sk.runningman-第15部分

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　　〃Doan　kill　me；　man。　I　ain't　got　nothin。〃　The　boy's　eyes；　white　in　the　darkness；　rolled　up　at　him。
　　〃I'm　not　going　to　kill　you。〃
　　Holding　his　hand；　the　boy　led　Richards　down　the　twisting；　littered　alley　and　into　another。　At　the　end；　just　before　the　alley　opened　onto　an　airshaft　between　two　faceless　highrise　buildings；　the　boy　led　him　into　a　lean…to　built　of　scrounged　boards　and　bricks。　It　was　built　for　four　feet；　and　Richards　banged　his　head　going　in。
　　The　boy　pulled　a　ditty　swatch　of　black　cloth　across　the　opening　and　fiddled　with　something。　A　moment　later　a　weak　glow　lit　their　faces；　the　boy　had　hooked　a　small　lightbulb　to　an　old　cracked　car　battery。
　　〃I　kifed　that　battery　myself；〃　the　boy　said。　〃Bradley　tole　me　how　to　fix　it　up。　He's　got　books。　I　got　a　nickel　bag；　too。　I'll　give　it　to　you　if　you　don't　kill　me。　You　better　not。　Bradley's　in　the　Stabbers。　You　kill　me　an　he'll　make　you　shit　in　your　boot　an　eat　it。〃
　　〃I'm　not　doing　any　killings；〃　Richards　said　impatiently。　〃At　least　not　little　kids。〃
　　〃I　ain't　no　little　kid！　I　kifed　that　fuckin　battery　myself！〃
　　The　look　of　injury　forced　a　dented　grin　to　Richards's　face。　〃All　right。　What's　your　name；　kid？〃
　　〃Ain't　no　kid。〃　Then；　sulkily：　〃Stacey。〃
　　〃Okay。　Stacey。　Good。　I'm　on　the　run。　You　believe　that？〃
　　〃Yeah；　you　on　the　run。　You　dint　e　outta　that　manhole　to　buy　dirty　pos'cards。〃　He　stared　speculatively　at　Richards。　〃You　a　honky？　Kinda　hard　to　tell　wif　all　that　dirt。〃
　　〃Stacey。　I…〃　He　broke　off　and　ran　a　hand　through　his　hair。　When　he　spoke　again；　he　seemed　to　be　talking　to　himself。　〃I　got　to　trust　somebody　and　it　turns　out　to　be　a　kid。　A　kid。　Hot　Jesus；　you　ain't　even　six；　boy。〃
　　〃I'm　eight　in　March；〃　the　boy　said　angrily。　〃My　sister　Lassie's　got　cancer；〃　he　added。　〃She　screams　a　lot。　Thass　why　I　like　it　here。　Kifed　that　fuckin　battery　myself。　You　wanna　toke　up；　mister？〃
　　〃No；　and　you　don't　either。　You　want　two　bucks；　Stacey？〃
　　〃Chris'　yes！〃　Distrust　slid　over　his　eyes。　〃You　dint　e　outta　no　manhole　with　two　fuckin　bucks。　Thass　bullshit。〃
　　Richards　produced　a　New　Dollar　and　gave　it　to　the　boy。　He　stared　at　it　with　awe　that　was　close　to　horror。
　　〃There's　another　one　if　you　bring　your　brother；〃　Richards　said；　and　seeing　his　expression；　added　swiftly：　〃I'll　give　it　to　you　on　the　side　so　he　won't　see　it。　Bring　him　alone。〃
　　〃Won't　do　no　good　to　try　an　kill　Bradley；　man。　He'll　make　you　shit　in　your　boot…〃
　　〃And　eat　it。　I　know。　You　run　and　get　him。　Wait　until　he's　alone。〃
　　〃Three　bucks。〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃Lissen　man；　for　three　bucks　I　can　get　Cassie　some　stuff　at　the　drug。　Then　she　won't　scream　so　fuckin　much。〃
　　The　man's　face　suddenly　worked　as　if　someone　the　boy　couldn't　see　had　punched　him。　〃All　right。　Three。〃
　　〃New　Dollars；〃　the　boy　persisted。
　　〃Yes；　for　Christ's　sake；　yes。　Get　him。　And　if　you　bring　the　cops　you　won't　get　anything。〃
　　The　boy　paused；　half　in　and　half　out　of　his　little　cubbyhole。　〃You　stupid　if　you　think　I　do　that。　I　hate　them　fuckin　oinkers　worse　than　anyone。　Even　the　devil。〃
　　He　left；　a　seven…year…old　boy　with　Richards's　life　in　his　grubby；　scabbed　hands。　Richards　was　too　tired　to　be　really　afraid。　He　turned　off　the　light；　leaned　back；　and　dozed　off。
　　
　　Minus　065　and　COUNTING
　　Dreaming　sleep　had　just　begun　when　his　tight…strung　senses　ripped　him　back　to　wakefulness。　Confused；　in　a　dark　place；　the　beginning　of　the　nightmare　held　him　for　a　moment　and　he　thought　that　some　huge　police　dog　was　ing　for　him；　a　terrifying　organic　weapon　seven　feet　high。　He　almost　cried　aloud　before　Stacey　made　the　real　world　fall　into　place　by　hissing：
　　〃If　he　broke　my　fuckin　light　I'm　gonna…〃
　　The　boy　was　violently　shushed。　The　cloth　across　the　entrance　rippled；　and　Richards　turned　on　the　light。　He　was　looking　at　Stacey　and　another　black。　The　new　fellow　was　maybe　eighteen；　Richards　guessed；　wearing　a　cycle　jacket；　looking　at　Richards　with　a　mixture　of　hate　and　interest。
　　A　switchblade　clicked　out　and　glittered　in　Bradley's　hand。　〃If　you're　heeled；　drop　it　down。〃
　　〃I'm　not。〃
　　〃I　don't　believe　that　sh…〃　he　broke　off；　and　his　eyes　widened。　〃Hey。　You're　that　guy　on　the　Free…Vee。　You　offed　the　YMCA　on　Hunington　Avenue。〃　The　lowering　blackness　of　his　face　was　split　by　an　involuntary　grin。　〃They　said　you　fried　five　cops。　That　probably　means　fifteen。〃
　　〃He　e　outta　the　manhole；〃　Stacey　said　importantly。　〃I　knew　it　wasn't　the　devil　right　away。　I　knew　it　was　some　honky　sumbitch。　You　gonna　cut　him；　Bradley？〃
　　〃Just　shut　up　an　let　men　talk。〃　Bradley　came　the　rest　of　the　way　inside；　squatting　awkwardly；　and　sat　across　from　Richards　on　a　splintery　orange　crate。　He　looked　at　the　blade　in　his　hand；　seemed　surprised　to　see　it　still　there；　and　closed　it　up。
　　〃You're　hotter　than　the　sun；　man；〃　he　said　finally。
　　〃That's　true。〃
　　〃Where　you　gonna　get　to？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　I've　got　to　get　out　of　Boston。〃
　　Bradley　sat　in　silent　thought。　〃You　gotta　e　home　with　me　an　Stacey。　We　gotta　talk；　an　we　can't　do　it　here。　Too　open。〃
　　〃All　right；〃　Richards　said　wearily。　〃I　don't　care。〃
　　〃We　go　the　back　way。　The　pigs　are　cruising　tonight。　Now　I　know　why。〃
　　When　Bradley　led　the　way　out；　Stacey　kicked　Richards　sharply　in　the　shin。　For　a　moment　Richards　stared　at　him；　not　understanding；　and　then　remembered。　He　slipped　the　boy　three　New　Dollars；　and　Stacey　made　it　disappear。
　　
　　Minus　064　and　COUNTING
　　The　woman　was　very　old；　Richards　thought　he　had　never　seen　anyone　as　old。　She　was　wearing　a　cotton　print　housedress　with　a　large　rip　under　one　arm；　an　ancient；　wrinkled　dug　swayed　back　and　forth　against　the　rip　as　she　went　about　making　the　meal　that　Richards's　New　Dollars　had　purchased。　The　nicotine…yellowed　fingers　diced　and　pared　and　peeled。　Her　feet；　splayed　into　grotesque　boat　shapes　by　years　of　standing；　were　clad　in　pink　terrycloth　slippers。　Her　hair　looked　as　if　it　might　have　been　self…waved　by　an　iron　held　in　a　trembling　hand；　it　was　pushed　back　into　a　kind　of　pyramid　by　the　twisted　hairnet　which　had　gone　askew　at　the　back　of　her　head。　Her　face　was　a　delta　of　time；　no　longer　brown　or　black；　but　grayish；　stitched　with　a　radiating　galaxy　of　wrinkles；　pouches；　and　sags。　Her　toothless　mouth　worked　craftily　at　the　cigarette　held　there；　blowing　out　puffs　of　blue　smoke　that　seemed　to　hang　above　and　behind　her　in　little　bunched　blue　balls。　She　puffed　back　and　forth；　describing　a　triangle　between　counter；　skillet；　and　table。　Her　cotton　stockings　were　rolled　at　the　knee；　and　above　them　and　the　flapping　hem　of　her　dress　varicose　veins　bunched　in　clocksprings。
　　The　apartment　was　haunted　by　the　ghost　of　long…departed　cabbage。
　　In　the　far　bedroom；　Cassie　screamed；　whooped；　and　was　silent。　Bradley　had　told　Richards　with　a　kind　of　angry　shame　that　he　should　not　mind　her。　She　had　cancer　in　both　lungs　and　recently　it　had　spread　upward　into　her　throat　and　down　into　her　belly。　She　was　five。
　　Stacey　had　gone　back　out　somewhere。
　　As　he　and　Bradley　spoke　together；　the　maddening　aroma　of　simmering　ground　beef；　vegetables；　and　tomato　sauce　began　to　fill　the　room；　driving　the　cabbage　back　into　the　corners　and　making　Richards　realize　how　hungry　he　was。
　　〃I　could　turn　you　in；　man。　I　could　kill　you　an　steal　all　that　money。　Turn　in　the　body。　Get　a　thousand　more　bucks　and　be　on　easy　street。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　you　could　do　it；〃　Richards　said。　〃I　know　I　couldn't。〃
　　〃Why're　you　doing　it；　anyway？〃　Bradley　asked　irritably。　〃Why　you　being　their　sucker？　You　that　greedy？〃
　　〃My　little　girl's　name　is　Cathy；〃　Richards　said。　〃Younger　than　Cassie。　Pneumonia。　She　cries　all　the　time；　too。〃
　　Bradley　said　nothing。
　　〃She　could　get　better。　Not　like　。　。　。　her　in　there。　Pneumonia's　no　worse　than　a　cold。　But　you　have　to　have　medicine　and　a　doctor。　That　costs　money。　I　went　for　the　money　the　only　way　I　could。〃
　　〃You　still　a　sucker；〃　Bradley　said　with　flat　and　somehow　uncanny　emphasis。　〃You　suckin　off　half　the　world　and　they　in　in　your　mouth　every　night　at　six…thirty。　Your　little　girl　would　be　better　off　like　Cassie　in　this　world。〃
　　〃I　don't　believe　that。〃
　　〃Then　you　ballsier　than　me；　man。　I　put　a　guy　in　the　hospital　once　with　a　rupture。　Some　rich　guy。　Cops　chased　me　three　days。　But　you　ballsier　than　me。　〃　He　took　a　cigarette　and　lit　it。　〃Maybe　you'll　go　the　whole　month。　A　billion　dollars。　You'd　have　to　buy　a　fuckin　freight　train　to　haul　it　off。〃
　　〃Don't　swear；　praise　Gawd；〃　the　old　woman　said　from　across　the　room　where　she　was　slicing　carrots。
　　Bradley　paid　no　attention。　〃You　an　your　wife　an　little　girl　would　be　on　easy　street　then。　You　got　two　days　already。〃
　　〃No；〃　Richards　said。　〃The　game's　rigged。　You　know　those　two　things　I　gave　Stacey　to　mail　when　he　and　your　ma　went　out　for　groceries？　I　have　to　mail　two　of　those　every　day　before　midnight。　〃　He　explained　to　Bradley　about　the　forfeit　clause；　and　his　suspicion　that　they　had　traced　him　to　Boston　by　postmark。
　　〃Easy　to　beat　that。〃
　　〃How？〃
　　〃Never　mind。　Later。　How　you　gonna　get　out　of　Boston？　You　awful　hot。　Made　'em　mad；　blowin　up　their　oinkers　at　the　YMCA。　They　had　Free…Vee　on　that　tonight。　An　those　ones　you　took　with　the　bag　over　your　head。　That　was　pretty　sharp。　Ma！〃　he　finished　irritably；　〃when's　that　stuff　gonna　be　ready？　We're　fallin　away　to　shadows　right　before　ya！〃
　　〃She　in　on；〃　Ma　said。　She　plopped　a　cover　over　the　rich；　slowly　bubbling　mass　and　walked　slowly　into　the　bedroom　to　sit　by　the　girl。
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　Richards　said。　〃I'll　try　to　get　a　car；　I　guess。　I've　got　fake　papers；　but　I　don't　dare　use　them。　I'll　do　something…wear　dark　glasses…and　get　out　of　the　city。　I've　been　thinking　about　going　to　Vermont　and　then　crossing　over　into　Canada。〃
　　Bradley　grunted　and　got　up　to　put　plates　on　the　table。　〃By　now　they　got　every　highway　going　out　of　Beantown　blocked。　A　man　wearin　dark　glasses　calls　tension　to　himself。　They'll　turn　you　into　monkeymeat　before　you　get　six　miles。〃
　　〃Then　I　don't　know；〃　Richards　said。　〃If　I　stay　here；　they'll　get　you　for　an　accessory。〃
　　Bradley　began　spreading　dishes。　〃Suppose　we　get　a　car。　You　got　the　squeezin　green。　I　got　a　name　that　isn't　hot。　There's　a　spic　on　Milk　Street　that'll　sell　me　a　Wint　for　three　hundred。　I'll　get　one　of　my　buddies