jherbert.sepulchre-第40部分

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　　They　hatched　from　the　whiteness；　wriggling　through；　dropping　to　the　floor　and　into　the　shadows　where　only　muted　reflections　on　their　curved　backs　could　be　observed。　They　scuttled　across　the　floor　towards　him。
　　Quinn…Reece　moved　to　the　centre　of　the　platform；　drawing　up　his　legs；　denying　to　himself　that　this　was　happening；　certain　it　was　a　nightmare；　wondering　why　he　could　not　wake。
　　The　cracked　band　of　white　vanished。
　　Terrible　blackness　around　him　once　more。
　　Nothing　at　all　to　be　seen。
　　But　he　could　hear　those　things　tapping　towards　him。
　　'Felix；　please！'　he　implored；　for　he　knew　that　Kline　was　responsible；　that　Kline　was　punishing　him　for　his　betrayal。　But　he　didn't　understand　how　this　could　happen；　for　he　realised　it　was　no　nightmare；　the　pain　in　his　lower　lip；　where　his　teeth　had　clamped　down；　too　sharp　to　be　dreamt。　He　shrieked　this　time。　'　Please！'　A　chuckle　from　somewhere　behind。
　　And　a　clicking　close　by　as　the　first　of　those　creatures　scrambled　over　the　edge　of　the　dais。
　　Some　time　later；　the　doors　to　the　white　room　opened　and　Khayed　and　Daoud　slipped　in。　They　went　straight　to　the　dead　but　unmarked　body　spread　across　the　low　dais；　lifted　it　between　them；　and　carried　it　out。
　　When　the　doors　closed　behind　them；　the　room　swiftly　regressed　to　black。
　　　
　　　KHAYED　AND　DAOUD。　DISPLACED　AND　FOUND
　　
　　They　were　not　truly　Jordanians。　Asil　Khayed　and　Youssef　Daoud　were　born；　in　fact；　as　displaced　persons；　their　families　having　fled　Palestine　when　the　Independent　State　of　Israel　was　declared　in　May　1948。　Their　parents　were　of　the　same　clan　and　came　from　the　same　village；　which　was　close　to　Jerusalem。　They　had　been　led　to　believe　by　those　who　had　their　own　political　motives　that　the　Zionist　forces　would　destroy　their　homes　and　meagre　crops；　would　slaughter　their　children　and　livestock；　would　rape　their　women；　would　torture　and　murder　the　men。　Flight　to　the　River　Jordan　was　their　only　hope。
　　They　came　to　the　refugee　camp　at　Ein　es　Sultan；　one　of　many　such　sites　scattered　around　the　city　of　Jericho　and　along　the　West　Bank。　There　the　two　Arab　boys　were　born　within　weeks　of　each　other；　to　be　raised　in　the　squalor　of　a　vast　tent　city　containing　tens　of　thousands　of　grieving　migrants；　where　there　were　no　toilets；　kitchens；　or　medical　facilities；　and　where　most　days　were　spent　awaiting　the　arrival　of　water　trucks　and　supply　convoys　from　Damascus　and　Amman。　The　tents　provided　by　the　International　Red　Cross　were　of　thin　canvas　which；　unlike　the　tough　Bedouin　tents　of　animal　skins　and　furs；　were　virtually　useless　against　the　rains　and　sandstorms。　Their　beds　were　nothing　more　than　light　sleeping　mats。　Running；　open　sewers　and　hills　of　rotting　garbage　were　everywhere；　attracting　flies　and　mosquitoes　by　the　millions。　Severe　dysentery　was　rife。　Cholera；　typhoid　and　other　diseases　claimed　thousands　of　lives。　Fierce　rainfalls　and　then　intolerable　heat　brought　in　by　hamsin　winds　from　the　desert　weakened　all。
　　The　muktar　of　their　old　village；　whom　the　clans　gathered　around；　could　offer　no　fort；　for　his　spirit　had　been　broken　by　the　ignoble　flight　of　his　people　and　the　hopelessness　he　saw　all　around。　Hate　with　all　your　heart；　he　could　only　tell　them；　despise　the　Zionist　dogs　who　have　brought　you　to　this。　Nurture　the　hatred；　live　for　revenge　against　the　Jews。
　　Typhoid　took　Youssef's　father；　along　with　his　two　older　brothers　and　a　sister。　That　the　young　baby　and　his　mother　survived　was　no　miracle；　for　death　was　indiscriminate。　The　widow　and　her　child　came　under　the　protection　of　Asil's　father；　there　being　no　energy　for　jealousy　among　the　women。　And　the　Koran；　which　spoke　severely　against　adultery　and　fornication；　also　preached　the　blessedness　of　caring　for　cripples；　idiots；　blind　men　and　widows。　The　boys　grew　up　together　and　became　closer　than　natural　brothers。
　　Although　rough　hovels　of　mud　bricks　gradually　replaced　the　tents；　a　form　of　rough　villages　taking　shape　along　the　Jordan；　the　rule　of　kaif…a　passivity　that　might　be　described　as　idleness　prevailed。　Few　businesses　were　set　up；　no　industries　were　started。　There　were　no　schools　for　the　younger　exiles；　no　games　or　activities　organised　for　them。　The　demoralised　Palestinians　relied　on　the　charity　of　others；　as　if　content　to　wallow　in　their　own　hatred　for　the　Jews　and　the　foreign　powers　that　had　betrayed　them。　The　Moslem　Brotherhood　were　eager　to　exploit　the　persecution　and　never　tired　of　stoking　the　fires　of　vengeance　against　these　infamous　'invaders'；　while　at　the　same　time　extolling　the　virtues　of　martyrdom　for　the　great　Arab　cause　of　repatriation。
　　Asil　and　Youssef　were　children　of　a　nibbled　ghetto；　existing　on　whatever　was　sparingly　given；　thriving　on　bitterness　which　was　generously　supplied。　When　Asil's　father　was　killed　in　a　riot　against　the　reviled　Arab　Legion　of　Jordan's　King　Abdullah　who；　along　with　certain　leaders　of　other　Arab　states；　saw　the　political　advantages　in　keeping　the　Palestinians　a　nation　in　exile　rather　than　weling　and　absorbing　them　as　true　brothers　（acceptance　of　the　State　of　Israel　would　be　a　threat　to　his　own　power　in　the　Middle　East）；　the　boys　took　on　the　responsibility　for　their　family。　By　then　the　United　Nations　had　taken　charge　over　the　welfare　of　the　refugee　camps　and　at　least　some　progress　was　taking　place　in　these　humble　villages。　In　Ein　es　Sultan　there　were　mosques；　a　ritual　slaughterhouse；　stores；　warehouses　and　food　distribution　centres。　The　boys　were　lucky　enough　to　find　jobs　as　coffee　vendors；　passing　from　shop　to　kiosk　with　their　trays　bearing　coffee　finjans；　cups　and　sticky　sweets；　often　trekking　out　to　the　lines　of　lorries　awaiting　customs　clearance　at　the　Allenby　Bridge。
　　For　pleasure　they　hung　around　the　cafes　and　listened　to　the　elders　reminiscing　about　the　old　life　in　their　villages；　of　the　main　square　always　awash　with　the　aromas　of　pungent　spices；　cardamom　in　coffee；　incense；　and　camel；　donkey；　sheep　and　goat　dung。　They　spoke　of　important　feasts；　sighing　over　the　exotic　foods　once　served；　while　the　boys　would　drool　at　their　mention。
　　The　elders'　conversation　would　turn　to　memories　of　the　houses　they　once　dwelled　in；　solidly　built　with　mud　bricks　and　dung；　brightly　whitewashed　to　deflect　the　sun's　rays；　with　a　single　colour　outlining　doors　and　windows；　the　roofs　flat　for　collecting　water　during　the　rainy　season。　They　spoke　of　village　tradesmen；　the　potter；　the　carpenter；　the　sandal…maker；　the　basket　and　cloth　weavers。　Their　eyes　brimmed　with　tears　as　they　remembered　what　had　been　lost　to　them。　How　life　once　centred　around　the　village　square　with　its　well　and　ovens；　the　store　and　cafe　where　they　could　listen　to　the　radio　all　day　while　they　watched　the　passing　activity；　the　cameleers；　the　pedlars　on　their　loaded　donkey　carts；　the　knife　and　scissor　grinders…the　veiled　women　going　about　their　daily　tasks。
　　Eventually；　when　nostalgia　held　them　in　its　soft…edged　grip；　they　would　boast　of　their　feats　in　battle；　their　bravery；　their　cunning。　And　they　would　dismiss　the　Arab　defeat　by　the　Jews　as　a　misconception；　for　they　had　been　tricked　by　the　agents　of　the　devil；　jinn…evil　spirits…in　human　form。　The　Jews　were　not　a　worthy　enemy。　The　Jews　had　an　alliance　with　unholy　forces。　Mohammed；　himself；　had　declared　that　the　Jews　had　been　led　away　from　the　edicts　of　Allah；　and　for　that　their　punishment　would　be　burning。
　　Asil　and　Youssef　listened　and　absorbed。　They　wept　for　their　homeland　and　for　the　life　they　had　never　known　but　missed　dearly。　They　seethed　with　hatred　for　these　people　who　called　themselves　Israelis。
　　The　boys　grew　and　became　wise　in　the　ways　of　survival。　Schooling；　even　under　the　auspices　of　the　UNRWA；　was　little　more　than　a　revolutionary　training　ground；　the　Arab　tutors　organising　their　students　into　cells；　each　with　its　own　aggressive　title；　incitement　against　the　so…called　State　of　Israel　and　its　treacherous　allies　the　main　lesson　of　every　day。　Physical　education　included　weapons　training；　knife　fighting；　tracking　and　the　negotiation　of　assault　courses。
　　Black…marketeering　became　the　most　profitable　occupation；　stealing　and　intimidation　a　second　best。　Asil　and　Youssef　became　the　runners　for　dealers　in　hashish；　then　lookouts　for　raids　on　supply　depots。
　　Crude　and　boastful　chatter　between　the　two　boys　of　the　sexual　delights　they　would　bestow　upon　females　soon　faded　when　awareness　took　on　physical　actuality　and　they　discovered　their　true　yearning　was　for　each　other；　their　experiments　resolving　in　glorious　consummation。　Asil　and　Youssef　could　imagine　no　other　form　of　lovemaking　surpassing　the　pleasure　they　had　given　one　another。　Although　males　were　allowed　to　hold　hands　and　kiss　in　public；　homosexuality　was　frowned　upon　generally　in　the　Arab　world；　Asil　and　Youssef　kept　the　intimate　side　of　their　relationship　to　themselves；　the　illicitness　adding　to　its　deliciousness。
　　As　with　other　Palestinian　youths；　they　were　pressured　into　joining　the　fedayeen　when　they　were　old　enough；　its　members'　violence　and　unruliness　directed　towards　the　jihad；　the　holy　war；　and　against　the　oppressor。　The　Jordanians　encouraged　guerrilla　raids　into　Jewish　territory；　the　killing　and　maiming　perpetrated　in　the　name　of　Allah；　and　the　more　youths　lost　in　such　expeditions；　the　more　martyrs　the　Arabs　had　to　hold　up　to　the　world。　A　mark　of　manhood　for　the　fedayeen　recruits　was　to　bite　off　the　heads　of　live　chickens　and　snakes；　or　to　strangle　puppies　and　cats。
　　Never　considered　outstandingly　bright　by　their　superiors；　Asil　and　Youssef's　performance　in　the　field　and　their　cunning　in　fighting　was　impressive。　And　the　elders　were　suitably　struck　by　the　youths'　cruelty。
　　Their　missions　into　enemy　territory　became　more　frequent　and　more　hazardous。　It　was　on　one　such　expedition　that　they　discovered　for　themselves　the　extent…and　the　true　nature…of　their　own　barbarity。
　　Avoiding　Israeli　patrols；　they　had　slipped　across　the　border；　their　venture　more　of　a　test　than　a　serious　assault　（the　fedayeen　were　considering　the　two　youths　for　important　work　in　the　revolutionary　movement）；　their　destination　a　kibbutz　some　miles　from　Ofra。　Dunams　of　marsh　and　swampland　there；　as　at　countless　other　settlements　in　this　relatively　new　state；　had　been　skilfully　irrigated　and　cultivated；　so　that　what　was　once　barren　lan