gns.snakes-第34章

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　　Keith　crashed　the　lever　into　bottom　gear；　felt　the　van　move　forward；　bumping　over　rough　ground。　There　was　room　enough　to　swing　it　around　in　a　circle　and　drive　straight　out；　much　easier　than　trying　to　reverse　all　the　way　back　through　the　overhanging　trees　and　undergrowth。
　　
　　'Two　minutes；　probably　less；　and　we'll　be　out　on　the　road。'
　　
　　This　euphoria　was　an　unforgettable　experience。　Suddenly　everything　had　e　right；　they　did　not　have　any　more　worries。　If　the　snake　stayed　on　for　the　whole　way　then　that　was　fine；　the　police　or　the　army　would　soon　deal　with　it。
　　
　　They　bumped　their　way　over　more　stones　and　deep　ruts；　Keith　now　going　into　a　left…hand　circle；　hard　over　on　full　lock；　180　degrees；　and　now　they　were　facing　in　the　opposite　direction。　Gathering　speed　so　that　he　had　to　change　up　to　second　gear；　the　exit　from　this　place　of　terror　looming　up　in　front　of　them。　He　would　take　it　at　speed；　go　like　hell　all　the　way。
　　
　　And　that　was　when　the　engine　suddenly　coughed；　lost　its　momentum；　hiccupped　again。　And　petered　out。
　　
　　'Oh　no？　Kirsten　cried；　and　buried　her　face　in　her　hands　as　the　van　slowed；　rolled　to　a　halt。
　　
　　They　sat　there；　saying　nothing　because　there　was　nothing　to　say；　staring　at　the　red　ignition　warning　light　on　the　dashboard；　hating　it；　blaming　it。　Keith　reached　for　the　key；　switched　it　off。
　　
　　'What　。　。　。　happened？'　Kirsten　asked　at　length。　'We're　out　of　petrol。'　An　admission　of　guilt　was　in　his　tone；　a　resignation　to　their　plight。　An　apology。　And　the　snake　on　the　bonnet　seemed　to　grin　at　them　through　the　glass。　'I　was　nearly　empty　yesterday。　I　should　have　filled　up　but　。。。　I　didn't。　I'm　sorry；　Kirsten。'
　　
　　'Then　the　battery　wasn't　fiat　after　all。'　'I　guess　not。　Probably　a　dicky　lead　or　some　dirt　under　the　terminals。'　What　the　fuck　does　it　matter　what　it　was？　We're　back　to　square　one；　in　almost　exactly　the　same　place　except　that　we're　facing　in　the　opposite　direction。
　　
　　'If　the　battery's　working　again　now　then　。。。　then　perhaps　the　horn　will　work。　We　can　blow　it；　attract　attention。'
　　
　　The　horn　did　work。　A　piping　squeak　rather　than　the　expected　klaxon　blast。　The　sound　came　back　at　them　off　the　quarry　walls；　hurtful　to　the　ears；　remonstrated　with　them　for　breaking　the　silence。　Keith　stopped　after　half　a　dozen　goes；　it　was　futile；　no　louder　than　their　shouting　some　hours　ago。
　　
　　He　did　not　look　at　Kirsten。　I'm　sorry；　darling；　I　wish　the　engine　had　never　started　up；　at　least　then　we　knew　what　we　were　up　against。　I　gave　you　hope　and　immediately　destroyed　it。
　　
　　'We're　going　to　die；　aren't　we？'　she　said　at　length；　her　voice　steady；　not　crying；　staring　out　of　the　side　window。
　　
　　'I　don't　know。'　He　could　not　lie　to　her。　'Not　if　I　can　help　it。　Look；　I'm　going　to　try　and　make　a　break　for　it　。　。　。'

　　
　　'No！　Not　with　that　monstrosity　perched　out　there　waiting　。　。　。'
　　
　　'Not　immediately；'　he　smiled。　'Probably　in　the　morning　when　it　gets　light。　There's　a　sickle　in　the　back；　the　blade's　like　a　razor。　It　would　cut　that　snake　in　two　at　one　stroke。'
　　
　　'Unless　it　bit　you　first。'　She　clutched　his　arm；　afraid　that　he　might　suddenly　decide　to　make　a　run　for　freedom　now。
　　
　　'That's　a　chance　I'll　have　to　take。　Better　that　than　both　of　us　dying　in　here。　And；　anyway；　even　if　I　do　get　bitten　I　probably　won't　die。　It　isn't　a　python；　it　can't　crush　me；　I'll　make　it　to　the　village；　send　help　back　to　rescue　you。　You　can　bet　your　life　that　Doctor　Brennan　has　at　this　moment　got　every　available　type　of　snakebite　serum　handy　in　his　surgery。'　Of　course；　there　were　certain　snake　poisons　that　had　no　known　antidote。　He　didn't　tell　Kirsten　that；　just　hoped　that　the　creature　on　the　bonnet　was　not　one　of　those。
　　
　　'I　want　to　e　with　you；'　she　said。
　　
　　'Don't　be　bloody　silly；　there's　no　point　in　us　both　getting　bitten。'
　　
　　'I　suppose　you're　right；'　she　sighed。　'But　if　I'm　asleep　wake　me　up　before　you　go。'
　　
　　'I　promise。'　He　leaned　across；　kissed　her。
　　
　　'Oh；　and　there's　something　else；'　she　murmured；　'not　that　I　suppose　it　makes　any　difference　now。'
　　
　　'What's　that？'
　　
　　'I'm　not　pregnant。'
　　
　　A　sudden　pang　of　anxiety　had　him　asking；　'But　you　will　marry　me；　won't　you？'
　　
　　'Of　course　I　will；'　she　smiled；　brushed　her　lips　against　his；　'I　was　always　going　to　anyway。　It　was　just　that　my　folks　made　everything　so　difficult　for　me。　I　guess　it　took　these　last　few　hours　to　make　me　realise　that　I　don't　have　to　do　everything　they　say。　So　some　good　has　e　out　of　it。　Don't　spoil　it　all；　Keith；　don't　let　that　snake　bite　you。'
　　
　　'I'll　be　OK。'　He　kissed　her　again。　'I'd　say　right　now　its　number's　up　if　it's　foolish　enough　to　get　too　close　to　me。'
　　
　　He　felt　light…headed；　euphoric；　wanted　to　open　die　window；　shout　out　loud　that　everything　was　fine；　that　Kirsten　Davis　was　going　to　marry　him　no　matter　what　her　folks　said。
　　
　　There　was　only　one　thing　marring　his　happiness：　that　snake　coiled　up　on　the　bonnet　of　the　van…primed　to　kill。
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　17
　　
　　THE　SNAKES　were　being　restless　down　in　their　underground　lair。　They　had　slept　throughout　the　heat　of　the　day　and　now　with　the　ing　of　night　they　were　stirring。　They　were　hungry；　they　were　afraid。　But　that　was　not　all。
　　
　　The　inborn　hatred　of　different　species　for　each　other　was　beginning　to　manifest　itself。　Above　all；　most　hated　the　huge　African　rock　python　that　dominated　them；　ruled　over　them。　Nature's　pecking　order；　it　existed　in　every　form　of　life。　I'm　the　biggest；　the　boss；　so　I　can　kick　you。　But　you　can　kick　the　next　smallest。　And　so　on。
　　
　　The　python　had　stolen　their　prey；　the　Man　that　had　dropped　into　their　lair；　it　had　driven　them　from　him　so　that　it　could　feast。　It　had　also　made　a　foray　into　the　open　under　the　cover　of　darkness　and　they　knew　it　had　eaten　again。　It　was　capable　of　killing　them；　too。
　　
　　Throughout　the　day　it　had　slept；　curled　up　on　a　worm…eaten　coffin　in　the　far　corner；　the　ancient　wood　creaking　beneath　its　weight。　Asleep　but　alert；　aware　of　every　movement　the　others　made。
　　
　　There　were　five　of　them　clustered　together　down　in　that　tomb：　a　Russell's　viper；　a　cobra；　an　African　mamba；　a　western　diamondback　rattlesnake　and　the　python。　The　coral　snake　had　gone　off　somewhere　and　had　not　returned；　possibly　it　had　been　killed　as　its　male　had　been。　None　of　them　were　concerned　for　anything　but　themselves；　for　this　was　a　forced　uniting。　Soon　they　would　all　go　their　different　ways；　seek　out　their　own　territory。　They　had　been　too　long　in　this　place　cooped　up　together。
　　
　　They　had　been　cunning　enough　to　fool　the　hunters。　It　was　the　python　who　had　found　this　place；　dislodged　the　flat　stone　with　its　weight；　and　they　had　followed　it　down；　entered　into　a　kind　of　truce　which　was　now　ing　to　an　end。　Tonight　they　would　all　leave；　but　they　would　not　flee　like　a　defeated　army　because　their　anger　and　their　pride　would　not　allow　it。　They　would　bee　individuals　again；　hunt　and　kill　in　their　own　way。
　　
　　They　knew　all　about　the　village。　Man　was　easy　prey　except　that　he　was　not　food；　except　for　the　python。　They　would　kill　before　they　left；　strike　in　the　only　manner　they　knew；　swiftly　and　silently　under　the　cover　of　darkness；　moving　from　one　victim　to　another；　taking　their　revenge　for　a　lifetime　of　incarceration；　inflicting　terror　and　pain　on　those　who　had　e　to　mock　them　in　their　prisons。
　　
　　In　the　beginning　the　snakes　had　been　afraid；　bewildered　at　finding　unexpected　freedom　in　a　land　where　they　became　the　hunted。　But　now　they　had　adapted；　their　terror　was　gone。
　　
　　The　python　was　the　first　to　leave；　sliding　off　the　coffin　and　easing　its　long　body　up　through　that　hole　in　the　roof；　the　heavy　stone　pushed　to　one　side　so　that　the　others　might　follow；　the　darkness　swallowing　it　up。　It　was　gone；　no　longer　their　leader；　each　one　on　its　own　once　they　were　in　the　open。　This　was　the　parting　of　the　ways。
　　
　　The　Russell's　viper　followed；　the　mamba　close　behind　it；　separating　in　the　overgrowth；　their　ways　diverging。　The　rattlesnake　left　some　time　later　and　then　the　cobra　which　had　been　sleeping　heavily；　vacating　that　place　below