cb.damnationgame-第44章

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e　now；　she　was　obliged　to　maneuver　her　way　toward　the　back　door。
　　〃I　wouldn't　go　out　there…〃　he　advised；　his　voice；　like　his　smell；　mixing　sweetness　and　rot。　〃It's　not　safe。〃　His　warning　was　the　best　remendation　she'd　heard。　She　slipped　around　the　kitchen　table　and　out　through　the　open　door；　trying　to　skip　across　the　glass　shards。　She　contrived　to　pull　the　door　closed　behind　her…more　glass　fell　and　shattered…and　then　she　was　away　from　the　house。　Behind　her；　she　heard　the　door　pulled　open　so　roughly　it　might　have　been　wrenched　off　its　hinges。　Now　she　heard　the　dog…killer's　footsteps…thunder　in　the　ground…ing　after　her。
　　The　brute　was　slow：　she　was　nimble。　He　was　heavy：　she　was　light　to　the　point　of　invisibility。　Instead　of　clinging　to　the　walls　of　the　house；　which　would　only　take　her　around　to　the　front　eventually；　where　the　lawn　was　illuminated；　she　struck　out　away　from　the　building；　and　hoped　to　God　the　beast　couldn't　see　in　the　dark。
　　Marty　stumbled　down　the　stairs；　still　shaking　sleep　from　his　head。　The　cold　in　the　hall　slapped　him　fully　awake。　He　followed　the　draft　to　the　kitchen。　He　only　had　a　few　seconds　to　take　in　the　glass　and　the　blood　on　the　floor　before　Carys　started　screaming。
　　
　　From　some　unimaginable　place；　someone　cried　out。　Whitehead　heard　the　voice；　a　girl's　voice；　but　lost　as　he　was　in　a　wilderness；　he　couldn't　fix　the　cry。　He　had　no　idea　how　long　he'd　been　weeping　here；　watching　the　damned　e　and　go：　it　seemed　an　age。　His　head　swam　with　hyperventilation；　his　throat　was　hoarse　with　sobs。
　　〃Mamoulian　。　。　。〃　he　pleaded　again；　〃don't　leave　me　here。〃　The　European　had　been　right…he　didn't　want　to　go　alone　into　this　nowhere。　Though　he　had　begged　to　be　saved　from　it　a　hundred　times　without　result；　now；　at　last；　the　illusion　began　to　relent。　The　tiles；　like　shy　white　crabs；　scuttled　back　into　place　at　his　feet；　the　smell　of　his　own　stale　sweat　reassaulted　him；　more　wele　than　any　scent　he'd　ever　smelled。　And　now　the　European　was　here　in　front　of　him；　as　if　he　had　never　moved。
　　〃Shall　we　talk；　Pilgrim？〃　he　asked。
　　Whitehead　was　shivering；　despite　the　heat。　His　teeth　chattered。
　　〃Yes；〃　he　said。
　　〃Quietly？　With　dignity　and　politeness？〃　Again：　〃Yes。〃　〃You　didn't　like　what　you　saw。〃　Whitehead　ran　his　fingers　across　his　pasty　face；　his　thumb　and　forefinger　digging　into　the　pits　at　the　bridge　of　his　nose；　as　if　to　push　the　sights　out。　〃No；　damn　you；〃　he　said。　The　images　would　not　be　dislodged。　Not　now；　not　ever。
　　〃Perhaps　we　could　talk　somewhere　else；〃　the　European　suggested。　〃Don't　you　have　a　room　we　could　retire　to？〃　〃I　heard　Carys。　She　screamed。〃　Mamoulian　closed　his　eyes　for　a　moment；　fetching　a　thought　from　the　girl。　〃She's　quite　all　right；〃　he　said。
　　〃Don't　hurt　her。　Please。　She's　all　I've　got。〃　〃There's　no　harm　done。　She　simply　found　a　piece　of　my　friend's　handiwork。〃
　　
　　Breer　had　not　only　skinned　the　dog；　he'd　disemboweled　it。　Carys　had　slipped　in　the　muck　of　its　innards；　and　the　scream　had　escaped　before　she　could　stop　herself。　When　its　reverberations　died　she　listened　for　the　butcher's　footsteps。　Somebody　was　running　in　her　direction。
　　〃Carys！〃　It　was　Marty's　voice。
　　〃I'm　over　here。〃　He　found　her　staring　down　at　the　dog's　skinned　head。
　　〃Who　the　fuck　did　this？〃　he　snapped。
　　〃He's　here；〃　she　said。　〃He　followed　me　out。〃　He　touched　her　face。　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　〃It's　only　a　dead　dog；〃　she　said。　〃It　was　just　a　shock。〃　As　they　returned　to　the　house；　she　remembered　the　dream　she'd　woken　from。　There'd　been　a　faceless　man　crossing　this　very　lawn…were　they　treading　in　his　footprints　now？…with　a　surf　of　shit　at　his　heels。
　　〃There's　somebody　else　here；〃　she　said；　with　absolute　certainty；　〃besides　the　dog…killer。〃　〃Sure。〃　She　nodded；　face　stony；　then　took　Marty's　arm。　〃This　one's　worse；　babe。〃　〃I've　got　a　gun。　It's　in　my　room。〃　They'd　e　to　the　kitchen　door；　the　dog's　skin　still　lay　discarded　beside　it。
　　〃Do　you　know　who　they　are？〃　he　asked　her。　She　shook　her　head。
　　〃He's　fat；〃　was　all　she　could　say。　〃Stupid…looking。〃　〃And　the　other　one。　You　know　him？〃　The　other？　Of　course　she　knew　him：　he　was　as　familiar　as　her　own　face。　She　had　thought　of　him　a　thousand　times　a　day　in　the　last　weeks；　something　told　her　she　had　always　known　him。　He　was　the　Architect　who　paraded　in　her　sleep；　who　dabbled　his　fingers　at　her　neck；　who　had　e　now　to　unleash　the　flood　of　filth　that　had　followed　him　across　the　lawn。　Was　there　ever　a　time　when　she　hadn't　lived　in　his　shadow？
　　〃What　are　you　thinking？〃　He　was　giving　her　such　a　sweet　look；　trying　to　put　a　heroic　face　on　his　confusion。
　　〃I'll　tell　you　sometime；〃　she　said。　〃Now　we　should　get　that　damn　gun。〃　They　threaded　their　way　through　the　house。　It　was　absolutely　still。　No　bloody　footsteps；　no　cries。　He　fetched　the　gun　from　his　room。
　　〃Now　for　Papa；〃　he　said。　〃Check　that　he's　all　right。〃　With　the　dog…killer　still　loose　the　search　was　stealthy；　and　therefore　slow。　Whitehead　wasn't　in　any　of　the　bedrooms；　or　his　dressing　rooms。　The　bathrooms；　the　library；　the　study　and　the　lounges　were　similarly　deserted。　It　was　Carys　who　suggested　the　sauna。
　　
　　Marty　flung　the　door　of　the　steam　room　open。　A　wall　of　humid　heat　met　his　face；　and　steam　curled　out　into　the　hallway。　The　place　had　certainly　been　used　recently。　But　the　steam　room；　the　Jacuzzi　and　solarium　were　all　empty。　When　he'd　made　a　quick　search　of　the　rooms　he　came　back　to　find　Carys　leaning　unsteadily　on　the　doorjamb。
　　〃。　。　。　I　suddenly　feel　sick；〃　she　said。　〃It　just　came　over　me。〃　Marty　supported　her　as　her　legs　gave。
　　〃Sit　down　for　a　minute。〃　He　guided　her　across　to　a　bench。　There　was　a　gun　on　it；　sweating。
　　〃I'm　all　right；〃　she　insisted。　〃You　go　and　find　Papa；　I'll　stay　here。〃　〃You　look　bloody　awful。〃　〃Thank　you；〃　she　said。　〃Now　will　you　please　go？　I'd　prefer　to　throw　up　with　nobody　watching；　if　you　don't　mind。〃　〃You　sure？〃　〃Go　on；　damn　you。　Leave　me　be。　I'll　be　fine。〃　〃Lock　the　door　after　me；〃　he　stressed。
　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　she　said；　throwing　him　a　queasy　look。　He　left　her　in　the　steam　room；　and　waited　until　he　heard　the　bolt　drawn　across。　It　didn't　pletely　reassure　him；　but　it　was　better　than　nothing。
　　He　cautiously　made　his　way　back　into　the　vestibule；　and　decided　to　take　a　quick　look　around　the　front　of　the　house。　The　lawn　lights　were　on；　and　if　the　old　man　were　there　he'd　soon　be　picked　out。　That　made　Marty　an　easy　target　too；　of　course；　but　at　least　he　was　armed。　He　unlocked　the　front　door　and　stepped　out　onto　the　gravel。　The　floodlights　poured　unflinching　illumination　down。　It　was　whiter　than　sunlight；　but　curiously　dead。　He　scanned　the　lawn　to　right　and　left。　There　was　no　sign　of　the　old　man。
　　Behind　him；　in　the　hallway；　Breer　watched　the　hero　stride　out　in　search　of　his　master。　Only　when　he　was　well　out　of　sight　did　the　Razor…Eater　slouch　out　of　hiding　and　lope；　bloody…handed；　toward　his　heart's　desire。
　　
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　　Having　bolted　the　door　Carys　returned；　groggily；　to　the　bench　and　concentrated　on　controlling　her　mutinous　system。　She　wasn't　certain　what　had　brought　the　nausea　on；　but　she　was　determined　to　get　the　better　of　it。　When　she　had；　she'd　go　after　Marty　and　help　him　search　for　Papa。　The　old　man　had　been　here　recently；　that　much　was　apparent。　That　he'd　left　without　his　gun　did　not　augur　well。
　　An　insinuating　voice　stirred　her　from　her　meditation；　and　she　looked　up。　There　was　a　smudge　in　the　steam；　in　front　of　her；　a　paleness　projected　onto　the　air。　She　squinted　to　try　to　make　sense　of　it。　It　seemed　to　have　the　texture　of　white　dots。　She　stood　up；　and…far　from　vanishing…the　illusion　strengthened。　Filaments　were　spreading　to　connect　one　dot　to　the　next；　and　she　almost　laughed　with　recognition　as　all　at　once　the　puzzle　came　clear。　It　was　blossom　she　was　looking　at；　brilliant　white　heads　of　it　caught　in　sun　or　starlight。　Twitched　by　some　sourceless　wind；　the　branches　threw　down　flurries　of　petals。　They　seemed　to　graze　her　face；　though　when　she　put　her　fingers　to　the　places　there　was　nothing　there。
　　In　her　years　of　addiction　to　H　she'd　never　dreamed　an　image　that　was　so　superficially　benign　and　yet　so　charged　with　threat。　It　wasn't　hers；　this　tree。　She　hadn't　made　it　from　her　own　head。　It　belonged　to　someone　who'd