sk.thetalisman-第95部分

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from　the　closet　but　from　the　door　which　municates　between　the　bedroom　and　the　upstairs　hall…the　door　BEHIND　Richard…when　that　happens；　Richard　rejects　fantasy　for　good　and　all；　Richard　negates　fantasy；　Richard　refuses　to　deal　with　fantasy；　or　treat　with　it；　or　promise　with　it。　He　has；　quite　simply；　Had　Enough；　Forever。　He　jumps　up；　runs　to　his　father；　to　the　beloved　Morgan　Sloat；　and　hugs　him　so　tightly　that　his　arms　will　be　sore　all　that　week。　Morgan　lifts　him　up；　laughs；　and　asks　him　why　he　looks　so　pale。　Richard　smiles；　and　tells　him　that　it　was　probably　something　he　ate　for　breakfast；　but　he　feels　better　now；　and　he　kisses　his　father's　cheek；　and　smells　the　beloved　smell　of　mingled　sweat　and　Raj　cologne。　And　later　that　day；　he　takes　all　of　his　storybooks…the　Little　Golden　Books；　the　pop…up　books；　the　I…Can…Read　books；　the　Dr。　Seuss　books；　the　Green　Fairy　Book　for　Young　Folks；　and　he　puts　them　in　a　carton；　and　he　puts　the　carton　down　in　the　basement；　and　he　thinks：　'I　would　not　care　if　an　earthquake　came　now　and　opened　a　crack　in　the　floor　and　swallowed　up　every　one　of　those　books。　In　fact；　it　would　be　a　relief。　In　fact；　it　would　be　such　a　relief　that　I　would　probably　laugh　all　day　and　most　of　the　weekend。'　This　does　not　happen；　but　Richard　feels　a　great　relief　when　the　books　are　shut　in　double　darkness…the　darkness　of　the　carton　and　the　darkness　of　the　cellar。　He　never　looks　at　them　again；　just　as　he　never　goes　in　his　father's　closet　with　the　folding　door　again；　and　although　he　sometimes　dreams　that　there　is　something　under　his　bed　or　in　his　closet；　something　with　flat　yellow　eyes；　he　never　thinks　about　that　green；　sucker…covered　hand　again　until　the　strange　time　es　to　Thayer　School　and　he　bursts　into　unaccustomed　tears　in　his　friend　Jack　Sawyer's　arms。
　　He　has　Had　Enough；　Forever。
　　　
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　　Jack　had　hoped　that　with　the　telling　of　his　story　and　the　passing　of　his　tears；　Richard　would　return…more　or　less…to　his　normal；　sharply　rational　self。　Jack　didn't　really　care　if　Richard　bought　the　whole　nine　yards　or　not；　if　Richard　could　just　reconcile　himself　to　accepting　the　leading　edge　of　this　craziness；　he　could　turn　his　formidable　mind　to　helping　Jack　find　a　way　out　。　。　。　a　way　off　the　Thayer　campus；　anyway；　and　out　of　Richard's　life　before　Richard　went　totally　bananas。
　　But　it　didn't　work　that　way。　When　Jack　tried　to　talk　to　him…to　tell　Richard　about　the　time　his　own　father；　Phil；　had　gone　into　the　garage　and　hadn't　e　out…Richard　refused　to　listen。　The　old　secret　of　what　had　happened　that　day　in　the　closet　was　out　（sort　of；　Richard　still　clung　stubbornly　to　the　idea　that　it　had　been　a　hallucination）；　but　Richard　had　still　Had　Enough；　Forever。
　　The　next　morning；　Jack　went　downstairs。　He　got　all　of　his　own　things　and　those　things　he　thought　Richard　might　want…toothbrush；　textbooks；　notebooks；　a　fresh　change　of　clothes。　They　would　spend　that　day　in　Albert　the　Blob's　room；　he　decided。　They　could　keep　an　eye　on　the　quad　and　the　gate　from　up　there。　When　night　fell　again；　maybe　they　could　get　away。
　　　
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　　Jack　hunted　through　Albert's　desk　and　found　a　bottle　of　baby　aspirin。　He　looked　at　this　for　a　moment；　thinking　that　these　little　orange　pills　said　almost　as　much　about　the　departed　Albert's　Loving　Mom　as　the　carton　of　licorice　whips　on　the　closet　shelf。　Jack　shook　out　half　a　dozen　pills。　He　gave　them　to　Richard　and　Richard　took　them　absently。　'e　on　over　here　and　lie　down；'　Jack　said。
　　'No；'　Richard　answered…his　tone　was　cross　and　restless　and　terribly　unhappy。　He　returned　to　the　window。　'I　ought　to　keep　a　watch。　So　a　full　report　can　be　made　to　。　。　。　to　。　。　。　to　the　trustees。　Later。'　
　　Jack　touched　Richard's　brow　lightly。　And　although　it　was　cool…almost　chilly…he　said：　'Your　fever's　worse；　Richard。　Better　lie　down　until　that　aspirin　goes　to　work。'
　　'Worse？'　Richard　looked　at　him　with　pathetic　gratitude。　'Is　it？'
　　'It　is；'　Jack　said　gravely。　'e　on　and　lie　down。'　
　　Richard　was　asleep　five　minutes　after　he　lay　down。　Jack　sat　in　Albert　the　Blob's　easy　chair；　its　seat　nearly　as　sprung　as　the　middle　of　Albert's　mattress。　Richard's　pale　face　glowed　waxily　in　the　growing　daylight。
　　　
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　　Somehow　the　day　passed；　and　around　four　o'clock；　Jack　fell　asleep。　He　awoke　to　darkness；　not　knowing　how　long　he　had　been　out。　He　only　knew　there　had　been　no　dreams；　and　for　that　he　was　grateful。　Richard　was　stirring　uneasily　and　Jack　guessed　he　would　be　up　soon。　He　stood　and　stretched；　wincing　at　the　stiffness　in　his　back。　He　went　to　the　window；　looked　out；　and　stood　motionless；　eyes　wide。　His　first　thought　was　I　don't　want　Richard　to　see　this。　Not　if　I　can　help　it。
　　O　God；　we've　got　to　get　out　of　here；　and　just　as　soon　as　we　can；　Jack　thought；　frightened。　Even　if；　for　whatever　reasons；　they're　afraid　to　e　straight　at　us。
　　But　was　he　really　going　to　take　Richard　out　of　here？　They　didn't　think　he　would　do　it；　he　knew　that…they　were　counting　on　his　refusing　to　expose　his　friend　to　any　more　of　this　craziness。
　　Flip；　Jack…O。　You've　got　to　flip　over；　and　you　know　it。　And　you've　got　to　take　Richard　with　you　because　this　place　is　going　to　hell。
　　I　can't。　Flipping　into　the　Territories　would　blow　Richard's　wheels　pletely。
　　Doesn't　matter。　You　have　to　do　it。　It's　the　best　thing；　anyway…maybe　the　only　thing…because　they　won't　be　expecting　it。
　　'Jack？'　Richard　was　sitting　up。　His　face　had　a　strange；　naked　look　without　his　glasses。　'Jack；　is　it　over？　Was　it　a　dream？'　
　　Jack　sat　down　on　the　bed　and　put　an　arm　around　Richard's　shoulders。　'No；'　he　said；　his　voice　low　and　soothing。　'It's　not　over　yet；　Richard。'
　　'I　think　my　fever's　worse；'　Richard　announced；　pulling　away　from　Jack。　He　drifted　over　to　the　window；　one　of　the　bows　of　his　glasses　pinched　delicately　between　the　thumb　and　forefinger　of　his　right　hand。　He　put　his　spectacles　on　and　looked　out。　Shapes　with　glowing　eyes　roamed　back　and　forth。　He　stood　there　for　a　long　time；　and　then　he　did　something　so　un…Richardlike　that　Jack　could　barely　credit　it。　He　took　his　glasses　off　again　and　deliberately　dropped　them。　There　was　a　frigid　little　crunch　as　one　lens　cracked。　Then　he　stepped　deliberately　back　on　them；　shattering　both　lenses　to　powder。
　　He　picked　them　up；　looked　at　them；　and　then　tossed　them　unconcernedly　toward　Albert　the　Blob's　wastebasket。　He　missed　by　a　wide　margin。　There　was　now　something　softly　stubborn　in　Richard's　face；　too…something　that　said　I　don't　want　to　see　any　more；　so　I　won't　see　any　more；　and　I　have　taken　care　of　the　problem。　I　have　Had　Enough；　Forever。
　　'Look　at　that；'　he　said　in　a　flat；　unsurprised　voice。　'I　broke　my　glasses。　I　had　another　pair；　but　I　broke　them　in　gym　two　weeks　ago。　I'm　almost　blind　without　them。'　
　　Jack　knew　this　wasn't　true；　but　he　was　too　flabbergasted　to　say　anything。　He　could　think　of　absolutely　no　appropriate　response　to　the　radical　action　Richard　had　just　taken…it　had　been　too　much　like　a　calculated　last…ditch　stand　against　madness。
　　'I　think　my　fever's　worse　too；'　Richard　said。　'Have　you　got　any　more　of　those　aspirin；　Jack？'　
　　Jack　opened　the　desk　drawer　and　wordlessly　handed　Richard　the　bottle。　Richard　swallowed　six　or　eight　of　them；　then　lay　down　again。
　　　
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　　As　the　night　deepened；　Richard；　who　repeatedly　promised　to　discuss　their　situation；　repeatedly　went　back　on　his　word。　He　couldn't　discuss　leaving；　he　said；　couldn't　discuss　any　of　this；　not　now；　his　fever　had　e　back　and　it　felt　much；　much　worse；　he　thought　it　might　be　as　high　as　a　hundred　and　five；　possibly　a　hundred　and　six。　He　said　he　needed　to　go　back　to　sleep。
　　'Richard；　for　Christ's　sake！'　Jack　roared。　'You're　punking　out　on　me！　Of　all　the　things　I　never　expected　from　you…'
　　'Don't　be　silly；'　Richard　said；　falling　back　onto　Albert's　bed。　'I'm　just　sick；　Jack。　You　can't　expect　me　to　talk　about　all　these　crazy　things　when　I'm　sick。'
　　'Richard；　do　you　want　me　to　go　away　and　leave　you？'
　　Richard　looked　back　over　his　shoulder　at　Jack　for　a　moment；　blinking　slowly。　'You　won't；'　he　said；　and　then　went　back　to　sleep。
　　　
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　　Around　nine　o'clock；　the　campus　entered　another　of　those　mysterious　quiet　periods；　and　Richard；　perhaps　sensing　that　there　would　be　less　strain　put　on　his　tottering　sanity　now；　woke　up　and　swung　his　legs　over　the　bed。　Brown　spots　had　appeared　on　the　walls；　and　he　stared　at　them　until　he　saw　Jack　ing　toward　him。
　　'I　feel　a　lot　better；　Jack；'　he　said　hastily；　'but　it　really　won't　do　us　any　good　to　talk　about　leaving；　it's　dark；　and…'
　　'We　have　to　leave　tonight；'　Jack　said　grimly。　'All　they　have　to　do　is　wait　us　out。　There's　fungus　growing　on　the　walls；　and　don't　tell　me　you　don't　see　that。'　
　　Richard　smiled　with　a　blind　tolerance　that　nearly　drove　Jack　mad。　He　loved　Richard；　but　he　could　cheerfully　have　pounded　him　through　the　nearest　fungus…rotted　wall。
　　At　that　precise　moment；　long；　fat　white　bugs　began　to　squirm　into　Albert　the　Blob's　room。　They　came　pushing　out　of　the　brown　fungoid　spots　on　the　wall　as　if　the　fungus　were　in　some　unknown　way　giving　birth　to　them。　They　twisted　and　writhed　half　in　and　half　out　of　the　soft　brown　spots；　then　plopped　to　the　floor　and　began　squirming　blindly　toward　the　bed。
　　Jack　had　begun　to　wonder　if　Richard's　sight　weren't　really　a　lot　worse　than　he　remembered；　or　if　it　had　degenerated　badly　since　he　had　last　seen　Richard。　Now　he　saw　that　he　had　been　right　the　first　time。　Richard　could　see　quite　well。　He　certainly　wasn't　having　any　trouble　picking　up　the　gelatinous　things　that　were　ing　out　of　the　walls；　anyway。　He　screamed　and　pressed　against　Jack；　his　face　frantic　with　revulsion。
　　'Bugs；　Jack！　Oh；　Jesus！　Bugs！　Bugs！'
　　'We'll　be　all　right…right；　Richard？'　Jack　said。　He　held　Richard　in　place　with　a　strength　he　didn't　know　he　had。　'We'll　just　wait　for　the　morning；　right？　No　problem；　right？'　
　　They　were　squirming　out　in　dozens；　in　hundreds；　plump；　waxy…white　things　like　overgrown　maggots。　Some　burst　open　when　they　struck　the　floor。　The　rest　humped　sluggishly　across　the　floor　toward　them。
　　'Bugs；　Jesus；　we　have　to　get　out；　we　have　to…'
　　'Thank　God；　this　kid　finally　sees　the　light；'　Jack　said。　
　　He　slung　his　knapsack　over　his　left　arm　and　grabbed　Richard's　elbow　in　his　rig