dk.coldfire-第15章
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〃You don't know？〃 〃But I will when I get there。〃
Father Geary stared at him for a long time。 At last he said； 〃Jim； you're the strangest man I've ever known。〃
Jim nodded。 〃I'm the strangest man I've ever known。〃
When they set out from the rectory in the priest's six…year…old Toyota； an hour of light remained in the long August day； although the sun was hidden behind clouds the color of fresh bruises。
They had been on the road only half an hour when lightning shattered the bleak sky and danced on jagged legs across the somber desert horizon。
Flash after flash erupted； sharper and brighter in the pure Mojave air than Jim had ever seen lightning elsewhere。 Ten minutes later； the sky grew darker and lower； and rain fell in silvery cataracts the equal of anything that Noah had witnessed while hurrying to plete his ark。
〃Summer storms are rare here；〃 Father Geary said； switching on the windshield wipers。
〃We can't let it delay us；〃 Jim said worriedly。
〃I'll get you there；〃 the priest assured him。
〃There can't be that many flights east from Vegas at night。 They'd mostly leave during the day。 I can't miss out and wait till morning。
I've got to be in Boston tomorrow〃 The parched sand soaked up the deluge。 But some areas were rocky or hard…packed from months of blistering sun； and in those places the water spilled off slopes； forming rivulets in every shallow declivity。 Rivulets became streams； and streams grew swiftly into rivers； until every bridged arroyo they passed over was soon filled with roiling； churning torrents on which were borne clumps of uprooted desert bunch…grass； fragments of dead tumbleweed； driftwood； and dirty white foam。
Father Geary had two favorite cassette tapes； which he kept in the car： a collection of rock…'n'…roll golden oldies； and an Elton John best…of He put on Elton。 They moved through the storm…hammered day then through the rainswept night to the melodies of 〃Funeral for a Friend；〃 〃Daniel；〃 and 〃Benny and the Jets。〃
The blacktop glimmered with quicksilver puddles。 To Jim； it was eerie that the water mirages on the highway a few days ago had now bee real。
He grew more tense by the minute。 Boston called to him； but it was far away； and few things were darker or more treacherous than a blacktop highway through a storm…wracked desert at night。 Unless； perhaps； the human heart。
The priest hunched over the wheel as he drove。 He studied the highway intently while singing along softly with Elton。
After a while Jim said； 〃Father； wasn't there a doctor in town？〃 〃Yes。〃
〃But you didn't call him。〃
〃I got the cortisone prescription from him。〃
〃I saw the tube。 It was a prescription for you； made out three months ago。〃
〃Well。 。 。 I've seen sunstroke before。 I knew I could treat you。〃
〃But you seemed awfully worried there at first。〃
The priest was silent for a few miles。 Then he said； 〃I don't know who you are； where you e from； or why you really need to get to Boston。
But I do know you're a man in trouble； maybe deep trouble； as deep as it ever gets。 And I know。 。 。 at least； I think I know that you're a good man at heart。 Anyway； it seemed to me that a man in trouble would want to keep a low profile。〃
〃Thanks。 I do。〃
A couple of miles farther； the rain came down hard enough to overwhelm the windshield wipers and force Geary to reduce speed。
The priest said； 〃You're the one who saved that woman and her little girl。〃
Jim tensed but did not respond。
〃You fit the description on TV；〃 the priest said。
They were silent for a few more miles。
Father Geary said； 〃I'm not a sucker for miracles。〃
Jim was baffled by that statement。
Father Geary switched off Elton John。 The only sounds were the swish bum of the tires on the wet pavement and the metronomic thump of the windshield wipers。
〃I believe that the miracles of the Bible happened； yes； I accept all of that as real history；〃 the priest said； keeping his eyes on the road。
〃But I'm reluctant to believe that some statue of the Holy Mother wept real tears in a church in Cincinnati or Peoria or Teaneck last week after the Wednesday…night bingo games； witnessed only by two teenagers and the parish cleaning lady。 And I'm not ready to believe that a shadow resembling Jesus； cast on someone's garage wall by a yellow bug light； is a sign of impending apocalypse。 God works in mysterious ways； but not with bug lights and garage walls。〃
The priest fell silent again； and Jim waited； wondering where all this was leading。
〃When I found you in the church； lying by the sanctuary railing；〃 Geary said in a voice that grew more haunted word by word； 〃you were marked by the stigmata of Christ。 There was a nail hole in each of your hands…〃 Jim looked at his hands and saw no wounds。
〃…and your forehead was scratched and prickled with what might have been punctures from a crown of thorns。〃
His face was still such a mess from the punishment of sun and wind that it was no use searching in the rearview mirror for the minor injuries the priest had described。
Geary said； 〃I was。 。 。 frightened； I guess。 But fascinated； too。〃
They came to a forty…foot…long concrete bridge at an arroyo where the runoff had overflowed the banks。 A dark lake had formed and risen above the edge of the elevated roadbed。 Geary bulled forward。 Plumes of water； reflecting the car's lights； unfurled on both sides like great white wings。
〃I'd never seen stigmata；〃 Geary continued when they were out of the flooded area； 〃though I'd heard of the phenomenon。 I pulled up your shirt。 。 。 looked at your side。 。 。 and found the enflamed scar of what might have been a spear wound。〃
The events of recent months had been so filled with surprises and amazements that the threshold on Jim's sense of wonder had been raised repeatedly。 But the priest's story leaped across it； got to him； and sent a chill of awe along his spine。
Geary's voice had fallen to little more than a whisper。 〃By the time I got you back to the rectory and into bed； those signs were gone。
But I knew I hadn't imagined them。 I'd seen them； they'd been real； and I knew there was something special about you。〃
The lightning had fizzled out long ago； the black sky was no longer adorned by bright； jagged necklaces of electricity。 Now the rain began to abate； as well； and Father Geary was able to reduce the speed of the windshield wipers even as he increased that of the aging Toyota。
For a while neither of them seemed to know what to say。 Finally the priest cleared his throat。 〃Have you experienced this beforethese stigmata？〃 〃No。 Not that I'm aware of But then； of course； I wasn't aware this time until you told me。〃
〃You didn't notice the marks on your hands before you passed out at the sanctuary railing？〃 〃No。〃
〃But this isn't the only unusual thing that's been happening to you lately。〃
Jim's soft laugh was wrenched from him less by amusement than by a sense of dark irony。 〃Definitely not the only unusual thing。〃
〃Do you want to tell me？〃 Jim thought about it awhile before replying。 〃Yes； but I can't。〃
〃I'm a priest。 I respect all confidences。 Even the police have no power over me。〃
〃Oh； I trust you； Father。 And I'm not particularly worried about the police。〃
〃Then？〃 〃If I tell you。 。 。 the enemy will e；〃 Jim said； and frowned as he heard himself speaking those words。 The statement seemed to have e through him rather than from him。
〃What enemy？〃 He stared out at the vast； lightless expanse of desert。 〃I don't know。〃
〃The enemy you spoke of in your sleep last night？〃 〃Maybe。〃
〃You said it would kill us all。〃
〃And it will。〃 He went on； perhaps even more interested in what he said than the priest was； for he had no idea what words he would speak until he heard them。 〃If it finds out about me； if it discovers that I'm saving lives； special lives； then it'll e to stop me。〃
The priest glanced at him。 〃Special lives？ Exactly what do you mean by that？〃 〃I don't know。〃
if you tell me about yourself； I'll never repeat to another soul a word of what you say。 So whatever this enemy is…how could it find out about you just because you confide in me？〃 〃I don't know。〃
〃Y
