sk.thetalisman-第177章
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Jack and Sloat exchanged short glances。 His father was not kidding； Richard knew。 He would kill him if Jack did not surrender the Talisman。 And then he would kill the old black man； Speedy。
'Don't do it；' he managed to whisper。 'Stuff him； Jack。 Tell him to screw himself。'
Jack almost deranged Richard by winking at him。
'Just drop the Talisman；' he heard his father say。
Richard watched in horror as Jack tilted the palms of his hands and let the Talisman tumble out。
7
'Jack； no！'
Jack didn't look around at Richard。 You don't own a thing unless you can give it up； his mind hammered at him。 You don't own a thing unless you can give it up； what does it profit a man； it profits him nothing； it profits him zilch； and you don't learn that in school； you learn it on the road； you learn it from Ferd Janklow； and Wolf； and Richard going head…first into the rocks like a Titan II that didn't fire off right。
You learned these things； or you died somewhere out in the world where there was no clear light。
'No more killing；' he said in the snow…filled darkness of this California beach afternoon。 He should have felt utterly exhausted…it had been； all told； a four…day run of horrors； and now； at the end； he had coughed up the ball like a freshman quarterback with a lot to learn。 Had thrown it all away。 Yet it was the sure voice of Anders he heard； Anders who had knelt before Jack/Jason with his kilt spread out around him and his head bowed： Anders saying A' wi' be well； a' wi' be well； and a' manner a' things wi' be well。
The Talisman glowed on the beach； snow melting down one sweetly gravid side in droplets； and in each droplet was a rainbow； and in that moment Jack knew the staggering cleanliness of giving up the thing which was required。
'No more slaughter。 Go on and break it if you can；' he said。 'I'm sorry for you。'
It was that last which surely destroyed Morgan Sloat。 If he had retained a shred of rational thought； he would have unearthed a stone from the unearthly snow and smashed the Talisman 。 。 。 as it could have been smashed； in its simple unjacketed vulnerability。
Instead； he turned the key on it。
As he did so； his mind was filled with loving； hateful memories of Jerry Bledsoe； and Jerry Bledsoe's wife。 Jerry Bledsoe； whom he had killed； and Nita Bledsoe； who should have been Lily Cavanaugh 。 。 。 Lily； who had slapped him so hard his nose bled the one time when； drunk； he had tried to touch her。
Fire sang out…green…blue fire spanning out from the cheap…jack barrel of the tin key。 It arrowed out at the Talisman； struck it； spread over it； turning it into a burning sun。 Every color was there for a moment 。 。 。 for a moment every world was there。 Then it was gone。
The Talisman swallowed the fire from Morgan's key。
Ate it whole。
Darkness came back。 Jack's feet slid out from under him and he sat down with a thud on Speedy Parker's limply splayed calves。 Speedy made a grunting noise and twitched。
There was a two…second lag when everything held static 。 。 。 and then fire suddenly blew back out of the Talisman in a flood。 Jack's eyes opened wide in spite of his frantic； tortured thought
（it'll blind you！ Jack！ it'll）
and the altered geography of Point Venuti was lit up as if the God of All Universes had bent forward to snap a picture。 Jack saw the Agincourt； slumped and half…destroyed； he saw the collapsed Highlands that were now the Lowlands； he saw Richard on his back； he saw Speedy lying on his belly with his face turned to one side。 Speedy was smiling。
Then Morgan Sloat was driven backward and enveloped in a field of fire from his own key…fire that had been absorbed inside the Talisman as the flashes of light from Sunlight Gardener's telescopic sight had been absorbed…and which was returned to him a thousandfold。
A hole opened between the worlds…a hole the size of the tunnel leading into Oatley…and Jack saw Sloat； his handsome brown suit burning； one skeletal； tallowy hand still clutching the key； driven through that hole。 Sloat's eyes were boiling in their sockets； but they were wide 。 。 。 they were aware。
And as he passed； Jack saw him change…saw the cloak appear like the wings of a bat that has swooped through the flame of a torch； saw his burning boots； his burning hair。 Saw the key bee a thing like a miniature lightning…rod。
Saw 。 。 。 daylight！
8
It came back in a flood。 Jack rolled away from it on the snowy beach； dazzled。 In his ears…ears deep inside his head…he heard Morgan Sloat's dying scream as he was driven back through all the worlds that were； into oblivion。
'Jack？' Richard was sitting up woozily； holding his head。 'Jack； what happened？ I think I fell down the stadium steps。'
Speedy was twitching in the snow； and now he did a sort of girl's pushup and looked toward Jack。 His eyes were exhausted 。 。 。 but his face was clear of blemishes。
'Good job； Jack；' he said； and grinned。 'Good…' He fell partway forward again； panting。
Rainbow； Jack thought woozily。 He stood up and then fell down again。 Freezing snow coated his face and then began to melt like tears。 He pushed himself to his knees； then stood up again。 The field of his vision was filled with spots 。 。 。 but he saw the enormous burned swatch in the snow where Morgan had stood。 It tailed away like a teardrop。
'Rainbow！' Jack Sawyer shouted； and raised his hands to the sky； weeping and laughing。 'Rainbow！ Rainbow！'
He went to the Talisman； and picked it up； still weeping。
He took it to Richard Sloat； who had been Rushton； to Speedy Parker； who was what he was。
He healed them。
Rainbow； rainbow； rainbow！
CHAPTER 46
Another Journey
1
He healed them； but he was never able to recall exactly how that had gone； or any of the specific details…for a while the Talisman had blazed and sung in his hands； and he had the vaguest possible memory of its fire's actually seeming to flow out over them until they glowed in a bath of light。 That was all he could bring back。
At the end of it； the glorious light in the Talisman faded 。 。 。 faded 。 。 。 went out。
Jack； thinking of his mother； uttered a hoarse； wailing cry。
Speedy staggered over to him through the melting snow and put an arm around Jack's shoulders。
'It be back； Travellin Jack；' Speedy said。 He smiled； but he looked twice as tired as Jack。 Speedy had been healed 。 。 。 but he was still not well。 This world is killing him； Jack thought dimly。 At least； it's killing the part of him that's Speedy Parker。 The Talisman healed him 。 。 。 but he is still dying。
'You did for it；' Speedy said； 'and you wanna believe that it's gonna do for you。 Don't worry。 e on over here； Jack。 e on over to where your frien' be layin。'
Jack did。 Richard was sleeping in the melting snow。 That horrid loose flap of skin was gone； but there was a long white streak of scalp showing in his hair now…a streak of scalp from which no hair would ever grow。
'Take his han'。'
'Why？ What for？'
'We're gonna flip。'
Jack looked at Speedy questioningly； but Speedy offered no explanation。 He only nodded； as if to say Yes； you heard me right。
Well； Jack thought； I trusted him this far…
He reached down and took Richard's hand。 Speedy held Jack's other hand。
With hardly a tug at all； the three of them went over。
2
It was as Jack had intuited…the figure standing beside him over here； on this black sand that was stitched everywhere by Morgan of Orris's dragging foot； looked hale and hearty and healthy。
Jack stared with awe…and some unease…at this stranger who looked a bit like Speedy Parker's younger brother。
'Speedy…Mr。 Parkus； I mean…what are you…'
'You boys need rest；' Parkus said。 'You for sure； this other young squire even more。 He came closer to dying than anyone will ever know but himself 。 。 。 and I don't think he's the type to do much admitting； even to himself。'
'Yeah；' Jack said。 'You got that right。'
'He'll rest better over here；' Parkus told Jack； and struck off up the beach； away from the castle； carrying Richard。 Jack stumbled a
