sk.thetalisman-第141章
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drawn by a bright kindergarten student with a cruel turn of mind。
It was curdy…white and skinny； one of its arms ended in a wormy tentacle that somehow reminded Jack of Osmond's whip。 Its eyes； one of them adrift； were on different levels。 Fat red sores covered its cheeks。
Some of it's radiation sickness 。 。 。 Jason； I think Osmond's boy might have gotten a little too close to one of those fireballs 。 。 。 but the rest of it 。 。 。 Jason 。 。 。 Jesus 。 。 。 what was its mother？ In the name of all the worlds； WHAT WAS ITS MOTHER？
'Get the Pretender！' Osmond was shrieking。 'Save Morgan's son but get the Pretender！ Get the false Jason！ Get out here； you cowards！ They're out of bullets！'
Roars； bellows。 In a moment； Jack knew； a fresh contingent of Wolfs； supported by Assorted Geeks and Freaks； was going to appear from the back end of the long barracks； where they would have been shielded from the explosion； where they had probably been cowering with their heads down； and where they would have remained 。 。 。 except for Osmond。
'Should have stayed off the road； little chicken；' Elroy grunted； and ran at the train。 His tail was swishing through the air。 Reuel Gardener…or whatever Reuel was in this world…made a thick mewling sound and attempted to follow。 Osmond reached out and hauled him back； his fingers； Jack saw； appeared to slide right into the monster…boy's slatlike； repulsive neck。
Then he raised the Uzi and fired an entire clip； point…blank； into Elroy's face。 It tore the goat…thing's entire head off； and yet Elroy； headless； continued to climb for a moment； and one of his hands； the fingers melted together in two clumps to make a parody of a cloven hoof； pawed blindly for Jack's head before it tumbled backward。
Jack stared at it； stunned…he had dreamed that final nightmarish confrontation at the Oatley Tap over and over again； trying to stumble away from the monster through what seemed to be a dark jungle filled with bedsprings and broken glass。 Now here was that creature； and he had somehow killed it。 It was hard to get his mind around the fact。 It was as if he had killed childhood's bogeyman。
Richard was screaming…and his machine…gun roared； nearly deafening Jack。
'It's Reuel！ Oh Jack oh my God oh Jason it's Reuel； it's Reuel…'
The Uzi in Richard's hands coughed out another short burst before falling silent； its clip spent。 Reuel shook free of his father。 He lurched and hopped toward the train； mewling。 His upper lip curled back； revealing long teeth that looked false and flimsy； like the wax teeth children don at Halloween。
Richard's final burst took him in the chest and neck； punching holes in the brown kilt…cum…jumper he wore； ripping open flesh in long； ragged furrows。 Sluggish rills of dark blood flowed from these wounds； but no more。 Reuel might once have been human…Jack supposed it was just possible。 If so； he was not human now； the bullets did not even slow him down。 The thing which leaped clumsily over Elroy's body was a demon。 It smelled like a wet toadstool。
Something was growing warm against Jack's leg。 Just warm at first 。 。 。 then hot。 What was it？ Felt like he had a teakettle in his pocket。 But he didn't have time to think。 Things were unfolding in front of him。 In Technicolor。
Richard dropped his Uzi and staggered back； clapping his hands to his face。 His horrified eyes stared out at the Reuel…thing through the bars of his fingers。
'Don't let him get me； Jack！ Don't let him get meeeee '
Reuel bubbled and mewled。 His hands slapped against the side of the engine and the sound was like large fins slapping down on thick mud。
Jack saw there were indeed thick； yellowish webs between the fingers。
'e back！' Osmond was yelling at his son； and the fear in his voice was unmistakable。 'e back； he's bad； he'll hurt you； all boys are bad； it's axiomatic； e back； e back！'
Reuel burbled and grunted enthusiastically。 He pulled himself up and Richard screamed insanely； backing into the far corner of the cab。
'DON'T LET HIM GET MEEEEEEE…'
More Wolfs； more strange freaks charging around the corner。 One of them； a creature with curly ram's horns jutting from the sides of its head and wearing only a pair of patched L'il Abner britches； fell down and was trampled by the others。
Heat against Jack's leg in a circle。
Reuel； now throwing one reedy leg over the side of the cab。 It was slobbering； reaching for him； and the leg was writhing； it wasn't a leg at all； it was a tentacle。 Jack raised the Uzi and fired。
Half of the Reuel…thing's face sheered away like pudding。 A flood of worms began to fall out of what was left。
Reuel was still ing。
Reaching for him with those webbed fingers。
Richard's shrieks； Osmond's shrieks merging； melting together into one。
Heat like a branding iron against his leg and suddenly he knew what it was； even as Reuel's hands squashed down on his shoulders he knew…it was the coin Captain Farren had given him； the coin Anders had refused to take。
He drove his hand into his pocket。 The coin was like a chunk of ore in his hand…he made a fist around it； and felt power ram through him in big volts。 Reuel felt it； too。 His triumphant slobberings and grunts became mewlings of fear。 He tried to back away； his one remaining eye rolling wildly。
Jack brought the coin out。 It glowed red…hot in his hand。 He felt the heat clearly…but it was not burning him。
The profile of the Queen glowed like the sun。
'In her name； you filthy； aborted thing！' Jack shouted。 'Get you off the skin of this world！' He opened his fist and slammed his hand into Reuel's forehead。
Reuel and his father shrieked in harmony…Osmond a tenor…verging…on…soprano； Reuel a buzzing； insectile bass。 The coin slid into Reuel's forehead like the tip of a hot poker into a tub of butter。 A vile dark fluid； the color of overbrewed tea； ran out of Reuel's head and over Jack's wrist。 The fluid was hot。 There were tiny worms in it。 They twisted and writhed on Jack's skin。 He felt them biting。 Nevertheless； he pressed the first two fingers of his right hand harder； driving the coin farther into the monster's head。
'Get you off the skin of this world； vileness！ In the name of the Queen and in the name of her son； get you off the skin of this world！'
It shrieked and wailed； Osmond shrieked and wailed with it。 The reinforcements had stopped and were milling behind Osmond； their faces full of superstitious terror。 To them Jack seemed to have grown； he seemed to be giving off a bright light。
Reuel jerked。 Uttered one more bubbling screech。 The black stuff running out of his head turned yellow。 A final worm； long and thickly white； wriggled out of the hole the coin had made。 It fell to the floor of the engine partment。 Jack stepped on it。 It broke open under his heel and splattered。 Reuel fell in a wet heap。
Now such a screaming wail of grief and fury arose in the dusty stockade yard that Jack thought his skull might actually split open with it。 Richard had curled into a fetal ball with his arms wrapped around his head。
Osmond was wailing。 He had dropped his whip and the machine…pistol。
'Oh； filthy！' he cried； shaking his fists at Jack。 'Look what you've done！ Oh； you filthy； bad boy！ I hate you； hate you forever and beyond forever！ Oh； filthy Pretender！ I'll kill you！ Morgan will kill you！ Oh my darling only son！ FILTHY！ MORGAN WILL KILL YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE！ MORGAN…'
The others took up the cry in a whispering voice； reminding Jack of the boys in the Sunlight Home： can you gimme hallelujah。 And then they fell silent； because there was the other sound。
Jack was tumbled back instantly to the pleasant afternoon he had spent with Wolf； the two of them sitting by the stream； watching the herd graze and drink as Wolf talked about his family。 It had been pleasant enough 。 。 。 pleasant enough； that is； until Morgan came。
And now Morgan was ing again…not flipping over but bludgeoning his way through； raping his way in。
'Morgan！ It's…'
'…Morgan； Lord…'
'Lord of Orris…'
'Morgan 。 。 。 Morgan 。 。 。 Morgan 。 。 。'
The ripping sound grew louder and louder。 The Wolfs were
