chiaasen.stormyweather-第83章

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　Later　he　awoke　to　the　hard　rustle　of　leaves。　The　rain　came　driving　down。　Snapper　took　the　man's　advice。　He　filled　up　on　it。
　
　At　daybreak　he　would　start　his　march。
　
　They　broke　a　fresh　trail　through　the　hardwoods。　Bonnie　was　worried　that　Snapper　would　be　able　to　use　it　to　find　his　way　out。　〃Not　across　a　lake；〃　Skink　said。
　
　She　hooked　her　fingers　in　Augustine's　belt　as　they　swam。　The　governor　hoisted　the　torch；　his　boots　and　the　backpack　over　his　head；　to　keep　them　dry。　Augustine　was　astounded　that　the　man　could　swim　so　well　with　a　fractured　collarbone。　The　crossing　took　less　than　fifteen　minutes；　though　it　seemed　an　eternity　to　Bonnie。　She　was　unable　to　convince　herself　that　crocodiles　shunned　firelight。
　
　Afterwards　they　rested　on　shore。　Skink；　struggling　into　his　laceless　boots：　〃If　he　gets　out　of　here；　he　deserves　to　be　free。〃
　
　Augustine　said；　〃But　he　won't。〃
　
　〃No；　he'll　go　the　wrong　way。　That's　his　nature。〃
　
　Then　Skink　was　moving　again；　an　orange　flame　weaving　through　the　trees　ahead　of　them。　Bonnie；　hurrying　to　keep　up：　〃So　something'll　get　him。　Panthers　or　something。〃
　
　Augustine　said；　〃Nothing　so　exotic；　Mrs。　Lamb。〃
　
　〃Then　what？〃
　
　〃Time。　Time　will　get　him。〃
　
　〃Exactly！〃　the　governor　boomed。　〃It's　the　arc　of　all　life。　For　Lester　we　merely　hasten　the　sad　promenade。　Tonight　we　are　Darwin's　elves。〃
　
　Bonnie　quickened　her　pace。　She　felt　happy　to　be　with　them；　out　in　the　middle　of　nowhere。　Ahead　on　the　trail；　Skink　was　singing　to　himself。　Feeling　the　horns　sprouting　from　his　temples；　she　supposed。
　
　Two　hours　later　they　emerged　from　the　woods。　A　rip　of　wind　braced　them。
　
　〃Oh　brother；〃　Augustine　said；　〃any　second　now。〃
　
　With　a　grimace；　Skink　removed　the　backpack。　〃This　is　for　your　hike。〃
　
　〃It's　not　that　far。〃
　
　〃Take　it；　just　in　case。〃
　
　Bonnie　said；　〃God；　your　eye。〃
　
　A　stalk　of　holly　berries　garnished　the　empty　withered　socket。　The　governor　groped　at　himself。　〃Damn。　I　guess　it　fell　out。〃
　
　Bonnie　could　hardly　look　at　him。
　
　〃It's　all　right；〃　he　said。　〃I　got　a　whole　box　of　extras　somewhere。〃
　
　She　said；　〃Don't　be　foolish。　Go　to　the　mainland　with　us。〃
　
　〃No！〃
　
　A　mud…gray　wall　of　rain　came　hissing　down　the　road。　Bonnie　shivered　as　it　hit　them。　Skink　leaned　close　to　Augustine：　〃Give　it　a　couple　three　months；　at　least。〃
　
　〃You　bet。〃
　
　〃For　what？〃　Bonnie　asked。
　
　〃Before　I　try　to　find　that　place　again；〃　Augustine　said。
　
　〃Why　go　back？〃
　
　〃Science；〃　said　Augustine。
　
　〃Nostalgia；〃　said　the　governor。
　
　The　squall　doused　the　torch；　which　he　lobbed　into　a　stand　of　red　mangroves。　He　tucked　his　hair　under　the　plastic　shower　cap　and　said　good…bye。　Bonnie　kissed　him　on　the　chin　and　told　him　to　be　careful。　Augustine　gave　an　affable　salute。
　
　For　a　while　they　could　make　out　his　tall　shape；　stalking　south；　under　violet　flashbursts　of　high　lightning。　Then　he　was　gone。　The　weather　covered　him　like　a　shroud。
　
　They　turned　and　went　the　other　way。　Augustine　walked　fast　on　the　blacktop；　the　backpack　jouncing　on　his　bare　shoulders。
　
　〃Hey；　the　scar　is　looking　good；〃　Bonnie　said。
　
　〃You　still　like　it？〃
　
　〃Beauty。〃　She　could　see　it　vividly　whenever　the　sky　lit　up。　〃A　corkscrew　in　the　shower…you　weren't　kidding？〃
　
　〃God；　I　wish；〃　said　Augustine。
　
　They　heard　a　car　behind　them。　As　it　approached；　the　headlights　elongated　their　shadows　on　the　pavement。　Augustine　asked　Bonnie　if　she　wanted　to　hitch　a　ride。　She　said　no。　They　stepped　off　the　road　to　let　the　car　go　by。
　
　Soon　they　reached　the　tall　bridge　at　Card　Sound。　Augustine　said　it　was　time　to　rest。　He　unzipped　the　backpack　to　see　what　the　governor　had　packed：　a　coil　of　rope；　two　knives；　four　bandannas；　a　tube　of　antiseptic；　a　waterproof　box　of　matches；　a　bottle　of　fresh　water；　chlorine　tablets；　some　oranges；　a　stick　of　bug　repellent；　four　cans　of　lentil　soup　and　a　tin　of　unidentifiable　dried　meat。
　
　Augustine　and　Bonnie　shared　the　water；　then　started　up　the　bridge。
　
　Needles　of　rain　stung　Bonnie's　bruises　as　she　climbed　the　long　slope。　She　tasted　brine　on　the　wind；　and　wasn't　embarrassed　to　clutch　Augustine's　right　arm…the　gusts　were　so　strong　they　nearly　lifted　her　off　the　ground。
　
　〃Maybe　it's　another　hurricane！〃
　
　〃Not　hardly；〃　he　said。
　
　They　stopped　at　the　top。　Augustine　threw　the　pistol　as　far　as　he　could。　Bonnie　peered　over　the　concrete　rail　to　watch　the　splash；　a　silent　punctuation。　Augustine　placed　his　hands　firmly　on　her　waist；　holding　her　steady。　She　liked　the　way　it　felt；　the　trust　involved。
　
　Far　below；　the　bay　was　frothed　and　corrugated；　a　treacherously　different　place　from　the　first　time　Bonnie　saw　it。　Not　a　night　for　dolphins。
　
　She　drew　Augustine　closer　and　kissed　him　for　a　long　time。　Then　she　spun　him　around　and　groped　in　the　backpack。
　
　〃What're　you　doing？〃　he　shouted　over　the　slap　ot　the　rain。
　
　〃Hush。〃
　
　When　he　turned　back；　her　eyes　were　shining。　In　her　hands　was　the　coil　of　rope。
　
　〃Tie　me　to　the　bridge；〃　she　said。
　
　
　
　EPILOGUE
　
　
　The　marriage　of　Bonnie　Brooks　and　Max　Lamb　was　discreetly　annulled　by　a　judge　who　happened　to　be　a　skiing　panion　of　Max　Lamb's　father。　Max　returned　to　Rodale　&　Burns；　pouring　his　energies　into　a　new　advertising　campaign　for　Old　Faithful　Root　Beer。　Spurred　by　Max's　simpleminded　jingle；　the　pany　soon　reported　a　24　percent　jump　in　domestic　sales。　Max　was　promoted　to　the　sixth　floor　and　put　in　charge　of　an　18　million　account　for　a　low…fat　malt　liquor　called　Steed。
　
　By　the　end　of　the　year；　Max　and　Edie　Marsh　were　engaged。　They　got　an　apartment　on　the　Upper　West　Side　of　Manhattan；　where　Edie　became　active　in　charity　circles。　Two　years　after　the　hurricane；　while　attending　a　Kenny　G　concert　to　benefit　victims　of　a　Colombian　mud　slide；　Edie　met　the　same　young　Kennedy　she'd　long　ago　tried　so　avidly　to　debauch。　She　was　mildly　amazed　when；　while　greeting　her；　he　slipped　a　tongue　in　her　ear。　Max　said　it　surely　was　her　imagination。
　
　Brenda　Rourke　recovered　fully　from　her　injuries　and　returned　to　the　Highway　Patrol。　She　requested　and　received　a　transfer　to　northern　Florida；　where　she　and　Jim　Tile　built　a　small　house　on　the　Ochlockonee　River。
　
　For　Christmas　he　gave　her　an　engraved　gold　replica　of　her　mother's　wedding　ring；　and　two　full…grown　rottweilers　from　Stuttgart。
　
　After　being　rescued　in　the　ocean　off　Islamorada；　Avila　was　taken　to　Miami's　Krome　Detention　Center　and　processed　as　〃Juan　Gomez　Duran；〃　a　rafter　fleeing　political　oppression　in　Havana。　He　was　held　at　Krome　for　nine　days；　until　a　Spanish…language　radio　station　sponsored　his　release。　In　return；　brave　〃Senor　Gomez〃　agreed　to　share　the　details　of　high…seas　escape　with　radio　listeners；　who　were　moved　by　his　heart…wrenching　story　but　puzzled　by　his　wildly　inaccurate　references　to　Cuban　geography。　Afterwards　Avila　packed　up　and　moved　to　Fort　Myers；　on　the　west　coast　of　Florida；　where　he　was　immediately　hired　as　a　code…enforcement　officer　for　the　local　building…and…zoning　department。　During　his　first　four　weeks　on　the　job；　Avila　approved　212　new　homes…　a　record　for　a　single　inspector　that　stands　to　this　day。　Nineteen　months　after　the　hurricane；　while　preparing　a　sacrifice　to　Change　on　the　patio　of　his　luxurious　new　waterfront　town　house；　Avila　was　severely　bitten　on　the　thigh　by　a　hydrophobic　rabbit。　Too　embarrassed　to　seek　medical　attention；　he　died　twenty…two　days　later　in　his　hot　tub。　In　honor　of　his　short　but　productive　tenure　as　a　code　inspector；　the　Lee　County　Home　Builders　Association　established　the　Juan　Gomez　Duran　Scholarship　Fund。
　
　One　day　after　the　state　trooper　was　shot　in　the　parking　lot；　paramedics　again　were　summoned　to　the　Paradise　Palms　Motel　in　the　Florida　Keys。　This　time　a　guest　named　Levon　Stichler　had　suffered　a　mild　myocardial　infarction。　On　the　ride　to　the　emergency　room；　the　old　man　deliriously　insisted　he'd　been　held　captive　at　the　motel　by　two　bossy　prostitutes。　Doctors　at　Mariners　Hospital　notified　Levon　Stichler's　daughter　in　Saint　Paul；　who　was　understandably　alarmed　to　learn　of　her　father's　hallucinations。　After　hanging　up　the　phone；　she　informed　her　children　that　Grandpa　would　b