gns.throwback-第5部分

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o　far；　just　a　quick　look　around　the　holding。　And　if　everything's　OK　then　maybe　we'll　be　able　to　make　some　plans　to　explore　further　afield。'
　　
　　'All　right。'　She　lapsed　into　another　silence　and　her　thoughts　returned　to　Eric；　her　husband。　For　the　first　time　for　years　she　found　herself　wishing　they　were　together；　which　was　damned　silly　because　they　had　got　used　to　spending　their　lives　apart。　As　a　feedstuffs　rep　covering　most　of　Wales　he　was　away　for　days　at　a　time　and　she　knew　bloody　well　he'd　got　other　women。　It　was　a　rep's　perk。　So　she　got　her　own　back　by　having　Jon；　she　just　needed　screwing；　every　woman　did；　and　when　your　man　was　away　from　home　week　after　week　you　took　steps　to　get　it；　just　like　he　did。　You　never　admitted　it　to　each　other　but　you　both　suspected…knew。　Life　went　on　that　way；　you　didn't　expect　it　to　change。　And　then　without　warning　something　totally　unexpected　like　this　cropped　up　and　you　had　your　lover　for　keeps　and　your　husband；　if　he　was　lucky；　had　one　of　his　fancy　women。　A　kind　of　enforced　wife…swap。　But　right　now　she'd　have　swapped　for　Eric；　because　of　all　the　men　she　had　over　the　years　he　was　the　one　she　had　never　really　got　to　know。　Now　it　looked　like　it　was　too　late。
　　
　　So　she　was　going　to　stick　to　Jon　Quinn　because　she　needed　somebody　to　protect　her。　Somebody　to　screw　her。　And　he　needed　her　because；　like　Eric；　Jackie　was　out　there　in　a　dying　land。
　　
　　She　would　have　to　accept　the　situation　and　so　would　Jon。　Il　would　be　like　a　second　marriage　for　both　of　them。
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　THREE
　　
　　JACKIE　QUINN　had　a　sensation　like　waking　from　a　long　deep　sleep；　refreshed　but　still　having　to　fight　to　bring　back　hazy　recollections　which　did　their　best　to　elude　her　like　marshland　jack…o'…lanterns。
　　
　　She　was　indoors；　Pauline's　mother's　house。　She　recognised　the　lounge　even　though　all　the　furniture　was　gone　and　the　paper　was　peeling　off　the　walls；　exposing　spreading　patches　of　damp　which　even　the　hot　dry　weather　had　not　been　successful　in　eradicating。
　　
　　Outside　it　was　getting　dark；　the　sky　turning　saffron；　a　single　twinkling　star　seeming　to　mock　her　through　the　dirt…streaked　window…pane。　She　crossed　to　the　window；　stood　looking　out　across　the　overgrown　garden　towards　the　roadside　hedge；　a　thick　untended　length　of　hawthorn　and　lilac。　The　streetlamps　came　on；　one　flickering；　dimming；　burning　low　due　to　some　electrical　fault　probably。　She　shuddered。　It　was　eerie；　artificial　lighting　still　operating　in　a　world　where　nobody　was　^capable　of　any　kind　of　maintenance。　Unless；　of　course；　like　herself　lucidity　came　back　in　flashes。　But　it　would　not　be　enough。　Sooner　or　later　the　lighting　would　pack　up　and　all　amenities　would　e　to　a　standstill。　No　medical　service。　Disease　would　follow。　One　way　or　another；　if　you　didn't　die　now　you　would　later。　It　was　the　beginning　of　the　end。
　　
　　Suddenly　she　stiffened；　narrowed　her　eyes　and　stared　out　into　the　orange…tinted　dusk。　Something　had　attracted　her　attention。　She　saw　a　shape；　then　another；　movements　that　rustled　the　scorched　vegetation　in　the　garden；　branches　swaying；　twigs　snapping。
　　
　　Oh　God！　Unmistakable　silhouettes　in　the　half…light；　grotesque　naked　shapes　that　had　to　be　human　because　they
　　
　　could　not　have　been　anything　else；　stooping；　shambling　forms；　men　and　women；　crouched　amongst　the　bushes；　conversing　by　means　of　gesticulations　and　grunts；
　　
　　Jackie　stifled　a　scream；　backed　away　from　the　window；　an　urge　to　flee　but　there　was　nowhere　to　go　because　she　was　trapped　in　this　place；　a　prisoner　between　the　four　walls　of　a　terraced　house；　outside　a　bunch　of　naked　savages　that　belonged　to　a　primitive　age。
　　
　　She　dropped　on　to　her　hands　and　knees；　crawled　across　the　room。　They　must　not　see　her；　must　not　be　aware　that　she　was　hiding　in　here；　the　frail　doors　and　windows　would　not　keep　them　out。　Her　head　began　to　ache　again　but　it　was　too　dark　inside　here　to　know　whether　her　vision　was　starting　to　tunnel　again。
　　
　　Out　into　the　hall；　listening。　Chattering。　The　noise　reminded　her　of　those　jungle　movies　her　father　used　to　take　her　to　on　wet　Saturday　afternoons　when　she　was　a　child。　Incessant　grunts　and　squeaks。　And　she　knew　only　too　well　that　the　sounds　were　real；　that　no　way　were　they　the　figments　of　her　tortured　brain。
　　
　　She　found　herself　in　a　rear　room；　vaguely　recognised　it　as　once　having　been　the　dining…room。　A　few　years　ago　Pauline's　mother　had　persuaded　Jackie　to　stay　to　supper　and　they　had　eaten　in　here。　The　ceiling　bulged；　there　was　a　gaping　hole　where　water　from　the　bathroom　directly　above　had　deluged　through；　probably　a　burst　pipe　during　one　of　the　recent　severe　winters。　A　rusted　electric　fire　hung　precariously　to　the　wall　in　one　corner；　a　broken　concrete　floor；　a　two…foot　deep　hole　in　the　centre；　further　evidence　of　where　the　surveyors　had　dug　down　in　an　attempt　to　locate　the　fault　in　the　foundations。　And　a　telephone　perched　on　me　window…sill！
　　
　　Jackie　stared　at　the　dust…coated　instrument；　experienced　a　sudden　surge　of　hope。　She　closed　her　eyes；　opened　them　again；　and　it　was　still　there；　afraid　in　case　it　was　a　mirage；　her　brain　taunting　her　with　false　hopes。　But　it　was　real；　dusty　but　real。
　　
　　She　raised　herself　up　to　the　level　of　the　sill；　peeped　over　it。　Those　awful　sub…human　creatures　were　in　the　rear　garden；　too；　a　group　of　them　squatting　in　a　circle　amidst　the　tall　seedy　grass　of　the　larger　lawn；　a　cross…legged　gathering　as　though　they　represented　some　kind　of　council　seated　in　judgement；　grunting　and　nodding　to　one　another；　their　rough　bodies　stark　naked。
　　
　　They're　awful；　inhuman。
　　
　　You're　one　of　them；　too！
　　
　　But　I　can　reason；　think。
　　
　　But　for　how　long？　Your　periods　of　civilised　behaviour　are　being　shorter　and　shorter！
　　
　　Her　stomach　churned。　Suddenly　that　telephone　on　the　ledge　by　her　hand　was　shrinking；　growing　smaller　and　smaller；　framing　itself　in　a　reducing　circle；　around　which　was　impenetrable　blackness　spotted　with　red！　Now；　before　it's　too　late！
　　
　　She　grabbed　the　receiver；　almost　dropped　it。　Rehearsing　her　words　in　case　they　suddenly　evaporated　from　a　brain　that　was　starting　to　go　blank。　I'm　in　number　one；　First　Terrace；　Jon。　They're　outside；　camped　in　the　garden。　Primitive　savages　and　they'll　break　in　and　kill　me　if　you　don't　e　quick。　Please　believe　me；　Jon；　it's　true；　I　swear　it　is。　e　quickly。　Bring　the　shotgun。　Oh　Jon；　please　save　me　from　these　hideous　creatures！
　　
　　Starting　to　dial　~　0　。。。　5　。。。　8　。。。　8　。。。
　　
　　Something　was　wrong；　her　failing　sense　of　reasoning　screamed　it　at　her；　a　realisation　that　modern　technology　had　ceased　to　function。　No　dialling　tone；　just　a　total　silence。　When　the　house　had　been　emptied　the　telephone　had　been　disconnected！
　　
　　Sheer　primordial　rage　engulfed　her。　She　gripped　the　plastic…coated　object　with　both　hands；　snapped　it　in　half　so　easily　that　it　might　have　been　rotten。　One　half　fell；　bounced　on　the　bare　floor；　the　other　swung　on　its　flex；　mocking　her。　She　caught　it；　pulled；　tore　it　from　its　connection；　then　grabbed　the　squat　remainder；　not　knowing　what　it　was；　not　understanding；　only　that　it　was　an　alien　that　had　to　be　destroyed。　Smashing　it　against　the　wall；　fragmenting　it；　kicking　it；　crushing　it　beneath　her　feet。　Killing　it！
　　
　　And　then　she　was　sitting　there　in　the　darkening　room；　smiling　to　herself。　Whatever　it　was　that　had　angered　her　was　no　more　and　she　was　satisfied。　Outside　those　voices　were　louder；　soft　footsteps　padding　round　the　house。　A　scratching　sound。　She　looked　up；　saw　the　face　pressed　against　the　glass；　squat　hairy　features；　eyes　that　rolled　and　only　became　still　when　they　saw　her。　Fingers；　long　broken　nails；　scraping　on　the　glass；　clawing　it；　trying　to　find　a　way　in。　More　faces；　coarse　beneath　the　masses　of　hair；　jostling　each　other　eagerly；　angrily；　for　a　view　of　the　creature　which　lay　within。
　　
　　Jackie　was　not　frightened；　only　puzzled。　She　did　not　know　why　she　was　here；　why　she　should　be　in　one　place　and　those　people　should　be　in　another；　cut　off　from　her。　She　stood　up；　smiled　at　them；　grunted　a　kind　of　wele。　Let　me　out；　please。
　　
　　A　crash　of　breaking　glass；　shards　falling　into　the　room；　splintering。　A　bloody　clenched　fist　powered　a　second　blow　and　half　the　window　shattered。　Those　outside　were　clamouring　excitedly；　beginning　to　force　their　way　in；　shoving　one　another　on　the　sill。　Blood　was　spurting；　a　crimson　fountain；　but　they　did　not　appear　to　notice　it；　jetting　on　to　walls　and　ceiling；　sluggish　rivulets　trickling　down。
　　
　　Four　of　them；　fearsome　muscular　naked　males　of　a　species　that　surely　dated　back　to　the　mists　of　time；　rough　hair　matting　their　tough　coarse　skin；　shaggy　beards　that　virtually　hid　their　expressions；　except　for　their　eyes；　pinpoints　of　fire　that　burned　with　a　lust　that　was　necessary　to　keep　their　race　alive；　circling　the　woman　who　stood　before　them；　uncertain。　Perhaps　slightly　afraid。　Then　backing　off；　except　for　one。
　　
　　Jackie's　gaze　met　the　latter's　and　a　half…smile　eased　out　of　her　stoic　expression。　Instinct；　somehow　knowing　what　was　expected　of　her；　accepting　it；　even　relishing　the　prospect　of　what　lay　ahead。
　　
　　The　man　was　big；　well　over　six　feet　tali　in　spite　of　his　hunched　shoulders；　his　muscular　legs　slightly　bowed　as　though　he　had　only　recently　learned　to　walk　upright。　He　stepped　close；　tapped　her　on　the　shoulder　with　an　extended　forefinger　then　pointed　to　himself。　An　order。　The　other　three　retreated　to　a　corner　of　the　room；　the　smallest　of　them　still　spouting　blood　from　a　gashed　wrist　and　trying　to　stem　the　flow　unsuccessfully　with　his　other　hand。　His　hairy　torso　was　saturated　with　the　bright　scarlet　fluid；　he　did　not　appear　to　understand；　amazement　but　not　fear。　None　of　the　others　seemed　to　realise　that　soon　he　would　die；　or　perhaps　it　was　not　important。　They　had　found　a　female　who　would　in　time　bear　young；　their　numbers　would　not　be　diminished。
　　
　　Jackie　Quinn　followed　the　big　man's　fingers　with　her　eyes；　saw　the　outstretched　hand　ing　towards　her；　a　tentative　exploration；　not　so　much　a　fee！　at　her　well…formed　breasts　but　rather　a　stroking　of　her　nylon　blouse；　callouses　snagging　the　material。　Pulling　at　it；　grunting。
　　
　　She　did　not