stephen king - mist-第31章

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ht；　but　Billy　can　sit　on　someone's　lap　and　we　can　all　squash　together。〃
　He　thought　it　over。　〃All　right；〃　he　said　finally。　〃We'll　try。　Have　you　mentioned　this　to　anyone　else？〃
　〃No；　not　yet。〃
　〃My　advice　would　be　not　to；　not　until　about　four　tomorrow　morning。　I'll　put　a　couple　of　bags　of　groceries　under　the　checkout　nearest　the　door。　If　we're　lucky　we　can　squeak　out　before　anyone　knows　what's　happening。〃　His　eyes　drifted　to　Mrs。　Carmody　again。　〃If　she　knew；　she　might　try　to　stop　us。〃
　〃You　think　so？〃
　Ollie　got　another　beer。　〃I　think　so；〃　he　said。
　That　afternoon…yesterday　afternoon…passed　in　a　kind　of　slow　motion。　Darkness　crept　in；　turning　the　fog　to　that　dull　chrome　color　again。　What　world　was　left　outside　slowly　dissolved　to　black　by　eight…thirty。
　The　pink　bugs　returned；　then　the　bird…things；　swooping　into　the　windows　and　scooping　them　up。　Something　roared　occasionally　from　the　dark；　and　once；　shortly　before　midnight；　there　was　a　long；　drawn…out　Aaaaarooooooo！　that　caused　people　to　turn　toward　the　blackness　with　frightened；　searching　faces。　It　was　the　sort　of　sound　you'd　imagine　a　bull　alligator　might　make　in　a　swamp。
　It　went　pretty　much　as　Miller　had　predicted。　By　the　small　hours；　Mrs。　Carmody　had　gained　another　half　dozen　souls。　Mr。　McVey　the　butcher　was　among　them；　standing　with　his　arms　folded；　watching　her。
　She　was　totally　wound　Lip。　She　seemed　to　need　no　sleep。　Her　sermon；　a　steady　stream　of　horrors　out　of　Dore；　Bosch；　and　Jonathan　Edwards；　went　on　and　on；　building　toward　some　climax。　Her　group　began　to　murmur　with　her；　to　rock　back　and　forth　unconsciously；　like　true　believers　at　a　tent　revival。　Their　eyes　were　shiny　and　blank。　They　were　under　her　spell。
　Around　3：00　A。M。　（the　sermon　went　on　relentlessly；　and　the　people　who　were　not　interested　had　retreated　to　the　back　to　try　to　get　some　sleep）　I　saw　Ollie　put　a　bag　of　groceries　on　a　shelf　under　the　checkout　nearest　the　OUT　door。　Half　an　hour　later　he　put　another　bag　beside　it。　No　one　appeared　to　notice　him　but　me。　Billy；　Amanda；　and　Mrs。　Turman　slept　together　by　the　denuded　cold…cuts　section。　I　joined　them　and　fell　into　an　uneasy　doze。
　At　four…fifteen　by　my　wristwatch；　Ollie　shook　me　awake。　Cornell　was　with　him；　his　eyes　gleaming　brightly　from　behind　his　spectacles。
　〃It's　time；　David；〃　Ollie　said。
　A　nervous　cramp　hit　my　belly　and　then　passed。　I　shook　Amanda　awake。　The　question　of　what　might　happen　with　both　Amanda　and　Stephanie　in　the　car　together　passed　into　my　mind；　and　then　passed　right　out　again。　Today　it　would　be　best　to　take　things　just　as　they　came。
　Those　remarkable　green　eyes　opened　and　looked　into　mine。　〃David？〃
　〃We're　going　to　take　a　stab　at　getting　out　of　here。　Do　you　want　to　e？〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　I　started　to　explain；　then　woke　up　Mrs。　Turman　so　I　would　only　have　to　go　through　it　the　once。
　〃Your　theory　about　scent；〃　Amanda　said。　〃It's　really　only　an　educated　guess　at　this　point；　isn't　it　？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃It　doesn't　matter　to　me；〃　Hattie　said。　Her　face　was　white　and　in　spite　of　the　sleep　she'd　gotten　there　were　large　discolored　patches　under　her　eyes。　〃I　would　do　anything…take　any　chances…just　to　see　the　sun　again。〃
　Just　to　see　the　sun　again。　A　little　shiver　coursed　through　me。　She　had　put　her　finger　on　a　spot　that　was　very　close　to　the　center　of　my　own　fears；　on　the　sense　of　almost　foregone　doom　that　had　gripped　me　since　I　had　seen　Norm　dragged　out　through　the　loading　door。　You　could　only　see　the　sun　through　the　mist　as　a　little　silver　coin。　it　was　like　being　on　Venus。
　It　wasn't　so　much　the　monstrous　creatures　that　lurked　in　the　mist；　my　shot　with　the　pinchbar　had　shown　me　they　were　no　Lovecraftian　horrors　with　immortal　life　but　only　organic　creatures　with　their　own　vulnerabilities。　It　was　the　mist　itself　that　sapped　the　strength　and　robbed　the　will。　Just　to　see　the　sun　again。　She　was　right。　That　alone　would　be　worth　going　through　a　lot　of　hell。
　I　smiled　at　Hattie　and　she　smiled　tentatively　back。
　〃Yes；〃　Amanda　said。　〃Me　too。〃
　I　began　to　shake　Billy　awake　as　gently　as　I　could。
　〃I'm　with　you；〃　Mrs。　Reppler　said　briefly。
　We　were　all　together　by　the　meat　counter；　all　but　Bud　Brown。　He　had　thanked　us　for　the　invitation　and　then　declined　it。　He　would　not　leave　his　place　in　the　market；　he　said；　but　added　in　a　remarkably　gentle　tone　of　voice　that　he　didn't　blame　Ollie　for　doing　so。
　An　unpleasant；　sweetish　aroma　was　beginning　to　drift　up　from　the　white　enamel　case　now；　a　smell　that　reminded　me　of　the　time　our　freezer　went　on　the　fritz　while　we　were　spending　a　week　on　the　Cape。　Perhaps；　I　thought；　it　was　the　smell　of　spoiling　meat　that　had　driven　Mr。　McVey　over　to　Mrs。　Carmody's　team。
　〃…expiation　It's　expiation　we　want　to　think　about　now！　We　have　been　scourged　with　whips　and　scorpions！　We　have　been　punished　for　delving　into　secrets　forbidden　by　God　of　old！　We　have　seen　the　lips　of　the　earth　open！　We　have　seen　the　obscenities　of　nightmare！　The　rock　will　not　hide　them；　the　dead　tree　gives　no
　shelter！　And　how　will　it　end？　What　will　stop　it？〃
　〃Expiation！〃　shouted　good　old　Myron　LaFleur。
　〃Expiation　。。。　expiation　。。。〃　They　whispered　it　uncertainly。
　〃Let　me　hear　you　say　it　like　you　mean　it！〃　Mrs。　Carmody　shouted。　The　veins　stood　out　on　her　neck　in　bulging　cords。　Her　voice　was　cracking　and　hoarse　now；　but　still　full　of　power。　And　it　occurred　to　me　that　it　was　the　mist　that　had　given　her　that　power…the　power　to　cloud　men's　minds；　to　make　a　particularly　apt　pun…just　as　it　had　taken　away　the　sun's　power　from　the　rest　of　us。　Before；　she　had　been　nothing　but　a　mildly　eccentric　old　woman　with　an　antiques　store　in　a　town　that　was　lousy　with　antiques　stores。　Nothing　but　an　old　woman　with　a　few　stuffed　animals　in　the　back　room　and　a　reputation　for
　（that　witch　。。。　that　cunt）
　folk　medicine。　it　was　said　she　could　find　water　with　an　applewood　stick；　that　she　could　charm　warts；　and　sell　you　a　cream　that　would　fade　freckles　to　shadows　of　their　former　selves。　I　had　even　heard…was　it　from　old　Bill　Giosti？　…　that　Mrs。　Carmody　could　be　seen　（in　total　confidence）　about　your　love　life；　that　if　you　were　having　the　bedroom　miseries；　she　could　give　you　a　drink　that　would　put　the　ram　back　in　your　rod。
　〃EXPIATION！〃　they　all　cried　together。
　〃Expiation；　that's　right！〃　she　shouted　deliriously。　〃It's　expiation　gonna　clear　away　this　fog！　Expiation　gonna　clear　off　these　monsters　and　abominations！　Expiation　gonna　drop　the　scales　of　mist　from　our　eyes　and　let　us　see！〃　Her　voice　dropped　a　notch。　〃And　what　does　the　Bible　say　expiation　is？　What　is　the　only　cleanser　for　sin　in　the　Eye　and　Mind　of　God？〃
　〃Blood。　〃
　This　time　the　chill　shuddered　up　through　my　entire　body；　cresting　at　the　nape　of　my　neck　and　making　the　hairs　there　stiffen。　Mr。　McVey　had　spoken　that　word；　Mr。　McVey　the　butcher　who　had　been　cutting　meat　in　Bridgton　ever　since　I　was　a　kid　holding　my　father's　talented　hand。　Mr。　McVey　taking　orders　and　cutting　meat　in　his　stained　whites。　Mr。　McVey；　whose　acquaintanceship　with　the　knife　was　long…yes；　and　with　the　saw　and　cleaver　as　well。　Mr。　McVey　who　would　understand　better　than　anyone　else　that　the　cleanser　of　the　soul　flows　from　the　wounds　of　the　body。
　〃Blood　。。。　〃　they　whispered。
　〃Daddy；　I'm　scared；〃　Billy　said。　He　was　clutching　my　hand　tightly；　his　small　face　strained　and　pale。
　〃Ollie；〃　I　said；　〃why　don't　we　get　out　of　this　loony　bin？〃
　〃Right　on；〃　he　said。　〃Let's　go。〃
　We　started　down　the　second　aisle　in　a　loose　group…Ollie；　Amanda；　Cornell；　Mrs。　Turman；　Mrs。　Reppler；　Billy；　and　I。　it　was　a　quarter　to　five　in　the　morning　and　the　mist　was　beginning　to　lighten　again。
　〃You　and　Cornell　take　the　grocery　bags；〃　Ollie　said　to　me。
　〃Okay。〃
　〃I'll　go　first。　Your　Scout　is　a　four…door；　is　it？〃
　〃Yeah。　It　is。〃
　〃Okay；　I'll　open　the　driver's　door　and　the　back　door　on　the　same　side。　Mrs。　Dumfries；　can　you　carry　Billy？〃
　She　picked　him　up　in　her　arms。
　〃Am　I　too　heavy？〃　Billy　asked。
　〃No；　hon。〃
　〃Good。〃
　〃You　and　Billy　get　in　front；〃　Ollie　went　on。　〃Shove　way　over。　Mrs。　Turman　in　front；　in　the　middle。　David；　you　behind　the　wheel。　The　rest　of　us　will…〃
　〃Where　did　you　think　you　were　going？〃
　It　was　Mrs。　Carmody。
　She　stood　at　the　head　of　the　checkout　line　where　Ollie