jefflong.yearzero-第17章
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At last he made the effort to raise one arm。 It lifted slowly。 The glove had skinned off。 Some of the skin； too。 He brought it closer to his face and stared at the fingers； flexing them。 Bit by bit； he assembled himself。 He struggled to sit。 He freed the strap under his chin and the red helmet was scraped and battered； with a crack running from brim to crown。
His left leg was bent and bulging at the knee。
Nathan Lee groped at his leg。 He tried pressing it straight。 Each time the pain drove him back。 He cowered from his own body。 Finally he lodged his foot between two rocks and pulled。 The joint gave a meaty pop。 The knee came together again with a scream。
WHEN HE OPENEDhis eyes again； night was ing on。 Snow was falling in thick curtains。 Lightning slid overhead like electric serpents。 Nathan Lee dozed off。
His next awareness was of the sound of snow hissing off plastic。 A few minutes later； the sound repeated； unmistakable； the slither of snow shedding off a tent wall。 For a moment； he thought Ochs must have repented and e and carried him down the mountain and laid him in their tent。 Then he saw that he was still stranded upon his dike of stone。 He was very cold。
Off to one side； a ghostly shape moved in the gloom。 Snow hissed off fabric again。 He pulled himself closer to the thing。 It was the body bag； still partly inflated； tethered here by a few ounces of snow。 It looked ready； in a moment； to fly off again。 Nathan Lee snatched at it。
Nauseated and shocked； with fingers like thumbs； he pawed at the zipper and it slid open。 With the last of his strength； he crawled onto the plastic and laid it over his legs。 He zipped the bag closed； leaving a hole for air。
* * *
HE WOKE GASPINGfor air and blind in the darkness。 A monster was crouching on his chest tearing him with claws。 In his panic； he had no memory； no idea where he was or what had happened。 He thrashed。 His hand caught on the zipper hole and he ripped it open。 He flailed at the covering of snow； and there it was； open air。 Light。 He filled his lungs。
He dug wider through the covering of snow and elbowed his way to sitting。 Blinking； he found himself in a netherworld pitched at a tilt and paved with leaden snow。 The sky was greasy。 There was no color。 None。 Mountains hulked on every side。 Their summits ran into void。 The light was so flat he felt blind。 His watch read one。 It was after noon of the next day。
He sat there with his arms resting on top of the ruptured snow。 His head pounded。 His throat was raw。 The fingers of one hand were fat as sausages。 He tried moving his leg under the blanket of snow； and the pain nailed him flat。
He quit testing things。 He began weeping for himself。 Remembering a snapshot of Grace in his shirt pocket； he fumbled inside his jacket。 Most of his fingernails had pulled away。 It was clumsy work。 He got the photo from his pocket。
Suddenly the world took on color。 She was standing in a field of yellow sunflowers and wearing tights with red hearts。 The sky was clear blue。 The day came flooding back。
He'd asked her to smile。 As usual Grace had chosen grave intensity。 Her slate blue eyes seemed to stare right through the lens。 There was no mistaking her heart。
Nathan Lee brought the picture closer。 He swiped at his tears。 He touched her face； then looked down at himself。 Was this the legacy he was going to leave his daughter？ Half buried； baked black； a jack…in…the…box mummy。 All because he'd quit？
He carefully returned the photo to his pocket； then began chopping himself loose； furious at his self…pity。 One handful at a time； he excavated himself。 It took two hours to open the tomb and roll himself out。
His knee had swollen to the size of his thigh。 Nathan Lee started crawling。 He arranged the body bag under his bad leg as a sort of sled； and pulled himself along。
Around three； Nathan Lee reached flatter terrain。 By holding the knee with both hands； he could manage a sort of shuffle。
He found the gully leading down to camp and came within sight of the yak herders' stone windbreak。 He armed himself with a rock and made himself resolute。 If Ochs threatened him； he would break the man's leg。 Then they could both exit as cripples。 If that didn't stop him； Nathan Lee was ready to brain the bastard。
He reached the windbreak。 He peered over the wall。
Their blue tent was gone。
IT TOOK HIMfive days to cross a half…day moraine。 Nathan Lee found a porter's stick among the boulders； and that became his crutch。 Even as hunger whittled him down； his knee swelled larger。 The first tide of monsoon weather receded； and the snow melted； providing him thousands of rivulets to drink from。 The threads of glacier water braided together to form a stream； then a small torrent。
The sterile； bony moraine gave way to a valley with wildflowers。 He covered six miles in three days； steadily losing altitude。 The air grew rich。 Rhododendrons glistened among pines。 He sampled the green leaves and strips of pine meat。 It made him sick。 He filled his stomach with milky glacier water。 Despite his famine； Nathan Lee felt more and more lucid。 That was a bad sign； he knew。 The visionary's conceit。
On the next day； the hermits' cave appeared on a hillside。 It was empty； of course。 Ochs had looted their cache； resting and gorging on their food before heading on。 The one thing Ochs had not taken was a five…pound sack oftsampa。 Early on； he'd declared Rinchen's roasted barley meal inedible。 Mixed with water； it formed a sticky brown paste。 Nathan Lee took it like a sacrament。
One more pass loomed。 Shipton Pass was less than 18；000 feet high； but Nathan Lee was weak and his head ached all the time。 It took a week to climb through the cold fog； another week to descend。 He could judge the altitude when the leeches began bleeding him。Hirudinea suvanjieff did not live above 7500 feet。 They would reach out from the leaves and branches like slick black fingers。 Every half hour he would scrape them from his ankles and arms and eat a few； tasting his own blood。
On the last day of July； he reached a chain footbridge swaying over the raging Arun River。 Makalu was the headwaters of the Arun。 The beginning was the end。
He came to a village called Khandbari。 The street was vacant。 It turned out they were busy killing a rabid dog； which was done by setting out big leaves with poisoned rice and then everyone waiting indoors。 As he limped through the middle of the village； people came to their windows。 There was no question he made a strange sight with his beard and wood crutch and rain jacket made of a body bag。 Nathan Lee was so starved he picked up one of the leaves of rice； but they cried out to him。
He sat on a bench in front of a small schoolhouse。 After a while； two policemen in brown uniforms and Nikes approached。 The younger man looked frightened。 At first； Nathan Lee thought he was scared of the lurking dog。 Then he realized he was the source of the man's fear。
The older policeman was armed with a small bamboo baton tucked under one arm。 〃Please show me your passport； sir；〃 he said。
〃Gone；〃 rasped Nathan Lee。
〃Are you the gentleman； then； from Makalu？〃
They knew him。 Suddenly the last of his strength drained away。 Ochs had e through here； of course。 He had started weaving his cover story； and it was clearly one of his own survival from great violence and deception。 Nathan Lee was too tired to try to repair the damage。 〃May I have somechai； please？〃 he asked。
The interview was interrupted while the younger policeman scampered off for tea。 It took several minutes。 While he was gone； Nathan Lee asked； 〃What happens now？〃
The officer said； 〃Everything will be fine； sir。〃
The young policeman returned with a thick glass of milk tea dosed with sugar。 In his other hand was an ancient set of shackles。
Nathan Lee accepted the tea。 He calmly watched them cuff his good ankle。 None of this seemed real。 None of it。 He had a daughter back home。 He was not a bad man。 They would straighten matters out。Everything will be fine。
Out of kindness； they didn't shackle his swollen leg。 The chain and extra cuff lay on the ground； unnecessary。 It was plain for all to see that the beast had been captured。
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