sk.thetalisman-第49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！


rease。　The　middle…aged　man　in　a　bowler　hat；　a　walrus　moustache；　and　sleeve　garters　who　sold　him　the　popcorn　told　him　that　the　pay　phones　were　around　a　corner　next　to　31　Flavors；　upstairs。　The　man　gestured　vaguely　toward　the　nearest　escalator。
　　Scooping　the　popcorn　into　his　mouth；　Jack　rode　up　behind　a　woman　in　her　twenties　and　an　older　woman　with　hips　so　wide　they　nearly　covered　the　entire　width　of　the　escalator；　both　of　them　in　pants　suits。
　　If　Jack　were　to　flip　inside　the　Buckeye　Mall…or　even　a　mile　or　two　from　it…would　the　walls　shake　and　the　ceiling　crumble　down；　dropping　bricks　and　beams　and　Muzak　speakers　and　light　fixtures　down　on　everybody　unlucky　enough　to　be　inside？　And　would　the　tenth…grade　princesses；　and　even　arrogant　Timmy；　and　most　of　the　others；　too；　wind　up　with　skull　fractures　and　severed　limbs　and　mangled　chests　and　。　。　。　for　a　second　just　before　he　reached　the　top　of　the　escalator　Jack　saw　giant　chunks　of　plaster　and　metal　girders　showering　down；　heard　the　terrible　cracking　of　the　mezzanine　floor；　the　screams；　too…inaudible；　they　were　still　printed　in　the　air。
　　Angola。　The　Rainbird　Towers。
　　Jack　felt　his　palms　begin　to　itch　and　sweat；　and　he　wiped　them　on　his　jeans。
　　THIRTY…ONE　FLAVORS；　gleamed　out　a　chilly　incandescent　white　light　to　his　left；　and　when　he　turned　that　way　he　saw　a　curving　hallway　on　its　other　side。　Shiny　brown　tiles　on　the　walls　and　floor；　as　soon　as　the　curve　of　the　hallway　took　him　out　of　sight　of　anyone　on　the　mezzanine　level；　Jack　saw　three　telephones；　which　were　indeed　under　transparent　plastic　bubbles。　Across　the　hall　from　the　telephones　were　doors　to　MEN　and　LADIES。
　　Beneath　the　middle　bubble；　Jack　dialed　0；　followed　by　the　area　code　and　the　number　for　the　Alhambra　Inn　and　Gardens。　'Billing？'　asked　the　operator；　and　Jack　said；　'This　is　a　collect　call　for　Mrs。　Sawyer　in　four…oh…seven　and　four…oh…eight。　From　Jack。'　
　　The　hotel　operator　answered；　and　Jack's　chest　tightened。　She　transferred　the　call　to　the　suite。　The　telephone　rang　once；　twice；　three　times。
　　Then　his　mother　said　'Jesus；　kid；　I'm　glad　to　hear　from　you！　This　absentee…mother　business　is　hard　on　an　old　girl　like　me。　I　kind　of　miss　you　when　you're　not　moping　around　and　telling　me　how　to　act　with　waiters。'
　　'You're　just　too　classy　for　most　waiters；　that's　all；'　Jack　said；　and　thought　that　he　might　begin　to　cry　with　relief。
　　'Are　you　all　right；　Jack？　Tell　me　the　truth。'
　　'I'm　fine；　sure；'　he　said。　'Yeah；　I'm　fine。　I　just　had　to　make　sure　that　you　。　。　。　you　know。'
　　The　phone　whispered　electronically；　a　skirl　of　static　that　sounded　like　sand　blowing　across　a　beach。
　　'I'm　okay；'　Lily　said。　'I'm　great。　I'm　not　any　worse；　anyhow；　if　that's　what　you're　worried　about。　I　suppose　I'd　like　to　know　where　you　are。'　
　　Jack　paused；　and　the　static　whispered　and　hissed　for　a　moment。　'I'm　in　Ohio　now。　Pretty　soon　I'm　going　to　be　able　to　see　Richard。'
　　'When　are　you　ing　home；　Jack…O？'
　　'I　can't　say。　I　wish　I　could。'
　　'You　can't　say。　I　swear；　kid；　if　your　father　hadn't　called　you　that　silly　name…and　if　you'd　asked　me　about　this　ten　minutes　earlier　or　ten　minutes　later　。　。　。　'　
　　A　rising　tide　of　static　took　her　voice；　and　Jack　remembered　how　she'd　looked　in　the　tea　shop；　haggard　and　feeble；　an　old　woman。　When　the　static　receded　he　asked；　'Are　you　having　any　trouble　with　Uncle　Morgan？　Is　he　bothering　you？'
　　'I　sent　your　Uncle　Morgan　away　from　here　with　a　flea　in　his　ear；'　she　said。
　　'He　was　there？　He　did　e？　Is　he　still　bothering　you？'
　　'I　got　rid　of　the　Stoat　about　two　days　after　you　left；　baby。　Don't　waste　time　worrying　about　him。'
　　'Did　he　say　where　he　was　going？'　Jack　asked　her；　but　as　soon　as　the　words　were　out　of　his　mouth　the　telephone　uttered　a　tortured　electronic　squeal　that　seemed　to　bore　right　into　his　head。　Jack　grimaced　and　jerked　the　receiver　away　from　his　ear。　The　awful　whining　noise　of　static　was　so　loud　that　anyone　stepping　into　the　corridor　would　have　heard　it。　'MOM！'　Jack　shouted；　putting　the　phone　as　close　to　his　head　as　he　dared。　The　squeal　of　static　increased；　as　if　a　radio　between　stations　had　been　turned　up　to　full　volume。
　　The　line　abruptly　fell　silent。　Jack　clamped　the　receiver　to　his　ear　and　heard　only　the　flat　black　silence　of　dead　air。　'Hey；'　he　said；　and　jiggled　the　hook。　The　flat　silence　in　the　phone　seemed　to　press　up　against　his　ear。
　　Just　as　abruptly；　and　as　if　his　jiggling　the　hook　had　caused　it；　the　dial　tone…an　oasis　of　sanity；　of　regularity；　now…resumed。　Jack　jammed　his　right　hand　in　his　pocket；　looking　for　another　coin。
　　He　was　holding　the　receiver；　awkwardly；　in　his　left　hand　as　he　dug　in　his　pocket；　he　froze　when　he　heard　the　dial　tone　suddenly　slot　off　into　outer　space。
　　Morgan　Sloat's　voice　spoke　to　him　as　clearly　as　if　good　old　Uncle　Morgan　were　standing　at　the　next　telephone。　'Get　your　ass　back　home；　Jack。'　Sloat's　voice　carved　the　air　like　a　scalpel。　'You　just　get　your　ass　back　home　before　we　have　to　take　you　back　ourselves。'
　　'Wait；'　Jack　said；　as　if　he　were　begging　for　time：　in　fact；　he　was　too　terrified　to　know　quite　what　he　was　saying。
　　'Can't　wait　any　longer；　little　pal。　You're　a　murderer　now。　That's　right；　isn't　it？　You're　a　murderer。　So　we're　not　able　to　give　you　any　more　chances。　You　just　get　your　can　back　to　that　resort　in　New　Hampshire。　Now。　Or　maybe　you'll　go　home　in　a　bag。'
　　
　　Jack　heard　the　click　of　the　receiver。　He　dropped　it。　The　telephone　Jack　had　used　shuddered　forward；　then　sagged　off　the　wall。　For　a　second　it　drooped　on　a　network　of　wires；　then　crashed　heavily　to　the　floor。
　　The　door　to　the　men's　room　banged　open　behind　Jack；　and　a　voice　yelled；　'Holy　SHIT！'　
　　Jack　turned　to　see　a　thin　crewcut　boy　of　about　twenty　staring　at　the　telephones。　He　was　wearing　a　white　apron　and　a　bow　tie：　a　clerk　at　one　of　the　shops。
　　'I　didn't　do　it；'　Jack　said。　'It　just　happened。'
　　'Holy　shit。'　The　crewcut　clerk　goggled　at　Jack　for　a　split…second；　jerked　as　if　to　run；　and　then　ran　his　hands　over　the　crown　of　his　head。
　　Jack　backed　away　down　the　hall。　When　he　was　halfway　down　the　escalator　he　finally　heard　the　clerk　yelling；　'Mr。　Olafson！　The　phone；　Mr。　Olafson！'　Jack　fled。
　　Outside；　the　air　was　bright；　surprisingly　humid。　Dazed；　Jack　wandered　across　the　sidewalk。　A　half…mile　away　across　the　parking　lot；　a　black…and…white　police　car　swung　in　toward　the　mall。　Jack　turned　sideways　and　began　to　walk　down　the　pavement。　Some　way　ahead；　a　family　of　six　struggled　to　get　a　lawn　chair　in　through　the　next　entrance　to　the　mall。　Jack　slowed　down　and　watched　the　husband　and　wife　tilt　the　long　chair　diagonally；　hindered　by　the　attempts　of　the　smaller　children　to　either　sit　on　the　chair　or　to　assist　them。　At　last；　nearly　in　the　posture　of　the　flag…raisers　in　the　famous　photograph　of　Iwo　Jima；　the　family　staggered　through　the　door。　The　police　car　lazily　circled　through　the　big　parking　lot。
　　Just　past　the　door　where　the　disorderly　family　had　succeeded　in　planting　their　chair；　an　old　black　man　sat　on　a　wooden　crate；　cradling　a　guitar　in　his　lap。　As　Jack　slowly　drew　nearer；　he　saw　the　metal　cup　beside　the　man's　feet。　The　man's　face　was　hidden　behind　big　dirty　sunglasses　and　beneath　the　brim　of　a　stained　felt　hat。　The　sleeves　of　his　denim　jacket　were　as　wrinkled　as　an　elephant's　hide。
　　Jack　swerved　out　to　the　edge　of　the　pavement　to　give　the　man　all　the　room　he　seemed　to　warrant；　and　noticed　that　around　the　man's　neck　hung　a　sign　handwritten　in　big　shaky　capital　letters　on　discolored　white　cardboard。　A　few　steps　later　he　could　read　the　letters。
　　
　　BLIND　SINCE　BIRTH
　　WILL　PLAY　ANY　SONG
　　GOD　BLESS　YOU
　　
　　He　had　nearly　walked　past　the　man　holding　the　beat…up　old　guitar　when　he　heard　him　utter；　his　voice　a　cracked　and　juicy　whisper；　'Yeah…bob。'
　　
　　　CHAPTER　15
　　　Snowball　Sings
　　　
　　　1
　　
　　Jack　swung　back　toward　the　black　man；　his　heart　hammering　in　his　chest。
　　Speedy？
　　The　black　man　groped　for　his　cup；　held　it　up；　shook　it。　A　few　coins　rattled　in　the　bottom。
　　It　is　Speedy。　Behind　those　dark　glasses；　it　is　Speedy。　
　　Jack　was　sure　of　it。　But　a　moment　later　he　was　just　as　sure　that　it　wasn't　Speedy。　Speedy　wasn't　built　square　in　the　shoulders　and　broad　across　the　chest；　Speedy's　shoulders　were　rounded；　a　little　slumped　over；　and　his　chest　consequently　had　a　slightly　caved…in　look。　Mississippi　John　Hurt；　not　Ray　Charles。
　　But　I　could　tell　one　way　or　the　other　for　sure　if　he'd　take　off　those　shades。
　　He　opened　his　mouth　to　speak　Speedy's　name　aloud；　and　suddenly　the　old　man　began　to　play；　his　wrinkled　fingers；　as　dully　dark　as　old　walnut　that　has　been　faithfully　oiled　but　never　polished；　moving　with　limber　speed　and　grace　on　both　strings　and　frets。　He　played　well；　finger…picking　the　melody。　And　after　a　moment；　Jack　recognized　the　tune。　It　had　been　on　one　of　his　father's　older　records。　A　Vanguard　album　called　Mississippi　John　Hurt　Today。　And　although　the　blind　man　didn't　sing；　Jack　knew　the　words：
　　
　　O　kindly　friends；　tell　me；　ain't　it　hard？　
　　To　see　ole　Lewis　in　a　new　graveyard；　
　　The　angels　laid　him　away
　　
　　The　blond　football　player　and　his　three　princesses　came　out　of　the　mall's　main　doors。　Each　of　the　princesses　had　an　ice　cream　cone。　Mr。　All…America　had　a　chili…dog　in　each　hand。　They　sauntered　toward　where　Jack　stood。　Jack；　whose　whole　attention　was　taken　up　by　the　old　black　man；　had　not　even　noticed　them。　He　had　been　transfixed　by　the　idea　that　it　was　Speedy；　and　Speedy　had　somehow　read　his　mind。　How　else　could　it　be　that　this　man　had　begun　to　play　a　Mississippi　John　Hurt　position　just　as　Jack　happened　to　think　Speedy　looked　like　that　very　man？　And　a　song　containing　his　own　road…name；　as　well？
　　The　blond　football　player　transferred　both　chili…dogs　to　his　left　hand　and　slapped　Jack　on　the　back　with　his　right　as　hard　as　he　could。　Jack's　teeth　snapped　on　his　own　tongue　like　a　bear…trap。　The　pain　was　sudden　and　excruciating。
　　'You　just　shake　her　easy；　urine…breath；'　he　said。　The　princesses　giggled　and　shrieked。
　　Jack　stumbled　forward　and　kicked　over　the　blind　man's　cup。　Coins　spilled　and　rolled。　The　gentle　lilt　of　the　blues　tune　came　to　a　jangling　halt。
　　Mr。　All…America　and　the　Three　Little　Princes