sk.thetalisman-第178章
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'He'll rest better over here；' Parkus told Jack； and struck off up the beach； away from the castle； carrying Richard。 Jack stumbled along as best he could； but gradually found himself falling behind。 He was quickly out of breath； his legs rubbery。 His head ached with reaction from the final battle…shock hangover； he supposed。
'Why 。 。 。 where 。 。 。' That was all he could pant。 He held the Talisman against his chest。 It was dull now； its exterior sooty and opaque and uninteresting。
'Just up a little way；' Parkus said。 'You and your friend don't want to rest where he was； do you？'
And； exhausted as he was； Jack shook his head。
Parkus glanced back over his shoulder； then looked sadly at Jack。
'It stinks of his evil back there；' he said； 'and it stinks of your world； Jack。
'To me； they smell too much alike for fort。'
He set off again； Richard in his arms。
3
Forty yards up the beach he stopped。 Here the black sand had moderated to a lighter color…not white； but a medium gray。 Parkus set Richard down gently。 Jack sprawled beside him。 The sand was warm…blessedly warm。 No snow here。
Parkus sat beside him； cross…legged。
'You're going to have a sleep now；' he said。 'Might be tomorrow before you wake up。 Won't anybody bother you； if so。 Take a look。'
Parkus waved his arm toward the place where Point Venuti had been in the American Territories。 Jack first saw the black castle； one entire side of it crumbled and burst； as if there had been a tremendous explosion inside。 Now the castle looked almost pedestrian。 Its menace was burnt out； its illicit treasure borne away。 It was only stones piled up in patterns。
Looking farther； Jack saw that the earthquake had not been so violent over here…and there had been less to destroy。 He saw a few overturned huts that looked as if they had been built mostly of driftwood； he saw a number of burst coaches that might or might not have been Cadillacs back in the American Territories； here and there he could see a fallen； shaggy body。
'Those who were here and survived have now gone；' Parkus said。 'They know what has happened； they know Orris is dead； and they'll not trouble you more。 The evil that was here has gone。 Do you know that？ Can you feel it？'
'Yes；' Jack whispered。 'But 。 。 。 Mr。 Parkus 。 。 。 you're not 。 。 。 not 。 。 。'
'Going？ Yes。 Very soon。 You and your friend are going to have a good sleep； but you and I must have a bit of a talk first。 It won't take long； so I want you to try and get your head up off your chest； at least for the moment。'
With some effort； Jack got his head up and his eyes all…well； most…of the way open again。 Parkus nodded。
'When you wake up； strike east 。 。 。 but don't flip！ You stay right here for a while。 Stay in the Territories。 There's going to be too much going on over there on your side…rescue units； news crews； Jason knows what else。 At least the snow will melt before anybody knows it's there； except for a few people who'll be dismissed as crackpots…'
'Why do you have to go？'
'I just got to ramble some now； Jack。 There's a lot of work to be done over here。 News of Morgan's death will already be travelling east。 Travelling fast。 I'm behind that news right now； and I've got to get ahead of it if I can。 I want to get back to the Outposts 。 。 。 and the east 。 。 。 before a lot of pretty bad folks start to head out for other places。' He looked out at the ocean； his eyes as cold and gray as flint。 'When the bill es due； people have to pay。 Morgan's gone； but there's still a debt owing。'
'You're something like a policeman over here； aren't you？'
Parkus nodded。 'I am what you'd call the Judge General and Lord High Executioner all rolled into one。 Over here； that is。' He put a strong； warm hand on Jack's head。 'Over there； I'm just this fella who goes around from place to place； does a few odd jobs； strums a few tunes。 And sometimes； believe me； I like that a lot better。'
He smiled again； and this time he was Speedy。
'And you be seein that guy from time to time； Jacky。 Yeah； from time to time and place to place。 In a shoppin center； maybe； or a park。'
He winked at Jack。
'But Speedy's 。 。 。 not well；' Jack said。 'Whatever was wrong with him； it was something the Talisman couldn't touch。'
'Speedy's old；' Parkus said。 'He's my age； but your world made him older than me。 Just the same； he's still got a few years left in him。 Maybe quite a few。 Feel no fret； Jack。'
'You promise？' Jack asked。
Parkus grinned。 'Yeah…bob。'
Jack grinned tiredly back。
'You and your friend head out to the east。 Go until you reckon you've done five miles。 You get over those low hills and then you'll be fine…easy walking。 Look for a big tree…biggest damn tree you've ever seen。 You get to that big old tree； Jack； and you take Richard's hand； and you flip back。 You'll e out next to a giant redwood with a tunnel cut through the bottom of it to let the road through。 The road's Route Seventeen； and you'll be on the outskirts of a little town in northern California called Storyville。 Walk into town。 There's a Mobil station at the blinker…light。'
'And then？'
Parkus shrugged。 'Don't know； not for sure。 Could be； Jack； you'll meet someone you'll recognize。'
'But how will we get h…'
'Shhh；' Parkus said； and put a hand on Jack's forehead exactly as his mother had done when he was
（baby…bunting； daddy's gone a…hunting； and all that good shit； la…la； go to sleep； Jacky； all's well and all's well and）
very small。 'Enough questions。 All will be well with you and Richard now； I think。'
Jack lay down。 He cradled the dark ball in the crook of one arm。 Each of his eyelids now seemed to have a cinderblock attached to it。
'You have been brave and true； Jack；' Parkus said with calm gravity。 'I wish you were my own son 。 。 。 and I salute you for your courage。 And your faith。 There are people in many worlds who owe you a great debt of gratitude。 And in some way or other； I think most of them sense that。'
Jack managed a smile。
'Stay a little while；' he managed to say。
'All right；' Parkus said。 'Until you sleep。 Feel no fret； Jack。 Nothing will harm you here。'
'My mom always said…'
But before he finished the thought； sleep had claimed him。
4
And sleep continued to claim him； in some mysterious wise； the next day when he was technically awake…or if not sleep； then a protective numbing faculty of the mind which turned most of that day slow and dreamlike。 He and Richard； who was similarly slow…moving and tentative； stood beneath the tallest tree in the world。 All about them spangles of light lay across the floor of the forest。 Ten grown men holding hands could not have reached around it。 The tree soared up； massive and apart： in a forest of tall trees it was a leviathan； a pure example of Territories exuberance。
Feel no fret； Parkus had said； even while he threatened to fade hazily away like the Cheshire Cat。 Jack tilted his head to stare up toward the top of the tree。 He did not quite know this； but he was emotionally exhausted。 The immensity of the tree aroused only a flicker of wonder in him。 Jack rested a hand against the surprisingly smooth bark。 I killed the man who killed my father； he said to himself。 He clutched the dark； seemingly dead ball of the Talisman in his other hand。 Richard was staring upward at the giant head of the tree； a skyscraper's height above them。 Morgan was dead； Gardener too； and the snow must have melted from the beach by now。 Yet not all of it was gone。 Jack felt as though a whole beachful of snow filled his head。 He had thought once…a thousand years ago； it seemed now…that if he could ever actually get his hands around the Talisman； he would be so inundated with triumph and excitement and awe that he'd have to fizz over。 Instead he now felt only the tiniest hint of all that。 It was snowing in his head； and he could see no farther than Parkus's instructions。 He realized that the enormous tree was holding him up。
'Take my hand；' he said to Richard。
'But how are we going to get home？' Richard asked。
'Feel no fret；' he said； and closed his hand aro
