cb.coldheart canyon-第58章
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nced between solid asphalt and oblivion。 Marco muttered a little prayer； but God wasn't listening。 The car tripped forward and slid off the road into darkness。 It was a straight drop of perhaps forty or fifty feet。
The vehicle didn't hit solid ground； however。 It fell into the massive boughs of a sycamore tree； which was large enough to hold the car； nose down； in its branches。 Marco was thrown against the windshield。 Through it he could see the yard in which the sycamore stood。 There was a party going on down there。 The pool was illuminated： its bright turquoise water twinkling。 Lanterns hung in the bushes all around； swaying in the breeze。 Marco had time to grasp the prettiness of all this； then something ignited in the engine； and the fume…filled air around him became a sheet of lurid orange flame。 It enveloped him pletely； the first burst of heat enough to sear the clothes from his body and set his hair and flesh alight。
Blindly； he fumbled for the handle of the door； and pulled on it。 The rush of air only excited the flames further。 Through the stench of gasoline and burning plastic he could smell the sickening tang of his own body being cooked。 Still he fought to escape； and gravity was on his side。 The car was so positioned that he had only to lean forward and fall out through the open door。 The sycamore's boughs slowed his descent； but once he was dear of them there was an eighteen foot drop to the polished Mexican pavers around the pool。
He scarcely felt the impact。 The fire had pletely traumatized his nerve…endings。 Nor could he see anything： his eyelids had been fused shut by the heat。 He could still hear； though he wouldn't make much sense of the garbled cries of the people who had gathered to witness his agonies。
There was one person in the crowd who was willing to do more than stand and watch him burn。 Marco felt arms grab hold of him； heard his savior yelling something about the pool。 Then he was in free…fall again； as the man who'd picked him up threw him into the water。
The flames were instantly extinguished。 But the cure was too much for his flesh to endure。 The sudden shock of cold after the blistering heat of the fire sent his body into systemic failure。
His last breath…a bubble of heated air…escaped from his cooked lungs。 Then he sank to the bottom of the pool。
Even so； the people around the pool didn't give up on him。 Three of the partygoers dived into the pool and brought his blackened； fire…withered body up from the bottom。 He was tenderly rifted onto the side of the pool； where one of the girls attempted to breathe some life back into him。 But it was a lost cause。 The man who'd made such a dramatic entrance into the gathering was dead； and beyond hope of saving。
This was not quite the end of events along that stretch of Mulholland Drive； however。
Just a few hours later； as the first light of dawn was breaking； a jogger； who ran a two…mile route along the Drive daily； rain or shine； saw a light on the road； close to the place where Marco's tires had left their blackened imprint on the asphalt。 Apparently aware that it had an unwanted witness； the mysterious luminescence rose up into the brightening air and was gone。
The following evening； Paul Booth； the man who'd had the courage to carry the burning body of Marco Caputo to the pool…went out into the back yard； alone。 He was in a melancholy state of mind。 The party he'd thrown the previous night had been in honour of his little sister's sixteenth birthday。 Some celebration！ Alice had barely stopped crying since。 He could hear her now； sobbing in the house。
He took out the half…smoked reefer he'd been saving for a happier occasion； and lit it up。 As he drew on the pungent smoke； he looked up and saw a patch of luminous air lingering at the edge of the pool。 It had no discernible shape。 It was simply a gentle brightness； which would have been invisible half an hour before； when the sun had still been up。 He watched the brightness as it hung there for ten； perhaps fifteen seconds； then he nipped out his reefer； pocketed it； and went back inside to find someone to tell。 He found his father； and together they emerged into the backyard。
The light had already gone from beside the pool。
〃There！〃 Paul said； pointing up at something that could have been the light he'd seen； now up on Mulholland Drive。 But it could just as easily have been the light of a car ing round the treacherous corner of the road。 And anyway； it had gone in a heartbeat； leaving both father and son doubting what they'd seen。
SIX
In the depths of the Canyon； no more than half a mile from the pool and the lawn and the tree where Ava hung； Tammy lay in the dirt； and waited for the end。 She'd done all she could do to survive： she had eaten berries and licked the dew off leaves； she'd fought off the fever…dreams which threatened to claim her consciousness； she'd forced herself to walk when she had no strength left in her limbs。
It had tricks； this canyon： ways to lead you round and round in circles； so that you burned up all your energies ing back to the place you'd started from。 It put colors before your eyes that were so bewitching that you ended up turning round and round on the spot to catch them； like a dog chasing its own tail。 And sometimes （this was its cleverest trick） it went into your head and found the voices there that were most forting； then made them call to you。 Arnie （of all people to find forting； Mr。 Zero Sperm Count）； and the man who used to do her dry…cleaning in Sacramento； Mr。 O'Brien； who'd always had a smile and a wink for her； and Todd； of course； her beautiful hero Todd； calling out to her just to make her stumble a few more steps。 She hadn't quite believed any of these voices were real； but that hadn't stopped her following them； back and forth； around and about…voices and colors…until at last she had no strength left in her body； and she fell down。
So now she was down； and she was too weak to get up again； too damn heavy ever to get her fat ass up and moving。 At the back of her head was the fear that the freaks would e and find her。 But they didn't e； at least by daylight。 Perhaps； she thought； they were waiting for darkness。 Meanwhile； there were plenty of things that did e： flies； dragonflies； humming…birds； all flitting around。
As for the summonings from Arnie and Mr。 O' Brien and Todd； once she was down on the ground none of these came either。 The Canyon knew it had her beaten。 All it had to do was wait； and she'd perish where she lay。
The day crept on。 In the middle of the afternoon she fell into a stupefied daze； and when she woke experienced a short and surprising burst of renewed ambition to save herself。 After much effort she managed to get to her feet； and started to walk in what she thought was the direction of the house （sometimes she seemed to see the roof through the trees； sometimes not）； but after ten minutes the Canyon seemed to realize she was up and walking； and it began its little tricks afresh。 The colors came back。 So did the voices。
She fell to her knees； crying； begging it to leave her alone。 But it was merciless； the voices were louder than ever； yelling incoherently in her head； the sky was every color but blue。
〃Okay；〃 she said。 〃Okay； okay。 Just leave me alone to die。 I won't get up again。 I promise。 I swear。 Just leave me be。〃
It seemed to get the message； because by degrees the yelling receded； and the colors dimmed。
She lay back in the foliage； and watched the sky darken； the stars emerge。 Birds flew overhead； returning to their nests before the onset of night。 She envied them； just a little； but then what did she have to go home to； in truth？ A house in the suburbs she'd never really loved； a husband； the same。 What a mess she'd made of her life！ What a ridiculous； empty mess！ All that time wasted doting on a man she'd seen on a screen； hours spent flicking through her treasures； fantasizing。 Never really living。 That was the horror of it。 She was going to die and she'd never really lived。
The sky was almost lightless now。 She could barely see her hand in front of her face。 She let her eyes slide closed； draping the stars。 In the grass
