sk.thetalisman-第122部分

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squeezed　shut。　He　reached　behind　him　and　pulled　Richard　forward；　feeling　as　he　did　so　how　thin　Richard's　hand　and　wrist　had　bee。
　　Richard　came　stumbling　along。　His　skinny　wrist　burned　in　Jack's　hand。　'Whatever　you　do；　don't　slow　down；'　Jack　said。　'All　we　have　to　do　is　get　by　them。'
　　'I　can't；'　Richard　sobbed。
　　'Do　you　want　me　to　carry　you？　I'm　being　serious；　Richard。　I　mean；　this　could　be　a　lot　worse。　I　bet　if　we　hadn't　blown　so　many　of　his　troops　away　back　there；　he'd　have　guards　every　fifty　feet。'
　　'You　couldn't　move　fast　enough　if　you　carried　me。　I'd　slow　you　down。'
　　What　in　the　Sam　Hill　do　you　think　you're　doing　now？　went　through　Jack's　mind；　but　he　said；　'Stay　on　my　far　side　and　go　like　hell；　Richie。　When　I　say　three。　Got　it？　One　。　。　。　two　。　。　。　three！'　
　　He　jerked　Richard's　arm　and　began　sprinting　past　the　trees。　Richard　stumbled；　gasped；　then　managed　to　right　himself　and　keep　on　moving　without　falling　down。　Geysers　of　dust　appeared　at　the　base　of　the　trees；　a　motion　of　shredding　earth　and　scrambling　things　that　looked　like　enormous　beetles；　shiny　as　shoe　polish。　A　small　brown　bird　took　off　out　of　the　weeds　near　the　clump　of　conspiring　trees；　and　a　limber　root　like　an　elephant's　trunk　whipped　out　of　the　dust　and　snatched　it　from　the　air。
　　Another　root　snaked　toward　Jack's　left　ankle；　but　fell　short。　The　mouths　in　the　coarse　bark　howled　and　screamed。
　　（LOVERRR？　LOVER　BOYYY？）
　　Jack　clenched　his　teeth　together　and　tried　to　force　Richard　Sloat　to　fly。　The　heads　of　the　plicated　trees　had　begun　to　sway　and　bow。　Whole　nests　and　families　of　roots　were　slithering　toward　the　white　line；　moving　as　though　they　had　independent　wills。　Richard　faltered；　then　unambiguously　slowed　as　he　turned　his　head　to　look　past　Jack　toward　the　reaching　trees。
　　'Move！'　Jack　yelled；　and　yanked　at　Richard's　arm。　The　red　lumps　felt　like　hot　stones　buried　beneath　the　skin。　He　hauled　away　at　Richard；　seeing　too　many　of　the　whickering　roots　crawl　gleefully　toward　them　across　the　white　line。
　　Jack　put　his　arm　around　Richard's　waist　at　the　same　instant　that　a　long　root　whistled　through　the　air　and　wrapped　itself　around　Richard's　arm。
　　'Jesus！'　Richard　yelled。　'Jason！　It　got　me！　It　got　me！'　
　　In　horror　Jack　saw　the　tip　of　the　root；　a　blind　worm's　head；　lift　up　and　stare　at　him。　It　twitched　almost　lazily　in　the　air；　then　wound　itself　once　again　around　Richard's　burning　arm。　Other　roots　came　sliding　toward　them　across　the　road。
　　Jack　yanked　Richard　back　as　hard　as　he　could；　and　gained　another　six　inches。　The　root　around　Richard's　arm　grew　taut。　Jack　locked　his　arms　around　Richard's　waist　and　hauled　him　mercilessly　backward。　Richard　let　out　an　unearthly；　floating　scream。　For　a　second；　Jack　was　afraid　that　Richard's　shoulder　had　separated；　but　a　voice　large　within　him　said　PULL！　and　he　dug　in　his　heels　and　pulled　back　even　harder。
　　Then　they　both　nearly　went　tumbling　into　a　nest　of　crawling　roots；　for　the　single　tendril　around　Richard's　arm　had　neatly　snapped。　Jack　stayed　on　his　feet　only　by　back…pedalling　frantically；　bending　over　at　the　waist　to　keep　Richard；　too；　off　the　road。　In　this　way　they　got　past　the　last　of　the　trees　just　as　they　heard　the　rending；　snapping　sounds　they　had　heard　once　before。　This　time；　Jack　did　not　have　to　tell　Richard　to　run　for　it。
　　The　nearest　tree　came　roaring　up　out　of　the　ground　and　fell　with　a　ground…shaking　thud　only　three　or　four　feet　behind　Richard。　The　others　crashed　to　the　surface　of　the　road　behind　it；　waving　their　roots　like　wild　hair。
　　'You　saved　my　life；'　Richard　said。　He　was　crying　again；　more　from　weakness　and　exhaustion　and　shock　than　from　fear。
　　'From　now　on；　my　old　pal；　you　ride　piggyback；'　Jack　said；　panting；　and　bent　down　to　help　Richard　get　on　his　back。
　　　
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　　'I　should　have　told　you；'　Richard　was　whispering。　His　face　burned　against　Jack's　neck；　his　mouth　against　Jack's　ear。　'I　don't　want　you　to　hate　me；　but　I　wouldn't　blame　you　if　you　did；　really　I　wouldn't。　I　know　I　should　have　told　you。'　He　seemed　to　weigh　no　more　than　the　husk　of　himself；　as　if　nothing　were　left　inside　him。
　　'About　what？'　Jack　settled　Richard　squarely　in　the　center　of　his　back；　and　again　had　the　unsettling　feeling　that　he　was　carrying　only　an　empty　sack　of　flesh。
　　'The　man　who　came　to　visit　my　father　。　。　。　and　Camp　Readiness　。　。　。　and　the　closet。'　Richard's　hollow…seeming　body　trembled　against　his　friend's　back。　'I　should　have　told　you。　But　I　couldn't　even　tell　myself。'　His　breath；　hot　as　his　skin；　blew　agitatedly　into　Jack's　ear。
　　Jack　thought；　The　Talisman　is　doing　this　to　him。　An　instant　later　he　corrected　himself。　No。　The　black　hotel　is　doing　this　to　him。
　　The　two　limousines　which　had　been　parked　nose…down　at　the　brow　of　the　next　hill　had　disappeared　sometime　during　the　fight　with　the　Territories　trees；　but　the　hotel　endured；　growing　larger　with　every　forward　step　Jack　took。　The　skinny　naked　woman；　another　of　the　hotel's　victims；　still　performed　her　mad　slow　dance　before　the　bleak　row　of　shops。　The　little　red　flares　danced；　winked　out；　danced　in　the　murky　air。　It　was　no　time　at　all；　neither　morning　nor　afternoon　nor　night…it　was　time's　Blasted　Lands。　The　Agincourt　Hotel　did　seem　made　of　stone；　though　Jack　knew　it　was　not…the　wood　seemed　to　have　calcified　and　thickened；　to　have　blackened　of　itself；　from　the　inside　out。　The　brass　weathervanes；　wolf　and　crow　and　snake　and　circular　cryptic　designs　Jack　did　not　recognize；　swung　about　to　contradictory　winds。　Several　of　the　windows　flashed　a　warning　at　Jack；　but　that　might　have　been　merely　a　reflection　of　one　of　the　red　flares。　He　still　could　not　see　the　bottom　of　the　hill　and　the　Agincourt's　ground　floor；　and　would　not　be　able　to　see　them　until　he　had　gone　past　the　bookstore；　tea　shop；　and　other　stores　that　had　escaped　the　fire。　Where　was　Morgan　Sloat？
　　Where；　for　that　matter；　was　the　whole　god…forsaken　reception　mittee？　Jack　tightened　his　grip　on　Richard's　sticklike　legs；　hearing　the　Talisman　call　him　again；　and　felt　a　tougher；　stronger　being　rear　up　within　him。
　　'Don't　hate　me　because　I　couldn't　。　。　。'　Richard　said；　his　voice　trailing　off　at　the　end。
　　JASON；　E　NOW　E　NOW！
　　Jack　gripped　Richard's　thin　legs　and　walked　down　past　the　burned…over　area　where　so　many　houses　had　once　stood。　The　Territories　trees　which　used　these　wasted　blocks　as　their　own　private　lunch　counter　whispered　and　stirred；　but　they　were　too　far　away　to　trouble　Jack。
　　The　woman　in　the　midst　of　the　empty　littered　street　slowly　swivelled　around　as　she　became　aware　of　the　boys'　progress　down　the　hill。　She　was　in　the　midst　of　a　plex　exercise；　but　all　suggestion　of　Tai　Chi　Chuan　left　her　when　she　dropped　her　arms　and　one　outstretched　leg　and　stood　stockstill　beside　a　dead　dog；　watching　burdened　Jack　e　down　the　hill　toward　her。　For　a　moment　she　seemed　to　be　a　mirage；　too　hallucinatory　to　be　real；　this　starved　woman　with　her　stick…out　hair　and　face　the　same　brilliant　orange；　then　she　awkwardly　bolted　across　the　street　and　into　one　of　the　shops　without　a　name。　Jack　grinned；　without　knowing　he　was　going　to　do　it…the　sense　of　triumph　and　of　something　he　could　only　describe　as　armored　virtue　took　him　so　much　by　surprise。
　　'Can　you　really　make　it　there？'　Richard　gasped；　and　Jack　said；　'Right　now　I　can　do　anything。'　
　　He　could　have　carried　Richard　all　the　way　back　to　Illinois　if　the　great　singing　object　imprisoned　in　the　hotel　had　ordered　him　to　do　it。　Again　Jack　felt　that　sense　of　ing　resolution；　and　thought；　It's　so　dark　here　because　all　those　worlds　are　crowded　together；　jammed　up　like　a　triple　exposure　on　film。
　　　
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　　He　sensed　the　people　of　Point　Venuti　before　he　saw　them。　They　would　not　attack　him…Jack　had　known　that　with　absolute　certainty　ever　since　the　madwoman　had　fled　into　one　of　the　shops。　They　were　watching　him。　From　beneath　porches；　through　lattices；　from　the　backs　of　empty　rooms；　they　peered　out　at　him；　whether　with　fear；　rage；　or　frustration　he　could　not　tell。
　　Richard　had　fallen　asleep　or　passed　out　on　his　back；　and　was　breathing　in　heated　harsh　little　puffs。
　　Jack　skirted　the　body　of　the　dog　and　glanced　sideways　into　the　hole　where　the　window　of　the　Dangerous　Planet　Bookstore　should　have　been。　At　first　he　saw　only　the　messy　macaroni　of　used　hypodermic　needles　which　covered　the　floor；　atop　and　beside　the　splayed　books　spread　here　and　there。　On　the　walls；　the　tall　shelves　stood　empty　as　yawns。　Then　a　convulsive　movement　in　the　dim　back　of　the　store　caught　his　eye；　and　two　pale　figures　coalesced　out　of　the　gloom。　Both　had　beards　and　long　naked　bodies　in　which　the　tendons　stood　out　like　cords。　The　whites　of　four　mad　eyes　flashed　at　him。　One　of　the　naked　men　had　only　one　hand　and　was　grinning。　His　erection　waved　before　him；　a　thick　pale　club。　He　couldn't　have　seen　that；　he　told　himself。　Where　was　the　man's　other　hand？　He　glanced　back。　Now　he　saw　only　a　tangle　of　skinny　white　limbs。
　　Jack　did　not　look　into　the　windows　of　any　of　the　other　shops；　but　eyes　tracked　him　as　he　passed。
　　Soon　he　was　walking　past　the　tiny　two…story　houses。　YOU'RE　DEAD　NOW　splayed　itself　on　a　side　wall。　He　would　not　look　in　the　windows；　he　promised　himself；　he　could　not。
　　Orange　faces　topped　with　orange　hair　wagged　through　a　downstairs　window。
　　'Baby；'　a　woman　whispered　from　the　next　house。　'Sweet　baby　Jason。'　This　time　he　did　look。　You're　dead　now。　She　stood　just　on　the　other　side　of　a　broken　little　window；　twiddling　the　chains　that　had　been　inserted　in　her　nipples；　smiling　at　him　lopsidedly。　Jack　stared　at　her　vacant　eyes；　and　the　woman　dropped　her　hands　and　hesitantly　backed　away　from　the　window。　The　length　of　chain　drooped　between　her　breasts。
　　Eyes　watched　Jack　from　the　backs　of　dark　rooms；　between　lattices；　from　crawl　spaces　beneath　porches。
　　The　hotel　loomed　before　him；　but　no　longer　straight　ahead。　The　road　must　have　delicately　angled；　for　now　the　Agincourt　stood　decidedly　off　to　his　left。　And　did　it；　in　fact；　actually　loom　as　mandingly　as　it　had？　His　Jason…side；　or　Jason　himself；　blazed　up　within　Jack；　and　saw　that　the　black　hotel；　though　still　very　large；　was　nothing　like　mountainous。
　　E　I　NEED　YOU　NOW；　sang　out　the　Talisman。　YOU　ARE　RIGHT　IT　IS　NOT　AS　GREAT　AS　IT　WANTS　YOU　TO　BELI