pzb.drawingblood-第17部分

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ions　loomed　sepulchrally　along　the　left　side　of　the　road；　shrouded　in　ghostly　curtains　of　Spanish　moss　and　the　giant　knurled　oaks　that　had　hung　on　through　a　hundred　hurricane　seasons　or　more。　The　beach　on　the　right　was　pure　white；　shining。
　　Zach　hooked　a　left　off　the　highway　and　headed　for　Pass　Christian's　downtown；　such　as　it　was。　A　man　was　pissing　against　a　wall　outside　the　Sea　Witch　Tavern。　A　dim；　tempting　blue　light　burned　somewhere　deep　in　the　bar；　like　a　siren　luring　travelers　to　a　watery　grave。　The　other　buildings　were　dark　and　still。
　　After　driving　several　blocks；　Zach　came　upon　a　lone　convenience　store　called　Bread　Basket；　its　neon　flickering　fitfully；　flooding　its　little　patch　of　town　with　erratic　dead　white　light。　There　were　no　cars　in　the　parking　lot；　but　Zach　saw　a　clerk　nodding　at　the　register；　blond　head　drooping　over　the　Slim　Jims　and　Confederate　lighter　displays。
　　As　he　parked　the　car；　the　jazz　tune　finally　ended。　He　heard　a　guttural　voice　as　of　a　DJ　roused　from　long　and　peaceful　slumber。　〃Uh。　Yeah。　That　was；　uh　。　。　。　'Laura'　by　Charlie　Parker　。。。　a　whole　buncha　times　。　。　。〃
　　The　inside　of　the　store　assaulted　his　corneas　like　an　acid　vision　after　the　calm　silver　and　charcoal　of　the　night。　Zach　observed　that　the　clerk　had　been　not　napping；　but　studying　with　rapt　attention　a　magazine　spread　out　on　the　countertop。　It　was　open　to　a　black…and…white　photograph　of　a　lanky；　bare…chested；　feral…faced　boy　who　looked　a　lot　like　the　clerk　himself。
　　〃C'n　I　help　you？〃　A　plastic　nametag　was　pinned　to　the　lapel　of　the　boy's　blue　polyester　store　jacket。　LEAF。　Hippie　parents　would　do　the　damndest　things。
　　〃Yeah。　Can　I　smell　your　coffee？〃
　　〃Huh？〃
　　〃Your　coffee。〃　Zach　waved　at　the　coffee　machine　and　its　trappings　against　the　opposite　wall。　〃Can　I　just　smell　it？〃
　　〃Sure　。。。　I　guess。〃　Leaf　glanced　down　at　the　photo　again；　then　unhurriedly　closed　the　magazine。　It　was　an　old　issue　of　GQ。　〃If　you're　lookin'　for　Hawaiian　Kona；　though；　you're　out　of　luck。　It's　just　evil　ole　homebrew。〃
　　〃That's　okay。　I　don't　actually　want　to　drink　any。〃　Zach　crossed　to　the　coffee　maker；　pulled　the　pot　out　of　the　metal　apparatus　that　kept　it　at　sub…boiling　point；　and　passed　it　slowly　back　and　forth　beneath　his　nose。　Hot　bitter　steam　wafted　into　his　face；　moistened　his　tired　eyes。　He　felt　microscopic　particles　of　caffeine　traveling　up　his　nostrils；　into　his　lungs；　out　through　the　interfaces　of　his　bloodstream　and　straight　into　the　hard　drive　of　his　weary　brain。
　　His　heart　gave　a　jump　and　began　beating　faster。　The　rush　made　his　mouth　dry。　As　he　grabbed　a　bottle　of　mineral　water　out　of　the　cooler；　he　found　himself　wondering　why　a　cute　kid　who　read　GQ　and　knew　about　Hawaiian　Kona　coffee　was　working　at　a　Bread　Basket　in　Pass　Christian；　Mississippi。
　　At　the　register；　Zach　set　his　drink　on　the　counter；　added　a　lighter　（patterned　in　gaudy　pink　and　black　zigzags；　but　no　rebel　flag）；　and　pulled　out　his　wallet。　He　hadn't　tried　to　access　any　of　his　various　bank　accounts　before　he　left　town；　knowing　that　all　of　them　could　be　watched。　And　he　could　get　more。　He'd　only　brought　the　stash　of　ready　cash　he　kept　for　an　emergency　such　as　this；　he　had　always　known　that　he　might　have　to　bail　out　someday；　and　that　he　would　have　to　do　it　fast。　Now　he　found　that　the　smallest　bill　in　his　wallet　was　a　hundred。
　　〃Can't　change　it；〃　Leaf　said　apologetically。　〃They　only　let　me　keep　fifty　dollars　in　the　register　after　ten；　and　I　haven't　had　shit　for　business。〃
　　〃I'm　really　thirsty。〃
　　〃Well…〃
　　Zach　caught　the　other　boy's　eyes　with　his　own　and　held　them。　Leafs　eyes　were　long　and　slightly　tilted；　gimlet　eyes；　the　same　warm　honey…gold　as　his　hair。　〃Just　give　me　the　stuff；〃　he　suggested。　〃I'll　get　you　stoned。〃
　　This　was　a　simplified　version　of　a　hacker　technique　known　as　social　engineering。　It　could　be　used　to　reassure　an　operator　that　she　was　talking　to　a　bona…fide　telco　technician；　it　was　good　for　all　manner　of　scamming；　impersonation；　and　general　fraud。　This　cute　clerk　was　no　challenge　at　all。　The　seeds　of　rebellion　were　already　planted。　Zach　could　see　the　kid　mulling　it　over；　talking　himself　into　it。
　　He　leaned　an　elbow　on　the　counter　and　offered　his　most　charming　smile。　〃What　do　you　say？〃
　　〃Well　。　。　。　oh；　fuck　it。　Take　whatever　you　want。　I　don't　care。　I'm　quitting　soon　anyway。〃
　　〃Thanks。　That's　real　neighborly　of　you。〃　Zach　whisked　the　lighter　into　his　pocket；　cracked　the　mineral　water　open；　and　took　a　long　gulp。　It　tasted　flat　and　dead；　but　then　he　was　used　to　the　carcinogenic　soup　that　passed　for　tapwater　in　New　Orleans。　Plenty　of　flavor　in　that。
　　Leaf　snorted。　〃Neighborly。　Like　you　live　in　Mississippi。　I'll　bet　you're　from　New　York　or　something。〃
　　Zach　hadn't　heard　that　one　before。　People　sometimes　thought　he　was　part　Oriental…a　fact　that　amused　Eddy　no　end…but　no　one　had　ever　accused　him　of　being　from　New　York。
　　He　decided　the　idea　appealed　to　him。　〃Well；　yeah；〃　he　admitted。　〃How'd　you　know？〃
　　〃The　way　you　talk。　And　you　don't　look　like　you're　from　around　here。　The　only　other　place　you　could've　e　from　is　New　Orleans。〃
　　〃Never　been　there。〃　In　a　burst　of　inspiration；　Zach　added；　〃Yet。　It's　where　I'm　headed。〃
　　Their　eyes　met　again　and　locked。　For　an　instant　Zach　imagined　that　Leaf　was　able　to　look　straight　into　his　brain；　to　see　the　lie　arid　the　convoluted　reason　behind　it；　the　miles　he　had　already　run　and　all　the　miles　still　ahead。　But　Zach　knew　that　was　not　true。
　　And　even　if　it　were；　he　could　see　in　those　warm　honeycolored　eyes　that　this　kid　wouldn't　care。
　　
　　Leaf　accepted　Zach's　offer　and　locked　up　the　store；　and　they　went　into　the　back　room　to　smoke　one　of　the　joints　Zach　had　rolled　for　the　trip。　Leaf　lounged　on　a　crate　of　toilet　paper；　long　legs　sprawled　before　him。　There　was　a　small　defiant　hole　in　one　knee　of　the　faded　jeans　he　wore　with　his　uniform　shirt。　The　skin　beneath　was　downed　with　fine　gold　hairs。
　　Zach　leaned　against　the　opposite　wall　watching　Leaf's　nervous　gestures；　tasting　Leaf's　lips　on　the　joint。　The　stockroom　of　a　convenience　store　in　Mississippi　seemed　a　stupid　place　to　get　waylaid　this　early　in　the　trip。　But　the　damn　kid　was　making　his　mouth　water。
　　〃I'm　quitting　tomorrow；〃　Leaf　said　after　his　third　toke。　〃I　hate　this　fuckin'　place。〃
　　〃What　are　you　doing　here；　anyway？〃
　　〃I'm　an　art　student　in　Jackson。　Photography。　I　was　supposed　to　spend　the　summer　here　taking　pictures；　preserving　the　goddamn　history　or　something。　But　it　sucks。　None　of　the　rednecks　know　anything　and　none　of　the　rich　old　farts　will　even　talk　to　me。　I　don't　know　which　stuff　is　supposed　to　be　important。　I　guess　I'll　fail　my　project。〃
　　〃Can't　you　do　some　research？〃
　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　　〃Go　to　the　library；　find　out　where　people　lived；　what　houses　are　haunted；　that　kind　of　thing。　Most　of　the　old　newspapers　are　probably　on　microfilm。〃
　　Leaf　looked　up　at　Zach。　The　whites　of　his　eyes　were　shot　with　a　faint　scarlet　tracery　of　veins；　but　the　irises　and　pupils　were　heartbreakingly　clear。　〃I'm　a　totally　visual　person；〃　he　said。　〃I　hate　reading。〃
　　Zach　bit　his　tongue　hard；　dug　his　fingernails　into　the　soft　meat　of　his　palms。　That　was　the　kind　of　casual　statement　that　could　send　his　blood　pressure　rocketing　if　he　let　it。　But　now　it　produced　only　a　faint　twinge　in　his　heart；　like　a　filament　stretched　to　the　breaking　point。　So　the　kid　was　vapid；　so　much　the　better。　It　made　things　easy；　and　Zach　would　never　have　to　see　him　again　after　tonight。　〃You　hate　all　kinds　of　stuff；〃　he　said。
　　Leaf　shrugged。　〃I　guess。〃
　　〃Tell　me　something　you　like。〃
　　This　was　evidently　a　tough　one。　Zach　could　see　the　kid　sifting　through　possibilities；　rejecting　them　one　by　one。　〃I　like　the　beach；〃　he　said　finally。　〃I　never　go　in　the　water；　but　I　like　to　sit　on　the　sand　and　stare　out　to　sea。　It　makes　me　feel　like　I'm　looking　into　infinity。　You　know？〃
　　A　screen　full　of　scrolling　numbers　flashed　through　Zach's　head。　He　nodded。
　　〃I　like　sleeping。〃
　　Another　nod；　this　one　coupled　with　the　barest　suggestion　of　a　shrug。　Tell　me　something　I　couldn't　have　guessed。
　　〃I　like　you　okay。〃
　　They　had　both　known　they　weren't　just　locking　themselves　back　here　to　smoke　a　joint；　but　the　rest　of　their　agenda　had　to　be　obliquely　tested；　so　that　no　one　would　lose　face。　Zach　knew　the　game　and　approved。　He　smiled　and　raised　an　eyebrow；　waited　for　more。
　　〃Oh；　just　e　over　here　and　let's　fuck。〃
　　Now　that　was　Zach's　idea　of　an　excellent　pickup　line。　He　slid　across　to　the　case　of　toilet　paper　and　suddenly　Leaf　was　upon　him；　face　pressed　up　against　his；　one　hand　slipping　under　his　T…shirt；　the　other　squeezing　his　leg　beneath　his　loose　cutoffs。　Leafs　mouth　found　his　and　closed　over　it；　hot　little　tongue　probing　and　searching；　piney　flavor　of　the　weed　still　on　his　lips。　His　spidery　hands　flew　over　Zach's　skin　as　if　trying　to　memorize　its　warmth　and　texture。　His　touch　was　starving；　frantic。　The　poor　kid　probably　hadn't　been　laid　all　summer。
　　Zach　pushed　him　gently　back　against　the　wall；　unbuttoned　the　tacky　polyester　uniform；　stroked　the　boy's　smooth　chest　and　the　hollow　of　his　rib　cage；　managed　to　calm　him　down　a　little。　He　kissed　the　side　of　Leafs　throat；　the　pulse　that　beat　there　was　as　agitated　as　his　own。　The　skin　smelled　of　soap　and　salt；　tasted　of　clean　sweat。
　　Leaf　slid　to　the　concrete　floor　and　sprawled　between　Zach's　knees；　pressed　his　face　into　Zach's　stomach　and　mumbled　something　unintelligible。　Zach　cupped　the　boy's　chin；　tilted　the　sharp　feral　face　up　to　his　own。　〃What　did　you　say？〃
　　〃I　want　to　make　you　e。〃
　　〃How？〃
　　Those　exotic　honey…colored　eyes　tried　to　meet　his；　then　wavered。　Leaf　wasn't　used　to　talking　dirty。　〃How？〃　he　asked　again。
　　〃I　want　to　suck　your　dick。〃
　　The　words　increased　his　desire；　made　him　ache　and　burn。　〃Go　on；〃　Zach　said　through　clenched　teeth。　〃Just　do　it。〃
　　The　boy's　hands　fumbled　with　the　button　fly　of　Zach's　pants；　friction　driving　his　hard…on　nearly　to　the　point　of　pain。　Then　all　at　once　Leafs　hot　mouth　slid　onto　him；　then　pulled　all　the　way　back　to　a　teasing；　flickering　tongue…tip；　then　swallowed　him　deeper　yet。　Zach　felt　the　pot　and　pleasure　swirling　in　his　skull；　deliciously　mingling。　God　love　the　kid；　it　turned　out　he　knew　what