　when　I　first　warned　her　to…　And　even　now；　is　she　back　yet？　Look　how　she　dawdles！　How　she　lingers　on　the　way！　A　snail　would　have　been　here　before　her！〃
　　She　gave　the　earthenware　pot　sitting　on　the　brasero　a　slight　shift。　〃He'll　e　home；　and　what　will　he　find？　A　wife　who　cannot　even　keep　the　food　warm　for　him。　A　disgraced　creature！〃
　　The　boy　sat　watching　her　in　utter　silence；　palms　to　cheeks；　a　rapt　smirk　on　his　face。
　　She　made　some　more　passes　with　the　broom。　〃Oh；　I'll　give　it　to　her！　I'll　break　this　palo　in　two　over　her　back。　She　will　ache　all　day　tomorrow。〃
　　Something　struck　against　the　door　suddenly。　It　was　as　though　a　flurry　of　footsteps；　only　audible　at　the　very　last；　had　suddenly　ended　with　a　fling　against　the　door。　A　scream　winged　its　way　in；　like　a　knife　slicing　through　all　the　seams　at　once；　above；　below；　at　the　sides。　And　then　words；　in　a　smothered　paroxysm；　as　though　the　mouth　uttering　them　were　cupped　to　the　very　woodwork　itself。　〃　Mamacita；　let　me　in！　Oh　if　you　love　me；　let　me　in！〃　They　were　all　run　together　in　a　sort　of　spasm　of　the　voice。
　　The　Seсora　Delgado　had　waited　for　this　moment；　though　not　knowing　that　it　would　take　this　precise　form。　She　clasped　her　enfolded　arms　to　her　sides；　hugging　herself　and　nodding　her　head　in　bitter；　long…delayed　retribution。　〃　Now　she　es；　eh？　Running　at　the　last；　eh；　now　that　it's　too　late；　now　that　my　fire　is　gone　and　the　damage　is　done！〃　She　mimicked　the　suffocating　tones　outside。　〃'　Mamacita；　let　me　in。　Oh　if　you　love　me；　let　me　in！'　Afraid　of　the　dark；　eh？　Afraid　of　her　own　shadow；　eh？　Well　she'll　stay　out　there。　We'll　see　how　she　likes　that。　She'll　learn　next　time　to　make　more　haste。〃
　　There　was　the　sound　of　nails　clawing　helplessly　at　the　wood；　the　voice　was　crazed；　ungovernable；　all　but　inprehensible；　sputtering　a　gibberish　that　had　to　be　guessed　at　rather　than　understood。　〃Ay；　madrecita　de　mi　alma；　it's　ing；　it's　ing　closer；　I　can　see　it　ing　by　the　wall…　It's　closer；　it's　closer！〃
　　The　Seсora　Delgado　gave　an　authoritative　bellow　that　stopped　the　boy　as　he　was　beginning　to　sidle　around　the　side　of　the　room　toward　the　door。　〃Pedro！　Stay　away　from　it！〃　Again　she　mimicked　her。　〃Yes；　it's　ing　nearer；　is　it？　Lies！　Mentiras！　She　thinks　her　lies　will　save　her。　You　think　I　believe　there　is　anything　out　there？　There　should　be；　I　only　wish　there　were！　It　would　teach　you　next　time　to　obey　your　mother　better。〃
　　There　was　a　scream　of　agonized　finality；　a　veritable　catharsis　of　the　lungs；　that　made　all　the　others　before　it　seem　like　nothing　at　all。　Mingled　with　it；　and　blurring　it；　quelling　it　at　the　end；　came　an　impact　of　such　violence　that　the　whole　door　structure　seemed　to　start　with　it　from　top　to　bottom；　curve　inward　at　the　middle；　then　spring　back　rigid　again　a　moment　later。　It　seemed　incredible　that　anyone　could　do　that　with　her　body　without　breaking　all　her　bones。　A　puff　of　plaster　dust　welled　up　around　the　sides。
　　A　change　had　e　over　the　urchin's　derisive　face。　〃Carajo；　Mama！〃　he　breathed　huskily。　〃She　isn't　fooling。〃
　　But　the　woman；　in　a　reversal　of　attitude　as　instantaneous　as　his　own；　had　already　flung　herself　forward；　squat　and　bulky　as　she　was。　〃Wait；　Teresa；〃　she　panted。　〃I　e；　I'm　here；　I　open。〃　She　clawed　desperately　at　the　bolt。　〃Only　a　moment；　my　beloved。　Mi　querida；　only　a　moment　more。　Your　mother　is　here；　your　mother　admits　you。〃
　　It　wouldn't　move。　It　had　jammed。　It　had　been　too　long　unused。　Its　surface　had　roughened　too　much　with　rust；　or　that　last　impact　had　warped　it。　It　was　fast　in　its　socket。　She　continued　to　pluck　despairingly　at　it。　She　half　turned　around　in　helpless　appeal；　then　turned　back　again。　She　struck　frustratedly　at　the　wood　just　above　it　with　one　open　hand；　while　she　tried　to　wrench　it　back　with　the　other。
　　〃Pedro；　Pedro；　you　have　smaller　fingers。〃
　　The　incipient　maleness　of　the　boy　rose　to　take　the　emergency　in　its　stride。　That　was　what　men；　big　and　small；　were　meant　for：　a　sudden　crisis　like　this；　a　flurry　of　violence。　The　rest　was　for　women。　〃A　stone…something　to　hit　it　back　with…　Gimme；　I　can　get　it！　Get　out　of　the　way。〃
　　There　was　a　building　brick　lying　there　on　the　floor　across　the　room；　brought　in　for　some　forgotten　purpose。　He　snatched　it　up；　ran　back　with　it。　A　tap；　two　taps；　three；　the　unruly　bar　sprang　back。
　　There　had　been　silence　for　a　minute　past；　ever　since　that　last　climactic　scream　and　maniacal　lunge；　but　only　now　did　they　have　time　to　realize　it。　There　was　a　stillness　on　the　other　side。
　　In　the　fraction　of　a　second's　pause　that　followed；　she　saw　the　boy's　eyes　swollen　downward　at　the　floor。　A　tongue　of　red　was　licking　out　at　his　bare　foot　from　under　the　door。　Just　that　in　size　and　shape；　the　tip　of　a　human　tongue。　But　it　was　in　flux；　fluid。　Right　as　their　eyes　beheld　it　it　was　already　widening；　lengthening；　glittering　with　its　own　volatility。
　　He　had　snatched　the　door　inward　upon　them　before　the　mother's　slowly　gathering　scream　had　time　to　leave　her。　He　jumped　agilely　back　as　though　something　had　bitten　him。
　　It　was　as　though　clots　of　red　mud　had　been　pelted　at　the　outside　of　the　door；　until；　adhering；　they　formed　a　sort　of　spattered　mound　up　against　it。　There　were　rags　mixed　in　with　it；　and　snarls　of　hair；　and　even　tiny　crumbs　of　coral；　broken　off　a　string。
　　The　mass　sidled；　disint