sk.thewastelands-第40部分

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　　The　old　man　slowly　lowered　his　stick…it　was　the　sir　that　had　done　it。　He　looked　at　Jake　with　the　slightly　lunatic　interest　of　the　old　and　almost　senile。　〃How　e　you　not　in　school；　boy？〃
　　Jake　smiled　wearily。　This　one　was　getting　very　old。　〃Finals　Week。　I　came　down　here　to　look　up　an　old　friend　of　mine　who　goes　to　Markey　Academy；　that's　all。　Sorry　to　have　bothered　you。〃
　　He　stepped　around　the　old　man　（hoping　he　wouldn't　decide　to　whop　him　one　across　the　ass　with　his　cane　just　for　good　luck）　and　was　almost　down　to　the　corner　when　the　old　man　yelled：　〃Boy！　Boyyyyy！〃
　　Jake　turned　around。
　　〃There　is　no　Markey　Akidimy　down　here；〃　the　old　man　said。　〃Twen…ty…two　years　I'm　living　here；　so　I　should　know。　Markey　Avenue；　yes；　but　no　Markey　Akidimy。〃
　　Jake's　stomach　cramped　with　sudden　excitement。　He　took　a　step　back　toward　the　old；　man；　who　at　once　raised　his　cane　into　a　defensive　position　again。　Jake　stopped　at　once；　leaving　a　twenty…foot　safety　zone　between　them。　〃Where's　Markey　Avenue；　sir？　Can　you　tell　me　that？〃
　　〃Of　gorse；〃　the　old　man　said。　〃Didn't　I　just　say　I'm　livink　here　twenty…two　years？　Two　blogs　down。　Turn　left　at　the　Majestic　Theatre。　But　I'm　tellink　you　now；　there　iss　no　Markey　Akidimy。〃
　　〃Thank　you；　sir！　Thank　you！〃
　　Jake　turned　around　and　looked　up　Castle　Avenue。　Yes…he　could　see　the　unmistakable　shape　of　a　movie　marquee　jutting　out　over　the　sidewalk　a　couple　of　blocks　up。　He　started　to　run　toward　it；　then　decided　that　might　attract　attention　and　slowed　down　to　a　fast　walk。
　　The　old　man　watched　him　go。　〃Sir！〃　he　said　to　himself　in　a　tone　of　mild　amazement。　〃Sir；　yet！〃
　　He　chuckled　rustily　and　moved　on。
　　
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　　ROLAND'S　BAND　STOPPED　AT　dusk。　The　gunslinger　dug　a　shallow　pit　and　lit　a　fire。　They　didn't　need　it　for　cooking　purposes；　but　they　needed　it；　nonetheless。　Eddie　needed　it。　If　he　was　going　to　finish　his　carving；　he　would　need　light　to　work　by。
　　The　gunslinger　looked　around　and　saw　Susannah；　a　dark　silhouette　against　the　fading　aquamarine　sky；　but　he　didn't　see　Eddie。
　　〃Where　is　he？〃　he　asked。
　　〃Down　the　road　apiece。　You　leave　him　alone　now；　Roland…you've　done　enough。〃
　　Roland　nodded；　bent　over　the　firepit；　and　struck　at　a　piece　of　flint　with　a　worn　steel　bar。　Soon　the　kindling　he　had　gathered　was　blazing。　He　added　small　sticks；　one　by　one；　and　waited　for　Eddie　to　return。
　　
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　　HALF　A　MILE　BACK　the　way　they　had　e；　Eddie　sat　cross…legged　in　the　middle　of　the　Great　Road　with　his　unfinished　key　in　one　hand；　watching　the　sky。　He　glanced　down　the　road；　saw　the　spark　of　the　fire；　and　knew　exactly　what　Roland　was　doing　。　。　。　and　why。　Then　he　turned　his　gaze　to　the　sky　again。　He　had　never　felt　so　lonely　or　so　afraid。
　　The　sky　was　huge…he　could　not　remember　ever　seeing　so　much　uninterrupted　space；　so　much　pure　emptiness。　It　made　him　feel　very　small；　and　he　supposed　there　was　nothing　at　all　wrong　with　that。　In　the　scheme　of　things；　he　was　very　small。
　　The　boy　was　close　now。　He　thought　he　knew　where　Jake　was　and　what　he　was　about　to　do；　and　it　filled　him　with　silent　wonder。　Susannah　had　e　from　1963。　Eddie　had　e　from　1987。　Between　them　。　。　。　Jake。　Trying　to　e　over。　Trying　to　be　born。
　　I　met　him；　Eddie　thought。　I　must　have　met　him；　and　I　think　I　remember。　。　。　sort　of。　It　was　just　before　Henry　went　into　the　Army；　right？　He　was　taking　courses　at　Brooklyn　Vocational　Institute；　and　he　was　heav…ily　into　black…black　jeans；　black　motorcycle　boots　with　steel　caps；　black　T…shirts　with　the　sleeves　rolled　up。　Henry's　James　Dean　look。　Smoking　Area　Chic。　I　used　to　think　that；　but　I　never　said　it　out　loud；　because　I　didn't　want　him　pissed　at　me。
　　He　realized　that　what　he　had　been　waiting　for　had　happened　while　he　was　thinking：　Old　Star　had　e　out。　In　fifteen　minutes；　maybe　less；　it　would　be　joined　by　a　whole　galaxy　of　alien　jewelry；　but　for　now　it　gleamed　alone　in　the　ungathered　darkness。
　　Eddie　slowly　held　up　the　key　until　Old　Star　gleamed　within　its　wide　central　notch。　And　then　he　recited　the　old　formula　of　his　world；　the　one　his　mother　had　taught　him　as　she　knelt　beside　him　at　the　bedroom　window；　both　of　them　looking　out　at　the　evening　star　which　rode　the　oning　darkness　above　the　rooftops　and　fire…escapes　of　Brooklyn：　〃Star　light；　star　bright；　first　star　I　see　tonight；　wish　I　may；　wish　I　might；　have　the　wish　I　wish　tonight。〃
　　Old　Star　glowed　in　the　notch　of　the　key；　a　diamond　caught　in　ash。
　　〃Help　me　find　some　guts；〃　Eddie　said。　〃That's　my　wish。　Help　me　find　the　guts　to　try　and　finish　this　damned　thing。〃
　　He　sat　there　a　moment　longer；　then　got　to　his　feet　and　walked　slowly　back　to　camp。　He　sat　down　as　close　to　the　fire　as　he　could　get；　took　the　gunslinger's　knife　without　a　word　to　either　him　or　Susannah；　and　began　to　work。　Tiny；　curling　slivers　of　wood　rolled　up　from　the　s…shape　at　the　end　of　the　key。　Eddie　worked　fast；　turning　the　key　this　way　and　that；　occasionally　closing　his　eyes　and　letting　his　thumb　slip　along　the　mild　curves。　He　tried　not　to　think　about　what　might　happen　if　the　shape　were　to　go　wrong…that　would　freeze　him　for　sure。
　　Roland　and　Susannah　sat　behind　him；　watching　silently。　At　last　Eddie　put　the　knife　aside。　His　face　was　running　with　sweat。　〃This　kid　of　yours；〃　he　said。　〃This　Jake。　He　must　be　a　gutty　brat。〃
　　〃He　was　brave　under　the　mountains；〃　Roland　said。　〃He　was　afraid；　but　never　gave　an　inch。〃
　　〃I　wish　I　could　be　that　way。〃
　　Roland　shrugged。　〃At　Balazar's　you　fought　well　even　though　they　had　taken　your　clothes。　It's　very　hard　for　a　man　to　fight　naked；　but　you　did　it。〃
　　Eddie　tried　to　remember　the　shootout　in　the　nightclub；　but　it　was　just　a　blur　in　his　mind…smoke；　noise；　and　light　shining　through　one　wall　in　confused；　intersecting　rays。　He　thought　that　wall　had　been　torn　apart　by　automatic…weapons　fire；　but　couldn't　remember　for　sure。
　　He　held　the　key　up　so　its　notches　were　sharply　outlined　against　the　flames。　He　held　it　that　way　for　a　long　time；　looking　mostly　at　the　s…shape。　It　looked　exactly　as　he　remembered　it　from　his　dream　and　from　the　momentary　vision　he　had　seen　in　the　fire　。　。　。　but　it　didn't　feel　exactly　right。　Almost；　but　not　quite。
　　That's　just　Henry　again。　That's　just　all　those　years　of　never　being　quite　good　enough。　You　did　it；　buddy…it's　just　that　the　Henry　inside　doesn't　want　to　admit　it。
　　He　dropped　the　key　onto　the　square　of　hide　and　folded　the　edges　carefully　around　it。　〃I'm　done。　I　don't　know　if　it's　right　or　not；　but　I　guess　it's　as　right　as　I　can　make　it。〃　He　felt　oddly　empty　now　that　he　no　longer　had　the　key　to　work　on…purposeless　and　directionless。
　　〃Do　you　want　something　to　eat；　Eddie？〃　Susannah　asked　quietly。
　　There's　your　purpose；　he　thought。　There's　your　direction。　Sitting　right　over　there；　with　her　hands　folded　in　her　lap。　All　the　purpose　and　direction　you'll　ever…
　　But　now　something　else　rose　in　his　mind…it　came　all　at　once。　Not　a　dream　。　。　。　not　a　vision　。。。
　　No；　not　either　of　those。　It's　a　memory。　It's　happening　again…you're　remembering　forward　in　time。
　　〃I　have　to　do　something　else　first；〃　he　said；　and　got　up。
　　On　the　far　side　of　the　fire；　Roland　had　stacked　some　odd　lots　of　scavenged　wood。　Eddie　hunted　through　them　and　found　a　dry　stick　about　two　feet　long　and　four　inches　or　so　through　the　middle。　He　took　it；　returning　to　his　place　by　the　fire；　and　picked　up　Roland's　knife　again。　This　time　he　worked　faster　because　he　was　simply　sharpening　the　stick；　turning　it　into　something　that　looked　like　a　small　tent…peg。
　　〃Can　we　get　moving　before　daybreak？〃　he　asked　the　gunslinger。　〃I　think　we　should　get　to　that　circle　as　soon　as　we　can。〃
　　〃Yes。　Sooner；　if　we　must。　I　don't　want　to　move　in　the　dark…a　speaking　ring　is　an　unsafe　place　to　be　at　night…but　if　we　have　to；　we　have　to。〃
　　〃From　the　look　on　your　face；　big　boy；　I　doubt　if　those　stone　circles　are　very　safe　any　time；〃　Susannah　said。
　　Eddie　put　the　knife　aside　again。　The　dirt　Roland　had　taken　out　of　the　shallow　hole　he'd　made　for　the　campfire　was　piled　up　by　Eddie's　right　foot。　Now　he　used　the　sharp　end　of　the　stick　to　carve　a　question…mark　shape　in　the　dirt。　The　shape　was　crisp　and　clear。
　　〃Okay；〃　he　said；　brushing　it　away。　〃All　done。〃
　　〃Have　something　to　eat；　then；〃　Susannah　said。
　　Eddie　tried；　but　he　wasn't　very　hungry。　When　he　finally　went　to　sleep；　nestled　against　Susannah's　warmth；　his　rest　was　dreamless　but　very　thin。　Until　the　gunslinger　shook　him　awake　at　four　in　the　morning；　he　heard　the　wind　racing　endlessly　over　the　plain　below　them；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　went　with　it；　flying　high　into　the　night；　away　from　these　cares；　while　Old　Star　and　Old　Mother　rode　serenely　above　him；　painting　his　cheeks　with　frost。
　　
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　　〃IT'S　TIME；〃　ROLAND　SAID。
　　Eddie　sat　up。　Susannah　sat　up　beside　him；　rubbing　her　palms　over　her　face。　As　Eddie's　head　cleared；　his　mind　was　filled　with　urgency。　〃Yes。　Let's　go；　and　fast。〃
　　〃He's　getting　close；　isn't　he？〃
　　〃Very　close。〃　Eddie　got　to　his　feet；　grasped　Susannah　around　the　waist；　and　boosted　her　into　her　chair。
　　She　was　looking　at　him　anxiously。　〃Do　we　still　have　enough　time　to　get　there？〃
　　Eddie　nodded。　〃Barely。〃
　　Three　minutes　later　they　were　headed　down　the　Great　Road　again。　It　glimmered　ahead　of　them　like　a　ghost。　And　an　hour　after　that；　as　the　first　light　of　dawn　began　to　touch　the　sky　in　the　east；　a　rhythmic　sound　began　far　ahead　of　them。
　　The　sound　of　drums；　Roland　thought。
　　Machinery；　Eddie　thought。　Some　huge　piece　of　machinery。
　　It's　a　heart；　Susannah　thought。　Some　huge；　diseased；　beating　heart　。。　。　and　it's　in　that　city；　where　we　have　to　go。
　　Two　hours　later；　the　sound　stopped　as　suddenly　as　it　had　begun。　White；　featureless　clouds　had　begun　to　fill　the　sky　above　them；　first　veiling　the　early　sun；　then　blotting　it　out。　The　circle　of　standing　stones　lay　less　than　five　miles　ahead　now；　gleaming　in　the　shadowless　light　like　the　teeth　of　a　fallen　monster。
　　
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　　SPAGHETTI　WEEK　AT　THE　MAJESTIC！
　　the　battered；　dispirited　marquee　jutting　over　the　corner　of　Brooklyn　and　Markey　Avenues　proclaimed。
　　2　SERGIO　LEONE　CLASSIX！
　　A　FISTFUL　OF　　PLUS　GOOD　BAD　&　UGLY！
　　99　Cents　ALL　SHOWS
　　A　gum…chewing　cutie　with　rollers　in　her　blonde　hair　sat　in　the　box　of