cyclops-第37部分

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　　　　Then　somewhere　through　the　howling　wind；　he　could　hear　Jessie　calling　faintly。　He　dug　out　his　legs　and　forced　himself　to　his　knees；　staggering　under　the　gale；　retching　out　the　saltwater　that　had　been　forced　into　his　nose；　mouth；　and　down　his　throat。
　　　　Half　crawling；　half　stumbling　across　the　stinging　sand；　he　found　Jessie　sitting　dazed；　her　hair　limp　and　stringy　on　her　shoulders；　Gunn's　head　resting　in　her　lap。　She　looked　up　at　him　through　lost　eyes　that　suddenly　widened　in　vast　relief。
　　　　〃Oh；　thank　God；〃　she　murmured；　her　words　drowned　out　by　the　storm。
　　　　Pitt　put　his　arms　around　her　shoulders　and　gave　her　a　reassuring　hug。　Then　he　turned　his　attention　to　Gunn。
　　　　He　was　semiconscious。　The　broken　ankle　had　swelled　like　a　soccer　ball。　There　was　an　ugly　gash　above　the　hairline；　and　his　body　was　cut　in　a　dozen　places　from　the　coral；　but　he　was　alive　and　his　breathing　was　deep　and　steady。
　　　　Pitt　shielded　his　eyes　and　scanned　the　beach。　Giordino　was　nowhere　in　sight。　At　first　Pitt　refused　to　believe　it。　The　seconds　passed　and　he　stood　rooted；　his　body　leaning　into　the　offshore　gale；　eyes　peering　desperately　through　the　torrential　dark。　He　caught　a　glimpse　of　orange　in　the　swirl　of　a　dying　breaker；　and　immediately　recognized　it　as　the　shredded　carcass　of　the　inflatable　boat。　It　was　caught　in　the　grip　of　the　backwash；　drifting　out　and　then　swept　in　again　by　the　next　wave。
　　　　Pitt　lurched　into　the　water　up　to　his　hips；　oblivious　to　the　spent　breakers　that　rolled　around　him。　He　dove　under　the　tattered　boat　and　extended　his　hands；　feeling　around　like　a　blind　man。　His　groping　fingers　found　only　torn　fabric。　Moved　by　some　deep　urgency　to　make　absolutely　sure；　he　pulled　the　boat　toward　the　beach。
　　　　A　large　wave　caught　him　unawares　and　smashed　into　his　back。　Somehow　he　managed　to　keep　his　feet　under　him　and　drag　the　boat　into　shallow　water。　As　the　blanket　of　foam　dissolved　and　was　blown　away；　he　saw　a　pair　of　legs　protruding　from　under　the　collapsed　boat。　Shock；　disbelief；　and　a　fanatical　refusal　to　accept　Giordino's　death　flooded　through　his　mind。　Frantically；　oblivious　to　the　battering　of　the　hurricane；　he　tore　away　the　sliced　remains　of　the　inflatable；　revealing　Giordino's　body　floating　upright；　his　head　buried　inside　a　buoyancy　chamber。　Hope　came　first　to　Pitt；　then　optimism　that　struck　him　like　a　punch　in　the　stomach。
　　　　Giordino　might　still　be　alive。
　　　　Pitt　stripped　away　the　interior　liner　and　bent　over　Giordino's　face；　afraid　deep　down　it　would　be　a　lifeless　blue。　But　there　was　color；　and　there　was　breath　ragged　and　shallow；　but　there　was　breath。　The　brawny　little　Italian　had　incredibly　survived　on　air　that　was　trapped　inside　the　buoyancy　chamber。
　　　　Pitt　felt　suddenly　drained　to　his　bones。　Physically　and　emotionally　he　was　spent。　He　swayed　wearily；　the　wind　trying　to　beat　him　flat。　Only　a　firm　resolve　to　save　everyone　drove　him　on。　Slowly；　stiffly　from　a　myriad　of　cuts　and　bruises；　he　slid　his　arms　under　Giordino　and　picked　him　up。　The　dead　weight　of　Giordino's　solid　hundred　and　seventy…five　pounds　felt　like　a　ton。
　　　　Gunn　had　e　around　and　was　huddled　with　Jessie。　He　looked　up　questioningly　at　Pitt；　who　was　struggling　across　the　windswept　beach　under　Giordino's　inert　body。
　　　　〃We've　got　to　find　shelter　from　the　wind；〃　Pitt　yelled；　his　voice　rasped　by　the　intake　of　saltwater。　〃Can　you　walk？〃
　　　　〃I'll　help　him；〃　Jessie　yelled　in　reply。　She　circled　both　arms　around　Gunn's　waist；　braced　her　feet　in　the　sand；　and　shoved　him　upright。
　　　　Panting　under　his　load；　Pitt　made　for　a　line　of　palm　trees　bordering　the　beach。　Every　twenty　feet　he　glanced　back。　Jessie　had　somehow　retained　her　dive　mask；　so　she　was　the　only　one　who　could　keep　her　eyes　open　and　see　straight　ahead。　She　was　supporting　nearly　half　of　Gunn's　weight　while　he　gamely　hobbled　beside　her；　eyes　shut　against　the　stinging　sand；　dragging　his　badly　swollen　foot。
　　　　They　made　it　into　the　trees　but　received　no　mercy　from　the　hurricane。　The　gale　bent　the　tops　of　the　palms　almost　to　the　ground；　their　fronds　splitting　like　paper　in　a　shredding　machine。　Coconuts　were　ripped　from　their　clusters；　striking　the　ground　with　the　velocity　of　cannonballs　and　just　as　deadly。　One　grazed　Pitt's　shoulder；　its　husk　tearing　his　exposed　skin。　It　was　as　though　they　were　running　through　the　no…man's…land　of　a　battlefield。
　　　　Pitt　kept　his　head　bent　down　and　squinted　sideways；　watching　the　ground　directly　in　front　of　him。　Before　he　knew　it　he　had　walked　into　a　chain　link　fence。　Jessie　and　Gunn　drew　up　beside　him　and　stopped。　He　stared　to　the　right　and　then　the　left；　but　found　no　sign　of　a　break。　Trying　to　climb　it　was　out　of　the　question。　The　fence　was　at　least　ten　feet　high　with　a　thick　angle　of　barbed　wire　at　the　top。　Pitt　also　spotted　a　small　porcelain　insulator　and　realized　the　chain　links　were　wired　for　electricity。
　　　　〃Which　way？〃　Jessie　cried。
　　　　〃You　lead；〃　Pitt　shouted　in　her　ear。　〃I　can　hardly　see。〃
　　　　She　nodded　to　the　left　and　set　off　with　Gunn　limping　along　at　her　side。　They　staggered　onward；　beaten　every　step　by　the　unrelenting　force　of　the　wind。
　　　　Ten　minutes　later　they　had　covered　only　fifty　yards。　Pitt　couldn't　push　on　much　longer。　His　arms　were　going　numb　and　he　was　losing　his　grip　on　Giordino。　He　closed　his　eyes　and　blindly　began　to　count　the　steps；　staying　in　a　straight　line　by　brushing　his　right　shoulder　against　the　fence；　certain　the　hurricane　must　have　cut　off　the　power　source。
　　　　He　heard　Jessie　shouting　something；　and　he　opened　one　eye　in　a　narrow　slit。　She　was　pointing　vigorously　ahead。　Pitt　sank　to　his　knees；　gently　lowered　Giordino　to　the　ground；　and　looked　past　Jessie。　A　palm　tree　had　been　uprooted　by　the　insane　wind　and　hurled　through　tire　air　like　some　monstrous　javelin；　landing　on　the　fence　and　crushing　it　against　the　sand。
　　　　With　appalling　abruptness；　night　closed　in　and　the　sky　went　pitch　black。　Blindly；　they　stepped　over　the　flattened　fence　like　sightless　drones；　reeling　and　falling；　driven　on　by　instinct　and　some　inner　discipline　that　wouldn't　allow　them　to　lie　down　and　give　up。　Jessie　gamely　kept　the　lead。　Pitt　had　slung　Giordino　over　a　shoulder　and　held　on　to　the　waistband　of　Gunn's　swim　trunks；　not　so　much　for　support　as　to　prevent　them　from　being　separated。
　　　　A　hundred　yards；　then　another　hundred　yards；　and　suddenly　Gunn　and　Jessie　seemed　to　drop　into　the　ground　as　if　they　were　swallowed　up。　Pitt　released　his　grip　on　Gunn　and　fell　backward；　grunting　as　Giordino's　full　weight　fell　across　his　chest；　forcing　the　air　from　his　lungs。　He　scrambled　from　under　Giordino　and　stretched　his　hand　gropingly　forward　into　the　dark　until　he　felt　nothing　there。
　　　　Jessie　and　Gunn　had　fallen　down　a　steep；　eight…foot　slope　into　a　sunken　road。　He　could　just　make　out　their　vague　outlines　huddled　in　a　heap　below。
　　　　〃Are　you　injured？〃　he　called。
　　　　〃We　already　hurt　so　much　we　can't　tell。〃　Gunn's　voice　was　muffled　by　the　gale；　but　not　so　muffled　Pitt　couldn't　tell　it　came　through　clenched　teeth。
　　　　〃Jessie？〃
　　　　〃I'm　all　right。　。　。　I　think。〃
　　　　〃Can　you　give　me　a　hand　with　Giordino？〃
　　　　〃I'll　try。〃
　　　　〃Send　him　down；〃　said　Gunn。　〃We　can　manage　it。〃
　　　　Pitt　eased　Giordino's　limp　figure　over　the　edge　of　the　slope　and　lowered　him　gently　by　the　arms。　The　others　held　him　by　the　legs　until　Pitt　could　scramble　down　beside　them　and　take　up　the　heavy　bulk。　Once　Giordino　was　stretched　fortably　on　the　ground；　Pitt　looked　around　and　took　stock。
　　　　The　sunken　road　provided　a　shelter　from　the　gale…force　wind。　The　blowing　sand　had　dropped　off　and　Pitt　could　finally　open　his　eyes。　The　road's　surface　was　made　up　of　crushed　seashells　and　appeared　hard　packed　and　little　used。　No　sign　of　light　was　visible　in　either　direction；　which　wasn't　too　surprising　when　Pitt　considered　that　any　local　inhabitants　would　have　evacuated　the　shoreline　before　the　full　energy　of　the　hurricane　struck。
　　　　Both　Jessie　and　Gunn　were　very　nearly　played　out；　their　breath　ing　in　short；　tortured　rasps。　Pitt　was　aware　his　own　breathing　was　fast　and　labored；　and　his　heart　pounding　like　a　steam　engine　under　full　load。　Exhausted　and　battered　as　they　were；　Pitt　reflected；　it　still　felt　like　paradise　to　lie　behind　a　barrier　that　reduced　by　half　the　main　drive　of　the　gale