js&cs.thebridge-第67部分

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　　　Fifty…Six
　　　
　　For　a　second　there；　Micki　thought　she　heard　a　motorcycle　in　the　distance：　the　shrill　whine　of　an　overrewed　engine；　the　shriek　of　skidding　tires。　Then　it　was　gone；　and　she　was　left　with　the　sounds　on　the　wind。
　　The　sounds　of　the　death　of　the　world。
　　〃It　wasn't　him；〃　she　said；　anticipating　the　question；　unable　to　screen　out　the　inconsolable　weight　of　Gwen's　fear。　Something　slithered　across　the　windowpane　outside。　She　couldn't　do　much　about　that；　either。
　　Gwen　stopped　painting　for　a　second；　leaned　her　head　into　her　hands。　She　was　pulling　it　together　pretty　well　now；　under　the　circumstances；　but　Micki'd　had　to　admit　to　herself　that　Gwen　was　not　all　there　anymore。　She　had　to　walk　on　eggshells　if　she　didn't　want　to　watch　her　fold。
　　〃He　isn't　ing；　is　he？〃　Gwen　moaned；　tears　pooling　in　her　eyes　again。
　　〃Yes　he　is。〃　Gentle。　Tense。　The　forced　voice　of　calm。　〃Of　course　he　is。　Bobba　said　so。　Now　e　on；　we　gotta　hurry。〃
　　It　was　a　lie；　of　course。　Bobba　didn't　have　a　clue　how　Gary　was。　At　this　point；　Micki　couldn't　even　think　about　it。　She　had　left　a　spirit　doorway　in　the　outer　circle。　It　would　open　for　Gary's　soul　alone。　Beyond　that；　there　was　nothing　she　could　do。
　　In　the　world　beyond　the　outer　circle；　survival　was　no　longer　an　option。　There　were　things　out　there　she　could　hear　and　smell　that　she　did　not　want　to　see。　Their　howls　of　triumphant　carnage　were　the　music　on　the　wind。　Their　stench　rode　the　mist。
　　She　could　dimly　see　dark　shapes　amassing　on　the　perimeter；　but　so　far；　the　outer　circle　seemed　to　be　keeping　them　there。　Micki　took　this　as　a　very　good　sign。　It　suggested　the　magick　could　hold　its　own；　even　hopelessly　outgunned；　in　the　face　of　environmental　Armageddon。
　　But　you　can't　run　from　the　devil　in　your　own　back　pocket；　nattered　a　nasty　little　voice　in　her　head。　It　was　right。　You　couldn't　keep　out　what　was　already　in；　and　that　covered　a　lot　of　ground。
　　When　the　deluge　came；　it　had　not　been　selective；　it　fell　on　the　virtuous　as　well　as　the　wicked。　It　fell　on　either　side　of　the　line。　The　ring　of　lawn　between　the　circle　and　the　house　had　soaked　up　a　lot　of　rain。
　　That　rain　had　borne　fruit。
　　Now　the　exterior　of　the　house　was　crawling　with　vines。　They　writhed　serpentine　on　the　walls；　blindly　scraped　splintering　furrows　in　the　wood；　dragged　their　thorns　across　the　sweating　glass。　Every　second　that　ticked　by　brought　them　that　much　closer　to　entry；　underscored　the　barbed…wire　knot　of　panic　coiling　through　her　gut。
　　She　had　tried　to　protect　the　whole　house；　abiding　by　ritual；　moving　clockwise　and　frantically　anointing　every　aperture　and　inlet　with　a　mixture　of　salt　and　spring　water。　No　fucking　way。　Every　creaking　door　and　rattling　window；　leaking　faucet　and　drizzling　drain；　every　single　crack　in　every　corner　of　every　room　beckoned　her；　demanding　attention。　All　of　them　needed　to　be　mystically　sealed。
　　It　was　just　too　huge。
　　And　she　was　running　out　of　time。
　　From　that　point　on；　her　life　had　been　measured　in　minutes。　Four　spent　helping　Gwen　up　to　the　nursery；　getting　her　situated。　Another　five　tearing　the　place　apart　until　it　coughed　up　the　supplies　she　needed：　a　box　of　scented　bathroom　candles；　matches；　a　pair　of　heavy　quilts；　canned　food　and　bottled　water；　can　and　bottle　openers；　a　pot　of　adequate　bedpan　size；　a　butcher　knife；　duct　tape；　some　sandalwood　incense；　and　a　little　tin　of　McCormick　sage。　Some　of　the　things　were　needed　for　the　ritual。　The　rest　were　merely　practical。　She　had　no　idea　how　long　they　might　have　to　stay　in　there。
　　All　the　paint　they　needed　was　already　there。
　　Micki　had　spent　the　last　seven　minutes　preparing　the　one　room　she　could　actually　defend。　In　this；　she　had　finally　gotten　some　help；　for　Gwen；　it　was　perfect　therapy。　By　three　twenty…five；　they　had　pleted　the　ten…foot　pentacle　that　covered　the　nursery　floor。　Now　it　was　a　matter　of　touching　up　the　perimeter：　taping　floorboard　cracks　that　intersected　the　circle；　plugging　the　leaks　in　the　spirit　armor　。。。
　　Something　went　pok　at　the　window。　Micki's　lungs　crawled　up　into　her　throat。　There　was　a　BB…sized　star　in　the　glass；　with　a　thorn　poking　through　it。　The　thorn；　ever　so　slowly；　withdrew。
　　Gwen　started　to　whimper。　Micki　knew　what　she　meant。　So　far；　they'd　been　astonishingly　lucky；　but　she　sensed　those　days　were　about　to　end。　The　thorn　popped　loose　and　dragged；　skreeeting　away　like　a　glass…cutter。
　　Another　dozen　took　its　place。
　　〃Gwen；〃　she　whispered。　There　was　no　more　time　to　wait。　〃Light　the　candles。〃
　　〃But　what　about　Gary？〃　Too　loud。
　　Micki　winced。　〃Shhhh；〃　she　hissed；　then；　softly；　〃I'll　leave　him　a　way　in。　I　promise。〃
　　〃You　can　do　that？〃　Gwen's　red　eyes　spoke　volumes。　Her　voice　rose　to　match　them；　inching　out　of　control。　〃You're　sure　。。。　？〃
　　〃I　already　explained　this　to　you。〃　Micki　glanced　at　the　window；　held　on　tight　to　her　temper。
　　〃But　what　if　something　happens　。。。　？〃
　　〃Gwen。〃　Gritting　her　teeth。　〃Nothing's　going　to　happen　。。。　〃
　　〃But　。。。　〃
　　〃GWEN！〃
　　Gwen　was　shocked　into　stasis。　Her　tears　overflowed。　Micki　took　a　deep　breath。
　　And　the　windowpane　shattered。
　　Micki　screamed。　She　couldn't　help　it。　Every　inch　of　control；　every　last　watt　of　power　dispersed；　blew　apart　in　the　shower　of　glass。　In　that　moment；　she　was　emptied　of　thought；　personality；　hope。　Nothing　left　but　the　horror。
　　The　sightless　thing　that　entered　the　room　mandeered　her　plete　attention。
　　Its　skin　was　closer　to　bark　than　it　was　to　shell　or　skin；　but　there　all　resemblance　to　ordinary　plant　life　terminated　abruptly。　It's　leaves　were　tonguelike；　moist　and　thick；　its　thorns　canine　incisors。　It　left　a　steaming　slime　trail　as　it　moved　along　the　wall；　raked　inch…deep　drywall　trenches　in　its　wake。
　　〃Light　the　candles。〃　A　toneless　drone；　through　a　mouth　that　barely　moved。　〃Gwen。　Please　。。。　〃
　　Nothing　happened。　Gwen　was　frozen　in　place。　Micki　dry…swallowed　tenor　and　forced　her　own　hand　to　snake　out　slowly　for　the　box　of　matches。
　　The　monster　stopped　dead。
　　〃Oh；　no；〃　Micki　croaked；　her　hand　freezing　in　place。　The　vine　probed　at　the　air；　like　a　menacing　antenna。　When　she　stopped；　it　had　nothing　to　go　on。　It　wavered；　deaf　as　well；　and　then　went　back　to　tracing　and　gouging　the　wall。
　　It　was　ten　feet　away　now　and　closing。
　　Fuck　the　candles；　Bob…Ramtha　said。　You　don't　have　time。
　　Cast　the　circle　now。
　　And　he　was　right；　she　knew　he　was　right；　there　was　nothing　else　and　no　other　way；　if　the　circle　was　flawed　or　the　ritual　sloppy　or　her　will　too　depleted；　then　those　were　the　breaks。　Inaction　meant　certain　death；　and　they　were　down　to　the　very　last　ticks　of　the　clock。　One　way　or　another；　it　had　to　be　now。
　　She　made　her　decision。
　　And　acted　it　out。
　　〃Sky…people；〃　she　said；　addressing　the　east　and　forcing　her　voice　to　be　strong。　It　was　just　a　slight　turn　of　the　head；　but　the　monster　tuned　into　it　instantly。　She　fought　down　a　shudder；　cleared　dry　phlegm　from　her　throat。　〃I　wele　you　into　our　circle　of　light。〃
　　Then；　turning　to　the　south；　a　slight　upper…torso　pivot。　It　put　the　blunted　nonhead　of　the　thing　behind　her。
　　There　were　more　ing　in　through　the　window。
　　〃Brothers　of　fire；〃　she　croaked；　the　voice　barely　clearing　her　larynx。　〃We　need　you。　Please　e　to　our　side。〃
　　There　were　five　of　them　now；　feeling　in　through　the　hole。　They　fanned　out　across　the　walls　ceiling　floor。　Behind　her；　Gwen　mewled　and　went　fetal　in　the　second　Micki　spun　full　around；　facing　west。
　　〃WATER　S…S…SISTERS！〃　she　blurted　out；　panicking。　She　could　hear　them　slithering；　scraping；　clawing。　Could　feel　their　graceless；　unstoppable　approach。　〃PLEASE！〃　she　screamed；　howling　gaze　and　voice　northward。　〃OH　EARTH　MOTHER　PLEASE　。。。　！〃
　　And　she　could　see　it　ing；　the　first　one　in；　the　one　with　the　rabid　teeth　and　tongues　that　foamed　as　the　fat　misshapen　vine　undulated；　thundered　across　the　floorboards；　sliding　the　last　remaining　foot　to　the　lip　of　her　magickal　circle　。。。
　　。。。　and　suddenly　she　could　feel　Them：　there　with　her；　a　presence　and　quasi…electrical　charge　that　stood　all　her　short　hairs　on　end；　plucked　her　flesh　into　goose　bumps；　sucked　the　air　from　her　chest。　Her　spine　felt　liquid　hot　and　burning　with　violent　primal　coursing　power；　the　p