cb.damnationgame-第37章

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　　He　got　to　his　feet　badly　winded　but　intact；　and　ran　down　the　moonlit　garden　to　the　back　gate。　It　was　padlocked；　but　he　managed　to　climb　over　it　with　ease…adrenaline　firing　his　muscles。　There　was　no　sound　of　further　pursuit；　and　when　he　glanced　back　he　could　see　the　fat　man　was　still　at　the　French　windows；　watching　his　escape　as　though　lacking　the　initiative　to　follow。　Sick　with　a　sudden　excitement；　he　sprinted　away　down　the　narrow　passage　that　led　along　the　backs　of　all　the　gardens；　caring　only　to　put　distance　between　himself　and　the　house。
　　It　was　only　when　he　reached　the　street；　its　lamps　starting　to　go　out　now　as　dawn　edged　up…over　the　city；　that　he　realized　he　was　stark　naked。
　　
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　　Marty　had　gone　to　bed　a　happy　man。　Though　there　was　still　much　here　he　didn't　understand；　much　which　the　old　man…despite　his　promises　of　explanations…seemed　pleased　to　keep　obscured；　finally　none　of　that　was　his　business。　If　Papa　chose　to　have　secrets；　so　be　it。　Marty　had　been　hired　to　look　after　him；　and　it　appeared　that　he　was　fulfilling　that　obligation　to　his　employer's　satisfaction。　The　results　were　there　in　the　intimacies　the　old　man　had　shared　with　him；　and　in　the　thousand　pounds　beneath　his　pillow。
　　Euphoria　prevented　sleep：　Marty's　heart　seemed　to　be　beating　at　twice　its　usual　rate。　He　got　up；　slipped　on　his　bathrobe；　and　tried　a　selection　of　videos　to　take　his　mind　off　the　day's　events；　but　the　boxing　tapes　depressed　him；　the；　pornography　too。　He　wandered　downstairs　to　the　library；　found　a　dog…eared　space　opera；　then　slipped　back　to　his　room；　making　a　detour　to　the　kitchen　for　a　beer。
　　Carys　was　in　his　room　when　he　got　back；　dressed　in　jeans　and　a　sweater；　barefoot。　She　looked　frayed；　older　than　her　nineteen　years。　The　smile　she　offered　him　was　too　stage…managed　to　convince。
　　〃You　don't　mind？〃　she　said。　〃Only　I　heard　you　walking　about。〃　〃Don't　you　ever　sleep？〃　〃Not　often。〃　〃Want　some　beer？〃　〃No　thanks。〃　〃Sit　down；〃　he　said；　throwing　a　pile　of　clothes　off　the　single　chair　for　her。　She　deposited　herself　on　the　bed；　however；　leaving　the　chair　for　Marty。
　　〃I　have　to　talk　to　you；〃　she　said。
　　Marty　laid　down　the　book　he'd　chosen。　On　the　cover　a　naked　woman；　her　skin　a　fluorescent　green；　emerged　from　an　egg　on　a　twin…sunned　planet。　Carys　said：　〃Do　you　know　what's　going　on？〃　〃Going　on？　What　do　you　mean？〃　〃Haven't　you　felt　anything　odd　in　the　house？〃　〃Like　what？〃　Her　mouth　had　found　its　favorite　shape；　corners　turned　down　in　exasperation。
　　〃I　don't　know　。　。　。　it's　difficult　to　describe。〃　〃Try。〃　She　hesitated；　like　a　diver　at　the　edge　of　a　high　board；　then　took　the　plunge。
　　〃Do　you　know　what　a　sensitive　is？〃　He　shook　his　head。
　　〃It's　someone　who　can　pick　up　waves。　Thought　waves。〃　〃Mind　reading。〃　〃In　a　way。〃　He　gave　her　a　nonmittal　look。　〃Is　it　something　you　can　do？〃　he　said。
　　〃Not　do。　I　don't　do　anything。　It's　more　like　it's　done　to　me。〃　Marty　leaned　back　in　the　chair；　flummoxed。
　　〃It's　as　though　everything　gets　sticky。　I　can't　shake　it　off。　I　hear　people　talking　without　them　moving　their　lips。　Most　of　it's　meaningless：　just　rubbish。〃　〃And　it's　what　they're　thinking？〃　〃Yes。〃　He　couldn't　find　much　to　say　in　response；　except　that　he　doubted　her；　and　that　wasn't　what　she　wanted　to　hear。　She'd　e　for　reassurance；　hadn't　she？
　　〃That's　not　all；〃　she　said。　〃I　see　shapes　sometimes；　around　people's　bodies。　Vague　shapes　。　。　。　like　a　kind　of　light。〃　Marty　thought　of　the　man　at　the　fence；　of　how　he'd　bled　light；　or　seemed　to。　He　didn't　interrupt　her；　however。
　　〃The　point　is；　I　feel　things　other　people　don't。　I　don't　think　it's　particularly　clever　of　me；　or　anything　like　that。　I　just　do　it。　And　the　last　few　weeks　I've　felt　something　in　the　house。　I　get　odd　thoughts　in　my　head；　out　of　nowhere；　I　dream　。　。　。　horrible　things。〃　She　halted；　aware　that　her　description　was　getting　vaguer；　and　she　risked　what　little　credibility　this　monologue　had　if　she　went　on。
　　〃The　lights　you　see？〃　Marty　said；　backtracking。
　　〃Yes。〃　〃I　saw　something　like　them。〃　She　leaned　forward。
　　〃When？〃　〃The　man　who　broke　in。　I　thought　I　saw　light　ing　from　him。　From　his　wounds；　I　suppose；　and　his　eyes　and　his　mouth。〃　Even　as　he　finished　the　sentence　he　was　shrugging　it　off　as　if　fearful　of　contagion。　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said。　〃I　was　drunk。〃　〃But　you　saw　something。〃
　　〃…Yes；〃　he　conceded；　without　pleasure。
　　She　got　up　and　crossed　to　the　window。　Like　father　like　daughter；　he　thought：　window　freaks；　both　of　them。　As　she　stared　out　across　the　lawn…Marty　never　drew　the　curtains…he　had　ample　opportunity　to　look　at　her。
　　〃Something　。　。　。〃　she　said；　〃。　。　。　something。〃　The　grace　of　her　crooked　leg；　the　displaced　weight　of　her　buttocks；　her　face；　reflected　in　the　cold　glass；　so　intent　on　this　mystery：　all　enthralled　him。
　　〃That's　why　he　doesn't　talk　to　me　any　longer；〃　she　said。
　　〃Papa？〃　〃He　knows　I　can　feel　what　he's　thinking：　and　he's　frightened。〃　The　observation　was　a　cul…de…sac：　she　started　tapping　her　foot　with　irritation；　her　breath　ghosting　the　window　intermittently。　Then；　out　of　the　blue；　she　said：　〃Did　you　know　you　had　a　breast　fixation？〃　〃What？〃　〃You　look　at　them　all　the　time。〃　〃Do　I　Hell！〃　〃And　you're　a　liar。〃　He　stood　up；　not　knowing　what　he　intended　to　do　or　say　until　the　words　were　out。　At　last；　smothered　in　confusion；　only　the　truth　seemed　appropriate。
　　〃I　like　looking　at　you。〃　He　touched　her　shoulder。　At　this　point；　if　they　chose；　the　game　could　stop；　tenderness　was　a　breath　away。　They　could　take　the　opportunity　or　let　it　be：　resume　the　repartee；　or　discard　it。　The　moment　lay　between　them；　awaiting　instructions。
　　〃Babe；〃　she　said。　〃Don't　shake。〃　He　moved　a　half…step　closer　and　kissed　the　back　of　her　neck。　She　turned　and　returned　the　kiss；　her　hand　moving　up　his　spine　to　cup　the　back　of　his　head；　as　if　to　sense　the　weight　of　his　skull。
　　〃At　last；〃　she　said；　when　they　broke。　〃I　was　beginning　to　think　you　were　too　much　of　a　gentleman。〃　They　tumbled　onto　the　bed；　and　she　rolled　over　to　straddle　his　hips。　Without　hesitation　she　reached　to　fumble　with　the　belt　of　his　bathrobe。　He　was　half…hard　beneath　her；　and　unfortably　trapped。　Self…conscious；　too。　She　pulled　the　bathrobe　open；　and　ran　her　palms　across　his　chest。　His　body　was　solid　without　being　heavy；　silk　hair　spread　out　from　his　sternum　and　down　the　central　groove　of　his　abdomen；　coarsening　as　it　descended。　She　sat　up　a　little　to　release　the　robe　from　his　groin。　His　cock；　freed；　flipped　from　four　to　noon。　She　stroked　its　underside：　it　responded　in　gulps。
　　〃Pretty；〃　she　said。
　　He　was　getting　used　to　her　approbation　now。　Her　calm　was　infectious。　He　half…sat　up；　perching　on　his　elbows　to　get　a　better　look　at　her　poised　above　him。　She　was　intent　on　his　erection；　putting　her　index　finger　into　her　mouth　and　transferring　a　film　of　saliva　to　his　cock；　running　fingertips　up　and　down　in　fluid；　lazy　motions。　He　squirmed　with　pleasure。　A　rash　of　heat　had　appeared　on　his　chest；　further　signal；；　if　any　were　needed；　of　his　arousal。　His　cheeks　burned　too。
　　〃Kiss　me；〃　he　asked。
　　She　leaned　forward　and　met　his　mouth。　They　collapsed　back　onto　the　bed。　His　hands　felt　for　the　bottom　of　her　sweater；　and　started　to　ease　it　up；　but　she　stopped　him。
　　〃No；〃　she　murmured　into　his　mouth。
　　〃。　。　。　want　to　see　you　。　。　。〃　he　said。
　　She　sat　back　up。　He　was　looking　up　at　her；　perplexed。
　　〃Not　so　fast；〃　she　said；　and　raised　the　sweater　far　enough　to　expose　her　belly　and　breasts　to　him；　without　taking　the　garment　off。　Marty　took　in　her　body　like　a　blind　man　granted　sight：　the　dusting　of　gooseflesh；　the　unexpected　fullness　of　her。　His　hands　toured　where　his　eyes　went；　pressing　her　bright　skin；　describing　spirals　on　her　nipples；　watching　the　weight　of　her　breasts　ride　on　her　rib　cage。。　Mouth　now　followed　eye　and　hand：　he　wanted　to　bathe　her　with　his　tongue。　She　pulled　his　head　against　her。　Through　the　mesh　of　his　hair　his　scalp　gleamed　a　baby　pink。　She　craned　to　kiss　it　but　couldn't　reach；　and　slid　her　hand　down　instead　to　take　hold　of　his　cock。　〃Be　careful；〃　he　murmured　as　she　stroked。　There　was　wetness　in　her　palm；　she　relinquished　her　hold。
　　Gently；　he　coaxed　her　over　and　they　fell　side　by　side　across　the　bed。　She　pushed　the　robe　off　hi