sk.thetalisman-第60部分

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　　Then　the　lights　began　to　dim　even　further；　turning　the　room　into　a　cave。
　　'Jack；'　he　moaned；　clutching　at　Jack's　arm。　'Jack；　we　oughtta　get　out　of　here；　okay？'
　　'You'll　like　it；　Wolf；'　Jack　muttered；　aware　of　Wolf's　distress　but　not　of　its　depth。　Wolf　was；　after　all；　always　distressed　to　some　degree。　In　this　world；　the　word　distress　defined　him。　'Try　it。'
　　'Okay；'　Wolf　said；　and　Jack　heard　the　agreement　but　not　the　thin　waver　that　meant　Wolf　was　holding　on　to　the　last　thread　of　his　control　with　both　hands。　They　sat　down　with　Wolf　on　the　aisle；　his　knees　accordioned　up　unfortably；　the　tub　of　popcorn　（which　he　no　longer　wanted）　clutched　to　his　chest。
　　In　front　of　them　a　match　flared　briefly　yellow。　Jack　smelled　the　dry　tang　of　pot；　so　familiar　in　the　movies　that　it　could　be　dismissed　as　soon　as　identified。　Wolf　smelled　a　forest…fire。
　　'Jack…！'
　　'Shhh；　picture's　starting。'
　　And　I'm　dozing　off。
　　Jack　would　never　know　of　Wolf's　heroism　in　the　next　few　minutes；　Wolf　did　not　really　know　of　it　himself。　He　only　knew　that　he　had　to　try　to　stick　this　nightmare　out　for　Jack's　sake。　It　must　be　all　right；　he　thought；　look；　Wolf；　Jack's　going　right　to　sleep；　right　to　sleep　right　here　and　now。　And　you　know　Jack　wouldn't　take　you　to　a　Hurt…Place；　so　just　stick　it　out　。　。　。　just　wait　。　。　。　Wolf！　。　。　。　it'll　be　all　right　。　。　。
　　But　Wolf　was　a　cyclic　creature；　and　his　cycle　was　approaching　its　monthly　climax。　His　instincts　had　bee　exquisitely　refined；　almost　undeniable。　His　rational　mind　told　him　that　he　would　be　all　right　in　here；　that　Jack　wouldn't　have　brought　him　otherwise。　But　that　was　like　a　man　with　an　itchy　nose　telling　himself　not　to　sneeze　in　church　because　it　was　impolite。
　　He　sat　there　smelling　forest…fire　in　a　dark；　stinking　cave；　twitching　each　time　a　shadow　passed　down　the　aisle；　waiting　numbly　for　something　to　fall　on　him　from　the　shadows　overhead。　And　then　a　magic　window　opened　at　the　front　of　the　cave　and　he　sat　there　in　the　acrid　stink　of　his　own　terror…sweat；　eyes　wide；　face　a　mask　of　horror；　as　cars　crashed　and　overturned；　as　buildings　burned；　as　one　man　chased　another。
　　'Previews；'　Jack　mumbled。　'Told　you　you'd　like　it　'　There　were　Voices。　One　said　nosmoking。　One　said　don't　litter。　One　said　groupratesavailable。　One　said　Bargain　Matinee…priceseveryweekdayuntilfourp。m。
　　'Wolf；　we　got　screwed；'　Jack　mumbled。　He　started　to　say　something　else；　but　it　turned　into　a　snore。
　　A　final　voice　said　andnowourfeaturepresentation　and　that　was　when　Wolf　lost　control。　Bakshi's　The　Lord　of　the　Rings　was　in　Dolby　sound；　and　the　projectionist　had　orders　to　really　crank　it　in　the　afternoons；　because　that's　when　the　heads　drifted　in；　and　the　heads　really　liked　loud　Dolby。
　　There　was　a　screeching；　discordant　crash　of　brass。　The　magic　window　opened　again　and　now　Wolf　could　see　the　fire…shifting　oranges　and　reds。
　　He　howled　and　leaped　to　his　feet；　pulling　with　him　a　Jack　who　was　more　asleep　than　awake。
　　'Jack！'　he　screamed。　'Get　out！　Got　to　get　out！　Wolf！　See　the　fire！　Wolf！　Wolf！'
　　'Down　in　front！'　someone　shouted。
　　'Shut　up；　hoser！'　someone　else　yelled。
　　The　door　at　the　back　of　Cinema　6　opened。　'What's　going　on　in　here？'
　　'Wolf；　shut　up！'　Jack　hissed。　'For　God's　sake…'
　　'OWWWWWW…OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO！'
　　Wolf　howled。
　　A　woman　got　a　good　look　at　Wolf　as　the　white　light　from　the　lobby　fell　on　him。　She　screamed　and　began　dragging　her　little　boy　out　by　one　arm。　Literally　dragging　him；　the　kid　had　fallen　to　his　knees　and　was　skidding　up　the　popcorn…littered　carpet　of　the　center　aisle。　One　of　his　sneakers　had　e　off。
　　'OWWWWWWWW…OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHOOOOOOHHHHOOOOOO！'
　　The　pothead　three　rows　down　had　turned　around　and　was　looking　at　them　with　bleary　interest。　He　held　a　smouldering　joint　in　one　hand；　a　spare　was　cocked　behind　his　ear。　'Far　。　。　。　out；'　he　pronounced。　'Fucking　werewolves　of　London　strike　again；　right？'
　　'Okay；'　Jack　said。　'Okay；　we'll　get　out。　No　problem。　Just　。　。　。　just　don't　do　that　anymore；　okay？　Okay？'　
　　He　started　leading　Wolf　out。　The　weariness　had　fallen　over　him　again。
　　The　light　of　the　lobby　hit　his　eyes　sharply；　needling　them。　The　woman　who　had　dragged　the　little　boy　out　of　the　theater　was　backed　into　a　corner　with　her　arms　around　the　kid。　When　she　saw　Jack　lead　the　still…howling　Wolf　through　the　double　doors　of　Cinema　6；　she　swept　the　kid　up　and　made　a　break　for　it。
　　The　counterman；　the　ticket…girl；　the　projectionist；　and　a　tall　man　in　a　sportcoat　that　looked　as　if　it　belonged　on　the　back　of　a　racetrack　tout　were　clustered　together　in　a　tight　little　group。　Jack　supposed　the　guy　in　the　checkered　sportcoat　and　white　shoes　was　the　manager。
　　The　doors　of　the　other　cinemas　in　the　hive　had　opened　partway。　Faces　peered　out　of　the　darkness　to　see　what　all　the　hooraw　was。　To　Jack；　they　all　looked　like　badgers　peering　out　of　their　holes。
　　'Get　out！'　the　man　in　the　checkered　sportcoat　said。　'Get　out；　I've　called　the　police　already；　they'll　be　here　in　five　minutes。'
　　Bullshit　you　did；　Jack　thought；　feeling　a　ray　of　hope。　You　didn't　have　time。　And　if　we　blow　right　away；　maybe…just　maybe…you　won't　bother。
　　'We're　going；'　he　said。　'Look；　I'm　sorry。　It's　just　that　。　。　。　my　big　brother's　an　epileptic　and　he　just　had　a　seizure。　We　。　。　。　we　forgot　his　medicine。'　
　　At　the　word　epileptic；　the　ticket…girl　and　the　counterman　recoiled。　It　was　as　if　Jack　had　said　leper。
　　'e　on；　Wolf。'
　　He　saw　the　manager's　eyes　drop；　saw　his　lip　curl　with　distaste。　Jack　followed　the　glance　and　saw　the　wide　dark　stain　on　the　front　of　Wolf's　Oshkosh　biballs。　He　had　wet　himself。
　　Wolf　also　saw。　Much　in　Jack's　world　was　foreign　to　him；　but　he　apparently　knew　well　enough　what　that　look　of　contempt　meant。　He　burst　into　loud；　braying；　heartbroken　sobs。
　　'Jack；　I'm　sorry；　Wolf　is　so　SORRY！'
　　'Get　him　out　of　here；'　the　manager　said　contemptuously；　and　turned　away。
　　Jack　put　an　arm　around　Wolf　and　got　him　started　toward　the　door。　'e　on；　Wolf；'　he　said。　He　spoke　quietly；　and　with　an　honest　tenderness。　He　had　never　felt　quite　so　keenly　for　Wolf　as　he　did　now。　'e　on；　it　was　my　fault；　not　yours。　Let's　go。'
　　'Sorry。'　Wolf　wept　brokenly。　'I'm　no　good；　God　pound　me；　just　no　good。'
　　'You're　plenty　good；'　Jack　said。　'e　on。'　
　　He　pushed　open　the　door　and　they　went　out　into　the　thin；　late…October　warmth。
　　The　woman　with　the　child　was　easily　twenty　yards　away；　but　when　she　saw　Jack　and　Wolf；　she　retreated　backward　toward　her　car；　holding　her　kid　in　front　of　her　like　a　cornered　gangster　with　a　hostage。
　　'Don't　let　him　e　near　me！'　she　screamed。　'Don't　let　that　monster　e　near　my　baby！　Do　you　hear？　Don't　let　him　e　near　me！'　
　　Jack　thought　he　should　say　something　to　calm　her　down；　but　he　couldn't　think　what　it　might　be。　He　was　too　tired。
　　He　and　Wolf　started　away；　heading　across　the　parking　lot　at　an　angle。　Halfway　back　to　the　road；　Jack　staggered。　The　world　went　briefly　gray。
　　He　was　vaguely　aware　of　Wolf　sweeping　him　up　in　his　arms　and　carrying　him　that　way；　like　a　baby。　Vaguely　aware　that　Wolf　was　crying。
　　'Jack；　I'm　so　sorry；　please　don't　hate　Wolf；　I　can　be　a　good　old　Wolf；　you　wait；　you'll　see　。　。　。　'
　　'I　don't　hate　you；'　Jack　said。　'I　know　you're　。　。　。　you're　a　good　old…'　
　　But　before　he　could　finish；　he　had　fallen　asleep。　When　he　woke　up　it　was　evening　and　Muncie　was　behind　them。　Wolf　had　gotten　off　the　main　roads　and　on　to　a　web　of　farm　roads　and　dirt　tracks。　Totally　unconfused　by　the　lack　of　signs　and　the　multitude　of　choices；　he　had　continued　west　with　all　the　unerring　instinct　of　a　migrating　bird。
　　They　slept　that　night　in　an　empty　house　north　of　Cammack；　and　Jack　thought　in　the　morning　that　his　fever　had　gone　down　a　little。
　　It　was　midmorning…midmorning　of　October　28th…when　Jack　realized　that　the　hair　was　back　on　Wolf's　palms。
　　
　　　CHAPTER　19
　　　Jack　in　the　Box
　　　
　　　1
　　
　　They　camped　that　night　in　the　ruins　of　a　burned…out　house　with　a　wide　field　on　one　side　and　a　copse　of　woods　on　another。　There　was　a　farmhouse　on　the　far　side　of　the　field；　but　Jack　thought　that　he　and　Wolf　would　be　safe　enough　if　they　were　quiet　and　stayed　in　most　of　the　time。　After　the　sun　went　down；　Wolf　went　off　into　the　woods。　He　was　moving　slowly；　his　face　close　to　the　ground。　Before　Jack　lost　sight　of　him；　he　thought　that　Wolf　looked　like　a　nearsighted　man　hunting　for　his　dropped　spectacles。　Jack　became　quite　nervous　（visions　of　Wolf　caught　in　a　steel…jawed　trap　had　begun　to　e　to　him；　Wolf　caught　and　grimly　not　howling　as　he　gnawed　at　his　own　leg　。　。　。）　before　Wolf　returned；　walking　almost　upright　this　time；　and　carrying　plants　in　both　hands；　the　roots　dangling　out　of　his　fists。
　　'What　have　you　got　there；　Wolf？'　Jack　asked。
　　'Medicine；'　Wolf　said　morosely。　'But　it's　not　very　good；　Jack。　Wolf！　Nothing's　much　good　in　your　world！'
　　'Medicine？　What　do　you　mean？'　
　　But　Wolf　would　say　no　more。　He　produced　two　wooden　matches　from　the　bib　pocket　of　his　overalls　and　started　a　smokeless　fire　and　asked　Jack　if　he　could　find　a　can。　Jack　found　a　beer　can　in　the　ditch。　Wolf　smelled　it　and　wrinkled　his　nose。
　　'More　bad　smells。　Need　water；　Jack。　Clean　water。　I'll　go；　if　you're　too　tired。'
　　'Wolf；　I　want　to　know　what　you're　up　to。'
　　'I'll　go；'　Wolf　said。　'There's　a　farm　right　across　that　field。　Wolf！　There'll　be　water　there。　You　rest。'　
　　Jack　had　a　vision　of　some　farmer's　wife　looking　out　the　kitchen　window　as　she　did　the　supper　dishes　and　seeing　Wolf　skulking　around　in　the　dooryard　with　a　beer　can　in　one　hairy　paw　and　a　bunch　of　roots　and　herbs　in　the　other。
　　'I'll　go；'　he　said。
　　The　farm　was　not　five　hundred　feet　away　from　where　they　had　camped；　the　warm　yellow　lights　were　clearly　visible　across　the　field。　Jack　went；　filled　the　beer　can　at　a　shed　faucet　without　incident；　and　started　back。　Halfway　across　the　field　he　realized　he　could　see　his　shadow；　and　looked　up　at　the　sky。
　　The　moon；　now　almost　full；　rode　the　eastern　horizon。　
　　Troubled；　Jack　went　back　to　Wolf　and　gave　him　the　can　of　water。　Wolf　sniffed；　winced　again；　but　said　nothing。　He　put　the　can　over　the　fire　and　began　to　sift　crumbled　bits　of　the　things　he　had　picked　in　through　the　pop…top　hole。　Five　minutes