ib.thewaspfactory-第22部分

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t　were；　and　escalating　into　what　I　finally　conceived　as　my　cousin's　nemesis。　I　grinned　then；　I　recall；　and　brought　the　stunter　down　fast　and　acute　across　the　weeds　and　the　water；　the　sand　and　the　surf；　scudding　it　in　across　the　wind　to　jerk　and　zoom　just　before　it　hit　the　girl　herself　where　she　sat　on　the　dune　top　holding　and　spasmodically　jerking　the　string　she　held　in　her　hand；　connected　to　the　sky。　She　turned；　smiled　and　shrieked　then；　squinting　in　the　summer　light。　I　laughed；　too；　controlling　the　thing　in　the　skies　above　and　the　thing　in　the　brain　beneath；　equally　well。
　　
　　I　built　a　big　kite。
　　
　　It　was　so　big　it　didn't　even　fit　inside　the　shed。　I　made　it　from　old　aluminium　tent…poles；　some　of　which　I　had　found　in　the　attic　a　long　time　previously　and　some　I　had　got　from　the　town　dump。　The　fabric；　at　first；　was　black　plastic　bags；　but　later　became　tent　fabric；　also　from　the　attic。
　　
　　I　used　heavy　orange　nylon　fishing…line　for　the　string；　wound　round　a　specially　made　drum　for　the　winch；　which　I　had　strengthed　and　fitted　with　a　chest…brace。　The　kite　had　a　tail　of　twisted　magazine…pages…Guns　and　Ammo；　which　I　got　regularly　at　the　time。　I　painted　the　head　of　a　dog　on　the　canvas　in　red　paint　because　I　had　yet　to　learn　I　was　not　a　Canis。　My　father　had　told　me　years　before　that　I　was　born　under　the　starsign　of　the　Dog　because　Sirius　was　overhead　at　the　time。　Anyway；　that　was　just　a　symbol。
　　
　　I　went　out　very　early　one　morning；　just　after　the　sun　came　up　and　long　before　anybody　else　woke。　I　went　to　the　shed；　got　the　kite；　walked　a　way　along　the　dunes　and　assembled　it；　battered　a　tent…peg　into　the　ground；　tied　the　nylon　to　it；　then　flew　the　kite　on　a　short　string　for　a　while。　I　sweated　and　strained　with　it；　even　in　quite　a　light　wind；　and　my　hands　grew　warm　despite　the　heavy…duty　welding…gloves　I　had　on。　I　decided　the　kite　would　do；　and　brought　it　in。
　　
　　That　afternoon；　while　the　same　wind；　now　freshened；　still　blew　across　the　island　and　off　into　the　North　Sea；　Esmerelda　and　I　went　out　as　usual；　and　stopped　off　at　the　shed　to　pick　up　the　dismantled　kite。　She　helped　me　carry　it　far　along　the　dunes；　dutifully　clutching　the　lines　and　winch　to　her　flat　little　chest　and　clicking　the　ratchet　on　the　drum；　until　we　reached　a　point　well　out　of　sight　from　the　house。　It　was　a　tall　dune　head　stuck　nodding　towards　distant　N　orway　or　Denmark；　grass　like　hair　swept　over　the　brow　and　pointing。
　　
　　Esmerelda　searched　for　flowers　while　I　constructed　the　kite　with　an　appropriately　solemn　slowness。　She　talked　to　the　flowers；　I　recall；　as　though　trying　to　persuade　them　to　show　themselves　and　be　collected；　broken　and　bunched。　The　wind　blew　her　blonde　hair　in　front　of　her　face　as　she　walked；　squatted；　crawled　and　talked；　and　I　assembled。
　　
　　Finally　the　kite　was　finished；　fully　made　up　and　lying　like　a　collapsed　tent　on　the　grass；　green　on　green。　The　wind　coursed　over　it　and　flapped　it…little　whip　noises　that　stirred　it　and　made　it　seem　alive；　the　dog…face　scowling。　I　sorted　the　orange　nylon　lines　out　and　did　some　tying；　untangling　line　from　line；　knot　from　knot。
　　
　　I　called　Esmerelda　over。　She　had　a　fistful　of　tiny　flowers；　and　made　me　wait　patiently　while　she　described　them　all；　making　up　her　own　names　when　she　forgot　or　had　never　learned　the　real　ones。　I　accepted　the　daisy　she　gave　me　graciously　and　put　it　in　the　buttonhole　of　my　jacket's　left　breast　pocket。　I　told　her　that　I　had　finished　constructing　the　new　kite；　and　that　she　could　help　me　test　it　in　the　wind。　She　was　excited；　wanting　to　hold　the　strings。　I　told　her　she　might　get　a　chance；　though　of　course　I　would　have　the　ultimate　control。　She　wanted　to　hold　the　flowers　as　well；　and　I　told　her　that　might　just　be　possible。
　　
　　Esmerlda　ooh'd　and　ah'd　over　the　size　of　the　kite　and　the　fierce　doggy　painted　on　it。　The　kite　lay　on　the　wind…ruffled　grass　like　an　impatient　manta；　rippling。　I　found　the　main　control　lines　and　gave　them　to　Esmerelda；　showing　her　how　to　hold　them；　and　where。　I　had　made　loops　to　go　over　her　wrists；　I　told　her；　so　that　she　wouldn't　lose　her　grip。　She　struck　her　hands　through　the　braided　nylon；　holding　one　line　tight　and　grasping　the　posy　of　bright　flowers　and　the　second　line　with　her　other　hand。　I　got　my　part　of　the　control　lines　together　and　carried　them　in　a　loop　round　to　the　kite。　Esmerelda　jumped　up　and　down　and　told　me　to　hurry　up　and　make　the　kite　fly。　I　took　a　last　look　round；　then　only　had　to　kick　the　top　edge　of　the　kite　up　a　little　for　it　to　take　the　wind　and　lift。　I　ran　back　behind　my　cousin　while　the　slack　between　her　and　the　rapidly　ascending　kite　was　taken　up。
　　
　　The　kite　blew　into　the　sky　like　something　wild；　hoisting　its　tail　with　a　noise　like　tearing　cardboard。　It　shook　itself　and　cracked　in　the　air。　It　sliced　its　tail　and　flexed　its　hollow　bones。　I　came　up　behind　Esmerelda　and　held　the　lines　just　behind　her　little　freckled　elbows；　waiting　for　the　tug。　The　lines　came　taut；　and　it　came。　I　had　to　dig　my　heels　in　to　stay　steady。　I　bumped　into　Esmerelda　and　made　her　squeal。　She　had　let　the　lines　go　when　the　first　brutal　snap　had　straightened　the　nylon；　and　stood　glancing　back　at　me　and　staring　up　into　the　sky　as　I　fought　to　control　the　power　in　the　skies　above　us。　She　still　clutched　the　flowers；　and　my　tuggings　on　the　lines　moved　her　arms　like　a　marionette；　guided　by　the　loops。　The　winch　rested　against　my　chest；　a　little　slack　between　it　and　my　hands。　Esmerelda　looked　round　one　last　time　at　me；　giggling；　and　I　laughed　back。　Then　I　let　the　lines　go。
　　
　　The　winch　hit　her　in　the　small　of　the　back　and　she　yelped。　Then　she　was　dragged　off　her　feet　as　the　lines　pulled　her　and　the　loops　tightened　round　her　wrists。　I　staggered　back；　partly　to　make　it　look　good　on　the　off　chance　there　was　somebody　watching　and　partly　because　letting　go　of　the　winch　had　put　me　off　balance。　I　fell　to　the　ground　as　Esmerelda　left　it　forever。　The　kite　just　kept　snapping　and　flapping　and　flapping　and　snapping　and　it　hauled　the　girl　off　the　earth　and　into　the　air；　winch　and　all。　I　lay　on　my　back　and　watched　it　for　a　second；　then　got　up　and　ran　after　her　as　fast　as　I　could；　again　just　because　I　knew　I　couldn't　catch　her。　She　was　screaming　and　waggling　her　legs　for　all　she　was　worth；　but　the　cruel　loops　of　nylon　had　her　about　the　wrists；　the　kite　was　in　the　jaws　of　the　wind；　and　she　was　already　well　out　of　reach　even　if　I　had　wanted　to　catch　her。
　　
　　I　ran　and　ran；　jumping　off　a　dune　and　rolling　down　its　seaward　face；　watching　the　tiny　struggling　figure　being　hoisted　farther　and　farther　into　the　sky　as　the　kite　swept　her　away。　I　could　just　barely　hear　her　yells　and　shouts；　a　thin　wailing　carried　on　the　wind。　She　sailed　over　the　sands　and　the　rocks　and　out　towards　the　sea；　me　running；　exhilarated；　underneath；　watching　the　stuck　winch　bob　under　her　kicking　feet。　Her　dress　billowed　out　around　her。
　　
　　She　went　higher　and　higher　and　I　kept　running；　outpaced　now　by　the　wind　and　the　kite。　I　ran　through　the　ripple…puddles　at　the　margins　of　the　sea；　then　into　it；　up　to　my　knees。　Just　then　something；　at　first　seemingly　solid；　then　separating　and　dissociating；　fell　from　her。　At　first　I　though　she　had　pissed　herself；　then　I　saw　flowers　tumble　out　of　the　sky　and　hit　the　water　ahead　of　me　like　some　strange　rain。　I　waded　out　over　the　shallows　until　I　came　to　them；　and　gathered　the　ones　I　could；　looking　up　from　my　harvest　as　Esmerelda　and　kite　struck　out　for　the　North　Sea。　It　did　cross　my　mind　that　she　might　actually　get　across　the　damn　thing　and　hit　land　before　the　wind　dropped；　but　I　reckoned　that　even　if　that　happened　I　had　done　my　best；　and　honour　was　satisfied。
　　
　　I　watched　her　get　smaller　and　smaller；　then　turned　and　headed　for　shore。
　　
　　I　knew　that　three　deaths　in　my　immediate　vicinity　within　four　years　had　to　look　suspicious；　and　I　had　already　planned　my　reaction　carefully。　I　didn't　run　straight　home　to　the　house；　but　went　back　up　into　the　dunes　and　sat　down　there；　holding　the　flowers。　I　sang　songs　to　myself；　made　up　stories；　got　hungry；　rolled　around　in　the　sand　a　bit；　rubbed　a　little　of　it　into　my　eyes　and　generally　tried　to　psyche　myself　up　into　something　that　might　look　like　a　terrible　state　for　a