sk.cujo-第60章

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ll　back　into　the　bucket　seat；　and　then　the　dog　was　on　her　again。
Tad　woke　up。　He　saw　his　mother　being　driven　back　toward　the　Pinto's　center　console；　there　was　something　in　his　mother's　lap；　some　terrible；　hairy　thing　with　red　eyes　and　he　knew　what　it　was；　oh　yes；　it　was　the　thing　from　his　closet；　the　thing　that　had　promised　to　e　a　little　closer　and　a　little　closer　until　it　finally　arrived　right　by　your　bed；　Tad；　and　yes；　here　it　was；　all　right；　here　it　was。　The　Monster　Words　had　failed；　the　monster　was　here；　now；　and　it　was　murdering　his　mommy。　He　began　to　scream；　his　hands　clapped　over　his　eyes。
Its　snapping　jaws　were　inches　from　the　bare　flesh　of　her　midriff。　She　held　it　off　as　best　she　could；　only　faintly　aware　of　her　son's　screams　behind　her。　Cujo's　eyes　were　locked　on　her。　Incredibly；　his　tail　was　wagging。　His　back　legs　worked　at　the　gravel；　trying　to　get　a　footing　solid　enough　to　allow　him　to　jump　right　in；　but　the　gravel　kept　splurting　out　from　under　his　driving　rear　paws。
He　lunged　forward；　her　hands　slipped；　and　suddenly　he　was　biting　her；　biting　her　bare　stomach　just　below　the　white　cotton　cups　of　her　bra；　digging　for　her　entrails　
Donna　uttered　a　low；　feral　cry　of　pain　and　shoved　with　both　hands　as　hard　as　she　could。　Now　she　was　sitting　up　again；　blood　trickling　down　to　the　waistband　of　her　pants。　She　held　Cujo　with　her　left　hand。　Her　right　hand　groped　for　the　Pinto's　doorhandle　and　found　it。　She　began　to　slam　the　door　against　the　dog。　Each　time　she　swept　it　forward　into　Cujo's　ribs；　there　was　a　heavy　whopping　sound；　like　a　heavy　rug　beater　striking　a　carpet　hung　over　a　clothesline。　Each　time　the　door　hit　him；　Cujo　would　grunt；　snorting　his　warm；　foggy　breath　over　her。
He　drew　back　a　little　to　spring。　She　timed　it　and　brought　the　door　toward　her　again；　using　all　of　her　failing　strength。　This　time　the　door　closed　on　his　neck　and　head；　and　she　heard　a　crunching　sound。　Cujo　howled　his　pain　and　she　thought；　He　must　draw　back　now；　he　must；　he　MUST；　but　Cujo　drove　forward　instead　and　his　jaws　closed　on　her　lower　thigh；　just　above　her　knee；　and　with　one　quick　ripping　motion　he　pulled　a　chunk　out　of　her。　Donna　shrieked。
She　slammed　the　door　on　Cujo's　head　again　and　again；　her　screams　melting　into　Tad's；　melting　into　a　gray　shockworld　as　Cujo　worked　on　her　leg；　turning　it　into　something　else；　something　that　was　red　and　muddy　and　churned　up。　The　dog's　head　was　plastered　with　thick；　sticky　blood；　as　black　as　insect　blood　in　the　chancey　starlight。　Little　by　little　he　was　forcing　his　way　in　again；　her　strength　was　on　the　ebb　now。
She　pulled　the　door　to　one　final　time；　her　head　thrown　back；　her　mouth　drawn　open　in　a　quivering　circle；　her　face　a　livid；　moving　blur　in　the　darkness。　It　really　was　the　last　time；　there　was　just　no　more　left。
But　suddenly　Cujo　had　had　enough。
He　drew　back；　whining；　staggered　away；　and　suddenly　fell　over　on　the　gravel；　trembling；　legs　scratching　weakly　at　nothing。　He　began　to　dig　at　his　wounded　head　with　his　right　forepaw。
Donna　slammed　the　door　shut　and　lay　back；　sobbing　weakly。
'Mommy　…　Mommy　…　Mommy
'Tad　。。。　okay　。　。
'Mommy！'
'　。。。　Okay。
Hands：　his　on　her；　fluttering　and　birdlike；　hers　on　Tad's　face；　touching；　trying　to　reassure；　then　falling　back。
'Mommy　。。。　home。。　。　please　。。。　Daddy　and　home　。。。　Daddy　and　home。。。'
'Sure；　Tad　we　will　。。。　we　will；　honest　to　God；　I'll　get　you　there　。。。　we　will　。　。　。'
No　sense　in　the　words。　It　was　all　right。　She　could　feel　herself　fading　back；　fading　into　that　gray　shockworld；　those　mists　in　herself　which　she　had　never　suspected　until　now。　Tad's　words　took　on　a　deep　chaining　sound；　words　in　an　echo　chamber。　But　it　was　all　right。　It　was　
No。　It　wasn't　all　right。
Because　the　dog　had　bitten　her　
…　and　the　dog　was　rabid。
Holly　told　her　sister　not　to　he　foolish；　to　just　dial　her　call　direct；　but　Charity　insisted　on　calling　the　operator　and　having　it　billed　to　her　home　number。　Taking　handouts；　even　a　little　thing　like　an　after…six　long…distance　call；　wasn't　her　way。
The　operator　got　her　directory　assistance　for　Maine　and　Charity　asked　for　Alva　Thornton's　number　in　Castle　Rock。　A　few　moments　later；　Alva's　phone　was　ringing。
'Hello；　Thornton's　Egg　Farms。
'Hi；　Bessie？'
'Ayuh；　'tis。'
'This　is　Charity　Camber。　I'm　calling　from　Connecticut。　Is　Alva　right　around　handy？'
Brett　sat　on　the　sofa；　pretending　to　read　a　book。
'Gee；　Charity；　he　ain't。　He's　got　his　bowling　league　t'night。　They're　all　over　to　the　Pondicherry　Lanes　in　Bridgton。　Somethin　wrong？'
Charity　had　carefully　and　consciously　decided　what　she　was　going　to　say。　The　situation　was　a　bit　delicate。　Like　almost　every　other　married　woman　in　Castle　Rock　（and　that　was　not　to　necessarily　let　out　the　single　ones）；　Bessie　loved　to　talk；　and　if　she　found　out　that　Joe　Camber　had　gone　shooting　off　somewhere　without　his　wife's　knowledge　as　soon　as　Charity　and　Brett　had　left　to　visit　her　sister　in　Connecticut。。。　why；　that　would　be　something　to　talk　about　on　the　party　line；　wouldn't　it？
'No；　except　that　Brett　and　I　got　a　little　worried　about　the　dog。'
'Your　Saint　Bernard？'
'Ayuh；　Cujo。　Brett　and　I　are　down　here　visiting　my　sister　while　Joe's　in　Portsmouth　on　business。　'This　was　a　barefaced　be；　but　a　safe　one；　Joe　did　occasionally　go　to　Portsmouth　to　buy　parts　（there　was　no　sales　tax）　and　to　the　car　auctions。　'I　just　wanted　to　make　sure　he　got　someone　to　feed　the　dog。　You　know　how　men　are。'
'Well；　Joe　was　over　here　yesterday　or　the　day　before；　I　think；'　Bessie　said　doubtfully。　Actually；　it　had　been　the　previous　Thursday。　Bessie　Thornton　was　not　a　terribly　bright　woman　（her　great…aunt；　the　late　Evvie　Chalmers；　had　been　fond　of　screaming　to　anyone　who　would　listen　that　Bessie　'wouldn't　never　pass　none　of　those　IQ　tests；　but　she's　goodhearted'）；　her　life　on　Alva's　chicken　farm　was　a　hard　one；　and　she　lived　most　fully　during　her　'stories'…　As　the　World　Turns；　The　Doctors；　and　All　My　Children　（she　had　tried　The　Young　and　the　Restless　but　considered　it　'too　racy　by　half'）。　She　tended　to　be　fuzzy　on　those　parts　of　the　real　world　that　did　not　bear　on　feeding　and　watering　the　chickens；　adjusting　their　piped…in　music；　candling　and　sorting　eggs；　washing　floors　and　clothes；　doing　dishes；　selling　eggs；　tending　the　garden。　And　in　the　winter；　of　course；　she　could　have　told　a　questioner　the　exact　date　of　the　next　meeting　of　the　Castle　Rock　SnoDevils；　the　snowmobile　club　she　and　Alva　belonged　to。
Joe　had　e　over　on　that　day　with　a　tractor　tire　he　had　repaired　for　Alva。　Joe　had　done　the　job　free　of　charge　since　the　Cambers　got　all　their　eggs　from　the　Thorntons　at　half　price。　Alva　also　harrowed　Joe's　small　patch　of　garden　each　April；　and　so　Joe　was　glad　to　patch　the　tire。　It　was　the　way　country　people　got　along。
Charity　knew　perfectly　well　that　Joe　had　gone　over　to　the　Thorntons'　with　the　repaired　tire　the　previous　Thursday。　She　also　knew　that　Bessie　was　apt　to　get　her　days　mixed　up。　All　of　which　left　her　in　a　pretty　dilemma。　She　could　ask　Bessie　if　Joe　had　had　a　tractor　tire　with　him　when　he　came　up　'yesterday　or　the　day　before；'　and　if　Bessie　said　why　yes；　now　that　you　mention　it；　he　did；　that　would　mean　that　Joe　hadn't　been　up　to　see　Alva　since　last　Thursday；　which　would　mean　that　Joe　hadn't　asked　Alva　to　feed　Cujo；　which　would　also　mean　that　Alva　wouldn't　have　any　information　about　Cujo's　health　and　well…being。
Or　she　could　just　leave　well　enough　alone　and　ease　Brett's　mind。　They　could　enjoy　the　rest　of　their　visit　without　thoughts　of　home　intruding　constantly。　And　。。。　well；　she　was　a　little　jealous　of　Cujo　right　about　now。　Tell　the　truth　and　shame　the　devil。　Cujo　was　distracting　Brett's　attention　from　what　could　be　the　most　important　trip　he　ever　took。　She　wanted　the　boy　to　see　a　whole　new　life；　a　whole　new　set　of　possibilities；　so　that　when　the　time　came；　a　few　years　from　now；　for　him　to　decide　which　doors　he　wanted　to　step　through　and　which　ones　he　would　allow　to　swing　closed；　he　could　make　those　decisions　with　a　bit　of　perspective。　Perhaps　she　had　been　wrong　to　believe　she　could　steer　him；　but　let　him　at　least　have　enough　experience　to　make　up　his　mind　for　himself。
Was　it　fair　to　let　his　worries　about　the　damned　dog　stand　in　the　way　of　that？
；Charity？　You　there？　I　said　I　thought
'Ayuh；　I　heard　you；　Bessie。　He　probably　d