rm.thenightboat-第35部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　would　happen。　Oil；　Langstree　had　said。　Barrels　of　diesel　fuel；　ropes；　cable。　And　batteries。　God；　no。　He　had　seen　the　truth　in　Cale's　mad　stare；　in　the　half…consumed　corpse　of　Johnny　Majors；　in　the　remains　of　the　Nazi　U…boat　sailor　lying　on　a　bare　plank　floor。　And　now；　worst　of　all；　in　the　theft　of　marine　supplies　from　the　unguarded　shed。
　　In　all　the　world　there　was　one　man　who　might　be　able　to　help。
　　Boniface。
　　
　　*　*　*
　　
　　Driving　along　the　jungle　road　to　the　airstrip　with　the　woman　on　the　seat　beside　him；　Moore　could　smell　a　storm　in　the　air…a　damp　smell；　full　of　heat；　and　the　breezes　had　died　pletely。　The　entire　sky　was　a　gray；　featureless　canopy；　the　sun　hidden；　the　clouds　hanging　motionless　over　Coquina。　Jana　had　awakened　more　angry　at　Kip　than　she　had　been　the　day　before；　and　he　could　still　see　her　anger　working　in　her　face。　She　had　hardly　spoken　to　him　this　morning；　just　insisting　she　had　to　check　her　plane　before　sending　her　message　to　Kingston。　Now；　as　Moore　drove　into　the　clearing；　he　saw　the　airplane　ahead；　it　was　still　as　they'd　left　it。　But　as　he　pulled　up　beside　it　he　realized　he　was　wrong。
　　〃JESUS！〃　she　cried　out；　leaping　from　the　cab　even　before　Moore　had　braked。　She　ran　alongside　the　plane；　and　Moore　followed。
　　〃Goddamn　it！〃　Jana　raged；　tears　of　anger　springing　up　quickly　and　streaking　her　cheeks。　She　ran　a　hand　along　the　jagged　dents　in　the　plane's　fuselage。　The　canopy　glass　had　been　broken　out；　in　the　front　were　the　smashed　remains　of　the　instrument　panel；　wires　hung　loose；　and　the　seats　were　ripped。　She　shook　her　head　in　disbelief　and　rushed　past　Moore　to　the　open　engine　cowling。　Moore　saw　the　confusion　of　torn　wires；　cables　and　plugs　missing。　Someone　had　pletely　wrecked　the　plane。　Jana　slammed　the　cowling　shut　and　stepped　back；　trembling。　〃Vandalism！〃　she　said。　〃Pure　goddamned　vandalism　and　in　the　meantime　Mr。　Kip　is　sitting　his　ass　in　the　village！　He　thinks　he's　such　a　hotshot；　telling　people　what　they　can　and　can't　do；　and　meanwhile　he　can't　even　maintain　law　and　order！〃
　　〃I　don't　understand　it；〃　Moore　said。　〃There's　no　reason　anyone　would。。。〃
　　〃It'll　take　days　to　fix　this　engine；〃　the　young　woman　raged；　〃if　I　can　even　get　parts　out　here！　Somebody's　going　to　pay　for　this　mess！〃
　　Moore　motioned　toward　the　farmhouse　beyond　the　strip。　〃Maybe　they　heard　or　saw　something　during　the　night。　e　on。〃　He　reached　out　to　take　her　arm　and　she　jerked　away；　then　stalked　along　after　him　to　the　truck。
　　Silence　hung　like　a　storm　cloud　over　the　clapboard　house。　There　was　an　empty　pen；　a　shed；　a　square　of　tobacco　plants。　On　the　porch　was　a　bicycle　frame　without　tires；　and　to　one　side　of　the　house　the　hulk　of　an　old　car。　The　trees　clustered　above　like　a　painted　green　ceiling；　and　only　a　few　yards　away　the　jungle　grew　wild。
　　Moore　and　Jana　climbed　a　couple　of　cinder…block　steps　to　the　porch。　There　was　a　screen　door　and　beyond　that　the　front　door；　which　was　wide　open。
　　〃Hello！〃　he　called　into　the　house。　〃Anyone　home？〃　He　waited；　expecting　a　reply。　He　thought　he　heard　an　odd　drone；　like　the　buzzing　of　insects；　but　he　wasn't　sure。
　　Jana　reached　past　him　and　knocked　on　the　door。　〃Is　anyone　there；　for　God's　sake？〃
　　But　Moore　had　located　the　insect　noise；　he　moved　to　the　far　side　of　the　porch　and　looked　down。　Then　he　stiffened　and　stepped　back　a　pace。
　　Jana　reached　him。　〃What　is　it？〃
　　A　dog　lay　on　the　ground；　where　it　had　probably　been　trying　to　squeeze　its　way　under　the　porch。　The　head　was　almost　severed　from　the　body；　and　circles　of　flies　groped　around　the　gaping　wound。　In　the　animal's　midsection　there　was　a　second　wound；　exposing　intestine。　The　hind　legs　had　been　torn　away　and　the　bones　gnawed　clean。　〃God。。。〃　Jana　said　quietly。
　　Moore　shuddered　and　returned　to　the　door。　He　opened　it　and　stepped　into　the　front　room。
　　Chairs　were　overturned；　tables　shattered；　glass　had　been　broken　from　windows　and　lay　glittering　on　the　floor。　〃Watch　your　feet；〃　Moore　told　Jana　as　she　came　in　behind　him。　And　then　his　heartbeat　quickened。　He　felt　a　crawling　sensation　at　the　base　of　his　spine；　and　he　knew　they　were　not　alone。
　　Jana　fought　the　urge　to　cry　out；　because　suddenly　the　odor　of　blood　had　e　to　her；　as　strong　as　the　taste　of　rusted　metal　in　her　mouth。　She　wanted　to　avert　her　eyes　but　couldn't；　and　she　stared　at　the　body　huddled　in　the　corner。
　　It　was　the　corpse　of　a　middle…aged　black　man；　the　face　registered　a　look　of　shock　and　horror　unlike　any　Moore　had　ever　before　imagined。　The　top　of　the　head　had　been　peeled　back；　a　hideous　mass　of　ravaged　tissue　remaining；　and　the　throat　was　ripped　open　just　as　the　dog's　had　been。　His　right　arm　had　been　snapped　off　at　the　elbow　and　the　ulna　and　radius　both　shattered　as　if　something　had　tried　to　get　at　the　marrow。　A　trail　of　smeared　blood　led　from　the　room；　along　a　hallway　and　through　another　open　door。
　　Moore　moved　forward　cautiously；　his　heart　hammering　in　his　chest；　Jana　stood　where　she　was　for　a　few　seconds；　staring　at　the　strange　pattern　the　blood　had　made　on　a　plastered　wall；　waiting　for　the　surge　of　nausea　to　either　flood　over　or　pass。　At　last　she　took　a　breath　of　air　with　her　teeth　clenched；　trying　futilely　to　strain　out　the　death　smell。
　　The　second　room；　the　kitchen；　had　been　wrecked　as　well；　it　had　no　door；　and　only　a　few　shattered　windows。　Utensils　lay　scattered　about　on　the　floor　and　there　was　a　lot　of　blood　but　no　more　bodies。　Looking　at　the　scene　of　violence　and　murder；　Moore　felt　a　nameless；　vaporish　dread　settle　on　him；　as　if　something　were　whispering　a　message　to　him　that　he　couldn't　quite　understand。　He　shuddered。　What　had　happened　here？　His　mind　dismissed　the　question　abruptly；　for　the　sake　of　his　own　sanity。
　　Jana's　eyes　searched　his　face。　〃What　in　the　name　of　God。。。？〃　she　whispered。
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　Moore　said　quickly。　He　grasped　her　arm；　tightly。　〃Let's　get　out　of　here。〃　He　stepped　away　from　the　window。
　　And　it　was　then　that　the　shadow　fell　across　them；　a　thing　framed　in　the　doorway；　reeking　of　rot　and　blood；　claws　lunging　for　Moore's　throat。
　　Moore　flung　Jana　backward　and　she　screamed　in　utter　terror；　the　thing　grasped　him；　nails　sinking　into　his　neck；　its　weight　bearing　down　on　him。　It　hissed　and　drew　back　decayed　lips　from　its　yellow　fangs。　Moore　struck　at　the　thing　wildly；　trying　to　force　it　back；　but　it　had　him　in　its　grip　now；　and　in　the　nightmarish　eye　sockets　he　saw　the　red；　volcanic　fury　of　hatred。
　　He　crashed　to　the　floor　with　an　impact　that　almost　knocked　the　breath　from　him；　the　thing；　its　once…human　face　a　rotted　horror　streaked　with　fungus；　struck　Moore's　head　against　the　floor　and　then；　mouth　gaping；　straddled　his　torso　to　rip　his　throat　away。　Moore　pushed　against　the　sunken　chest；　feeling　bones　and　hardened　intestine；　but　he　was　weakened　by　the　blow　to　his　head。　The　darkness　spun　past　his　face　like　black　trails　of　mist。　He　saw　the　mouth　opening；　opening；　the　points　of　teeth　descending　for　the　jugular　vein。
　　Jana　was　on　her　knees　immediately；　crawling　forward。　She　threw　aside　the　kitchen　utensils；　desperate　for　the　object　she　knew　must　be　there；　and　then　her　hand　closed　around　it：　a　large；　sharp…bladed　butcher　knife。　She　saw　the　thing's　teeth　about　to　close　on　Moore's　throat；　and　she　had　no　time　to　think；　she　tensed　herself　and　leaped　forward；　grasping　at　the　horror's　face　with　one　hand　and　with　the　other　driving　the　knife　into　its　back；　using　all　the　power　she　could　summon。
　　The　body　shuddered　beneath　her；　pieces　of　flesh　came　away　in　her　hand；　and　the　stench　of　rot　choked　her。　She　screamed　in　fear　and　anger；　pulling　the　knife　out　and　driving　it　in　again；　out；　in；　out；　in；　feeling　the　body　begin　to　tense。　Somewhere；　she　knew；　this　walking　corpse　must　feel　pain。　Her　forearm　ached　with　the　force　of　her　blows；　and　as　she　wrenched　at　the　face　she　felt　something…the　remnants　of　a　nose；　a　cheek；　or　a　lip…tear　away。
　　And　with　the　next　solid　plunge　of　the　knife　the　thing　shrieked…a　high；　hoarse　sound　driving　through　its　throat…and　reared　up；　knocking　the　woman　backward。　She　lost　her　grip　on　the　knife　and　it　remained　planted　in　the　thing's　back；　just　below　the　left　shoulder　blade。　Moore　shook　his　head　dazedly；　crawled　away；　and　watched　as　the　nightmare　collapsed　to　its　knees；　vainly　trying　to　reach　the　knife；　it　shook　its　head　from　side　to　side；　like　a　dying　animal；　its　mouth　opening　but　uttering　no　sound。　It　flopped　on　its　belly　and　began　to　squirm　and　shudder　as　it　crawled　for　the　doorway；　its　breath　quickening；　the　fetid　smell　filling　the　room。　The　thing　lay　full…length；　one　hand　inching　very　slowly　toward　the　door　frame；　trying　to　pull　itself　into　the　corridor。　Then　it　expelled　a　long；　terrible　hiss　and　lay　motionless；　its　arm　still　thrust　out；　fingers　grasping　at　the　frame；　its　body　sprawled　in　a　broken　S…shape。
　　Jana　heard　herself　screaming；　she　couldn't　stop；　even　though　the　noise　was　frightening　her；　as　if　someone　else　were　screaming　at　a　distance；　louder；　louder；　louder；　more　uncontrollably。　Is　that　me？　she　heard　herself　say。　Is　that　me　is　that　me　is　that　me　screaminggggggggggg。。。
　　〃JANA！〃　Moore　said　harshly；　shaking　her。　〃JANA！〃　He　wrenched　her　around　and　she　abruptly　stopped　screaming；　she　looked　at　Moore　as　if　she　didn't　know　who　he　was　or　where　they　were　or　what　had　just　happened。　He　put　a　hand　to　his　throat；　feeling　the　marks　of　the　nails　welling　up　on　his　flesh；　and　looked　again　at　the　corpse。　Standing　up；　bracing　himself　against　a　wall；　he　moved　toward　it　and　then　pulled　the　knife　from　its　grip。　There　was　no　blood　on　the　blade；　no　blood　around　the　dead　thing　on　the　floor。　It　was　totally　dry；　a　thing　without　life　fluids。　He　put　the　toe　of　a　shoe　under　it；　grasped　the　remnants　of　a　shirt；　and　turned　it　over　onto　the　back。　That　red　fire　he'd　seen　burning　in　the　sockets　was　gone；　all　that　remained　was　empty　darkness。　The　skull　grinned　at　him；　its　lips　still　pulled　away　from　the　teeth；　a　mockery　of　both　life　and　death。
　　Staring　into　those　hollow　sockets；　Moore　realized　the　U…boat's　legacy。　They　were　condemned　to　a　life…in…death；　a　torment　of　souls　suspended　in　decaying　flesh。　Some　unholy　power　had　kept　them　alive；　as　living　corpses　in　an　iron　coffin。。。　and　he　had　helped　free　them　from　the　crypt。
　　Jana　had　to　search　to　find　her　voice。　〃What。。。