dk.coldfire-第66章
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t h spiritual leader〃 That voice was bugging her。 She knew she had heard it before。 But where？ 〃July fifth…〃 〃Miami； Florida。 Carmen Diaz She will give birth to a child who will bee president of the United States〃 Holly fanned herself with the notebook and said； 〃Why not president of the world？〃 〃July fourteenth。 Houston； Texas。 Amanda Cutter She will give birth to a child who will &be a great peacemaker〃 〃Why not the Second ing？〃 Holly asked。
Jim had moved away from her。 He was leaning against the wall between two windows； the display of light quietly exploding around him。 〃What's the matter with you？〃 he asked。
〃It's all too much；〃 she said。
〃What is？〃 〃Okay； it says it wants you to save special people。〃
〃To help mankind〃 〃Sure； sure；〃 Holly said to the wall。
To Jim she said； 〃But these people are all just too special； don't you think？ Maybe it's me； but it all seems overblown； it's gotten trite again。
Nobody's growing up to be just a damned good doctor； or a businessman who creates a new industry and maybe ten thousand jobs； or an honest and courageous cop； or a terrific nurse。 No； they're great diplomats； great scientists； great politicians； great peacemakers。
Great； great； great！〃 〃Is this adversarial journalism？〃 〃Damn right。〃
He pushed away from the wall； used both hands to smooth his thick hair back from his forehead； and cocked his head at her。 〃I see your point； why it's starting to sound like another episode of Outer Limits to you； but let's think about this。 It's a crazy； extravagant situation。 A being from another world； with powers that seem godlike to us； decides to use me to better the chances of the human race。 Isn't it logical that he'd send me out to save special； really special people instead of your theoretical business tycoon？〃 〃Oh； it's logical；〃 she said。 〃It just doesn't ring true to me； and I've got a fairly well…developed nose for deception。〃
〃Is that why you were a great success as a reporter？〃 She might have laughed at the image of an alien； vastly superior to human beings； stooping to engage in a bickering match。 But the impatience and poutiness she'd thought she detected as an undercurrent in some of its previous answers was now unmistakable； and the concept of a hypersensitive； resentful creature with godlike power was too unnerving to be funny at the moment。
〃How's that for a higher power？〃 she asked Jim。 〃Any second now； he's going to call me a bitch。〃
The Friend said nothing。
Consulting her notebook again； she said； 〃July twentieth。 Steven Aimes。
Birmingham； Alabama。〃
Schools of light swam through the walls。 The patterns were less graceful and less sensuous than before； if the lightshow had been the visual equivalent of one of Brahms's most pacific symphonies； it was now more like the discordant wailing of bad progressive jazz。
〃What about Steven Aimes？〃 she demanded； scared but remembering how an exertion of will had been met with respect before。
〃I am going now〃 〃That was a short tide；〃 she said。
The amber light began to darken。
〃The tides in the vessel are not regular or of equal duration。 But I will return。 〃 〃What about Steven Aimes？ He was fifty…seven； still capable of siring a great something…or…other； though maybe a little long in the tooth。 Why did you save Steve？〃 The voice grew somewhat deeper； slipping from baritone toward bass； and it hardened。 〃It would not be wise for you to attempt to leave〃 She had been waiting for that。 As soon as she heard the words； she knew she had been tensed in expectation of them。
Jim； however； was stunned。 He turned； looking around at the dark amber forms swirling and melding and splitting apart again； as if trying to figure out the biological geography of the thing； so he could look it in the eyes。 〃What do you mean by that？ We'll leave any time we want。〃
〃You must wait for my return。 You will die if you attempt to leave。
〃 〃Don't you want to help mankind any more？〃 Holly asked sharply。
〃Do not sleep。〃 Jim moved to Holly's side。
Whatever estrangement she had caused between her and Jim； by taking an aggressive stance with The Friend； was apparently behind them。 He put an arm around her protectively。
〃You dare not sleep。〃 The limestone was mottled with a deep red glow。
〃Dreams are doorways。〃 The bloody light went out。
The lantern provided the only illumination。 And in the deeper darkness that followed The Friend's departure； the quiet hiss of the burning gas was the only sound。
Holly stood at the head of the stairs； shining a flashlight into the gloom below。 Jim supposed she was trying to make up her mind whether they really would be prevented from leaving the mill…and if so； how violently。
Watching her from where he sat on his sleeping bag； he could not understand why it was all turning sour。
He had e to the windmill because the bizarre and frightening events in his bedroom in Laguna Niguel； over eighteen hours ago； had made it impossible to continue ignoring the dark side to the mystery in which he had bee enwrapped。 Prior to that； he had been willing to drift along； doing what he was pelled to do； pulling people out of the fire at the last minute； a bemused but game superhero who had to rely on airplanes when he wanted to fly and who had to do his own laundry。 But the increasing intrusion of The Enemy…whatever the hell it was…its undeniable evil and fierce hostility； no longer allowed Jim the luxury of ignorance。 The Enemy was struggling to break through from some other place； another dimension perhaps； and it seemed to be getting closer on each attempt。 Learning the truth about the higher power behind his activities had not been at the top of his agenda； because he had felt that enlightenment would be granted to him in time； but learning about The Enemy had e to seem urgently necessary for his survival…and Holly's。
Nevertheless； he had traveled to the farm with the expectation that he would encounter good as well as evil； experience joy as well as fear。
Whatever he learned by plunging into the unknown should at least leave him with a greater understanding of his sacred life…saving mission and the supernatural forces behind it。 But now he was more confused than before he'd e。 Some developments had filled him with the wonder and joy for which he longed： the ringing in the stone； for one； and the beautiful； almost divine； light that was the essence of The Friend。 He had been moved to rapture by the revelation that he was not merely saving lives but saving people so special that their survival would improve the fate of the entire human race。
But that spiritual bliss had been snatched away from him by the growing realization that The Friend was either not telling them the whole truth or； worst case； was not telling them anything true at all。 'The childish petulance of the creature was unnerving in the extreme； and now Jim was not sure that anything he had done since saving the Newsomes last May was in the service of good rather than evil。
Yet his fear was still tempered by hope。 Though a splinter of despair had lodged in his heart and begun to fester； that spiritual infection was held in check by the core of optimism； however fragile； that had always been at the center of him。
Holly switched off the flashlight； returned from the open door； and s down on her mattress。 〃I don't know； maybe it was an empty threat； but there's no way of telling till we try to leave。〃
〃You want to？〃 She shook her head。 〃What's the point in getting off the farm anyway？ From everything we know； it can reach out to us anywhere we go。
Right？ I mean it reached you in Laguna Niguel； sent you on these missions； reached you out there in Nevada and sent you on to Boston to rescue Nicholas O'Conner。〃
〃I've felt it with me； at times； no matter where I've gone。 In Houston； in Florida； in France； in England…it guided me； let me know what was ing； so I could do the job it wanted done。〃
Holly looked exhausted。 She was drawn and paler than the eerie glow af the gas lantern could account for； and her eyes were shadowed with rings of weariness。 She closed her eyes for a moment and pinched the bridge of her nose with thumb and forefinger； a strained lo
