jefflong.yearzero-第59章
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by its enzyme departments。 Skin sabotaged Brain last week。 Hippocampus is arguing with Neocortex。 It's a farce；〃 she said。 〃The corpus is devouring itself。〃
Nathan Lee emerged from his thoughts。 〃I know；〃 he said。 〃I see it。 I hear it。 I was standing in line the other day。 Two guys behind me。 And they were admiring the virus。 One of them wondered why it chose such a flimsy thing as man。 They've fallen in love with it； you know。〃
〃What was that？〃
〃The virus；〃 he repeated。 〃People love it。 Not like；〃 he wagged his finger back and forth from her to him； 〃between people。 It's more like reverence。 They've subordinated themselves to it。 The virus is like a deity。 No one talks about it as an invader。〃 He took a big pinch of the Parmesan cheese from under her grater and sprinkled it across the omelette。
〃That's。。。wrong；〃 she said。 It was an awful notion。 Grotesque。 〃We haven't even seen the thing yet。 It's an idea。 Well； an expression。 We see its signature。〃
But he was right。 She saw it in an instant。They loved the thing that was killing them。
He didn't argue。 〃That's probably enough cheese；〃 he mented。
Miranda looked down； and she had furiously grated another small pile。 She lay the grater aside； and went around to her stool and glass of wine。
〃No one has seen what you've seen；〃 she said。 〃The plague is still unbelievable to us。〃
〃I haven't seen it either；〃 he reminded her。 〃Only the shockwaves。〃
〃After you got here；〃 she said； 〃I pulled up some of the satellite feeds。 I wanted to see what you came through。 From space； the continents are dark。 The lights are turned off。 It looks like we lost。〃
〃Don't say that。〃
〃Tell me about America。〃 Ever since his appearance out of nowhere； Miranda had wanted to ask him about the day…after world。 The question had seemed too personal； but now she realized it was only too personal to her。 She didn't want to know what it was like in her own country。 But part of her did。 The nation still teemed with people； and though it was no longer really a nation； it was still America。 Surely； she thought。
〃I've been here a month；〃 he said。 〃It's changed even more； I'm sure。〃
〃You don't have to talk about it。〃
He looked at her eyes。 He decided。 Very softly he said； 〃So green。〃
It hung a moment。Her eyes？ She looked away。 She reached for the bottle。
He went on。 〃I don't know what I expected。 A world of ash？ But it was summer down there。 The daisies and bluebonnets were in bloom。 I drove through hundreds of miles of them growing out of cracks in the highway。〃
He wiggled the frying pan。 〃One morning； I woke up and there must have been a hundred big hot air balloons riding overhead； people in wicker baskets。 Every color and pattern。 They shouted good morning to me。 They waved at me。 They were happy。〃
〃They were riding balloons？〃
〃It was pure whimsy。 It was like a picnic in the air。 I don't know where they think they were going。 I don't think they knew。 The wind just took them。〃 He shook his head； still astonished。
〃What about the fires？〃 she asked。 〃What about the cities？ Is it true about the Great Lakes war？〃 Toronto and Buffalo were said to be in an uneasy alliance against Montreal。 Quebec had blockaded the St。 Lawrence。 Detroit had launched its own fleet of privateers。 The nation had given way to city…states； to cabals of generals and senators。
〃I was warned to get around them；〃 he said。 〃You could see some of it from a distance； especially at night。 It must be over by now。〃
〃What could you see at night？〃 she pressed。 He was trying to keep this pleasant。 Now that she'd opened it up； she wanted to know the reality。
〃The prairie fires were awesome；〃 he offered。 〃They made it hard to sleep some nights； even with them fifty miles off。 They turned the whole horizon orange。 You could hear them far off。 They sounded like freight trains。〃
〃The cities；〃 she said。
〃The cities were bonfires。 I stayed far away from them。 I took the back roads。 I went slow。 There were snipers。 And nail boards to punch your tires。 And piano wire。〃
〃What for？〃
〃They string the wire at throat level to get the bicycle riders。 It's almost impossible to see； especially if you're going fast。 There's a lot of bicycles out。 A land of bikes。〃 Her shock at the piano wire must have showed。 〃One night； I slept in a cornfield。 Young corn。 I never knew this； but you can hear it growing。〃 He was trying to distract her。 It was working。
〃You mean the stalks rustling in the breeze；〃 she said。
〃No；〃 he said。 〃No breeze。 Totally still。 The ears getting bigger。 The leaves unfolding。 It makes a sound。〃
She had never thought about that。 Then she returned to chasing the reality。 〃These bad people； you're talking about。 The snipers。。。。〃
〃Taking care of their own；〃 he said。 〃There is no good or bad。〃
〃Shooting innocent people？〃
〃Providing for their families。 Or clans。 Whatever's left。〃
〃I thought there was martial law。〃
〃There was。 They say the Army kept I…70 open all the way through spring。 They escorted the convoys； hunted the highway robbers； protected the blood stations。 They did what they could； but it got out of hand。 I passed。。。so many。。。executions。 Bodies hanging from high…voltage towers。 Or tied up to fence posts。 Or just shot in the ditches。 It was like something out of the dark ages。 You could tell the Army's work。 They made a public display of it along the roadsides。〃
〃That's going on？〃
〃Not anymore。 Not the Army。 There's only so long a soldier will go without pay。 And most of them had families。 I…70 was the last sea…to…sea corridor。 It was closed by the time I wanted to use it。〃
The Army was falling apart。〃The generals have told told us nothing like that；〃 she said。
〃Have you ever read about the conquistadores？〃 he said。 〃First thing they did when they landed in the New World was to cut ties with the monarchy。 This was back when kings got their authority straight from God； same as the pope。 All of a sudden； the conquistadores found themselves in a world without a god。〃
〃You're paring the generals to warlords？〃
〃I don't see anybody in charge of them。〃
My father；she didn't say。 And the President and Joint Chiefs； bunkered in NORAD in Cheyenne Mountain。 And two hundred years of democracy。 She did not consider herself a patriot。 But democracy was their god。 He was scaring her。 〃They get their authority from the people；〃 she insisted。
〃Miranda。〃 He murmured the chastisement。
She tipped the bottle。 It was empty。 Not good。 Too fast。 〃I know it's grim；〃 she stated。
〃It's different； is what I'm saying。 It's not the way it was；〃 he said； 〃but also it's just the way it was。 I came to some of these little towns； and it was surreal。 Like the clock had stopped fifty years ago。 They were untouched。 Not a worry。 Men cutting their lawns with hand mowers。 Lemonade for a nickel。 Boys painting white fences。 You'd think they'd never heard of the plague。〃
〃Out of sight； out of mind？〃
〃A little bit of that； I'm sure；〃 he said。 〃But also no one thinks they're next。 It's not denial。 It's belief。 They all think they're destined to survive。 I must have heard a hundred reasons why the plague is going to pass them over。 Their family's genes are strong； or they lived more decently； or their food is healthier； or the jogging they do； or the praying。〃
〃But that's so deluded。 What about the blackout？ The end of oil？ The food riots？〃
〃Distant thunder；〃 he answered。 〃Until it's right on you。。。。〃
〃It is right on them。〃
〃But they're Americans；〃 he said。 〃In their hearts and minds they're ready for anything。 You wouldn't believe how ready。 They're prepared。 It's second nature to them。 They've been taking cover ever since Sputnik。 And there's nothing the plague can throw at them that Hollywood hasn't already e up with。 Hell； they've survived the plague a dozen times。 Think Stephen King。The Andromeda Strain。 Camus。The Decameron。 Thucydides。 Life is just imitating art。 Catastrophes are renewal。 Out there； people still talk about the gas rationing in the seventies； and Mount St。 Helens and the Yellowstone fire and Hurricane Mitch。 The big power blackouts； the blizzard years； Waco； Oklahoma City； the World Trade Center； floods； the Depression； Vietnam。 All
