ib.thewaspfactory-第43部分

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　　Agnes。　I　only　had　his　word　for　anything　that　had　happened。　I　had　no　idea　at　all　how　much　Mrs　Clamp　could　be　trusted；　no　idea　what　sort　of　hold　either　of　them　might　have　over　the　other。　But　it　couldn't　be！　It　was　just　so　monstrous；　so　appalling！　I　stood　up　quickly；　letting　the　chair　fall　back　and　whack　on　the　wood　of　the　uncovered　boards。　I　grabbed　the　box　of　tampons　and　the　hormones；　took　the　keys；　unlocked　the　door　and　charged　out；　upstairs；　stuffing　the　keys　into　one　pocket　and　drawing　my　knife　from　its　sheath。　'Frank'll　get　you；'　I　hissed　to　myself。
　　
　　I　stormed　into　my　father's　room　and　swtiched　on　the　light。　He　was　lying　on　the　bed　with　his　clothes　on。　One　shoe　was　off；　it　lay　on　the　floor　under　his　foot；　which　dangled　over　the　side　of　the　bed。　He　was　on　his　back；　snoring。　He　stirred　and　flung　one　arm　over　his　face；　turning　away　from　the　light。　I　went　over　to　him；　took　the　arm　away　and　slapped　his　face　twice；　hard。　His　head　shook；　and　he　cried　out。　One　eye；　then　the　other　；　opened。　I　put　the　knife　up　to　his　eyes；　watching　them　focus　on　it　with　drunken　imprecision。　The　smell　of　drink　off　him　was　foul。
　　
　　'Frang？'　he　said　weakly。　I　jabbed　the　knife　at　him；　just　stopping　short　of　the　bridge　of　his　nose。
　　
　　'You　bastard；'　I　spat　at　him。　'What　the　hell　are　these？'　I　brandished　the　tampons　and　the　hormones　box　in　front　of　him　with　my　other　hand。　He　groaned　and　closed　his　eyes。　'Tell　me！'　I　screamed；　and　slapped　him　again；　using　the　back　of　the　hand　holding　the　knife。　He　tried　to　roll　away　from　me；　across　the　bed　under　the　open　window；　but　I　pulled　him　back　from　the　hot；　still　night。
　　
　　'No；　Frang；　no；'　he　said；　shaking　his　head　and　trying　to　push　my　hands　away。　I　let　the　boxes　go　and　got　hold　of　him　by　one　arm；　tightly。　I　drew　him　near　to　me；　pointed　the　knife　at　his　throat。
　　
　　'You're　going　to　tell　me；　or　by　God。。。。'　I　let　the　words　hang。　I　let　go　of　his　arm　and　moved　my　hand　down　to　his　trousers。　I　slipped　his　belt　out　of　the　little　guides　round　the　waist。　He　tried　to　stop　me　in　a　fumbling　way；　but　I　slapped　his　hands　back　and　prodded　him　in　the　throat　with　the　knife。　I　undid　the　belt　and　pulled　the　zip　down；　watching　him　all　the　time；　trying　not　to　imagine　what　I　might　find；　what　I　might　not　find。　I　undid　the　button　at　the　top　of　the　zip。　I　pulled　his　trousers　open；　pulled　his　shirt　up　and　out。　He　looked　at　me；　lying　on　the　bed　with　his　eyes　red　and　gleaming；　and　he　shook　his　head。
　　
　　'Wha'　you　goin'　t'do；　Frangie？　Am　sorry；　am　really　really　sorry。　Was　an　experimen；　sall。　Juss　an　experimen。。。。　Don'　do　anything'　t'me；　please；　Frangie。。。。　Please。。。。'
　　
　　'You　bitch；　you　bitch！'　I　said；　feeling　my　eyes　start　to　blur　and　my　voice　shake。　I　pulled　his/her　underpants　down　with　a　vicious　tug。
　　
　　Something　screamed　outside；　in　the　night　beyond　the　window。　I　stood　staring　at　my　father's　dark…haired；　large；　rather　greasy…looking　cock　and　balls；　and　something　animal；　out　there　on　the　landscape　of　the　island；　screamed。　My　father's　legs　were　quivering。　Then　came　a　light；　orange　and　wavering；　where　no　light　should　be；　out　there；　over　the　dunes；　and　more　screams；　bleatings　and　baas　and　screams；　everywhere　screams。
　　
　　'Jesus　Christ；　what's　that？'　my　father　breathed；　turning　a　shaking　head　towards　the　window。　I　stood　back；　then　went　past　the　bottom　of　the　bed；　looking　out　of　the　window。　The　awful　noises　and　the　light　on　the　far　side　of　the　dunes　seemed　to　be　ing　closer。　The　light　was　in　a　halo　over　the　big　dune　behind　the　house；　where　the　Skull　Grounds　were；　it　was　flickering　yellow　with　smoke…trails　in　it。　The　noise　was　like　that　the　burning　dog　had　made；　but　magnified；　repeated　and　repeated；　and　with　another　edge　to　it。　The　light　grew　stronger；　and　something　came　running　over　the　top　of　the　big　dune；　something　burning　and　screaming　and　running　down　over　the　sea…face　of　the　Skull　Grounds　dune。　It　was　a　sheep；　and　it　was　followed　by　more。　First　another　two；　then　half　a　dozen　animals　came　charging　over　the　grass　and　the　sand。　In　seconds　the　hillside　was　covered　with　burning　sheep；　their　wool　in　flames；　bleating　wildly　and　running　down　the　hill；　lighting　up　the　sandy　grass　and　weeds　and　leaving　them　burning　in　their　fiery　wake。
　　
　　And　then　I　saw　Eric。　My　father　came　shakily　up　by　my　side；　but　I　ignored　him　and　watched　the　skinny；　dancing；　leaping　figure　on　the　very　top　of　the　dune。　Eric　was　waving　a　huge　burning　torch　in　one　hand　and　an　axe　in　the　other。　He　was　screaming；　too。
　　
　　'Oh；　my　God；　no；'　my　father　said。　I　turned　to　him。　He　was　pulling　his　trousers　up。　I　pushed　past　him　and　ran　to　the　door。
　　
　　'e　on；'　I　shouted　at　him。　I　went　out；　ran　downstairs；　not　waiting　to　see　if　he　was　following。　I　could　see　flames　through　every　window；　hear　the　wails　of　the　tortured　sheep　all　around　the　house。　I　got　to　the　kitchen；　considered　getting　some　water　as　I　ran　through；　but　decided　it　was　pointless。　I　ran　out　through　the　porch　and　into　the　garden。　A　sheep；　burning　only　above　its　back　legs；　nearly　collided　with　me；　running　through　the　already　blazing　garden　and　swerving　at　the　last　second　from　the　door　with　a　terrified　baaing；　then　jumping　over　the　low　fence　into　the　front　garden。　I　ran　round　the　back　of　the　house；　looking　for　Eric。
　　
　　Sheep　were　everywhere；　fire　was　all　about。　The　grass　over　the　Skull　Grounds　was　ablaze；　flames　leaped　from　the　shed　and　the　bushes　and　the　plants　and　flowers　in　the　garden；　and　dead；　burning　sheep　lay　in　pools　of　livid　fire　while　others　ran　and　jumped　about；　moaning　and　howling　in　their　guttural；　broken　voices。　Eric　was　down　the　steps　leading　to　the　cellar。　I　saw　the　torch　he　had　been　holding；　flickering　flame　against　the　wall　of　the　house　beneath　the　window　to　the　downstairs　toilet。　He　was　attacking　the　door　to　the　cellar　with　the　axe。
　　
　　'Eric！　No！'　I　screamed。　I　started　forward；　then　turned；　grabbed　the　edge　of　the　house　and　stuck　my　head　round　the　corner　to　look　at　the　open　door　of　the　porch。　'Dad！　Get　out　of　the　house！　Dad！　'　I　could　hear　the　sound　of　splintering　wood　behind　me。　I　turned　and　ran　for　Eric。　I　jumped　over　the　smouldering　carcass　of　a　sheep　just　before　the　cellar　steps。　Eric　turned　round　and　swung　the　axe　at　me。　I　ducked　and　rolled。　I　landed　and　jumped　up；　ready　to　spring　away；　but　he　was　back　smashing　the　axe　into　the　door　again；　screaming　with　each　massive　blow　as　though　he　was　the　door。　The　axe　head　disappeared　through　the　wood；　became　stuck；　he　wriggled　it　mightily　and　got　it　out；　glanced　back　at　me　and　then　heaved　the　axe　at　the　door　again。　The　flames　from　the　torch　threw　his　shadow　at　me；　the　torch　lay　propped　against　the　side　of　the　door　and　I　could　see　the　new　paint　had　started　burning　already。　I　got　my　catapult　out。　Eric　had　the　door　almost　down。　My　father　still　hadn't　shown。　Eric　glanced　back　at　me　again　then　smashed　the　axe　into　the　door。　A　sheep　cried　out　behind　us　as　I　fumbled　for　a　steelie。　I　could　hear　the　crackling　of　fires　on　all　sides　and　smell　roasted　meat。　The　metal　sphere　fitted　into　the　leather　and　I　pulled。
　　
　　'Eric！　'　I　yelled；　as　the　door　gave　way。　He　held　the　axe　with　one　hand；　picked　up　the　torch　with　the　other；　he　kicked　the　door　and　it　fell。　I　tensed　the　catapult　one　final　centimetre。　I　gazed　at　him　through　the　Y　of　the　catapult's　arms。　He　looked　at　me。　His　face　was　bearded；　dirty；　like　an　animal　mask。　It　was　the　boy；　the　man　I　had　known；　and　it　was　another　person　entirely。　That　face　was　grinning　and　leering　and　sweating；　and　it　beat　to　and　fro　as　his　chest　heaved　in　and　out　and　the　flames　pulsed。　He　held　the　axe　and　the　burning　brand；　and　the　cellar　door　lay　in　a　wreck　behind　him。　I　thought　I　could　just　make　out　the　bales　of　cordite；　darkly　orange　in　the　thick　and　shivering　light　from　the　fires　around　us　and　the　torch　my　brother　held。　He　shook　his　head；　looking　expectant　and　confused。
　　
　　I　shook　my　head；　slowly。
　　
　　He　laughed　and　nodded；　half…dropped；　half…threw　the　torch　into　the　cellar；　and　ran　at　me。
　　
　　I　almost　released　the　steelie　as　I　saw　him　e　at　me　through　the　catapult；　but　just　in　the　last　second　before　my　fingers　opened　I　saw　he　had　dropped　the　axe；　it　clattered　off　the　steps　to　the　cellar　as　Eric　dodged　past　me　and　I　dropp