pzb.lostsouls-第34部分

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ack…that's　my　real　stock。　Ghost'll　show　you。　He　knows。〃
　　After　the　white…painted；　sun…dappled　walls　of　the　front　room；　the　back　of　the　store　seemed　dark；　the　air　heavy　and　oppressive。　There　was　a　scent　of　dry　antiseptic　dust；　of　strange　oily　spirits。　Of　herbs。　As　Steve's　eyes　got　used　to　the　light；　he　realized　that　he　and　Ghost　were　standing　in　a　room　lined　with　thousands　of　small　boxes　and　bottles。　There　were　shelves　crammed　with　them；　tall　glass…fronted　cabinets　displaying　them；　open　drawers　stuffed　with　them。
　　〃It's　all　medicine；〃　Ghost　said　with　reverence。　〃Antique　patent　medicine。　New　ones；　too。　Herb　remedies。　The　stock　of　a　hundred　old…time　pharmacies。　Miz　Catlin's　got　it　all　right　here。〃　He　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room　swaying　gently　from　side　to　side；　seeming　to　take　in　the　essence　of　the　place。　His　hands　hung　limp　at　his　sides。
　　Soon　Ghost's　eyes　seemed　to　go　transparent。　Steve　thought　that　if　he　looked　close　enough　he　could　see　all　the　way　through　to　the　whorls　of　Ghost's　brain；　to　the　vaulted　chamber　of　Ghost's　skull。　The　first　time　Steve　had　seen　his　friend　go　into　this　state；　when　they　were　kids；　it　had　alarmed　him。　He　thought　he　was　either　watching　the　start　of　an　epileptic　fit　or　Ghost　was　about　to　die　on　him。　Now　he　was　used　to　it。　Ghost　was　just　getting　real　heavy　into　some　mind…groove；　as　their　friend　Terry　might　have　put　it。　Other　people　thought　hard；　sometimes；　but　Ghost　tranced　out。　Steve　watched　him　for　a　moment；　then　shrugged　and　started　exploring　the　room。
　　He　found　big　brown　bottles　with　murky　contents　gone　to　powder；　little　bottles　of　heavy　blue　and　green　glass；　cardboard　boxes　whose　corners　had　gone　softly　ragged　with　age；　their　colors　sifting　down　to　the　dusty　wooden　floor　to　mingle　with　the　cobwebs。　Tucked　into　odd　corners　of　the　shelves　were　all　manner　of　pharmaceutical　curios：　brass　weights　and　measures；　stained　mortars　and　pestles；　a　glass　globe　full　of　brightly　colored　pills　that　looked　like　candy；　a　scale　whose　sign；　YOUR　WEIGHT　AND　FORTUNE；　was　almost　obscured　by　dust。　A　row　of　large　amber　bottles；　all　marked　in　a　flowing　black　script：　ELIXIR　MALTO…PEPSIN；　AQ。　ROSAE　AND　GLYC。；　HEXATONE。　A　drawer　full　of　patent　medicine　bearing　once…bright　labels　of　yellow　and　red　and　green；　fabulous　claims；　long　arcane　lists　of　ingredients。　In　a　blue　box　stained　with　what　must　be　rusty　water　marks；　DOCTOR　DeBARR'S　MANDRAKE　BLOOD　AND　LIVER　PILLS。　In　a　big　bottle　of　pure　white　glass；　NOAH'S　LINIMENT…FOR　ALL　CREATION…MAN　OR　BEAST。
　　〃e　and　look　at　this　stuff；〃　Steve　told　Ghost。　〃It's　got　something　in　it　called　uva　ursi。　What　the　hell　is　uva　ursi？〃
　　Ghost　didn't　answer。　He　was　still　in　the　middle　of　the　room　swaying。　〃Aloes；〃　he　said　softly。　〃Bear's…foot　root；　elm　bark；　gentian；　Jamaican　ginger　root。。。〃
　　〃Look　at　this　shit；〃　Steve　said。　〃'Powdered　Nutgall　Suppositories。'　Nice；　huh？〃
　　〃Indian　rhubarb；　nux　vomica；　quassia　chips；　asafoetida；　peppermint。。。〃
　　Steve　saw　a　little　brown　bottle　on　a　high　shelf。　〃'Extract　of　Cannabis！'　He　reached　for　the　bottle。
　　〃Leave　it　alone　。　。　。　mullein　leaf；　boneset　leaf；　senna　pods；　anise；　snakeroot　。　。　。　liverwort。〃　Ghost　shook　himself　and　opened　his　eyes。　〃Sorry。　I　was　smelling。〃
　　〃Balm's　ready！〃　Miz　Catlin　called　a　few　minutes　later。　
　　Ghost　took　a　final　sniff　of　the　room's　delicate　crumbling　scent。　As　they　turned　to　leave；　Steve　stepped　onto　the　YOUR　WEIGHT　AND　FORTUNE　scale　and　dug　in　his　pocket　for　a　penny。　〃It　doesn't　work；〃　said　Ghost。　〃It　broke　a　long　time　ago。〃　But　Steve　had　already　put　the　coin　in。　The　scale　clattered；　clanked；　ratcheted。　A　yellowed　card　fell　out　of　the　slot。　
　　〃It　never　did　that　before；〃　Ghost　said。
　　Steve　handed　him　the　card。　Ghost　read　it　twice；　first　silently；　then　aloud：　〃'Pain　lies　ahead　for　you　and　your　beloved。〃　Ghost's　eyes　were　dark　and　troubled。
　　〃Big　fuckin'　deal；〃　said　Steve。　〃I　don't　have　a　beloved。〃　He　crumpled　the　card。
　　Miz　Catlin　eyed　them　suspiciously　as　they　came　out　of　the　back　room。　〃Somethin'　the　matter？〃
　　〃Your　scale　gave　Steve　a　bad　fortune；〃　Ghost　said。　He　told　her　what　had　been　printed　on　the　card。
　　She　shook　her　head。　〃Well；　I　wouldn't　pay　it　too　much　mind。　That　old　thing　usually　stays　broke；　but　once　in　a　while　it　gets　temperamental。　You　can　predict　a　passel　of　woe　in　anyone's　life　if　you've　the　inclination。〃　She　stared　at　Steve；　and　her　eyes　sharpened。　〃You；　though…I　remember　what　Deliverance　said　about　you。　I　don't　have　the　gift　like　her　and　Ghost；　but　I　can　see　it　too。　You're　hotheaded；　and　you　let　your　temper　lead　you。　Don't　listen　to　your　good　heart　as　much　as　you　ought　to。　Deliverance　said　you'd　hurt　somebody　someday；　no　doubt　about　it…but　that　you'd　end　up　hurtin'　yourself　worst　of　all。〃
　　
　　The　drive　back　to　town　was　subdued。　The　day　had　clouded　over；　grown　muggy　and　stifling。　Steve's　hangover　was　starting　to　e　back。　Ghost　let　the　guitar　lie　on　the　floor。　From　time　to　time　he　hung　his　head　out　the　window　and　checked　the　sky；　his　nostrils　flaring　anxiously；　trying　to　scent　rain。
　　Ghost　knew　the　next　rain　would　bring　on　a　cold　spell；　soon　after　that　it　would　be　time　to　batten　down　for　the　winter。
　　〃What　the　fuck　is　that？〃　said　Steve　when　they　were　halfway　home。
　　Ghost　looked。　They　were　past　the　spot　and　over　the　swell　of　the　road　before　he　registered　what　he　had　seen：　a　lone　angular　figure　huddled　behind　a　flower　stand。　ROSES；　said　the　painted　wooden　sign。　The　figure　was　tall；　pale；　wrapped　entirely　in　black。　Black　cloak；　black　hat；　big　dark　sunglasses。　Even　his　hands　were　sheathed　in　black　gloves。
　　〃Some　fun；　huh；〃　said　Steve；　and　nervously　cranked　up　his　window。　The　air　in　the　T…bird　grew　thick；　smothering。　Ghost　didn't　know　why　the　figure　at　the　flower　stand　gave　him　a　sick　feeling；　but　he　did　know　that　such　feelings　seldom　came　to　him　without　a　reason。　The　worm　of　worry　for　Ann　was　still　gnawing　away　in　him　too。　And　until　he　knew　the　reason；　there　was　nothing　he　could　do　about　it。　Ghost　put　his　forehead　against　the　window　and　didn't　think　again　until　they　were　home。
　　
　　　Chapter　17
　　
　　Morning　on　a　sunny　road　with　the　music　cranked　up　and　the　wine　flowing　free。　Morning　in　this　new　world　without　long　days　at　school　and　wasted　evenings　spent　smoking　too　many　cigarettes　at　Skittle's。　Morning；　and　someone　to　wake　up　with；　three　someones　with　their　warm　friendly　bodies　and　their　interesting；　meaty　smell。　Nothing　realized　now　that　they　smelled　of　blood；　both　old　and　fresh；　and　he　found　himself　getting　used　to　it；　liking　it。　And　at　last　he　was　in　the　South；　with　its　green　cathedrals　of　kudzu　and　its　railroad　tracks　to　clatter　over　at　eighty　miles　an　hour。
　　Around　lunchtime　Zillah　passed　out　tiny　squares　of　paper　…blotter；　he　said。　〃Crucifix〃　from　New　York。　Molochai　and　Twig　gulped　theirs　down。　Nothing　looked　thoughtfully　at　his。　He　had　only　taken　acid　twice；　weak　stuff　called　Yin/Yang；　bought　off　Jack　for　three　dollars　a　hit。　Then　he　shrugged。　The　tempo　of　his　days　would　be　different　from　now　on；　he　might　as　well　enjoy　what　came　with　them。　He　touched　the　square　of　paper　to　his　tongue　and　let　it　dissolve　there。
　　Soon　afterward　they　stopped　at　a　Waffle　House。　Molochai　wanted　pie；　and　Twig　requested　a　burger　cooked　very　rare；　but　Zillah　ordered　only　a　glass　of　water　and　Nothing　did　not　dare　eat　anything。　Already　he　could　feel　the　acid　beginning　to　tickle　inside　him。
　　Molochai　and　Twig　spread　their　fingers　on　the　greasy　tabletop；　laughing　over　some　obscure　private　joke。　Molochai　started　opening　packets　of　sugar。　Zillah　was　quiet；　but　Nothing　could　feel　his　gaze；　green　and　hot　and　somehow　demanding。　Nothing　toyed　with　the　cream　pitcher；　shredded　the　corner　of　a　paper　napkin。　What　should　he　do？　What　did　Zillah　want　him　to　do？
　　He　looked　at　Molochai　and　Twig　hoping　for　some　kind　of　clue；　but　they　were　tussling。　Arguing　over　who　had　more　room　in　the　plastic　booth；　it　seemed。　〃I　only　have　one　inch…〃
　　〃I　know　you　only　have　one　inch；　stupid；　why　are　you　telling　me　about　your　dick？〃
　　Nothing's　stomach　tightened　and　his　head　swam。　This　was　going　to　make　the　other　times　he'd　tripped　look　like　children's　games；　like　dreams　of　dreams。　Thousands　of　tiny　fingers　came　alive　inside　him；　crawling。　He　rubbed　his　hands　ove