dk.intensity-第58部分

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　But　she　didn't　care　about　valor；　didn't　give　a　rat's　ass　about　courage。　Or　about　anything。　All　she　cared　about　was　putting　an　end　to　the　loneliness；　the　pain；　the　achingly　empty　sense　of　futility。
　And　the　girl。　Ariel。　Down　in　the　hateful　silent　dark。　For　a　while　she　remained　poised　for　the　fatal　nip。　Between　its　solemn　measured　beats；　her　heart　was　filled　with　the　stillness　of　deep　water。
　Then；　without　being　aware　of　releasing　the　pinch　of　flesh　from　between　her　teeth；　Chyna　realized　that　her　lips　were　pressed　to　her　unbitten　wrist　again。　She　could　feel　her　slow　pulse　in　this　kiss　of　life。
　The　elk　was　gone。　Gone。　Chyna　was　surprised　to　see　only　darkness　where　the　creature　had　stood。　She　didn't　believe　that　she　had　closed　her　eyes　or　even　blinked。　Yet　she　must　have　been　in　a　blinding　trance；　because　the　stately　elk　had　vanished　into　the　night　as　mysteriously　as　a　stage　magician's　assistant　dematerializes　beneath　an　artfully　draped　black　shroud。
　Suddenly　her　heart　began　to　pound　hard　and　fast。　〃No；〃　she　whispered　in　the　dark　kitchen；　and　the　word　was　both　a　promise　and　a　prayer。
　Her　heart　like　a　wheel…spinning；　racing…drove　her　out　of　that　internal　grayness　in　which　she　had　been　lost；　out　of　that　bleakness　into　a　brighter　landscape。　〃No。〃　There　was　defiance　in　her　voice　this　time；　and　she　did　not　whisper。　〃No。〃
　She　shook　her　chains　as　if　she　were　a　spirited　horse　trying　to　throw　off　its　traces。
　〃No；　no；　no。　Shit；　no。〃　Her　protests　were　loud　enough　for　her　voice　to　echo　off　the　hard　surface　of　the　refrigerator；　the　glass　in　the　oven　door；　the　ceramic…tile　counters。
　She　tried　to　pull　away　from　the　table　to　stand　up。　But　a　loop　of　chain　secured　her　chair　to　the　barrel　that　supported　the　tabletop；　limiting　its　movement。
　If　she　dug　her　heels　into　the　vinyl…tile　floor　and　attempted　to　scoot　backward；　she　would　probably　not　be　able　to　move　at　all。　At　best　she　would　only　drag　the　heavy　table　with　her　inch　by　inch。　And　in　a　lifetime　of　trying；　she　would　not　be　able　to　put　enough　tension　on　the　chain　to　snap　it。
　She　was　still　adamant　in　her　rejection　of　surrender…〃No；　damn　it；　no　way；　no〃…pressing　the　words　through　clenched　teeth。
　She　reached　forward；　pulling　taut　the　chain　that　led　around　her　back　from　the　left　handcuff　to　the　right。　It　was　wound　between　the　spindles　of　the　rail…back　chair；　behind　the　tie…on　pad。　She　strained；　hoping　to　hear　the　crack　of　dry　wood；　jerked　hard；　harder；　and　sharp　pain　sewed　a　hot　seam　in　her　neck；　the　agony　of　the　clubbing　was　renewed　in　her　neck　and　in　the　right　side　of　her　face；　but　she　would　not　let　pain　stop　her。　She　jerked　harder　than　ever；　scarring　the　nice　furniture　for　damn　sure；　and　again…pull；　pull…firmly　holding　the　chair　down　with　her　body　while　simultaneously　half　lifting　it　off　the　floor　as　she　yanked　furiously　at　the　back　rails；　and　yanked　again；　until　her　biceps　quivered。　Pull。　As　she　grunted　with　effort　and　frustration；　needles　of　pain　stitched　down　the　back　of　her　neck；　across　both　shoulders；　and　into　her　arms。　Pull！　Putting　everything　she　had　into　the　effort；　straining　longer　than　before；　clenching　her　teeth　so　hard　that　tics　developed　in　her　jaw　muscles；　she　pulled　once　more　until　she　felt　the　arteries　throbbing　in　her　temples　and　saw　red　and　silver　pinwheels　of　light　spinning　behind　her　eyelids。　But　she　wasn't　rewarded　with　any　breaking　sounds。　The　chair　was　solid；　the　spindles　were　thick；　and　every　joint　was　well　made。
　Her　heart　boomed；　partly　because　of　her　struggles　but　largely　because　she　was　brimming　with　an　exhilarating　sense　of　liberation。　Which　was　crazy；　crazy；　because　she　was　still　shackled；　no　closer　to　breaking　her　bonds　than　she　had　been　at　any　moment　since　she'd　awakened　in　this　chair。　Yet　she　felt　as　if　she　had　already　escaped　and　was　only　waiting　for　reality　to　catch　up　with　the　freedom　that　she　had　Willed　for　herself。
　She　sat　gasping；　thinking。　Sweat　beaded　her　brow。　Forget　the　chair　for　now。　To　get　loose　from　it；　she　would　have　to　be　able　to　stand　and　move。　She　couldn't　deal　with　the　chair　until　she　was　free　of　the　table。
　She　was　unable　to　reach　down　far　enough　to　unscrew　the　carabiner　that　joined　the　shorter　chain　between　her　ankles　to　the　longer　chain　that　entwined　the　chair　and　the　table。　Otherwise；　she　might　easily　have　freed　her　legs　from　both　pieces　of　furniture。
　If　she　could　overturn　the　table；　the　loop　of　chain　that　wrapped　the　supporting　pedestal　and　connected　with　her　leg　irons　would　then　slide　free　as　the　bottom　of　that　barrel　tipped　up　and　off　the　floor。　Wouldn't　it？　Sitting　in　the　dark；　she　couldn't　quite　visualize　the　mechanics　of　what　she　was　proposing；　but　she　thought　that　turning　the　table　on　its　side　would　work。
　Unfortunately；　the　chair　across　from　hers；　the　one　in　which　Vess　had　sat；　was　an　obstruction　that　would　most　likely　prevent　the　table　from　tipping　over。　She　had　to　get　rid　of　it；　clear　the　way。　Shackled　as　she　was；　however；　and　with　the　barrel　pedestal　intervening；　she　couldn't　extend　her　legs　far　enough　to　kick　at　the　other　chair　and　knock　it　aside。　Hobbled　and　tethered；　she　was　also　unable　to　stand　and　reach　across　the　big　round　table　and　simply　push　the　obstruction　out　of　the　way。
　Finally　she　tried　scooting　backward　in　her　chair；　hoping　to　drag　the　table　with　her；　away　from　Vess's　chair。　The　chain　encircling　the　pedestal　drew　taut。　As　she　strained　backward；　digging　her　heels　into　the　floor；　it　seemed　that　the　piece　was　too　heavy　to　be　dragged；　and　she　wondered　if　the　barrel　was　filled　with　a　bag　of　sand　to　keep　the　table　from　wobbling。　But　then　it　creaked　and　stuttered　a　few　inches　across　the　vinyl　tiles；　rattling　the　sandwich　plate　and　the　glass　of　water　that　stood　on　it。
　This　was　harder　work　than　she　had　anticipated。　She　felt　as　though　she　were　on　one　of　those　television　shows　devoted　to　stunts　and　stupid　physical　challenges；　pulling　a　railroad　car。　A　loaded　railroad　car。　Nevertheless；　the　table　moved　grudgingly。　In　a　couple　of　minutes；　after　pausing　twice　to　get　her　breath；　she　stopped　because　she　was　concerned　that　she　might　back　against　the　wall　between　the　kitchen　and　the　laundry　room；　she　needed　to　leave　herself　some　maneuvering　space。　Although　it　was　difficult　to　estimate　distance　in　the　dark；　she　believed　that　she　had　dragged　the　table　about　three　feet；　far　enough　to　be　clear　of　Vess's　chair。
　Trying　to　favor　her　sprained　finger；　she　placed　her　cuffed　hands　under　the　table　and　lifted。　It　weighed　considerably　more　than　she　did…a　two…inch　pine　top；　the　thick　staves　in　the　supporting　barrel；　the　black　iron　hoops　around　the　staves；　perhaps　that　bag　of　sandand　she　couldn't　get　much　leverage　while　she　was　forced　to　remain　seated。　The　bottom　of　the　barrel　tipped　up　an　inch；　then　two　inches。　The　water　glass　toppled；　spilling　its　contents；　rolled　away　from　her；　dropped　off　the　table；　and　shattered　on　the　floor。　All　the　noise　made　it　seem　as　if　her　plan　was　working…she　hissed；　〃Yes！　〃…but　then　because　she　had　underestimated　the　weight　and　the　effort　required　to　move　it；　she　had　to　relent；　and　the　barrel　slammed　down。
　Chyna　flexed　her　muscles；　took　a　deep　breath；　and　immediately　returned　to　the　task。　This　time　she　planted　her　feet　as　far　apart　as　her　shackles　would　allow。　On　the　underside　of　the　table；　she　flattened　her　upturned　palms　against　the　pine；　thumbs　hooked　toward　herself　over　the　smooth　bull…nose　edge。　She　tensed　her　legs　as　well　as　her　arms；　and　when　she　shoved　up　on　the　table；　she　pushed　with　her　legs　too；　getting　to　her　feet　an　inch　at　a　time；　one　hard…won　inch　for　each　inch　that　the　table　tipped　up　and　backward。　She　did　not　have　enough　slack　in　the　various　tethering　chains　to　be　able　to　get　all　the　way　or　halfway　erect；　so　she　rose　haltingly　in　a　stiff　and　awkward　crouch；　cramped　under　the　weight　of　the　table。　She　put　enormous　strain　on　her　knees　and　thighs；　wheezing；　shuddering　with　the　effort；　but　she　persevered　because　each　precious　inch　that　she　was　able　to　gain　improved　her　leverage；　she　was　using　her　entire　body　to　lift；　lift；　lift。
　The　sandwich　plate　and　the　bag　of　potato　chips　slid　off　the　table。　China　cracked　and　chips　scattered　across　the　floor　with　a　sound　unnervingly　like　scurrying　rodents。
　The　pain　in　her　neck　was　excruciating；　and　someone　seemed　to　be　twis