dk.coldfire-第59章

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atter　her。　
　Her　heart　was　hammering。　When　she　swallowed；　she　found　a　lump　in　her　throat。　She　drew　breath　with　a　startling；　ragged　sound。　
　The　feeling　of　being　watched　and　of　trembling　on　the　brink　of　a　monstrous　revelation　became　so　overpowering　that　she　turned　and　hurried　down　the　steps。　She　did　not　flee　pell…mell　out　of　the　house；　she　retraced　her　path　and　turned　off　all　the　lights　as　she　went；　but　she　did　not　dally；　either。　
　Outside；　the　sky　was　purple…black　where　it　met　the　mountains　in　the　east；　purplish…red　where　it　touched　the　mountains　in　the　west；　and　saphire…blue　between。　The　golden　fields　and　hills　had　changed　to　pale　gray；　fading　to　charcoal；　as　if　a　fire　had　swept　them　while　she　was　in　the　house。　
　As　she　crossed　the　yard　and　moved　past　the　barn；　the　conviction　that　she　was　under　observation　only　grew　more　intense。　She　glanced　apprehensively　at　the　open　black　square　of　the　hay　loft；　the　windows　on　either　side　of　the　big　red　double　doors。　It　was　a　gut…clenching　sensation　of　such　primitive　power　that　it　transcended　mere　instinct。　
　She　felt　as　if　she　were　a　guinea　pig　in　a　laboratory　experiment；　with　wires　hooked　into　her　brain；　while　scientists　sent　pulses　of　current　directly　into　the　raw　cerebral　tissues　that　controlled　the　fear　reflex　and　generated　paranoid　delusions。　She　had　never　experienced　anything　like　it；　knew　that　she　was　teetering　on　the　thin　edge　of　panic；　and　struggled　to　get　a　grip　on　herself　By　the　time　she　reached　the　graveled　drive　that　curved　around　the　pond；　she　was　running。　She　held　the　extinguished　flashlight　like　a　club；　prepared　to　swing　it　hard　at　anything　that　darted　toward　her。　
　The　bells　rang。　Even　above　her　frantic　breathing；　she　heard　the　pure；　silvery　trilling　of　clappers　rapidly　striking　the　inner　curves　of　perfectly　tuned　bells。　
　For　an　instant　she　was　amazed　that　the　phenomenon　was　audible　out　side　the　windmill　and　at　a　distance；　as　the　building　was　halfway　around　the　pond　from　her。　Then　something　flickered　in　her　peripheral　vision　even　before　the　first　spell　of　ringing　ended；　and　she　looked　away　from　the　mill；　toward　the　water。　
　Pulses　of　blood…red　light；　originating　at　the　center　of　the　pond；　spread　outward　toward　the　banks　in　tight　concentric　circles；　like　the　measured　ripples　that　radiated　from　the　point　at　which　a　dropped　stone　struck　deep　water。　That　sight　brought　Holly　to　a　stumbling　halt；　she　almost　went　to　her　knees　as　gravel　rolled　under　her　feet。　
　When　the　bells　fell　silent；　the　crimson　light　in　the　pond　was　immediately　snuffed　out。　The　water　was　much　darker　now　than　when　she　had　first　seen　it　in　mid…afternoon。　It　no　longer　had　all　the　somber　hues　of　slate；　but　was　as　black　as　a　polished　slab　of　obsidian。　
　The　bells　rang　again；　and　the　crimson　light　pulsed　from　the　heart　of　the　pond；　radiating　outward。　She　could　see　that　each　new　bright　blossom　was　not　born　on　the　surface　of　the　water　but　in　its　depths；　dim　at　first　but　swiftly　rising；　almost　bursting　like　an　overheated　incandescent　bulb　when　it　neared　the　surface；　casting　waves　of　light　toward　the　shore。　
　The　ringing　ceased。　
　The　water　darkened。　
　The　toads　along　the　shoreline　were　not　croaking　any　more。　The　evermurmuring　world　of　nature　had　fallen　as　silent　as　the　interior　of　the　Ironheart　farmhouse。　No　coyote　howl；　no　insect　cry；　no　owl　hoot；　no　bat　shriek　or　flap　of　wing；　no　rustling　in　the　grass。　
　The　bells　sounded　again；　and　the　light　returned；　but　this　time　it　was　not　as　red　as　gore；　more　of　an　orange…red；　though　it　was　brighter　than　before。　
　At　the　water's　edge；　the　feathery　white　panicles　of　the　pampas　grass　caught　the　curious　radiance　and　glowed　like　plumes　of　iridescent　gas。　
　Something　was　rising　from　the　bottom　of　the　pond。　
　As　the　throbbing　luminescence　faded　with　the　next　cessation　of　the　bells；　Holly　stood　in　the　grip　of　awe　and　fear；　knowing　she　should　run　but　unable　to　move。　
　Ringing。　
　。　brighter　Light。　Muddy…orange　this　time。　No　red　tint　at　all　more　than　ever。　
　Holly　broke　the　chains　of　fear　and　sprinted　toward　the　windmill。　
　On　all　sides；　the　palpitant　light　enlivened　the　dreary　dusk。　
　Shadows　leapt　rhythmically　like　Apaches　dancing　around　a　war　fire。　
　Beyond　the　fence；　dead　cornstalks　bristled　as　repulsively　as　the　spiny　legs　and　plated　torsos　of　praying　mantises。　The　windmill　appeared　to　be　in　the　process　of　changing　magically　from　stone　to　copper　or　even　to　gold。　
　The　ringing　stopped　and　the　light　went　out　as　she　reached　the　open　door　of　the　mill。　
　She　raced　across　the　threshold；　then　skidded　to　a　stop　in　the　darkness；　on　the　brink　of　the　lower　chamber。　No　light　at　all　came　through　the　windows　now。　The　blackness　was　tarry；　cloying。　As　she　fumbled　for　the　switch　on　the　flashlight；　she　found　it　hard　to　draw　breath；　as　if　the　darkness　itself　had　begun　flowing　into　her　lungs；　suffocating　her。　
　The　flashlight　came　on　just　as　the　bells　began　to　ring　again。　She　slashed　the　beam　across　the　room　and　back；　to　be　sure　nothing　was　there　in　the　gloom；　reaching　for　her。　Then　she　found　the　stairs　to　her　left　and　rushed　toward　the　high　room。　
　When　she　reached　the　window　at　the　halfway　point；　she　put　her　face　to　the　pane　of　glass　that　she　had　wiped　clean　with　her　hand　earlier　in　the　day。　
　In　the　pond　below；　the　rippling　bull's…eye　of　light　was　brighter　still；　now　amber　instead　of　orange。　
　Calling　for　Jim；　Holly　ran　up　the　remaining　stairs。　
　As　she　went；　lines　of　Edgar　Allan　Poe's　poetry；　studied　an　age　ago　in　junior　high　school　and　thought　forgotten；　rang　crazily　through　her　mind：　Keeping　time；　time　time；　In　a　sort　ofRunic　rhyme；　To　the　tintinnabulation　that　so　musically　wells　From　the　bells　bells　bells；　bells；　Bells；　bells。　bells　She　burst　into　the　high　room；　where　Jim　stood　in　the　soft　winter…white　glow　of　the　Coleman　gas　lantern。　He　was　smiling；　turning　in　a　circle　and　looking　expectantly　at　the　walls　around　him。　
　As　the　bells　died　away；　she　said；　〃Jim；　e　look；　e　quick；　something's　in　the　lake。〃　
　She　dashed　to　the　nearest　window；　but　it　was　just　far　enough　around　the　wall　from　the　pond　to　prevent　her　seeing　the　water。　The　other　two　windows　were　even　more　out　of　line　with　the　desired　view；　so　she　did　not　even　try　them。　
　〃The　ringing　in　the　stone；〃　Jim　said　dreamily。　
　Holly　returned　to　the　head　of　the　stairs　as　the　bells　began　to　ring　again。　
　She　paused　and　looked　back　just　long　enough　to　be　sure　that　Jim　was　following　her；　for　he　seemed　in　something　of　a　daze。　
　Hurrying　down　the　stairs；　she　heard　more　lines　of　Poe's　poem　reverberating　in　her　mind：　Hear　the　loud　alarum　bells　Brazen　bells！　What　a　tale　of　terror；　now；　their　turbulency　tells　She　had　never　been　the　kind　of　woman　to　whom　sprang　lines　of　Verdee　appropriate　to　the　moment。　She　couldn't　recall　quoting　a　line　of　poetry　or　even　reading　any　other　than　Louise　Tarvohl's　treacle！…since　college。　
　When　she　reached　the　window；　she　scrubbed　frantically　at　another　pane　with　the　palm　of　her　hand；　to　give　them　a　better　view　of　the　spectacle　below。　She　saw　that　the　light　was　blood…red　again　and　dimmer；　as　if　whatever　had　been　rising　through　the　water　was　now　sinking　again。　
　Oh；　the　bells；　bells；　bells！　What　a　tale　their　terror　tells　It　seemed　crazy　to　be　mentally　reciting　poetry　in　the　midst　of　these　wondrous　and　frightening　events；　but　she　had　never　been　under　such　stress　before。　
　Maybe　this　was　the　way　the　mind　worked…giddily　dredging　up　long…forgotten　knowledge…when　you　were　about　to　meet　a　higher　power。　
　Because　that's　just　what　she　felt　was　about　to　happen；　an　encounter　with　a　higher　power；　perhaps　God　but　most　likely　not。　She　didn't　really　think　God　lived　in　a　pond；　although　any　minister　or　priest　would　probably　tell　her　that　God　lived　everywhere；　in　all　things。　God　was　like　the　eight…hundred…pound　gorilla　who　could　live　anywhere　he　wanted。　
　Just　as　Jim　reached　her；　the　ringing　stopped；　and　the　crimson　light　in　the　pond　quickly　faded。　He　squeezed　in　beside　her　and　put　his　face　to　the　glass。　
　They　waited。　
　Two　seconds　ticked　by。　Two　more。　
　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃Damn　it；　I　wanted　you　to　see。〃　
　But　the　ringing　did　not　resume；　and　the　pond　remained　dark　out　there　in　the　steadily　dimming　twilight。　Night　would　be　upon　them　within　a　few　minutes。　
　〃What　w