gns.throwback-第9部分

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　　That　was　right　enough。　A　week　ago　he　would　have　reported　the　matter　to　the　police；　rung　the　hunt　kennels　to　fetch　the　dead　beast　or　else　buried　it　himself；　cried　at　a　funeral　that　had　cost　him　a　hundred　and　fifty　quid。　But　there　were　no　police；　no　kennels；　there　couldn't　be。　So　Nature　would　take　over；　the　buzzards　and　ravens　would　strip　the　flesh；　leave　the　bones　to　whiten　in　the　sun；　gradually　sink　out　of　sight　into　the　mud。　And　that　would　be　that。
　　
　　Sylvia　managed　to　stop　herself　from　saying　'I　can't　go　on　any　longer；　Jon'　because　you　did　not　have　any　choice　except　to　go　on。　There　was　no　alternative。　Maybe　those　who　had　got　caught　by　this　holocaust　were　the　fortunate　ones；　they　weren't　left　to　witness　what　had　happened。　But　at　that　moment　there　was　no　way　of　knowing　just　what　had　happened　to　the　rest　of　civilisation；　she　and　Jon　had　only　explored　a　few　acres　of　the　whole　world。　And　what　they　had　seen　was　enough。
　　
　　The　cottage　looked　forbidding；　its　windows　frowning　at　them　as　they　approached　it。　Go　away；　you　don't　belong　here。　You're　aliens；　freaks。
　　
　　Jon　kicked　open　the　door；　saw　that　the　twelve…bore　was　still　leaning　up　in　the　corner　of　the　porch。　It　looked　good；　a　piece　of　driftwood　floating　in　reach　of　a　drowning　man。　But　it　would　not　solve　the　overall　problem。
　　
　　'Well；　I　don't　think　there's　any　point　in　going　back　down　to　the　cellar；'　he　said；　peeling　off　his　overalls。
　　
　　Thank　God　for　that。'　She　leaned　back　up　against　the　wall　as　a　wave　of　vertigo　hit　her。　Exhaustion；　despair；　you　couldn't　go　through　the　last　few　days　and　e　out　unscathed。　'I　think　I'd　go　stark　raving　mad　if　I　just　had　to　go　down　those　steps　once　more。'
　　
　　'Me；　too；'　he　laughed。　'Except　that　most　of　our　food's　down　there。'
　　
　　That　goat　and　that　dog。'　She　closed　her　eyes。　'I'll　have　nightmares　about　them　every　night　for　the　rest　of　my　life。　But　they　can't　be　the　only　animals　that　have　gone　wild；　there　must　be　thousands　up　and　down　the　country；　maybe　over　the　whole　world；　just　like　they've　never　ever　been　domesticated。'
　　
　　'That's　something　we've　got　to　find　out。'　He　went　through　into　the　kitchen；　without　thinking　switched　the　electric　kettle　on。　Almost　before　he　realised　what　he　had　done　they　heard　the　element　beginning　to　heat　up。　'Hey；　just　listen　to　that；　we've　got　electric！'
　　
　　'Maybe　not　for　long；'　she　replied。　〃Don't　forget；　it's　not　like　a　nuclear　attack　which　knocks　all　power　out。　Things　just　grind　to　a　halt。　We'll　either　run　out　of　power　or　else　there'll　be　a　fault　and　with　nobody　to　repair　it　that'll　be　that。'
　　
　　'I　guess　you're　right。'　He　found　some　coffee　and　a　tin　of　powdered　milk。　There　was　a　stack　of　frozen　goats*　milk　in　the　freezer　but　it　would　take　time　to　unthaw　a　pint。　'Our　first　step　is　to　try　and　find　out　what's　happened　elsewhere。'
　　
　　'Maybe　we　should　light　a　beacon　on　top　of　the　hill　or　something。　If　the　phone's　still　working　we　could　ring　a　few　numbers。'
　　
　　'Not　just　yet。'　He　pursed　his　lips。　'I　think　it's　best　that　we　try　and　find　out　about　fellow　survivors　before　they　find　out　about　us。　Don't　forget；　law　and　order　will　have　gone　to　the　winds。　We're　back　to　the　jungle；　survival　of　the　fittest。　There　would　be　mobs　on　the　rampage　and　we　don't　want　to　be　taken　unawares。　The　less　they　know　about　us；　the　better。'
　　
　　'Surely　we're　safe　enough　right　out　here　in　the　sticks。'　She　raised　her　eyebrows。
　　
　　'Not　necessarily。　It　could　be　that　people　have　deserted　the；towns；　headed　for　wild　places　like　this。　That's　something　we　just　don't　know；　so　we'll　have　to　be　on　our　guard　until　we　find　out。'
　　
　　'So　when　do　we　make　our　first　reconnaissance　trip？'　She　watched　him　carefully；　her　expression　determined。　Don't　try　leaving　me　behind；　Jon　Quinn；　because　no　way　am　I　stopping　here　on　my　own。　Not　after　what　we've　seen　this　morning。
　　
　　'I'm　going　to　take　a　ride　across　to　Gwyther's　place　this　afternoon；'　he　said。　'I'll　use　the　Land　Rover。'
　　
　　'We　are；　you　mean。'
　　
　　'No。'　He　shook　his　head。　'I　want　you　to　lock　the　door　after　me；　sit　tight　and　don't　open　up　until　I　get　back。　I　won't　be　long　and　I'll　be　OK　in　the　Land　Rover；　neither　wild　dogs　nor　goats　can　get　at　me。　I'll　take　the　gun　too。　When　we　start　making　trips　further　afield　then　we'll　go　together。'　Damn　it；　it　sounded　lame。　If　it　had　been　Jackie　here　instead　he　would　have　taken　her　because　she　would　have　adapted；　been　some　help；　he　could　have　relied　on　her。　Grit；　that　was　what　it　amounted　to。　One　girl　had　it；　the　other　didn't。　In　bed　it　didn't　matter　much　but　when　your　back　was　to　the　wall　you　realised　an　awful　lot　of　things；　things　you'd　been　blind　to　before；　like　why　things　had　not　worked　out　between　himself　and　Jackie。　They'd　work　out　now　but　it　was　too　late；　she　was　gone　for　ever。　A　tinge　of　sadness　almost　had　his　eyes　watering　but　with　an　effort　he　threw　the　feeling　off。　This　was　no　time　to　start　feeling　sorry　for　himself。　He　had　to　fight　all　the　way　and　now　he　could　not　let　Sylvia　down。　In。effect　these　last　few　days　he　had　been　widowed　and　remarried。　Sylvia　was　his　mate；　his　responsibility；　whether　he　liked　it　or　not。　And　he　wasn't　going　to　risk　her　on　the　first　trip　out。
　　
　　'We'd　better　get　something　to　eat；'　he　smiled；　and　reached　a　tin　down　from　the　shelf。　'Sausalatas；　vegetable　protein　sausages　in　brine。　They're　delicious　cold。'
　　
　　'I　guess　right　now　I　don't　fancy　meat　or　poultry。'　She　managed　a　smile。　'In　for　a　penny；　in　for　a　pound。　I'll　give　the　Jon　Quinn　diet　a　try。　Starvers　can't　be　choosers。'
　　
　　Jon　wasn't　listening。　In　his　mind　he　saw　Bill　Gwyther；　small　and　wizened；　never　seen　without　his　faded　brown　'cow…gown'；　torn　cap　pulled　well　down　over　his　eyes　to　shade　them　from　the　sun　whether　it　was　shining　or　not。　Hollowed　cheeks；　retracted　toothless　gums　that　had　hardened　enough　to　hold　a　pipe。　Bright　blue　eyes　that　sized　you　up　and　often　discovered　what　you　were　thinking。
　　
　　Patched　Wellington　boots　that　let　the　wet　in；　the　tread　worn　down　so　that　the　soles　were　smooth；　all　part　of　the　uniform。
　　
　　Bill　didn't　trust　'outsiders'　and　you　were　an　outsider　if　you　hadn't　been　born　within　a　five…mile　radius　of　the　Hill。　The　Hill　was　his　world；　a　kingdom　which　he　ruled　over　in　his　own　stubborn　way。　You　called　him　a　bloody　old　fool　but　as　often　as　not　he　proved　you　wrong。　He'd　never　married；　never　had　time　to　go　courting；　and　you　got　used　to　being　called　'boy'。　Bill　Gwyther　had　aged　when　he　was　thirty　and　had　remained　static　ever　since。　You　cursed　him　for　a　lot　of　things　but　you　had　to　admit　grudgingly　that　the　Hill　wouldn't　be　the　same　without　him。
　　
　　Which　was　one　reason　why　Jon　Quinn　was　going　down　to　Gwyther's　place　that　afternoon。
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　FIVE
　　
　　ERIC　ATKINSON　stood　and　looked　at　his　naked　body　in　the　full…length　hotel　bedroom　wardrobe　mirror；　puffed　his　chest　out；　pulled　his　stomach　in；　indulged　in　a　few　moments　of　self…admiration。　One　big　con；　and　deep　down　he　knew　it。　He　was　getting　fat；　a　slow　but　sure　middle…aged　spread　taking　over。　He　told　himself　he'd　lost　a　pound　or　two　lately　and　knew　damned　well　he　was　lying。　At　thirty…six　you　were　only　just　ing　up　to　your　peak。
　　
　　A　once　fine　physique　had　run　to　fat；　a　bination　of　six　hours　a　day　behind　the　wheel　of　a　car　and　five　nights　a　week　on　average　hotel　board。　The　best　hotels；　the　best　food。　Whisky；　too；　sometimes　brandy　according　to　how　his　expenses　account　was　running。　Rep's　disease…overweight。
　　
　　No；　not　really；　but　he'd　have　to　watch　it。　He　towelled　his　damp　hair　into　a　fluffy　blonde　mop。　He　was　starting　to　get　a　double　chin；　no；　it　was　a　trick　of　the　light；　or　the　mirror；　one　of　them　anyway。　A　little　on　the　plump　side；　he　had　to　admit。　What　was　the　term　that　girl　up　in　Anglesey　had　used？　Cuddly。　He　grimaced；　flexed　his　biceps；　they　bulged　but　he　didn't　test　their　hardness；　didn't　dare。
　　
　　He　looked　down　and　a　sly　smirk　crossed　his　face。　Well；　there　was　nothing　wrong　with　that；　anyway；　that　pensated　for　everything。
　　
　　He　had　no　need　to　stop　over　in　Shrewsbury　tonight。　He　could　have　made　it　home　easily。　Except　for　Marlene。　What　a　bloody　awful　name　for　such　a　lovely　girl；　but　what　was　there　in　a　name？　He'd　be　getting　poetic　soon；　Marlene　did　that　to　you；　had　you　showering　and　checking　yourself　over　like　a　Ferrari　before　an　IROC。
　　
　　He　turned　back　to　the　bed；　meticulously　began　to　choose　his　clothes　for　the　evening。　Tonight　was　something　special；　the　climax　to　the　whole　week。　He　had　worked　for　it；　earned　it。
　　
　　Sylvia　crossed　his　mind；　a　slight　twinge　of　guilt；　but　it　was　gone　immediately。　She　wouldn't　care　even　if　she　knew　because　that　guy　up　at　the　organic　farm　would　have　been　fucking　the　arse　off　her　all　week。　It　was　a　kind　of　mute　arrangement　which　they　didn't　mention　because　that　would　have　spoiled　everything。　Screw　with　who　you　like　in　the　week　and　then　we'll　get　together　at　the　weekend。　Funny；　it　didn't　make　him　jealous；　in　fact　it　was　one　helluva　turn…on。　The　time　to　worry　was　when　no　guy　wanted　to　lay　your　wife。　She　really　was　getting　past　it　then　and　so　were　you。
　　
　　He　found　himself　basking　in　a　kind　of　erotic　nostalgia　as　he　dressed。　Sylvia　was　a　cracker　and　a　real　nympho　but　it　was　like　eating　the　same　kind　of　exotic　food　every　day　of　the　year。　You　didn't　actually　e　to　dislike　it　but　it　got　boring；　so　you　decided　to　try　a　change　and　then　came　back　to　the　original　refreshed。
　　
　　That　had　happened　to　himself。　And　Sylvia。　Thirteen　years　ago；　two　years　after　they　had　married。　It　had　had　a　most　unlikely　beginning；　like　taking　a　seemingly　harmless　drug　and　then　before　you　realised　it　you　were　hooked　on　it。
　　
　　Alan　had　been　the　root　cause；　if　it　hadn't　been　for　Alan；　he　and　Sylvia　might　have　spent　years　struggling　to　stay　faithful　to　each　other　and　then　broken　up。　As　it　was　they　were　still　together　and　the　relationship　did　have　its　rewards。　Tonight　was　one　of　them。
　　
　　Alan's　wife　had　left　him　for　another　guy　and　poor　old　Alan　had　been　pretty　cut…up。　That　was　why　they　had　started　inviting　him　over　on　Saturday　evenings　for　dinner。　Maybe　it　was　the　drink　that　triggered　it　all　off；　had　them　casting　their　inhibitions　overboard　and　telling　di