pzb.drawingblood-第58部分

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exchanged　molten　secrets。
　　This　was　all　we　ever　wanted　from　each　other　anyway；　Zach　thought；　a　down…and…dirty；　no…strings…attached　fuck。　What　was　so　wrong　with　that？　He　couldn't　remember　why　they　had　stopped　the　first　time。
　　The　skin　of　his　balls　was　tightening；　his　dick　aching　and　throbbing。　Zach　broke　the　kiss　and　gasped　for　breath。　Over　Calvin's　shoulder　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　movie　screen。　A　hand　was　sliding　up　and　down　the　shaft　of　a　penis　he　recognized　as　his　own。　The　camera　panned　back　until　he　could　see　a　tangle　of　naked　limbs；　including　an　arm　whose　biceps　was　tattooed　with　a　little　cartoon　character　Zach　could　just　make　out　as　Krazy　Kat。　He　guessed　Mr。　Natural　hadn't　been　invented　yet　in　this　universe。　Well；　he　thought　incoherently；　Krazy　Kat　was　a　fag。
　　The　camera　zoomed　back　in　on　the　hand。　Its　quickening　rhythm　matched　Calvin's。　Zach　felt　himself　getting　ready　to　let　go　hard。　The　screen　filled　with　glistening　purple　flesh；　huge　slippery　fingers。　Then　e　was　pulsing　from　the　enormous　lips　of　the　movie　penis；　and　from　his　own　aching　dick　as　well。
　　But　Zach　saw　only　what　was　happening　onscreen。　The　e　made　a　deadly　rainbow　arc　in　the　air；　landed　on　the　hand；　and　began　to　dissolve　the　skin。　Tiny　holes　appeared　where　it　hit；　sizzling　and　spreading；　reducing　the　layers　of　flesh　and　muscle　to　blackened　lace。　The　matter　dripped　off　the　framework　of　the　bones；　oozed　down　the　shaft　of　the　penis。　Still　the　huge　skeletal　fingers　stroked。　And　still　Calvin's　hand　moved　in　his　lap。
　　Calvin　leaned　in　for　another　kiss　and　Zach　saw　his　face；　no　longer　just　gaunt　but　emaciated。　Zach　shrank　back　against　the　seat　as　Calvin's　skin　blossomed　with　purple　lesions　like　the　ones　he　had　seen　on　his　own　face　in　the　bathroom　mirror。　Calvin's　tongue　was　a　dead　dry　sponge　thrusting　between　his　lips；　questing　toward　Zach's　mouth；　seeking　moisture。
　　Then　it　wasn't　Calvin　at　all；　it　was　the　clerk　from　the　convenience　store　in　Mississippi。　Leaf。　Those　elegant　cheekbones　were　hideously　exaggerated　now；　those　honey…colored　eyes　were　like　chips　of　topaz　set　in　a　ruined　mosaic。　His　lips　twitched　as　he　leaned　toward　Zach。　He　stroked　Zach's　thigh　with　a　disintegrating　hand。
　　〃Oh；〃　he　whispered；　〃just　e　over　here　and　let's　fuck　。　。　。〃
　　Then　he　was　the　person　before　that。　And　then　he　was　the　person　before　that。　And　then　she　was　the　person　before　that。　And　they　just　kept　changing；　and　they　just　got　worse　。　。　。
　　Zach　shoved　himself　out　of　his　seat　and　stumbled　backward　down　the　row。　He　tripped　over　a　tangle　of　feet　and　turned　to　apologize；　but　the　pair　of　faces　that　tilted　up　to　him　were　blotched　with　purple；　horribly　withered。　He　saw　his　lover　pushing　itself　up；　supporting　itself　on　the　seat　backs；　making　its　way　slowly　toward　him。　Above　the　blaring　soundtrack　Zach　heard　labored　breathing；　dry；　painful　coughing。　All　over　the　theater　other　figures　were　beginning　to　stir；　to　rise。
　　Zach　turned　and　ran。　He　vaulted　over　the　tangled　legs；　sprinted　up　the　aisle；　and　burst　out　into　the　lobby。　A　set　of　glass　doors　led　out　onto　the　street。　At　the　last　second　before　he　grasped　the　handle；　Zach　knew　they　would　be　locked。　He　would　be　trapped　here　in　the　lobby　with　the　zombies　ing　for　him；　and　when　they　got　him　they　would　smear　him　across　the　glass　like　a　crushed　strawberry。　He　had　seen　enough　movies　to　know　what　happened　when　the　zombies　got　you。
　　But　the　doors　weren't　locked；　and　Zach　slammed　through　them　at　high　speed。　On　the　far　side　of　the　street；　pausing　to　push　his　glasses　up　and　catch　his　breath；　he　glanced　across　at　the　theater。　Its　facade　was　lavishly　decorated　in　art　deco　tiles　and　marble；　deep　crimson；　jade　green；　jet　black。　The　marquee　was　wrought　of　fluted；　gleaming　chrome　like　a　1930s　dream　of　the　future。　On　its　sign　was　spelled　out…in　red　block　letters　a　foot　high…THE　GARDEN　OF　EARTHLY　DELIGHTS。
　　〃Cute；〃　he　snarled；　and　started　walking　fast；　looking　behind　him　every　half　block　or　so。　The　street　remained　empty。　He　guessed　the　zombies　were　quarantined　in　the　theater。
　　Zach　held　his　hands　up　in　front　of　his　face　and　stared　at　the　palms。　The　lines　in　them　were　dark　pink；　healthy…looking　enough　though　slightly　damp　with　sweat。　He　had　always　heard　that　if　you　were　really　sick；　the　lines　in　your　palms　turned　gray。
　　But　he　felt　fine。　Was　the　place　trying　to　scare　him　with　its　rotting　mirror　images　and　its　wank…house　zombies？　Or　was　it　trying　to　warn　him　of　something？
　　If　he　ever　got　out　of　here；　Zach　decided；　he　was　going　straight　to　the　nearest　health　clinic　and　getting　a　blood　test。　He　didn't　want　one；　but　he　thought　maybe　it　was　time　to　start　considering　things　other　than　what　he　wanted。
　　Soon　he　was　far　from　the　theater。　The　deserted　streets　felt　half…familiar。　This　place　wasn't　New　Orleans；　but　Zach　thought　New　Orleans　had　been　used　to　flavor　it　like　a　spice。　He　could　see　it　in　the　gas　lamps　on　the　corners；　the　high　curbs；　even　a　cast…iron　balcony　or　a　gate　leading　into　a　shadowy　courtyard　here　and　there。　The　night　air　was　cool　on　his　face；　though　it　smelled　nothing　like　the　alcoholic　haze　of　the　French　Quarter。　The　odor　here　was　more　like　Toxic　Alley；　the　poisonous　stretch　of　the　Mississippi　River　between　New　Orleans　and　Baton　Rouge；　a　faint　ghost　of　chemicals　and　burning　oil。
　　He　saw　a　fountain　bubbling　fitfully　in　a　tiny　concrete　park　and　stopped　to　rest。　The　fountain　struck　him　as　odd；　and　after　a　moment　Zach　realized　why：　there　were　no　coins　on　the　bottom；　not　even　pennies。　He　had　never　seen　a　public　fountain　without　pennies　on　the　bottom。　Instead　there　seemed　to　be　a　few　small　faceted　jewels；　so　translucent　in　the　clear　water　that　Zach　could　hardly　be　sure　they　were　there　at　all。
　　Well；　you're　in　a　hallucination　now；　he　thought。　And　it　isn't　even　your　own。　Better　get　used　to　seeing　some　weird　shit。
　　He　stared　at　his　feet　and　suddenly　registered　that　they　were　clad　in　shoes　he'd　never　seen　before；　two…toned　wingtip　loafers　polished　within　an　inch　of　their　lives。　For　the　first　time　he　thought　to　check　out　the　rest　of　his　outfit。
　　Some　kind　of　suit；　he'd　thought　in　the　theater。　But　what　a　suit！　It　was　woven　from　nubbly…textured　cloth　of　the　palest　shell　pink；　cut　loose　and　baggy；　with　vast　lapels。　Underneath　he　had　on　a　cream…colored　shirt　and　an　extravagant　red　silk　tie　with　a　tiny　paisley　figure。　Zach　felt　something　on　his　head；　reached　up　to　investigate。　A　beret。　Wouldn't　you　just　know　it。　Even　the　lenses　of　his　glasses　seemed　to　have　taken　on　a　smoky　hipster　tint。
　　Birdland　might　try　to　fuck　with　you　at　every　turn；　Zach　thought；　but　at　least　you　got　to　dress　cool。
　　He　heard　a　ripple　of　music　nearby。　The　clear　voice　of　a　saxophone；　leisurely　rising；　then　descending。　The　sound　was　getting　closer。　By　this　time　Zach　would　not　have　been　surprised　to　see　Charlie　Parker　（or　his　zombie）　e　swaying　round　the　corner；　eyes　shut　tight　and　forehead　wrinkled；　blowing　the　horn　as　he　walked。　Bird　used　to　e　onstage　like　that；　Trevor　had　told　him；　after　the　rest　of　the　band　had　already　been　playing　for　an　hour　or　so。　He　would　start　somewhere　way　off　in　the　bowels　of　the　club；　and　the　other　musicians　would　gradually　fall　in　with　him　as　they　heard　his　approach；　until　by　the　time　he　walked　onstage　Bird　was　leading　the　band。
　　But　what　rounded　the　corner　instead　was；　in　the　most　literal　sense　of　the　term；　a　solo　instrument。　Walking　on　four　multi…jointed；　chitinous…looking　legs；　depressing　its　own　keys　with　two　equally　insectile　three…fingered　hands；　brass　gleaming　through　a　web　of　scuffs　and　scratches；　came　an　unacpanied　alto　saxophone。
　　〃Oh　now；〃　Zach　muttered；　〃this　is　just　silly。〃
　　The　music　stopped；　and　a　low　fluting　voice　spoke　out　of　the　instrument's　bell。　〃Hey；　cat…you　in　a　cartoon；　dig？　Cartoons　is　s'posed　to　be　silly。　Here；　have　a　stick　of　tea　and　you　be　gettin'　silly　too。〃
　　Zach　could　see　no　speaking　apparatus　anywhere　on　the　thing；　nothing　that　vaguely　resembled　lips　or　vocal　cords；　yet　the　voice　did　not　sound　synthesized。　The　alto　reached　one　of　those　spiny　claws　deep　into　the　curve　of　its　bell　and　pulled　out　a　fat　twisted　cigarette。　This　it　tossed　to　Zach；　who　caught　it　eagerly。
　　〃Pick　up　on　that　tea；〃　the　sax　advised　him。　〃Don't　be　lettin'　zombies　bring　you　down。　They　ain't　cool　or　viperish　neither。　Not　like　us。〃
　　〃Hey；　thanks。〃
　　〃De　nada；〃　said　the　instrument　suavely。　〃Any　descendant　of　Hieronymus　is　a　friend　o'　mine。〃　It　began　to　noodle　off　down　the　street；　playing　a　few　bars　of　〃Ornithology…〃
　　〃Wait！〃　Zach　stuck　the　joint　in　his　pocket　and　hurried　after　it。　〃Do　you　know　where　any　of　the　McGees　are？　Trevor？　Bobby？〃
　　The　alto　switched　to　〃Lullaby　of　Birdland〃　but　did　not　otherwise　reply。　It　had　a　half…block　start　on　Zach；　and　it　always　seemed　to　stay　just　a　little　too　far　ahead　of　him；　dropping　to　all　fours　and　scuttling　like　a　roach　on　those　barbed　legs；　still　playing　itself　with　its　spiky　little　hands；　the　gay　tune　spiraling　behind。　Zach's　fancy　new　shoes　pinched　his　feet　when　he　tried　to　hurry。　He　could　not　catch　up。　Eventually　the　thing　disappeared　down　an　alley　and　lost　him　altogether。
　　Now　Zach　was　in　a　narrow　street　lined　on　both　sides　with　dark　buildings　that　seemed　to　lean　forward　over　the　sidewalk；　swaying　slightly。　Many　of　the　buildings　had　old…fashioned　stoops　and　stairs　leading　up　to　recessed　entryways　that　might　have　once　been　elegant；　but　all　were　in　a　state　of　advanced　decay。　He　saw　fanlights　with　the　stained　glass　broken　out；　only　a　few　shards　remaining　like　jagged　multicolored　teeth　in　the　frames。　Overhead　he　could　barely　make　out　a　purple　slice　of　sky。　The　place　was　deserted。　Zach　reached　into　his　jacket；　knowing　somehow　that　there　would　be　a　streamlined　silver　lighter　tucked　in　a　pocket。　There　was。
　　He　leaned　against　a　stoop；　stuck　the　joint　in　his　mouth；　and　lit　up。　An　acrid；　bitter　taste　filled　his　mouth；　nothing　remotely　like　marijuana。　He　burst　out　coughing。　〃A　stick　of　tea；〃　the　alto　had　said；　and　Zach　assumed　it　was　talking　beatnik　slang。　Now　he　remembered　a　panel　from　Birdland　of　cat…headed　smugglers　at　a　river　dock；　unloading　bales　of　Darjeeling　and　Earl　Grey　under　cover　of　darkest　night。　It　really　was　tea。
　　Well；　fuck　it。　Caffeine　had　started　him　on　this　journey；　maybe　it　would　preserve　him。　Zach　took　another　hi