sk.everythingseventual-第49部分

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　surprise；　but　it　was　not　a　long　one；　Roland's　fingers　clamped　down　on　her　throat　and　choked　the　sound　off　before　it　was　fairly　started。
　　The　touch　of　her　flesh　was　obscene…it　seemed　not　just　alive　but　various　beneath　his　hands；　as　if　it　was　trying　to　crawl　away　from　him。　He　could　feel　it　running　like　liquid；　flowing；　and　the　sensation　was　horrible　beyond　description。　Yet　he　clamped　down　harder；　determined　to　choke　the　life　out　of　her。
　　Then　there　came　a　blue　flash　（not　in　the　air；　he　would　think　later；　that　flash　happened　inside　his　head；　a　single　stroke　of　lightning　as　she　touched　off　some　brief　but　powerful　brainstorm）；　and　his　hands　flew　away　from　her　neck。　For　one　moment　his　dazzled　eyes　saw　great　wet　gouges　in　her　gray　flesh…gouges　in　the　shapes　of　his　hands。　Then　he　was　flung　backward；　hitting　the　scree　on　his　back　and　sliding；　hitting　his　head　on　a　jutting　rock　hard　enough　to　provoke　a　second；　lesser；　flash　of　light。
　　'Nay；　my　pretty　man；'　she　said；　grimacing　at　him；　laughing　with　those　terrible　dull　eyes　of　hers。　'Ye　don't　choke　such　as　me；　and　I'll　take　ye　slow　for'ee　impertinence…cut　ye　shallow　in　a　hundred　places　to　refresh　my　thirst！　First；　though；　I'll　have　this　vowless　girl　。　。　。　and　I'll　have　those　damned　bells　off　her；　in　the　bargain。'
　　'e　and　see　if　you　can！'　Jenna　cried　in　a　trembling　voice；　and　shook　her　head　from　side　to　side。　The　Dark　Bells　rang　mockingly；　provokingly。
　　Mary's　grimace　of　a　smile　fell　away。　'Oh；　I　can；'　she　breathed。　Her　mouth　yawned。　In　the　moonlight；　her　fangs　gleamed　in　her　gums　like　bone　needles　poked　through　a　red　pillow。　'I　can　and　I…'
　　There　was　a　growl　from　above　them。　It　rose；　then　splintered　into　a　volley　of　snarling　barks。　Mary　turned　to　her　left；　and　in　the　moment　before　the　snarling　thing　left　the　rock　on　which　it　was　standing；　Roland　could　clearly　read　the　startled　bewilderment　on　Big　Sister's　face。
　　It　launched　itself　at　her；　only　a　dark　shape　against　the　stars；　legs　outstretched　so　it　looked　like　some　sort　of　weird　bat；　but　even　before　it　crashed　into　the　woman；　striking　her　in　the　chest　above　her　half…raised　arms　and　fastening　its　own　teeth　on　her　throat；　Roland　knew　exactly　what　it　was。
　　As　the　shape　bore　her　over　onto　her　back；　Sister　Mary　uttered　a　gibbering　shriek　that　went　through　Roland's　head　like　the　Dark　Bells　themselves。　He　scrambled　to　his　feet；　gasping。　The　shadowy　thing　tore　at　her；　forepaws　on　either　side　of　her　head；　rear　paws　planted　on　the　grave…shroud　above　her　chest；　where　the　rose　had　been。
　　Roland　grabbed　Jenna；　who　was　looking　down　at　the　fallen　Sister　with　a　kind　of　frozen　fascination。
　　'e　on！'　he　shouted。　'Before　it　decides　it　wants　a　bite　of　you；　too！'
　　The　dog　took　no　notice　of　them　as　Roland　pulled　Jenna　past。　It　had　torn　Sister　Mary's　head　mostly　off。
　　Her　flesh　seemed　to　be　changing；　somehow…deposing；　very　likely…but　whatever　was　happening；　Roland　did　not　want　to　see　it。　He　didn't　want　Jenna　to　see　it；　either。
　　They　half…walked；　half…ran　to　the　top　of　the　ridge；　and　when　they　got　there　paused　for　breath　in　the　moonlight；　heads　down；　hands　linked；　both　of　them　gasping　harshly。
　　The　growling　and　snarling　below　them　had　faded；　but　was　still　faintly　audible　when　Sister　Jenna　raised　her　head　and　asked　him；　'What　was　it？　You　know…I　saw　it　in　your　face。　And　how　could　it　attack　her？　We　all　have　power　over　animals；　but　she　has…had…the　most。'
　　'Not　over　that　one。'　Roland　found　himself　recalling　the　unfortunate　boy　in　the　next　bed。　Norman　hadn't　known　why　the　medallions　kept　the　Sisters　at　arm's　length…whether　it　was　the　gold　or　the　God。　Now　Roland　knew　the　answer。　'It　was　a　dog。　Just　a　town…dog。　I　saw　it　in　the　square；　before　the　green　folk　knocked　me　out　and　took　me　to　the　Sisters。　I　suppose　the　other　animals　that　could　run　away　did　run　away；　but　not　that　one。　It　had　nothing　to　fear　from　the　Little　Sisters　of　Eluria；　and　somehow　it　knew　it　didn't。　It　bears　the　sign　of　the　Jesus　Man　on　its　chest。　Black　fur　on　white。　Just　an　accident　of　its　birth；　I　imagine。　In　any　case；　it's　done　for　her　now。　I　knew　it　was　lurking　around。　I　heard　it　barking　two　or　three　times。'
　　'Why？'　Jenna　whispered。　'Why　would　it　e？　Why　would　it　stay？　And　why　would　it　take　on　her　as　it　did？'
　　Roland　of　Gilead　responded　as　he　ever　had　and　ever　would　when　such　useless；　mystifying　questions　were　raised：　'Ka。　e　on。　Let's　get　as　far　as　we　can　from　this　place　before　we　hide　up　for　the　day。'
　　As　far　as　they　could　turned　out　to　be　eight　miles　at　most　。　。　。　and　probably；　Roland　thought　as　the　two　of　them　sank　down　in　a　patch　of　sweet…smelling　sage　beneath　an　overhang　of　rock；　a　good　deal　less。　Five；　perhaps。　It　was　him　slowing　them　down；　or　rather；　it　was　the　residue　of　the　poison　in　the　soup。　When　it　was　clear　to　him　that　he　could　not　go　farther　without　help；　he　asked　her　for　one　of　the　reeds。　She　refused；　saying　that　the　stuff　in　it　might　bine　with　the　unaccustomed　exercise　to　burst　his　heart。
　　'Besides；'　she　said　as　they　lay　back　against　the　embankment　of　the　little　nook　they　had　found；　'they'll　not　follow。　Those　that　are　left…Michela；　Louise；　Tamra…will　be　packing　up　to　move　on。　They　know　to　leave　when　the　time　es；　that's　why　the　Sisters　have　survived　as　long　as　they　have。　As　we　have。　We're　strong　in　some　ways；　but　weak　in　many　more。　Sister　Mary　forgot　that。　It　was　her　arrogance　that　did　for　her　as　much　as　the　cross…dog；　I　think。'
　　She　had　cached　not　just　his　boots　and　clothes　beyond　the　top　of　the　ridge；　but　the　smaller　of　his　two　purses；　as　well。　When　she　began　to　apologize　for　not　bringing　his　bedroll　and　the　larger　purse　（she'd　tried；　she　said；　but　they　were　simply　too　heavy）；　Roland　hushed　her　with　a　finger　to　her　lips。　He　thought　it　a　miracle　to　have　as　much　as　he　did。　And　besides　（this　he　did　not　say；　but　perhaps　she　knew　it；　anyway）；　the　guns　were　the　only　things　that　really　mattered。　The　guns　of　his　father；　and　his　father　before　him；　all　the　way　back　to　the　days　of　Arthur　Eld；　when　dreams　and　dragons　had　still　walked　the　earth。
　　'Will　you　be　all　right？'　he　asked　her　as　they　settled　down。　The　moon　had　set；　but　dawn　was　still　at　least　three　hours　away。　They　were　surrounded　by　the　sweet　smell　of　the　sage。　A　purple　smell；　he　thought　it　then　。　。　。　and　ever　after。　Already　he　could　feel　it　forming　a　kind　of　magic　carpet　under　him；　which　would　soon　float　him　away　to　sleep。　He　thought　he　had　never　been　so　tired。
　　'Roland；　I　know　not。'　But　even　then；　he　thought　she　had　known。　Her　mother　had　brought　her　back　once；　no　mother　would　bring　her　back　again。　And　she　had　eaten　with　the　others；　had　taken　the　munion　of　the　Sisters。　Ka　was　a　wheel；　it　was　also　a　net　from　which　none　ever　escaped。
　　But　then　he　was　too　tired　to　think　much　of　such　things　。　。　。　and　what　good　would　thinking　have　done；　in　any　case？　As　she　had　said；　the　bridge　was　burned。　Roland　guessed　that　even　if　they　were　to　return　to　the　valley；　they　would　find　nothing　but　the　cave　the　Sisters　had　called　Thoughtful　House。　The　surviving　Sisters　would　have　packed　their　tent　of　bad　dreams　and　moved　on；　just　a　sound　of　bells　and　singing　insects　moving　down　the　late　night　breeze。
　　He　looked　at　her；　raised　a　hand　（it　felt　heavy）；　and　touched　the　curl　which　once　more　lay　across　her　forehead。
　　Jenna　laughed；　embarrassed。　'That　one　always　escapes。　It's　wayward。　Like　its　mistress。'
　　She　raised　her　hand　to　poke　it　back　in；　but　Roland　took　her　fingers　before　she　could。　'It's　beautiful；'　he　said。　'Black　as　night　and　as　beautiful　as　forever。'
　　He　sat　up…it　took　an　effort；　weariness　dragged　at　his　body　like　soft　hands。　He　kissed　the　curl。　She　closed　her　eyes　and　sighed。　He　felt　her　trembling　beneath　his　lips。　The　skin　of　her　brow　was　very　cool；　the　dark　curve　of　the　wayward　curl　like　silk。
　　'Push　back　your　wimple；　as　you　did　before；'　he　said。
　　She　did　it　without　speaking。　For　a　moment　he　only　looked　at　her。　Jenna　looked　back　gravely；　her　eyes　never　leaving　his。　He　ran　his　hands　through　her　hair；　feeling　its　smooth　weight　（like　rain；　he　thought；　rain　with　weight）；　then　took　her　shoulders　and　kissed　each　of　her　cheeks。　He　drew　back　for　a　moment。
　　'Would　ye　kiss　me　as　a　man　does　a　woman；　Roland？　On　my　mouth？'
　　'Aye。'
　　And；　as　he　had　thoug