sk.cujo-第34章

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it　with　a　jerk　that　nearly　tore　off　the　cover。　He　could　have　dialed　0；　or　555…1212；　but　in　his　shock　he　never　thought　of　it。
The　sound　of　his　rapid；　shallow　breathing；　his　racing　heart；　and　the　riffle　of　the　thin　phonebook　pages　masked　a　faint　noise　from　behind　him：　the　low　creak　of　the　cellar　door　as　Cujo　nosed　it　open。
He　had　gone　down　cellar　after　killing　Gary　Pervier。　The　light　in　the　kitchen　had　been　too　bright；　too　dazzling。　It　sent　white…hot　shards　of　agony　into　his　deposing　brain。　The　cellar　door　had　been　ajar　and　he　had　padded　jerkily　down　the　stairs　into　the　blessedly　cool　dark。　He　had　fallen　asleep　next　to　Gary's　old　Army　footlocker；　and　the　breze　from　the　open　windows　had　swung　the　cellar　door　most　of　the　way　closed。　The　breeze　had　not　been　quite　strong　enough　to　latch　the　door。
The　moans；　the　sound　of　Joe　retching；　the　thumpings　and　slammings　as　Joe　ran　down　the　hall　to　close　the　front　door　…these　things　had　awakened　him　to　his　pain　again。　His　pain　and　his　dull；　ceaseless　fury。　Now　he　stood　behind　Joe　in　the　dark　doorway。　His　head　was　lowered。　His　eyes　were　nearly　scarlet。　His　thick；　tawny　fur　was　matted　with　gore　and　drying　mud。　Foam　drizzled　from　his　mouth　in　a　lather；　and　his　teeth　showed　constantly　because　his　tongue　was　beginning　to　swell。
Joe　had　found　the　Castle　Rock　section　of　the　book。　He　got　the　C's　and　ran　a　shaking　finger　down　to　CASTLE　ROCK　MUNICIPAL　SERVICES　in　a　boxed…off　section　halfway　down　one　column。　There　was　the　number　for　the　sheriffs　office。　He　reached　up　a　finger　to　begin　dialing；　and　that　was　when　Cujo　began　to　growl　deep　in　his　chest。
All　the　nerves　seemed　to　run　out　of　Joe　Camber's　body。　The　telephone　book　slithered　from　his　fingers　and　thudded　against　the　wall　again。　He　turned　slowly　toward　that　growling　sound。　He　saw　Cujo　standing　in　the　cellar　doorway。
'Nice　doggy；'　he　whispered　huskily；　and　spit　ran　down　his　chin。
He　made　helpless　water　in　his　pants；　and　the　sharp；　ammoniac　reek　of　it　struck　Cujo's　nose　like　a　keen　slap。　He　sprang。　Joe　lurched　to　one　side　on　legs　that　felt　like　stilts　and　the　dog　struck　the　wall　hard　enough　to　punch　through　the　wallpaper　and　knock　out　plaster　dust　in　a　white；　gritty　puff。　Now　the　dog　wasn't　growling；　a　series　of　heavy；　grinding　sounds　escaped　him；　sounds　more　savage　than　any　barks。
Joe　backed　toward　the　rear　door。　His　feet　tangled　in　one　of　the　kitchen　chairs。　He　pinwheeled　his　arms　madly　for　balance；　and　might　have　gotten　it　back；　but　before　that　could　happen　Cujo　bore　down　on　him；　a　bloodstreaked　killing　machine　with　strings　of　foam　flying　backward　from　his　jaws。　There　was　a　green；　swampy　stench　about　him。
'ob　m'　God　lay　off'n　me！'　Joe　Camber　shrieked。
He　remembered　Gary。　He　covered　his　throat　with　one　hand　and　tried　to　grapple　with　Cujo　with　the　other。　Cujo　backed　off　momentarily；　snapping；　his　muzzle　wrinkled　back　in　a　great　humorless　grin　that　showed　teeth　like　a　row　of　slightly　yellowed　fence　spikes。　Then　he　came　again。
And　this　time　he　came　for　Joe　Camber's　balls。
'Hey　kiddo；　you　want　to　e　grocery　shopping　with　me？　And　have　lunch　at　Mario's？'
Tad　got　up。　'Yeah　I　Good！'
'e　on；　then。'
She　had　her　bag　over　her　shoulder　and　she　was　wearing　jeans　and　a　faded　blue　shirt。　Tad　thought　she　was　looking　very　pretty。　He　was　relieved　to　see　there　were　no　sign　of　her　tears；　because　when　she　cried；　he　cried。　He　knew　it　was　a　baby　thing　to　do；　but　he　couldn't　help　it。
He　was　halfway　to　the　car　and　she　was　slipping　behind　the　wheel　when　he　remembered　that　her　Pinto　was　all　screwed　UP。
'Mommy？'
'What？　Get　in。'
But　he　hung　back　a　little；　afraid。　'What　if　the　car　goes　kerflooey？'
'Ker　…？'She　was　looking　at　him；　puzzled；　and　then　he　saw　by　her　exasperated　expression　that　she　had　forgotten　all　about　the　car　being　screwed　up。　He　had　reminded　her；　and　now　she　was　unhappy　again。　Was　it　the　Pinto's　fault；　or　was　it　his？　He　didn't　know；　but　the　guilty　feeling　inside　said　it　was　his。　Then　her　face　smoothed　out　and　she　gave　him　a　crooked　little　smile　that　he　knew　well　enough　to　feel　it　was　his　special　smile；　the　one　she　saved　just　for　him。　He　felt　better。
'We're　just　going　into　town；　Tadder。　If　Mom's　ole　blue　Pinto　packs　it　in；　we'll　just　have　to　blow　two　bucks　on　Castle　Rock's　one　and　only　taxi　getting　back　home。　Right？'
'Oh；　Okay。'　He　got　in　and　managed　to　pull　the　door　shut。
She　watched　him　closely；　ready　to　move　at　an　instant；　and　Tad　supposed　she　was　thinking　about　last　Christmas；　when　he　had　shut　the　door　on　his　foot　and　had　to　wear　an　Ace　bandage　for　about　a　month。　But　he　had　been　just　a　baby　then；　and　now　he　was　four　years　old。　Now　he　was　a　big　boy。　He　knew　that　was　true　because　his　dad　had　told　him。　He　smiled　at　his　mother　to　show　her　the　door　had　been　no　problem；　and　she　smiled　back。
'Did　it　latch　tight？'
'Tight；'　Tad　agreed；　so　she　opened　it　and　slammed　it　again；　because　moms　didn't　beheve　you　unless　you　told　them　something　bad；　like　you　spilled　the　bag　of　sugar　reaching　for　the　peanut　butter　or　broke　a　window　while　trying　to　throw　a　rock　all　the　way　over　the　garage　roof。
'Hook　your　belt；'　she　said；　getting　in　herself　again。　'When　that　needle　valve　or　whatever　it　is　messes　up；　the　car　jerks　a　lot。'
A　little　apprehensively；　Tad　buckled　his　seat　belt　and　harness。　He　sure　hoped　they　weren't　going　to　have　an　accident；　like　in　Ten…Truck　Wipe　Out。　Even　more　than　that；　he　hoped　Mom　wouldn't　cry。
'Flaps　down？'　she　asked；　adjusting　invisible　goggles。
'Flaps　down；'　he　agreed；　grinning。　It　was　just　a　game　they　played。
'Runway　clear？'
'Clear。'
'Then　here　we　go。'　She　keyed　the　ignition　and　backed　down　the　driveway。　A　moment　later　they　were　headed　for　town。
After　about　a　mile　they　both　relaxed。　Up　to　that　point　Donna　had　been　sitting　bolt　upright　behind　the　wheel　and　Tad　had　been　doing　the　same　in　the　passenger　bucket。　But　the　Pinto　ran　so　smoothly　that　it　might　have　popped　off　the　assembly　line　only　yesterday。
They　went　to　the　Agway　Market　and　Donna　bought　forty　dollars'　worth　of　groceries；　enough　to　keep　them　the　ten　days　that　Vic　would　be　gone。　Tad　insisted　on　a　fresh　box　of　Twinkles；　and　would　have　added　Cocoa　Bears　if　Donna　had　let　him。　They　got。　shipments　of　the　Sharp　cereals　regularly；　but　they　were　currently　out　h　was　a　busy　trip；　but　she　still　had　time　for　bitter　reflection　as　she　waited　in　the　checkout　lane　（Tad　sat　in　the　cart's　child　seat；　swinging　his　legs　nonchalantly）　on　how　much　three　lousy　bags　of　groceries　went　for　these　days。　It　wasn't　just　depressing；　it　was　scary。　That　thought　led　her　to　the　frightening　possibility　probability；　her　mind　whispered　…　that　Vic　and　Roger　might　actually　lose　the　Sharp　account　and；　as　a　result　of　that；　the　agency　itself。　What　price　groceries　then？
She　watched　a　fat　woman　with　a　lumpy　behind　packed　into　avocado…colored　slacks　pull　a　food…stamp　booklet　out　of　her　purse；　saw　the　checkout　girl　roll　her　eyes　at　the　girl　running　the　next　register；　and　felt　sharp　rat…teeth　of　panic　gnawing　at　her　belly。　It　couldn't　e　to　that；　could　it？　Could　it？　No；　of　course　not。　Of　course　not。　They　would　go　back　to　New　York　first；　they　would　
She　didn't　like　the　way　her　thoughts　were　speeding　up；　and　she　pushed　the　whole　mess　resolutely　away　before　it　could　grow　to　avalanche　size　and　bury　her　in　another　deep　depression。　Nex　time　she　wouldn't　have　to　buy　coffee；　and　that　would　knock　three　bucks　off　the　bill。
She　trundled　Tad　and　the　groceries　out　to　the　Pinto　and　put　the　bags　into　the　hatchback　and　Tad　into　the　passenger　bucket；　standing　there　and　listening　to　make　sure　the　door　latched；　wanting　to　close　the　door　herself　but　understanding　it　was　something　he　felt　he　had　to　do。　It　was　a　big…boy　thing。　She　had　almost　had　a　heart　attack　last　December　when　Tad　shut　his　foot　in　the　door。　How　he　had　screamed！　She　had　nearly　fainted。。。　and　then　Vic　had　been　there；　charging　out　of　the　house　in　his　bathrobe；　splashing　out　fans　of　driveway　slush　with　his　bare　feet。　And　she　had　let　him　take　over　and　be　petent；　which　she　hardly　ever　was　in　emergencies；　she　usually　just　turned　to　mush。　He　had　checked　to　make　sure　the　foot　wasn't　broken；　then　had　changed　quickly　and　driven　them　to　the　emergency　room　at　the　Bridgton　hospital。
Groceries　stowed；　likewise　Tad；　she　got　behind　the　wheel　and　started　the　Pinto。　Now　it'll　fuck　up；　she　thought