sk.everythingseventual-第14章

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rs　were　flowing　again；　and　my　Dad's　startled；　frightened　face　had　blurred　into　three　overlapping　images。　I　began　to　howl…not　like　a　little　kid　who's　skun　his　knee　but　like　a　dog　that's　seen　something　bad　by　moonlight…and　my　father　pressed　my　head　against　his　hard　flat　stomach　again。　I　slipped　out　from　under　his　hand；　though；　and　looked　back　over　my　shoulder。　I　wanted　to　make　sure　the　man　in　the　black　suit　wasn't　ing。　There　was　no　sign　of　him；　the　road　winding　back　into　the　woods　was　pletely　empty。　I　promised　myself　I　would　never　go　back　down　that　road　again；　not　ever；　no　matter　what；　and　I　suppose　now　God's　greatest　blessing　to　His　creatures　below　is　that　they　can't　see　the　future。　It　might　have　broken　my　mind　if　I　had　known　I　would　be　going　back　down　that　road；　and　not　two　hours　later。　For　that　moment；　though；　I　was　only　relieved　to　see　we　were　still　alone。　Then　I　thought　of　my　mother…my　beautiful　dead　mother…and　laid　my　face　back　against　my　father's　stomach　and　bawled　some　more。
　　'Gary；　listen　to　me；'　he　said　a　moment　or　two　later。　I　went　on　bawling。　He　gave　me　a　little　longer　to　do　that；　then　reached　down　and　lifted　my　chin　so　he　could　look　into　my　face　and　I　could　look　into　his。　'Your　Mom's　fine；'　he　said。
　　I　could　only　look　at　him　with　tears　streaming　down　my　cheeks。　I　didn't　believe　him。
　　'I　don't　know　who　told　you　different；　or　what　kind　of　dirty　dog　would　want　to　put　a　scare　like　that　into　a　little　boy；　but　I　swear　to　God　your　mother's　fine。'
　　'But　。　。　。　but　he　said　。　。　。'
　　'I　don't　care　what　he　said。　I　got　back　from　Eversham's　earlier　than　I　expected…he　doesn't　want　to　sell　any　cows；　it's　all　just　talk…and　decided　I　had　time　to　catch　up　with　you。　I　got　my　pole　and　my　creel　and　your　mother　made　us　a　couple　of　jelly　fold…overs。　Her　new　bread。　Still　warm。　So　she　was　fine　half　an　hour　ago；　Gary；　and　there's　nobody　knows　any　different　that's　e　from　this　direction；　I　guarantee　you。　Not　in　just　half　an　hour's　time。'　He　looked　over　my　shoulder。　'Who　was　this　man？　And　where　was　he？　I'm　going　to　find　him　and　thrash　him　within　an　inch　of　his　life。'
　　I　thought　a　thousand　things　in　just　two　seconds…that's　what　it　seemed　like；　anyway…but　the　last　thing　I　thought　was　the　most　powerful：　if　my　Dad　met　up　with　the　man　in　the　black　suit；　I　didn't　think　my　Dad　would　be　the　one　to　do　the　thrashing。　Or　the　walking　away。
　　I　kept　remembering　those　long　white　fingers；　and　the　talons　at　the　ends　of　them。
　　'Gary？'
　　'I　don't　know　that　I　remember；'　I　said。
　　'Were　you　where　the　stream　splits？　The　big　rock？'
　　I　could　never　lie　to　my　father　when　he　asked　a　direct　question…not　to　save　his　life　or　mine。　'Yes；　but　don't　go　down　there。'　I　seized　his　arm　with　both　hands　and　tugged　it　hard。　'Please　don't。　He　was　a　scary　man。'　Inspiration　struck　like　an　illuminating　lightning…bolt。　'I　think　he　had　a　gun。'
　　He　looked　at　me　thoughtfully。　'Maybe　there　wasn't　a　man；'　he　said；　lifting　his　voice　a　little　on　the　last　word　and　turning　it　into　something　that　was　almost　but　not　quite　a　question。　'Maybe　you　fell　asleep　while　you　were　fishing；　son；　and　had　a　bad　dream。　Like　the　ones　you　had　about　Danny　last　winter。'
　　I　had　had　a　lot　of　bad　dreams　about　Dan　last　winter；　dreams　where　I　would　open　the　door　to　our　closet　or　to　the　dark；　fruity　interior　of　the　cider　shed　and　see　him　standing　there　and　looking　at　me　out　of　his　purple　strangulated　face；　from　many　of　these　dreams　I　had　awakened　screaming；　and　awakened　my　parents；　as　well。　I　had　fallen　asleep　on　the　bank　of　the　stream　for　a　little　while；　too…dozed　off；　anyway…but　I　hadn't　dreamed　and　I　was　sure　I　had　awakened　just　before　the　man　in　the　black　suit　clapped　the　bee　dead；　sending　it　tumbling　off　my　nose　and　into　my　lap。　I　hadn't　dreamed　him　the　way　I　had　dreamed　Dan；　I　was　quite　sure　of　that；　although　my　meeting　with　him　had　already　attained　a　dreamlike　quality　in　my　mind；　as　I　suppose　supernatural　occurrences　always　must。　But　if　my　Dad　thought　that　the　man　had　only　existed　in　my　own　head；　that　might　be　better。　Better　for　him。
　　'It　might　have　been；　I　guess；'　I　said。
　　'Well；　we　ought　to　go　back　and　find　your　rod　and　your　creel。'　He　actually　started　in　that　direction；　and　I　had　to　tug　frantically　at　his　arm　to　stop　him　again；　and　turn　him　back　toward　me。
　　'Later；'　I　said。　'Please；　Dad？　I　want　to　see　Mother。　I've　got　to　see　her　with　my　own　eyes。'
　　He　thought　that　over；　then　nodded。　'Yes；　I　suppose　you　do。　We'll　go　home　first；　and　get　your　rod　and　creel　later。'
　　So　we　walked　back　to　the　farm　together；　my　father　with　his　fish…pole　propped　on　his　shoulder　just　like　one　of　my　friends；　me　carrying　his　creel；　both　of　us　eating　folded…over　slices　of　my　mother's　bread　smeared　with　blackcurrant　jam。
　　'Did　you　catch　anything？'　he　asked　as　we　came　in　sight　of　the　barn。
　　'Yes；　sir；'　I　said。　'A　rainbow。　Pretty　good…sized。'　And　a　brookie　that　was　a　lot　bigger；　I　thought　but　didn't　say。　Biggest　one　I　ever　saw；　to　tell　the　truth；　but　I　don't　have　that　one　to　show　you；　Dad。　I　gave　that　one　to　the　man　in　the　black　suit；　so　he　wouldn't　eat　me。　And　it　worked　。　。　。　but　just　barely。
　　'That's　all？　Nothing　else？'
　　'After　I　caught　it　I　fell　asleep。'　This　was　not　really　an　answer；　but　not　really　a　lie；　either。
　　'Lucky　you　didn't　lose　your　pole。　You　didn't；　did　you；　Gary？'
　　'No；　sir；'　I　said；　very　reluctantly。　Lying　about　that　would　do　no　good　even　if　I'd　been　able　to　think　up　a　whopper…not　if　he　was　set　on　going　back　to　get　my　creel　anyway；　and　I　could　see　by　his　face　that　he　was。
　　Up　ahead；　Candy　Bill　came　racing　out　of　the　back　door；　barking　his　shrill　bark　and　wagging　his　whole　rear　end　back　and　forth　the　way　Scotties　do　when　they're　excited。　I　couldn't　wait　any　longer；　hope　and　anxiety　bubbled　up　in　my　throat　like　foam。　I　broke　away　from　my　father　and　ran　to　the　house；　still　lugging　his　creel　and　still　convinced；　in　my　heart　of　hearts；　that　I　was　going　to　find　my　mother　dead　on　the　kitchen　floor　with　her　face　swelled　and　purple　like　Dan's　had　been　when　my　father　carried　him　in　from　the　west　field；　crying　and　calling　the　name　of　Jesus。
　　But　she　was　standing　at　the　counter；　just　as　well　and　fine　as　when　I　had　left　her；　humming　a　song　as　she　shelled　peas　into　a　bowl。　She　looked　around　at　me；　first　in　surprise　and　then　in　fright　as　she　took　in　my　wide　eyes　and　pale　cheeks。
　　'Gary；　what　is　it？　What's　the　matter？'
　　I　didn't　answer；　only　ran　to　her　and　covered　her　with　kisses。　At　some　point　my　father　came　in　and　said；　'Don't　worry；　Lo…he's　all　right。　He　just　had　one　of　his　bad　dreams；　down　there　by　the　brook。'
　　'Pray　God　it's　the　last　of　them；'　she　said；　and　hugged　me　tighter　while　Candy　Bill　danced　around　our　feet；　barking　his　shrill　bark。
　　
　　'You　don't　have　to　e　with　me　if　you　don't　want　to；　Gary；'　my　father　said；　although　he　had　already　made　it　clear　that　he　thought　I　should…that　I　should　go　back；　that　I　should　face　my　fear；　as　I　suppose　folks　would　say　nowadays。　That's　very　well　for　fearful　things　that　are　make…believe；　but　two　hours　hadn't　done　much　to　change　my　conviction　that　the　man　in　the　black　suit　had　been　real。　I　wouldn't　be　able　to　convince　my　father　of　that；　though。　I　don't　think　there　was　a　nine…year…old　that　ever　lived　who　would　have　been　able　to　convince　his　father　he'd　seen　the　Devil　e　walking　out　of　the　woods　in　a　black　suit。
　　'I'll　e；'　I　said。　I　had　walked　out　of　the　house　to　join　him　before　he　left；　mustering　all　my　courage　in　order　to　get　my　feet　moving；　and　now　we　were　standing　by　the　chopping…block　in　the　side　yard；　not　far　from　the　woodpile。
　　'What　you　got　behind　your　back？'　he　asked。
　　I　brought　it　out　slowly。　I　would　go　with　him；　and　I　would　hope　the　man　in　the　black　suit　with　the　arrow…straight　part　down　the　left　side　of　his　head　was　gone　。　。　。　but　if　he　wasn't；　I　wanted　to　be　prepared。　As　prepared　as　I　could　be；　anyway。　I　had　the　family　Bible　in　the　hand　I　had　brought　out　from　behind　my　back。　I'd　set　out　just　to　bring　my　New　Testament；　which　I　had　won　for　memorizing　the　most　psalms　in　the　Thursday　night　Youth　Fellowship　petition　（I　managed　eight；　although　most　of　them　except　the　Twenty…third　had　floated　out　of　my　mind　in　a　week's　time）；　but　the　little　red　Testament　didn't　seem　like　enough　whe