ib.thewaspfactory-第6部分

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d　through　my　own　teeth　at　it　and　tugged　the　rubber　tighter；　then　tighter　still。　The　buck　thrashed　and　spat　and　made　a　high　keening　noise　I　didn't　think　rabbits　were　capable　of　and　beat　its　legs　on　the　ground。　I　was　so　rattled　I　glanced　round　to　make　sure　this　wasn't　a　signal　for　an　army　of　bunnies　like　this　Dobermann　of　a　beast　to　e　up　from　behind　and　tear　me　to　shreds。
　　
　　The　damn　thing　wouldn't　die！　The　rubber　was　stretching　and　stretching　and　not　tightening　enough；　and　I　couldn't　move　my　hands　for　fear　of　it　tearing　the　flesh　off　a　finger　or　biting　my　nose　off。　The　same　consideration　stopped　me　from　butting　the　animal；　I　wasn't　going　to　put　my　face　near　those　teeth。　I　couldn't　get　a　knee　up　to　break　its　back；　either；　because　I　was　almost　slipping　down　the　slope　as　it　was；　and　I　couldn't　possibly　get　any　purchase　on　that　surface　with　only　one　leg。　It　was　crazy！　This　wasn't　Africa！　It　was　a　rabbit；　not　a　lion！　What　the　hell　was　happening　here？
　　
　　It　finally　bit　me；　twisting　its　neck　more　than　I　would　have　thought　possible　and　catching　my　right　index　finger　right　on　the　knuckle。
　　
　　That　was　it。　I　screamed　and　pulled　with　all　my　might；　shaking　my　hands　and　my　head　and　throwing　myself　backwards　and　over　as　I　did　so；　banging　one　knee　off　the　gun　where　it　lay；　fallen　in　the　sand。
　　
　　I　ended　up　lying　in　the　scrubby　grass　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill；　my　knuckles　white　as　I　throttled　the　rabbit；　swinging　it　in　front　of　my　face　with　its　neck　held　on　the　thin　black　line　of　rubber　tubing；　now　tied　like　a　knot　on　a　black　string。　I　was　still　shaking；　so　I　couldn't　tell　if　the　vibrations　the　body　made　were　its　or　mine。　Then　the　tubing　gave　way。　The　rabbit　slammed　into　my　left　hand　while　the　other　end　of　the　rubber　whipped　my　right　wrist；　my　arms　flew　out　in　opposite　directions；　crashing　into　the　ground。
　　
　　I　lay　on　my　back；　my　head　on　the　sandy　ground；　staring　out　to　the　side　where　the　body　of　the　buck　lay　at　the　end　of　a　little　curved　line　of　black；　and　tangled　in　the　arm…rest　and　grip　of　the　catapult。　The　animal　was　still。
　　
　　I　looked　up　at　the　sky　and　made　a　fist　with　the　other　hand；　beating　it　into　the　ground。　I　looked　back　at　the　rabbit；　then　got　up　and　knelt　over　it。　It　was　dead；　the　head　rolled　slack；　neck　broken；　when　I　lifted　it。　The　left　haunch　was　matted　red　with　blood　where　my　pellet　had　hit　it。　It　was　big；　size　of　a　tomcat；　the　biggest　rabbit　I'd　ever　seen。　Obviously　I'd　left　the　rabbits　alone　for　too　long；　or　I'd　have　known　about　the　existence　of　such　a　brute。
　　
　　I　sucked　at　the　little　trickle　of　blood　from　my　finger。　My　catapult；　my　pride　and　joy；　the　Black　Destroyer；　itself　destroyed　by　a　rabbit！　Oh；　I　suppose　I　could　have　written　off　and　got　a　new　length　of　rubber；　or　got　old　Cameron　in　the　ironmonger's　shop　to　find　me　something；　but　it　would　never　feel　right　again。　Every　time　I　lifted　it　to　aim　it　at　a　target　living　or　not…this　moment　would　be　at　the　back　of　my　mind。　The　Black　Destroyer　was　finished。
　　
　　I　sat　back　in　the　sand　and　looked　quickly　round　the　area。　Still　no　other　rabbits。　Hardly　surprising。　There　was　no　time　to　waste。　There's　only　one　way　to　react　after　something　like　this。
　　
　　I　got　up；　retrieved　the　rifle；　lying　half…buried　in　the　sand　on　the　slope；　went　to　the　top　of　the　hill；　looked　round；　then　decided　to　risk　leaving　everything　as　it　was。　I　cradled　the　gun　in　my　arms　and　set　off　at　Emergency　Speed；　hurtling　down　the　path　back　to　the　island　at　maximum；　trusting　to　luck　and　adrenalin　that　I　wouldn't　put　a　foot　wrong　and　end　up　lying　gasping　in　the　grass　with　a　multiple　fracture　of　the　femur。　I　used　the　gun　to　balance　myself　with　on　the　tighter　corners；　the　grass　and　the　ground　were　both　dry；　so　it　wasn't　as　risky　as　it　might　have　been。　I　cut　off　the　path　proper　and　charged　up　over　a　dune　and　down　its　other　side　to　where　the　service　pipe　carrying　the　water　and　electricity　to　the　house　appears　out　of　the　sand　and　crosses　the　creek。　I　jumped　the　iron　spikes　and　landed　with　both　feet　on　the　concrete；　then　ran　over　the　narrow　top　of　the　pipe　and　jumped　down　on　to　the　island。
　　
　　Back　at　the　house　I　went　straight　to　my　shed。　I　left　the　rifle；　checked　the　War　Bag　and　put　its　strap　over　my　head；　tying　the　waist…string　quickly。　I　locked　the　shed　again　and　jogged　as　far　as　the　bridge　while　I　got　my　breath　back。　Once　through　the　narrow　gate　in　the　middle　of　the　bridge　I　sprinted。
　　
　　At　the　Rabbit　Grounds；　everything　was　as　I'd　left　it…the　buck　lying　strangled　in　the　broken　catapult；　the　sand　kicked　up　and　messed　where　I'd　gone　crashing。　The　wind　still　moved　the　grass　and　flowers；　and　there　were　no　animals　around；　even　the　gulls　hadn't　spotted　the　carrion　yet。　I　got　straight　to　work。
　　
　　First　I　took　a　twenty…centimetre　electric…piping　bomb　out　of　the　War　Bag。　I　slit　the　buck　in　the　anus。　I　checked　that　the　bomb　was　all　right；　especially　that　the　white　crystals　of　the　explosive　mixture　were　dry；　then　added　a　plastic…straw　fuse　and　a　charge　of　the　explosive　around　the　hole　bored　in　the　black　pipe　and　taped　everything　up。　I　shoved　the　lot　inside　the　still　warm　rabbit　and　left　it　sort　of　sitting；　squatting　looking　towards　the　holes　in　the　bank。　Then　I　took　some　smaller　bombs　and　planted　them　inside　some　of　the　rabbit　holes；　stamping　down　the　roofs　of　the　tunnel　entrances　so　that　they　caved　in　and　left　only　the　straw　fuses　sticking　out。　I　filled　the　plastic　detergent…bottle　and　primed　the　lighter；　left　it　lying　on　the　top　of　the　bank　most　of　the　rabbit　holes　were　in；　then　went　back　to　the　first　of　the　blocked…up　holes　and　lit　the　fuse　with　my　disposable　cigarette…lighter。　The　smell　of　burning　plastic　stayed　in　my　nose　and　the　bright　glare　of　the　burning　mixture　danced　in　my　eyes　as　I　hurried　to　the　next　hole；　glancing　at　my　watch　as　I　did　so。　I'd　placed　six　smaller　bombs；　and　had　them　all　lit　in　forty　seconds。
　　
　　I　was　sitting　on　the　top　of　the　bank；　above　the　holes；　the　lighter　of　the　Flame…thrower　burning　weakly　in　the　sunlight；　when；　just　over　the　minute；　the　first　tunnel　blew。　I　felt　it　through　the　seat　of　my　pants；　and　grinned。　The　rest　went　off　quickly；　the　puff　of　smoke　from　the　charge　around　the　mouth　of　each　bomb　bursting　out　of　the　fuming　earth　just　before　the　main　charge　went　off。　Scattering　earth　was　blasted　out　into　the　Rabbit　Grounds；　and　the　thudding　noises　rolled　through　the　air。　I　smiled　at　that。　There　was　very　little　noise　really。　You　wouldn't　have　been　able　to　hear　a　thing　back　at　the　house。　Almost　all　the　energy　from　the　bombs　had　gone　into　blowing　the　earth　out　and　the　air　in　the　burrows　back。
　　
　　The　first　dazed　rabbits　came　out；　two　of　them　bleeding　at　the　nose；　looking　otherwise　unharmed　but　staggering；　almost　falling。　I　squeezed　the　plastic　bottle　and　sent　a　jet　of　petrol　out　of　it；　over　the　wick　of　the　lighter；　held　a　few　centimetres　out　from　the　nozzle　by　an　aluminium　tent…peg。　The　petrol　burst　into　flame　as　it　flew　over　the　wick　in　the　tiny　steel　cup；　roared　through　the　air　and　fell　brightly　on　and　around　the　two　rabbits。　They　took　flame　and　blazed；　running　and　stumbling　and　falling。　I　looked　round　for　more　as　the　first　two　flamed　near　the　centre　of　the　Grounds；　finally　collapsing　into　the　grass；　stiff…limbed　but　twitching；　crackling　to　the　breeze。　A　tiny　lick　of　flame　flickered　round　the　mouth　of　the　'thrower；　I　blew　it　out。　Another；　smaller　rabbit　appeared。　I　caught　it　with　the　jet　of　flame　and　it　zipped　off　out　of　range；　heading　for　the　water　by　the　side　of　the　hill　the　savage　buck　had　attacked　me　on。　I　dug　into　the　War　Bag；　drew　out　the　air…pistol；　cocked　it　and　fired　in　one　movement。　The　shot　missed　and　the　rabbit　trailed　a　thread　of　smoke　round　the　hill。
　　
　　I　got　another　three　rabbits　with　the　'thrower　before　I　packed　it　in。　The　last　thing　I　did　was　to　fire　the　blazing　stream　of　petrol　at　the　buck　still　sitting　stuffed　and　dead　and　oozing　blood　in　the　forefront　of　the　Grounds。　The　fire　dropped　all　round　it　so　that　it　disappeared　in　the　rolling　orange　and　curling　black。　In　a　few　seconds　the　fuse　caught；　and　after　about　ten　seconds　the　mass　of　flame　blew　up　and　out；　throwing　something　black　and　smoking　twenty　metres　or　more　into　the　late…afternoon　air　and　scattering　pieces　all　over　the　Grounds。　The　explosion；　much　bigger　than　the　ones　in　the　holes；　and　with　almost　nothing　to　muffle　it；　cracked　across　the　dunes　like　a　whip；　setting　my　ears　ringing　and　making　even　me　jump　a　bit。
　　
　　Whatever　was　left　of　the　buck　landed　way　behind　me。　I　followed　the　smell　of　burning　to　where　it　lay。　It　was　mostly　the　head；　and　a　grubby　stub　of　spine　and　ribs；　and　about　half　the　skin。　I　gritted　my　teeth　and　picked　the　warm　remnant　up；　took　it　back　to　the　Grounds　and　flung　it　into　them　from　the　top　of　the　bank。
　　
　　I　stood　in　the　slanting　sunlight；　warm　and　yellow　around　me；　the　stench　of　burning　flesh　and　grass　on　the　wind；　the　smoke　rising　into　the　air　from　burrows　and　cadavers；　grey　and　black；　the　sweet　smell　of　leaking　unburned　petrol　ing　from　the　Flame…thrower　where　I'd　left　it；　and　I　breathed　deeply。
　　
　　With　the　last　of　the　petrol　I　covered　the　body　of　the　catapult　and　the　used…up　bottle　of　the　'thrower　where　they　lay　on　the　sand　and　set　fire　to　them。　I　sat　cross…legged　just　by　the　blaze；　staring　into　it　from　up…wind　until　it　was　out　and　only　the　metal　of　the　Black　Destroyer　remained；　then　I　took　the　sooty　skeleton　and　buried　it　where　it　had　been　ruined；　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill。　It　would　have　a　name　now：　Black　Destroyer　Hill。
　　
　　The　fire　was　out　everywhere；　the　grass　too　young　and　moist　to　catch。　Not　that　I'd　have　cared　if　it　had　gone　up。　I　considered　setting　the　whin　bushes　alight；　but　the　flowers　always　looked　cheerful　when　they　came　out；　and　the　bushes　smelled　better　fresh　than　burned；　so　I　didn't。　I　decided　I'd　caused　enough　mayhem　for　one　day。　The　catapult　was　avenged；　the　buck…or　what　it　meant；　its　spirit　maybe…soiled　and　degraded；　taught　a　hard　lesson；　and　I　felt　good。　If　the　rifle　was　all　right　and　hadn't　got　sand　inside　the　sights　or　anywhere　else　awkward　to　clean；　it　would　almost　have　been　worth　it。　The　Defence　budget　would　stand　buying　another　catapult　tomorrow；　my　crossbow　would　just　have　to　wait　another　week　or　so。
　　
　　With　that　lovely　sated　feeling　inside　me；