gns.theplutopact-第35部分

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　　'Kent。'　She　hesitated；　as　though　struggling　to　choose　her　words　carefully；　maybe　fearful　of　offending　him。　'Do　。　。　。　do　you　ever　miss　not　having　a　woman？　I　mean；　a　regular　woman。'
　　
　　He　gave　a　deep　sigh。　She　had　asked　the　question　he　most　wanted　her　to　ask。　Also　the　one　he　feared。　Kent　of　Fleet　Street；　the　man　who　interviewed　politicians；　personalities；　and　tricked　them　into　revealing　facts　they　desperately　sought　to　withhold。　Now　everything　was　in　reverse。　He　knew　now　how　it　felt　to　be　on　the　receiving　end。
　　
　　'It's　hell　sometimes。'　A　confessional　mood　was　on　him　now。　'I　know　a　lot　of　women　in　London。　I　can　always　have　one　when　I　need　one。　Not　prostitutes。　Women　who　just　need　a　man　the　same　way　I　need　them。　Call　it　lust　if　you　like。　Something　just　physical。　But　afterwards　you　feel　a　thousand　times　worse。　Loneliness　is　made　so　much　more　apparent　to　you。　So　you　work　it　off；　work　like　hell。　Try　and　forget　it。　But　sooner　or　later　you　have　to　go　in　search　of　another　woman。　Sex　is　like　a　curse　then。　You　wish　you　could　do　without　it；　but　you　can't；　and　you　know　it。'
　　
　　'I　know。'　She　leaned　back　in　her　chair　and　the　movement　brought　a　faint　stirring　in　his　loins。　He　wanted　to　fight　it　off。　Hell；　her　husband　was　his　best　friend。　She　had　just　lost　a　son。　Her　daughter　was　asleep　upstairs　under　sedation。
　　
　　'Kent。'　Her　voice　was　more　decisive　now；　her　eyes　meeting　his。　'I　know　precisely　how　you　feel。　That's　exactly　the　position　I'm　in　now。'
　　
　　'But　you　have　a　husband　。　。　。　'　He　felt　he　had　to　make　some　kind　of　token　resistance。
　　
　　'I　don't　have　a　husband　。　。　。　'　She　sat　up　again；　leaning　towards　him。　'He's　gone。　He　won't　e　back。　He's　hi　love　with　that　girl。　I　can　only　supply　him　with　his　physical　needs。　As　you　just　said；　it　isn't　enough。　Tonight；　after　I'd　given　Sarah　her　sleeping　tablets；　I　sat　with　the　pill　bottle　in　my　hand　for　a　long　time。　The　way　out　would　have　been　so　easy。　Richard's　gone。　So　is　Bob。　It　was　only　the　thought　of　Sarah　that　prevented　me　from　taking　all　those　tablets　myself。　She　needs　me。　I'd　only　just　made　the　decision　to　carry　on　with　life；　see　it　through　to　the　end　。　。　。　Then　you　arrived。　God；　I　was　glad　to　see　you！'
　　
　　She　stood　up；　seeming　to　tower　above　him。　He　noted　the　fullness　of　her　bosom；　the　sum　hips；　legs；　ankles。　He　preferred　her　to　Anne　in　every　way；　although　he　would　not　have　admitted　it。　Every　man　has　his　own　particular　fancy；　Kent　certainly　had　his　right　now。
　　
　　'Kent；'　she　moved　a　step　nearer。　'Would　you　stop　here　with　me　tonight？'
　　
　　He　nodded；　smiling；　watching　in　a　daze　as　she　switched　off　the　fire。　He　stood　up　and　followed　her　out　of　the　room；　then　up　the　narrow　staircase；　following　every　movement　of　her　buttocks　just　ahead　of　him。
　　
　　The　bed　looked　the　most　fortable　and　inviting　thing　he　had　ever　seen。
　　
　　Even　now　she　was　starting　to　undress。　By　the　time　he　had　removed　his　shirt　and　tie　she　was　naked　beneath　the　sheets；　waiting　for　him。
　　
　　It　was　silly　to　turn　off　the　light；　he　told　himself；　but　somehow　he　had　to　make　it　different　from　all　his　previous　relationships。　This　was　not　just　another　physical　encounter。　Jane　really　wanted　him。　He　hoped　that　he　would　not　disappoint　her。　She　was　groping　for　him　even　as　he　crawled　in　beside　her。
　　
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　16
　　
　　Section　Eight　exploded　shortly　after　midnight！
　　
　　Coyle　was　aware　of　the　time　because；　even　as　the　walls　of　the　office　came　in　at　him；　the　huge　fireball　which　lit　the　sky　showed　up　the　face　of　the　cheap　alarm　clock　on　the　desk。　Doomtime…12。07a。m。！
　　
　　In　that　split　second　he　was　forcing　his　numbed；　sleep…bemused　mind　to　work。　Heedless　of　his　own　safety；　he　flung　himself　across　the　sleeping　bag　as　a　human　shield　to　protect　Anne。
　　
　　Then　came　the　awful　shock；　a　terror　that　divorced　him　from　the　holocaust　all　around。　His　body　hit　the　limp　quilt　with　jarring　force。　It　was　empty。　Anne　was　gone！
　　
　　There　was　flying　debris　everywhere；　cascading　brickwork　showered　all　around　him；　yet　miraculously　left　him　unscathed。　Thick　choking　dust；　glowing　orange　like　hazy　sunlight；　was　filtering　through　the　grimy　window　pane。　Heat　scorched　his　naked　flesh；　withering　it　on　his　body。　But　he　ignored　the　pain；　scrambling　over　piles　of　rubble；　clawing　at　it　frantically；　trying　to　shout　Anne's　name…but　no　words　came　out；　not　even　a　hoarse　whisper。　He　was　outside　in　the　open…though；　to　be　precise；　there　was　no　longer　any　indoors　or　outdoors。　A　fiery　sky　lit　up　the　whole　scene；　revealing　the　entire　length　of　the　valley；　a　flattened　landscape　over　which　the　towering　mountains　were　starting　to　avalanche；　with　mighty　rock　falls　that　slid　and　bounced　slowly　and　silently。　And　everywhere　there　was　total　silence；　because　Bob　Coyle　could　no　longer　hear。　He　was　reduced　to　a　panic…stricken　human　robot　that　staggered　haphazardly；　tearing　at　immovable　heaps　of　rubble；　crying　inwardly　because　his　tears　were　dried　by　the　heat　as　soon　as　they　began。
　　
　　Alone！　Where　was　everyone　else？　Oh　God；　why　could　he　not　have　died　along　with　everybody　else？　Yes；　he　wanted　to　be　dead…to　be　with　Anne。
　　
　　Fires　were　erupting　everywhere；　small　blazes　starting　up　and　spreading；　the　hot　wind　fanning　their　flames　to　an　inferno。　Flashes　of　reason　came　to　him。　Anne　must　have　crept　out　soon　after　he'd　fallen　asleep。　But　why？　Perhaps　she'd　crossed　the　yard　to　the　toilet。　He　looked　around；　trying　to　shield　his　smarting　eyes　from　the　glare　and　the　smoke。　Everywhere　was　totally　unrecognisable；　he　didn't　even　know　where　the　office　had　stood；　or　if　he　was　in　the　right　street。　Total　destruction；　just　as　they　had　forecast…the　last　and　greatest　holocaust　of　all！
　　
　　Still　wandering；　searching。　His　brain　couldn't　cope　with　the　situation　much　longer。　Maybe　he　was　shouting；　maybe　he　wasn't。　Inside　he　still　cried。
　　
　　Once　he　paused　to　glance　down　at　his　own　tortured　body…just　a　mass　of　blisters　that　wept　thick　matter　like　melted　syrup；　hands　and　feet　that　no　longer　bled　because　the　thick　ooze　stemmed　the　blood　flowing　from　the　abrasions。　Hairless；　a　walking　festering　cinder。　Still　searching　although　he'd　given　up　hope。
　　
　　Then　he　saw　the　man！　Coyle　stood　staring；　scraping　at　his　eyes　in　an　attempt　to　make　the　mirage　go　away。　A　thing　in　human　shape　that　stood　atop　a　blazing　pyre；　seemingly　unharmed　by　the　crackling　flames。　It　was　clothed　in　ragged　garments　that　neither　burned　nor　shrivelled；　its　revolting　flesh　clearly　visible　through　the　tatters。　Its　head　had　a　sparse　covering　of　hair；　and　seemed　too　large　for　the　frail　body　on　which　it　rested。　Its　eyes　picked　him　out　of　the　smoke；　and　forced　Bob　Coyle　to　meet　a　gaze　that　blazed　with　contempt　and　hatred；　that　had　him　shivering　in　spite　of　the　terrible　heat。　The　lips　moved　over　a　toothless　cavity　of　a　mouth。
　　
　　'I；　Balzur；　have　returned　to　witness　the　fruits　of　my　curse；　sent　here　by　Pluto　who　will　soon　e　to　rule　over　this　fiery　hell。　You；　wretch；　are　the　last　survivor　of　those　who　tried　to　destroy　me　in　vain。　You　live　only　because　I　decreed　it。　And　your　sufferings　are　only　just　beginning。　For　you　will　experience　the　eternal　fire；　Witchfinder。　Yea；　you　are　of　his　blood…line；　and　so　you　shall　suffer　the　agonies　of　hell。　。　。　'
　　
　　Coyle　wanted　to　shrink　away　but　he　could　not　move。　It　was　as　though　every　muscle　in　his　body　had　melted；　condemning　him　to　remain　watching；　with　eyes　that　burned　in　their　sockets。　Seeing；　understanding；　and　。　。　。　oh；　God；　suddenly　he　understood！
　　
　　His　terror　came　in　shuddering　waves　with　the　realisation　of　what　he　saw　before　him。　For　now　he　recognised　the　face　before　him；　reflected　in　this　weird　unearthly　glow；　features　he　had　seen　in　those　recent　nightmares　but　had　been　snatched　from　his　memory　on　waking。　Balzur；　the　wizard　of　old　Craiglowrie；　had　e　back　to　walk　amongst　them　in　human　form；　and　he；　Coyle　had　been　blind　to　it。　And　now　he　knew　when　it　was　too　late　。　。　。　knew　that　Balzur　had　returned　in　the　person　of　Winston　Dyne。
　　
　　Insane　mocking　laughter；　inflicting　the　last　wounds　on　a　tortured　soul。　Too　late！　You　realise　too　late。　And　you　shall　suffer　for　eternity；　Witchfinder！

　　
　　Everything　was　starting　to　go　black　for　Coyle。　A　cooling　wave　of　unconsciousness　was　ing　out　of　the　fires　to　calm　him；　and　he　wasn't　going　to　fight　against　it。　Rage　and　disbelief　appeared　on　those　centuries…old　features　as　Balzur　saw　what　was　happening。　Now　it　was　Coyle's　turn　to　mock；　screaming　inprehensible　insults　with　blistered　lips　that　somehow　found　they　could　move。　Crying　real　tears　that　were　wet　again。　Screaming　because　of　Anne。　Writhing　on　a　weling　bed　of　cinders。　Trying　to　fight　off　hands　that　gripped　rum。
　　
　　Then　suddenly　Coyle　was　back　in　a　world　of　cool　darkness；　the　familiar　office　with　walls　and　ceiling　intact；　his　naked　flesh　unscathed。　Still　struggling；　trying　to　control　his　confused　brain。　But　it　was　not　the　talon…like　fingers　of　Balzur　which　brought　him　back　to　consciousness。　Instead　the　hands　were　soft　and　sensuous；　there　was　a　heady　aroma　of　musk　where　previously　he　had　smelled　only　acrid　burning。
　　
　　Anne！
　　
　　'Bob　。　。　。　snap　out　of　it！'　She　shook　him　again；　less　urgently　now　that　his　eyes　were　open。　'You've　had　a　nightmare。　A　bad　one。'
　　
　　He　nodded；　choking　with　sheer　relief；　crying　now　for　a　different　reason。　Yes；　it　had　been　a　bad　one；　the　worst　ever。　Only　this　time　it　was　different；　he　remembered　those　evil　features　and　knew　to　whom　they　belonged。
　　
　　'I'll　make　some　coffee。'
　　
　　'Sure。'　He　managed　a　smile　and　hoisted　himself　to　his　feet。　'You　do　that；　darling。　But　first　I've　got　to　ring　Kent。　Try　to　make　him　believe　me。'
　　
　　'Pull　yourself　together！'　There　was　a　sudden　flicker　of　fear　on　her　face…fear　that　the　enormity　of　his　nightmare　had　disturbed　his　reasoning。　'You　can't　go　fetching　Kent　out　in　the　night　just　because　of　a　bad　dream。'
　　
　　'Don't　worry；　I'm　not　going　round　the　bend。'　He　forced　another　smile。　'Something　that's　been　eluding　me　these　past　nights。　The　dreams；　a　face　。　。　。　now　I　know　that　Balzur　has　e　back；　that　he's　been　amongst　us　for　some　time　。。。　a　reincarnation　maybe；　or　some　inexplicable　evil　psychic　force　that's　taken　over　a　human　body　and　soul。