sk.thetalisman-第156章

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d　down；　then　you　hear　the　gun　go　off。
　　'You　gotta　go　now；'　Speedy　said　in　a　breathless　rush　of　words。　'In　thirty　seconds；　there's　gonna　be　a　lot　more　shootin。　Stay　behind　the　breakwater　as　long's　you　can　and　then　cut　over。　Get　her；　Jack。'　
　　Jack　gave　Speedy　a　frantic；　driven　look　as　a　second　bullet　smacked　into　the　sand　before　their　little　redoubt。　Then　he　pushed　Richard　down　in　the　front　of　the　raft　and　saw　with　some　satisfaction　that　Richard　had　enough　presence　of　mind　to　grasp　and　hang　on　to　the　separate　rubbery　tufts　of　the　mane。　Speedy　lifted　his　right　hand　in　a　gesture　both　wave　and　blessing。　On　his　knees　Jack　gave　the　raft　a　shove　which　sent　it　almost　to　the　edge　of　the　water。　He　heard　another　trilling　blast　of　the　whistle。　Then　he　scrambled　to　his　feet。　He　was　still　running　when　the　raft　hit　the　water；　and　was　wet　to　the　waist　when　he　pulled　himself　into　it。
　　Jack　paddled　steadily　out　to　the　break…water。　When　he　reached　the　end；　he　turned　into　unprotected　open　water　and　began　paddling。
　　　
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　　After　that；　Jack　concentrated　on　his　paddling；　firmly　putting　out　of　his　mind　any　considerations　of　what　he　would　do　if　Morgan's　men　had　killed　Speedy。　He　had　to　get　under　the　pilings；　and　that　was　that。　A　bullet　hit　the　water；　causing　a　tiny　eruption　of　droplets　about　six　feet　to　his　left。　He　heard　another　ricochet　off　the　breakwater　with　a　ping。　Jack　paddled　forward　with　his　whole　strength。
　　Some　time；　he　knew　not　how　long；　went　by。　At　last　he　rolled　off　the　side　of　the　raft　and　swam　to　the　back；　so　that　he　could　push　it　even　faster　by　scissoring　his　legs。　An　almost　imperceptible　current　swept　him　nearer　his　goal。　At　last　the　pilings　began；　high　crusty　columns　of　wood　as　thick　around　as　telephone　poles。　Jack　raised　his　chin　out　of　the　water　and　saw　the　immensity　of　the　hotel　lifting　itself　above　the　wide　black　deck；　leaning　out　over　him。　He　glanced　back　and　to　his　right；　but　Speedy　had　not　moved。　Or　had　he？　Speedy's　arms　looked　different。　Maybe…
　　There　was　a　flurry　of　movement　on　the　long　grassy　descent　behind　the　row　of　falling…down　houses。　Jack　looked　up　and　saw　four　of　the　men　in　black　suits　racing　down　toward　the　beach。　A　wave　slapped　the　raft；　almost　taking　it　from　his　grasp。　Richard　moaned。　Two　of　the　men　pointed　toward　him。　Their　mouths　moved。
　　Another　high　wave　rocked　the　raft　and　threatened　to　push　both　raft　and　Jack　Sawyer　back　toward　the　beach。
　　Wave；　Jack　thought；　what　wave？
　　He　looked　up　over　the　front　of　the　raft　as　soon　as　it　dipped　again　into　a　trough。　The　broad　gray　back　of　something　surely　too　large　to　be　a　mere　fish　was　sinking　beneath　the　surface。　A　shark？　Jack　was　uneasily　conscious　of　his　two　legs　fluttering　out　behind　him　in　the　water。　He　ducked　his　head　under；　afraid　he'd　see　a　long　cigar…shaped　stomach　with　teeth　sweeping　toward　him。
　　He　did　not　see　that　shape；　not　exactly；　but　what　he　saw　astounded　him。
　　The　water；　which　appeared　now　to　be　very　deep；　was　as　full　as　an　aquarium；　though　one　containing　no　fish　of　normal　size　or　description。　In　this　aquarium　only　monsters　swam。　Beneath　Jack's　legs　moved　a　zoo　of　outsize；　sometimes　horrendously　ugly　animals。　They　must　have　been　beneath　him　and　the　raft　ever　since　the　water　had　grown　deep　enough　to　acmodate　them；　for　the　water　was　crowded　everywhere。　The　thing　that　had　frightened　the　renegade　Wolfs　glided　by　ten　feet　down；　long　as　a　southbound　freight　train。　It　moved　upward　as　he　watched。　A　film　over　its　eyes　blinked。　Long　whiskers　trailed　back　from　its　cavernous　mouth…it　had　a　mouth　like　an　elevator　door；　Jack　thought。　The　creature　glided　past　him；　pushing　Jack　closer　to　the　hotel　with　the　weight　of　the　water　it　displaced；　and　raised　its　dripping　snout　above　the　surface。　Its　furry　profile　resembled　Neanderthal　Man's。
　　Ole　Bloat　and　his　boys　gotta　steer　clear　of　the　water；　Speedy　had　told　him；　and　laughed。
　　Whatever　force　had　sealed　the　Talisman　in　the　black　hotel　had　set　these　creatures　in　the　waters　off　Point　Venuti　to　make　sure　that　the　wrong　people　kept　away；　and　Speedy　had　known　it。　The　great　bodies　of　the　creatures　in　the　water　delicately　nudged　the　raft　nearer　and　nearer　the　pilings；　but　the　waves　they　made　kept　Jack　from　getting　all　but　the　most　fragmentary　view　of　what　was　happening　on　shore。
　　He　rode　up　a　crest　and　saw　Sunlight　Gardener；　his　hair　flowing　out　behind　him；　standing　beside　the　black　fence　levelling　a　long　heavy　hunting　rifle　at　his　head。　The　raft　sank　into　the　trough；　the　shell　sizzled　past　far　overhead　with　the　noise　of　a　hummingbird's　passing；　the　report　came。　When　Gardener　shot　next；　a　fishlike　thing　ten　feet　long　with　a　great　sail　of　a　dorsal　fin　rose　straight　up　out　of　the　water　and　stopped　the　bullet。　In　one　motion；　the　creature　rolled　back　down　and　sliced　into　the　water　again。　Jack　saw　a　great　ragged　hole　in　its　side。　The　next　time　he　rode　up　a　crest；　Gardener　was　trotting　off　across　the　beach；　clearly　on　his　way　to　the　Kingsland　Motel。　The　giant　fish　continued　to　wash　him　diagonally　forward　toward　the　pilings。
　　　
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　　A　ladder；　Speedy　had　said；　and　as　soon　as　Jack　was　under　the　wide　deck　he　peered　through　the　gloom　to　try　to　find　it。　The　thick　pilings；　encrusted　with　algae　and　barnacles　and　dripping　with　seaweed；　stood　in　four　rows。　If　the　ladder　had　been　installed　at　the　time　the　deck　was　built　it　might　easily　be　useless　now…at　the　least　a　wooden　ladder　would　be　hard　to　see；　overgrown　with　weed　and　barnacles。　The　big　shaggy　pilings　were　now　much　thicker　than　they　had　been　originally。　Jack　got　his　forearms　over　the　back　of　the　raft　and　used　the　thick　rubbery　tail　to　lever　himself　back　inside。　Then；　shivering；　he　unbuttoned　his　sodden　shirt…the　same　white　button…down；　at　least　one　size　too　small；　Richard　had　given　him　on　the　other　side　of　the　Blasted　Lands…and　dropped　it　squashily　in　the　bottom　of　the　raft。　His　shoes　had　fallen　off　in　the　water；　and　he　peeled　off　the　wet　socks　and　tossed　them　on　top　of　the　shirt。　Richard　sat　in　the　bow　of　the　raft；　slouching　forward　over　his　knees；　his　eyes　shut　and　his　mouth　closed。
　　'We're　looking　for　a　ladder；'　Jack　said。
　　Richard　acknowledged　this　with　a　barely　perceptible　movement　of　his　head。
　　'Do　you　think　you　could　get　up　a　ladder；　Richie？'
　　'Maybe；'　Richard　whispered。
　　'Well；　it's　around　here　somewhere。　Probably　attached　to　one　of　these　pilings。'　
　　Jack　paddled　with　both　hands；　bringing　the　raft　between　two　of　the　pilings　in　the　first　row。　The　Talisman's　call　was　continuous　now；　and　seemed　nearly　strong　enough　to　pick　him　up　out　of　the　raft　and　deposit　him　on　the　deck。　They　were　drifting　between　the　first　and　second　rows　of　pilings；　already　under　the　heavy　black　line　of　the　deck　above；　here　as　well　as　outside；　little　red　flares　ignited　in　the　air；　twisted；　winked　out。　Jack　counted：　four　rows　of　pilings；　five　pilings　in　each　row。　Twenty　places　where　the　ladder　might　be。　With　the　darkness　beneath　the　deck　and　the　endless　refinements　of　corridors　suggested　by　the　pilings；　being　here　was　like　taking　a　tour　of　the　Catabs。
　　'They　didn't　shoot　us；'　Richard　said　without　affect。　In　the　same　tone　of　voice　he　might　have　said；　'The　store　is　out　of　bread。'
　　'We　had　some　help。'　He　looked　at　Richard；　slumped　over　his　knees。　Richard　would　never　be　able　to　get　up　a　ladder　unless　he　were　somehow　galvanized。
　　'We're　ing　up　to　a　piling；'　Jack　said。　'Lean　forward　and　shove　us　off；　will　you？'
　　'What？'
　　'Keep　us　from　bumping　into　the　piling；'　Jack　repeated。　'e　on；　Richard。　I　need　your　help。'　
　　It　seemed　to　work。　Richard　cracked　open　his　left　eye　and　put　his　right　hand　on　the　edge　of　the　raft。　As　they　drifted　nearer　to　the　thick　piling　he　held　out　his　left　hand　to　deflect　them。　Then　something　on　the　pillar　made　a　smacking　sound；　as　of　lips　pulled　wetly　apart。
　　Richard　grunted　and　retracted　his　hand。
　　'What　was　it？'　Jack　said；　and　Richard　did　not　have　to　answer…now　both　boys　saw　the　sluglike　creatures　clinging　to　the　pilings。　Their　eyes　had　been　closed；　too；　and　their　mouths。　Agitated；　they　began　to　shift　positions　on　their　pillars；　clattering　their　teeth。　Jack　put　his　hands　in　the　water　and　swung　the　bow　of　the　raft　around　the　piling。
　　'Oh　God；'　Richard　said。　Those　lipless　tiny　mo