dk.coldfire-第14章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Our Lady of the Desert。〃
Lifting Jim off the pillows again； he said； 〃That's right。 I'm Father Geary。 Leo Geary。〃
Jim was able to help himself a little this time。 The water tasted sweet。
Father Geary said； 〃What were you doing in the desert？〃 〃Wandering。〃
〃Why？〃 Jim didn't answer。
〃Where did you e from？〃 Jim said nothing。
〃What is your name？〃 〃Jim。〃
〃You're not carrying any ID。〃
〃Not this time； no。〃
〃What do you mean by that？〃 Jim was silent。
ù' The priest said； 〃There was three thousand dollars in cash in your pockets。 〃 〃Take what you need。〃
The priest stared at him； then smiled。 〃Better be careful what you offer； son。 This is a poor church。 We need all we can get。〃
Later still； Jim woke again。 The priest was not there。 The house was silent。 Once in a while a rafter creaked and a window rattled softly as desert wind stirred fitfully outside。
When the priest returned； Jim said； 〃A question； Father。〃
〃What's that？〃 His voice was still raspy； but he sounded a bit more like himself 〃If there's a God； why does He allow suffering？〃 Alarmed； Father Geary said； 〃Are you feeling worse？〃 〃No； no。 Better。 I don't mean my suffering。 Just。 。 。 why does He allow suffering in general？〃 〃To test us；〃 the priest said。
〃Why do we have to be tested？〃 〃To determine if we're worthy。〃
〃Worthy of what？〃 〃Worthy of heaven； of course。 Salvation。 Eternal life。 〃 〃Why didn't God make us worthy？〃 〃Yes； he made us perfect； without sin。 But then we sinned； and fell from grace。〃
〃How could we sin if we were perfect？〃 〃Because we have free will。〃
〃I don't understand。〃
Father Geary frowned。 〃I'm not a nimble theologian。 Just an ordinary priest。 All I can tell you is that it's part of the divine mystery。 We fell from grace； and now heaven must be earned。〃
〃I need to pee；〃 Jim said。
〃All right。〃
〃Not the bedpan this time。 I think I can make it to the bathroom with your help。〃
〃I think maybe you can； too。 You're really ing around nicely； thank God。〃
〃Free will；〃 Jim said。
The priest frowned。
By late afternoon； nearly twenty…four hours after Jim stumbled into the church； his fever registered only three…tenths of a degree on the thermometer。 His muscles were no longer spasming； his joints did not hurt any more he was not dizzy； and his chest did not ache when he drew a deep breath Pain still flared across his face periodically。 When he spoke he did without moving his facial muscles more than absolutely necessary； because the cracks in his lips and in the corners of his mouth reopened easily in spite of the prescription cortisone cream that Father Geary applied every few hours。
He could sit up in bed of his own volition and move about the room with only minimal help。 When his appetite returned； as well； Father Geary gave him chicken soup； then vanilla ice cream。 He ate carefully； mindful of his split lips； trying to avoid tainting the food with the taste of his own blood。
〃I'm still hungry；〃 Jim said when he finished。
〃Let's see if you can keep that down first。〃
〃I'm fine。 It was only sunstroke； dehydration。〃
〃Sunstroke can kill； son。 You need more rest。〃
When the priest relented a while later and brought him more ice cream Jim spoke through half clenched teeth and frozen lips： 〃Why are some people killers？ Not cops； I mean。 Not soldiers。 Not those who kill in self defense。 The other kind； the murderers。 Why do they kill？〃 Settling into a straight…backed rocker near the bed； the priest regarded him with one raised eyebrow。 〃That's a peculiar question。〃
〃Is it？ Maybe。 Do you have an answer？〃 〃The simple one is…because there's evil in them。〃
They sat in mutual silence for a minute or so。 Jim ate ice cream； and the rocky priest rocked in his chair。 Another twilight crept across the sky beyond the windows。
Finally Jim said； 〃Murder； accidents； disease； old age。 。 。 Why did God make us mortal in the first place？ Why do we have to die？〃 〃Death's not the end。 Or at least that's what I believe。 Death is only our means of passage； only the train that conveys us to our reward。〃
〃Heaven； you mean。〃
The priest hesitated。 〃Or the other。〃
Jim slept for a couple of hours。 When he woke； he saw the priest standing at the foot of the bed； watching him intently。
〃You were talking in your sleep。〃
Jim sat up in bed。 〃Was I？ What'd I say？〃 〃 There is an enemy。'〃 〃That's all I said？〃 〃Then you said； It's ing。 It'll kill us all。'〃 A shiver of dread passed through Jim； not because the words had any power of themselves； and not because he understood them； but because he sensed that on a subconscious level he knew all too well what he had meant。
He said； 〃A dream； I guess。 A bad dream。 That's all。〃
But shortly past three o'clock in the morning； during that second night in the rectory； he thrashed awake； sat straight up in bed； and heard the words escaping him again； 〃It'll kill us all。〃 The room was lightless。
He fumbled for the lamp； switched it on。
He was alone。
He looked at the windows。 Darkness beyond。
He had the bizarre but unshakable feeling that something hideous and merciless had been hovering near； something infinitely more savage and strange than anyone in recorded history had ever seen； dreamed； or imagined。 Trembling； he got out of bed。 He was wearing an ill…fitting pair of the priest's pajamas。 For a moment he just stood there； not sure what to do。
Then he switched off the light and； barefoot； went to one window； then the other。 He was on the second floor。 The night was silent； deep； and peaceful。 If something had been out there； it was gone now。
The following morning； he dressed in his own clothes； which Father Geary had laundered for him。 He spent most of the day in the living room； in a big easy chair； his feet propped on a hassock； reading magazines and dozing； while the priest tended to parish business。
Jim's sunburnt and wind…abraded face was stiffening。 Like a mask。
That evening； they prepared dinner together。 At the kitchen sink； Father Geary cleaned lettuce； celery； and tomatoes for a salad。 Jim set the table opened a bottle of cheap Chianti to let it breathe； then sliced canned mushrooms into a pot of spaghetti sauce on the stove。
They worked in a fortable mutual silence； and Jim wondered about the curious relationship that had evolved between them。 There had been a dreamlike quality to the past couple of days； as if he had not merely found refuge in a small desert town but in a place of peace outside the real world a town in the Twilight Zone。 The priest had stopped asking questions In fact； it now seemed to Jim that Father Geary had never been half probing or insistent as the circumstances warranted。 And he suspected that the priest's Christian hospitality did not usually extend to the sheltering of injured and suspicious strangers。 Why he should receive special consideration at Geary's hands was a mystery to him； but he was grateful for it。
When he had sliced half the mushrooms in the can； he suddenly s 〃Life line。〃
Father Geary turned from the sink； a stalk of celery in hand。
〃Pardon me？〃 A chill swept through Jim； and he almost dropped the knife into the sauce。 He put it on the counter。
〃Jim？〃 Shivering； he turned to the priest and said； 〃I've got to get to an airport。〃
〃An airport？〃 〃Right away； Father。〃
The priest's plump face dimpled with perplexing； wrinkling his tanned forehead far past his long…vanished hairline。 〃But there's no airport here。〃
〃How far to the nearest one？〃 Jim asked urgently。
〃Well。 。 。 two hours by car。 All the way to Las Vegas。〃
〃You've got to drive me there。〃
〃What？ Now？〃 〃Right now；〃 Jim said。
〃But〃 〃I have to get to Boston。〃
〃But you've been ill〃 〃I'm better now。〃
〃Your face〃 〃It hurts； and it looks like hell； but it's not fatal。 Father； I have to get to Boston。〃
〃Why？〃 He hesitated； then decided on a degree of revelation。 〃If I don't get to Boston； someone there is going to be killed。 Someone who shouldn't die。〃
〃Who？ Who's going to die？〃 Jim licked his peeling lips。 〃I don't know。〃
〃You don't know？〃 〃But I will when I get there。〃
Father Geary stared at him for a long ti
