sk.thetalisman-第61部分

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he　had　picked　in　through　the　pop…top　hole。　Five　minutes　or　so　later；　a　terrible　smell…a　reek；　not　to　put　too　fine　a　point　on　it…began　to　rise　on　the　steam。　Jack　winced。　He　had　no　doubt　at　all　that　Wolf　would　want　him　to　drink　that　stuff；　and　Jack　also　had　no　doubt　it　would　kill　him。　Slowly　and　horribly；　probably。
　　He　closed　his　eyes　and　began　snoring　loudly　and　theatrically。　If　Wolf　thought　he　was　sleeping；　he　wouldn't　wake　him　up。　No　one　woke　up　sick　people；　did　they？　And　Jack　was　sick；　his　fever　had　e　back　at　dark；　raging　through　him；　punishing　him　with　chills　even　while　he　oozed　sweat　from　every　pore。
　　Looking　through　his　lashes；　he　saw　Wolf　set　the　can　aside　to　cool。　Wolf　sat　back　and　looked　skyward；　his　hairy　hands　locked　around　his　knees；　his　face　dreamy　and　somehow　beautiful。
　　He's　looking　at　the　moon；　Jack　thought；　and　felt　a　thread　of　fear。
　　We　don't　go　near　the　herd　when　we　change。　Good　Jason；　no！　We'd　eat　them！
　　Wolf；　tell　me　something：　am　I　the　herd　now？
　　Jack　shivered。
　　Five　minutes　later…Jack　almost　had　gone　to　sleep　by　then…Wolf　leaned　over　the　can；　sniffed；　nodded；　picked　it　up；　and　came　over　to　where　Jack　was　leaning　against　a　fallen；　fire…blackened　beam　with　an　extra　shirt　behind　his　neck　to　pad　the　angle。　Jack　closed　his　eyes　tightly　and　resumed　snoring。
　　'e　on；　Jack；'　Wolf　said　jovially。　'I　know　you're　awake。　You　can't　fool　Wolf。'
　　Jack　opened　his　eyes　and　looked　at　Wolf　with　bleary　resentment。　'How　did　you　know？'
　　'People　have　a　sleep…smell　and　a　wake…smell；'　Wolf　said。　'Even　Strangers　must　know　that；　don't　they？'
　　'I　guess　we　don't；'　Jack　said。
　　'Anyway；　you　have　to　drink　this。　It's　medicine。　Drink　it　up；　Jack；　right　here　and　now。'
　　'I　don't　want　it；'　Jack　said。　The　smell　ing　from　the　can　was　swampy　and　rancid。
　　'Jack；'　Wolf　said；　'you've　got　a　sick…smell；　too。'　
　　Jack　looked　at　him；　saying　nothing。
　　'Yes；'　Wolf　said。　'And　it　keeps　getting　worse。　It's　not　really　bad；　not　yet；　but…Wolf！…it's　going　to　get　bad　if　you　don't　take　some　medicine。'
　　'Wolf；　I'll　bet　you're　great　at　sniffing　out　herbs　and　things　back　in　the　Territories；　but　this　is　the　Country　of　Bad　Smells；　remember？　You've　probably　got　ragweed　in　there；　and　poison　oak；　and　bitter　vetch；　and…'
　　'They're　good　things；'　Wolf　said。　'Just　not　very　strong；　God　pound　them。'　Wolf　looked　wistful。　'Not　everything　smells　bad　here；　Jack。　There　are　good　smells；　too。　But　the　good　smells　are　like　the　medicine　plants。　Weak。　I　think　they　were　stronger；　once。'　
　　Wolf　was　looking　dreamily　up　at　the　moon　again；　and　Jack　felt　a　recurrence　of　his　earlier　unease。
　　'I'll　bet　this　was　a　good　place　once；'　Wolf　said。　'Clean　and　full　of　power　。　。　。　'
　　'Wolf？'　Jack　asked　in　a　low　voice。　'Wolf；　the　hair's　e　back　on　your　palms。'　
　　Wolf　started　and　looked　at　Jack。　For　a　moment…it　might　have　been　his　feverish　imagination；　and　even　if　not；　it　was　only　for　a　moment…Wolf　looked　at　Jack　with　a　flat；　greedy　hunger。　Then　he　seemed　to　shake　himself；　as　if　out　of　a　bad　dream。
　　'Yes；'　he　said。　'But　I　don't　want　to　talk　about　that；　and　I　don't　want　you　to　talk　about　that。　It　doesn't　matter；　not　yet。　Wolf！　Just　drink　your　medicine；　Jack；　that's　all　you　have　to　do。'　
　　Wolf　was　obviously　not　going　to　take　no　for　an　answer；　if　Jack　didn't　drink　the　medicine；　then　Wolf　might　feel　duty…bound　to　simply　pull　open　his　jaws　and　pour　it　down　his　throat。
　　'Remember；　if　this　kills　me；　you'll　be　alone；'　Jack　said　grimly；　taking　the　can。　It　was　still　warm。
　　A　look　of　terrible　distress　spread　over　Wolf's　face。　He　pushed　the　round　glasses　up　on　his　nose。　'Don't　want　to　hurt　you；　Jack…Wolf　never　wants　to　hurt　Jack。'　The　expression　was　so　large　and　so　full　of　misery　that　it　would　have　been　ludicrous　had　it　not　been　so　obviously　genuine。
　　Jack　gave　in　and　drank　the　contents　of　the　can。　There　was　no　way　he　could　stand　against　that　expression　of　hurt　dismay。　The　taste　was　as　awful　as　he　had　imagined　it　would　be　。　。　。　and　for　a　moment　didn't　the　world　waver？　Didn't　it　waver　as　if　he　were　about　to　flip　back　into　the　Territories？
　　'Wolf！'　he　yelled。　'Wolf；　grab　my　hand！'
　　Wolf　did；　looking　both　concerned　and　excited。　'Jack？　Jacky？　What　is　it？'　
　　The　taste　of　the　medicine　began　to　leave　his　mouth。　At　the　same　time；　a　warm　glow…the　sort　of　glow　he　got　from　a　small　sip　of　brandy　on　the　few　occasions　his　mother　had　allowed　him　to　have　one…began　to　spread　in　his　stomach。　And　the　world　grew　solid　around　him　again。　That　brief　wavering　might　also　have　been　imagination　。　。　。　but　Jack　didn't　think　so。
　　We　almost　went。　For　a　moment　there　it　was　very　close。　Maybe　I　can　do　it　without　the　magic　juice　。　。　。　maybe　I　can！
　　'Jack？　What　is　it？'
　　'I　feel　better；'　he　said；　and　managed　a　smile。　'I　feel　better；　that's　all。'　He　discovered　that　he　did；　too。
　　'You　smell　better；　too；'　Wolf　said　cheerfully。　'Wolf！　Wolf！'
　　　
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　　He　continued　to　improve　the　next　day；　but　he　was　weak。　Wolf　carried　him　'horseyback'　and　they　made　slow　progress　west。　Around　dusk　they　started　looking　for　a　place　to　lie　up　for　the　night。　Jack　spotted　a　woodshed　in　a　dirty　little　gully。　It　was　surrounded　by　trash　and　bald　tires。　Wolf　agreed　without　saying　much。　He　had　been　quiet　and　morose　all　day　long。
　　Jack　fell　asleep　almost　at　once　and　woke　up　around　eleven　needing　to　urinate。　He　looked　beside　him　and　saw　that　Wolf's　place　was　empty。　Jack　thought　he　had　probably　gone　in　search　of　more　herbs　in　order　to　administer　the　equivalent　of　a　booster　shot。　Jack　wrinkled　his　nose；　but　if　Wolf　wanted　him　to　drink　more　of　the　stuff；　he　would。　It　surely　had　made　him　feel　one　hell　of　a　lot　better。
　　He　went　around　to　the　side　of　the　shed；　a　straight　slim　boy　wearing　Jockey　shorts；　unlaced　sneakers；　and　an　open　shirt。　He　peed　for　what　seemed　like　a　very　long　time　indeed；　looking　up　at　the　sky　as　he　did　so。　It　was　one　of　those　misleading　nights　which　sometimes　es　to　the　midwest　in　October　and　early　November；　not　so　long　before　winter　es　down　with　a　cruel；　iron　snap。　It　was　almost　tropically　warm；　and　the　mild　breeze　was　like　a　caress。
　　Overhead　floated　the　moon；　white　and　round　and　lovely。　It　cast　a　clear　and　yet　eerily　misleading　glow　over　everything；　seeming　to　simultaneously　enhance　and　obscure。　Jack　stared　at　it；　aware　that　he　was　almost　hypnotized；　not　really　caring。
　　We　don't　go　near　the　herd　when　we　change。　Good　Jason；　no！
　　Am　I　the　herd　now；　Wolf？
　　There　was　a　face　on　the　moon。　Jack　saw　with　no　surprise　that　it　was　Wolf's　face　。　。　。　except　it　was　not　wide　and　open　and　a　little　surprised；　a　face　of　goodness　and　simplicity。　This　face　was　narrow；　ah　yes；　and　dark；　it　was　dark　with　hair；　but　the　hair　didn't　matter。　It　was　dark　with　intent。
　　We　don't　go　near　them；　we'd　eat　them；　eat　them；　we'd　eat　them；　Jack；　when　we　change　we'd…
　　The　face　in　the　moon；　a　chiaroscuro　carved　in　bone；　was　the　face　of　a　snarling　beast；　its　head　cocked　in　that　final　moment　before　the　lunge；　the　mouth　open　and　filled　with　teeth。
　　We'd　eat　we'd　kill　we'd　kill；　kill；　KILL　KILL
　　A　finger　touched　Jack's　shoulder　and　ran　slowly　down　to　his　waist。
　　Jack　had　only　been　standing　there　with　his　penis　in　his　hand；　the　foreskin　pinched　lightly　between　thumb　and　forefinger；　looking　at　the　moon。　Now　a　fresh；　hard　jet　of　urine　spurted　out　of　him。
　　'I　scared　you；'　Wolf　said　from　behind　him。　'I'm　sorry；　Jack。　God　pound　me。'　
　　But　for　a　moment　Jack　didn't　think　Wolf　was　sorry。
　　For　a　moment　it　sounded　as　if　Wolf　were　grinning。　
　　And　Jack　was　suddenly　sure　he　was　going　to　be　eaten　up。
　　House　of　bricks？　he　thought　incoherently。　I　don't　even　have　a　house　of　straw　that　I　can　run　to。
　　Now　the　fear　came；　dry　terror　in　his　veins　hotter　than　any　fever。
　　Who's　afraid　of　the　big　bad　Wolf　the　big　bad　Wolf　the　big　bad…
　　'Jack？'
　　I　am；　I　am；　oh　God　I　am　afraid　of　the　big　bad　Wolf…
　　He　turned　around　slowly。
　　Wolf's　face；　which　had　been　lightly　scruffed　with　stubble　when　the　two　of　them　crossed　to　the　shed　and　lay　down；　was　now　heavily　bearded　from　a　point　so　high　on　his　cheekbones　that　the　hair　almost　seemed　to　begin　at　his　temples。　His　eyes　glared　a　bright　red…orange。
　　'Wolf；　are　you　all　right？'　Jack　asked　in　a　husky；　breathy　whisper。　It　was　as　loud　as　he　could　talk。
　　'Yes；'　Wolf　said。　'I've　been　running　with　the　moon。　It's　beautiful。　I　ran　。　。　。　and　ran　。　。　。　and　ran。　But　I'm　all　right；　Jack。'　Wolf　smiled　to　show　how　all　right　he　was；　and　revealed　a　mouthful　of　giant；　rending　teeth。　Jack　recoiled　in　numb　horror。　It　was　like　looking　into　the　mouth　of　that　Alien　thing　in　the　movies。
　　Wolf　saw　his　expression；　and　dismay　crossed　his　roughened；　thickening　features。　But　under　the　dismay…and　not　far　under；　either…was　something　else。　Something　that　capered　and　grinned　and　showed　its　teeth。　Something　that　would　chase　prey　until　blood　flew　from　the　prey's　nose　in　its　terror；　until　it　moaned　and　begged。　Something　that　would　laugh　as　it　tore　the　screaming　prey　open。
　　It　would　laugh　even　if　he　were　the　prey。　
　　Especially　if　he　were　the　prey。
　　'Jack；　I'm　sorry；'　he　said。　'The　time　。　。　。　it's　ing。　We'll　have　to　do　something。　We'll　。　。　。　tomorrow。　We'll　have　to　。　。　。　have　to　。　。　。　'　He　looked　up　and　that　hypnotized　expression　spread　over　his　face　as　he　looked　into　the　sky。
　　He　raised　his　head　and　howled。
　　And　Jack　thought　he　heard…very　faintly…the　Wolf　in　the　moon　howl　back。
　　Horror　stole　through　him；　quietly　and　pletely。　Jack　slept　no　more　that　night。
　　　
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　　The　next　day　Wolf　was　better。　A　little　better；　anyway；　but　he　was　almost　sick　with　tension。　As　he　was　trying　to　tell　Jack　what　to　do…as　well　as　he　could；　anyway…a　jet　plane　passed　high　overhead。　Wolf　jumped　to　his　feet；　rushed　out；　and　howled　at　it；　shaking　his　fists　at　the　sky。　His　hairy　feet　were　bare　again。　They　had　swelled　and　split　the　cheap　penny　loafers　wide　open。
　　He　tried　to　tell　Jack　what　to　do；　but　he　had　little　to　go　on　except　old　tales　and　rumors。　He　knew　what　the　change　was　in　his　own　world；　but　he　sensed　it　might　be　much　worse…more　powerful　and　more　dangerous…in　the　land　of　the　Strangers。　And　he　felt　that　now。　He　felt　that　power　sweeping　through　him；　and　tonight　when　the　moon　rose　he　felt　sure　it　would