sk.petsematary-第32章

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　　〃Louis　Creed；　I　love　you；〃　Rachel　said　and　kissed　him。
　　〃You　married　a　winner；　baby；〃　Louis　said；　smiling　sincerely。　〃Stick　with　me　and　I'll　make　you　a　star。〃
　　They　started　for　the　stairs。　He　pointed　at　the　card　table　Ellie　had　set　up　in　front　of　the　TV。　There　were　oatmeal　cookies　and　two　Ring…Dings　on　it。　Also　a　can　of　Micheloeb。　FOR　YOU；　SANNA；　the　note　said　in　Ellie's　large；　sticklike　printing。　〃You　want　a　cookie　or　a　Ring…Ding？〃
　　〃Ring…Ding；〃　she　said　and　ate　half　of　it。　Louis　popped　the　tab　on　the　beer。
　　〃A　beer　this　late　is　going　to　give　me　acid　indigestion；〃　he　said。
　　〃Crap；〃　she　said　good…humoredly。　〃e　on；　Doe。〃
　　Louis　put　down　the　can　of　beer　and　suddenly　grasped　the　pocket　of　his　robe　as　if　he　had　forgotten　something…although　he　had　been　aware　of　that　small　packet　of　weight　all　evening　long。
　　〃Here；〃　he　said。　〃For　you。　You　can　open　it　now。　It's　after　midnight。　Merry　Christmas；　babe。〃
　　She　turned　the　little　box；　wrapped　up　in　silver　paper　and　tied　with　wide　satiny…blue　ribbon；　in　her　hands。　〃Louis；　what　is　it？〃
　　He　shrugged。　〃Soap。　Shampoo　sample。　I　forget；　exactly。〃
　　She　opened　it　on　the　stairs；　saw　the　Tiffany　box；　and　squealed。　She　pulled　out　the　cotton　batting　and　then　just　stood　there；　her　mouth　slightly　agape。
　　〃Well？〃　he　asked　anxiously。　He　had　never　bought　her　a　real　piece　of　jewelry　before；　and　he　was　nervous。　〃Do　you　like　it？〃
　　She　took　it　out；　draped　the　fine　gold　chain　over　her　tented　fingers；　and　held　the　tiny　sapphire　up　to　the　hail　light。　It　twirled　lazily；　seeming　to　shoot　off　cool　blue　rays。
　　〃Oh　Louis；　it's　so　damn　beautiful…〃　He　saw　she　was　crying　a　little　and　felt　both　touched　and　alarmed。
　　〃Hey；　babe；　don't　do　that；〃　he　said。　〃Put　it　on。〃
　　〃Louis；　we　can't　afford…you　can't　afford…〃
　　〃Shhh；〃　he　said。　〃I　socked　some　money　away　off　and　on　since　last　Christmas。　。　。　and　it　wasn't　as　much　as　you　might　think。〃
　　〃How　much　was　it？〃
　　〃I'll　never　tell　you　that；　Rachel；〃　he　said　solemnly。　〃An　army　of　Chinese　torturers　couldn't　get　it　out　of　me。　Two　thousand　dollars。〃
　　〃Two　thousand…i〃　She　hugged　him　so　suddenly　and　so　tightly　that　he　almost　fell　down　the　stairs。　〃Louis；　you're　crazy！〃
　　〃Put　it　on；〃　he　said　again。
　　She　did。　He　helped　her　with　the　clasp；　and　then　she　turned　around　to　look　at　him。　〃I　want　to　go　up　and　look　at　it；〃　she　said。　〃I　think　I　want　to　preen。〃
　　〃Preen　away；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　put　out　the　cat　and　get　the　lights。〃
　　〃When　we　make　it；〃　she　said；　looking　directly　into　his　eyes；　〃I　want　to　take　everything　off　except　this。〃
　　〃Preen　in　a　hurry；　then；〃　Louis　said；　and　she　laughed。
　　He　grabbed　Church　and　draped　it　over　his　arm…he　didn't　bother　much　with　the　broom　these　days。　He　supposed　that；　in　spite　of　everything；　he　had　almost　gotten　used　to　the　cat　again。　He　went　toward　the　entryway　door；　turning　off　lights　as　he　went。　When　he　opened　the　door　municating　between　the　kitchen　and　garage；　an　eddy　of　cold　air　swirled　around　his　ankles。
　　〃Have　a　merry　Christmas；　Ch…〃
　　He　broke　off。　Lying　on　the　wele　mat　was　a　dead　crow。　Its　head　was　mangled。　One　wing　had　been　ripped　off　and　lay　behind　the　body　like　a　charred　piece　of　paper。　Church　immediately　squirmed　out　of　Louis's　arms　and　began　to　nuzzle　the　frozen　corpse　eagerly。　As　Louis　watched；　the　cat's　head　darted　forward；　its　ears　laid　back；　and　before　he　could　turn　his　head；　Church　had　ripped　out　one　of　the　crow's　milky；　glazed　eyes。
　　Church　strikes　again；　Louis　thought　a　little　sickly；　and　turned　his　head…not；　however；　before　he　had　seen　the　bloody；　gaping　socket　where　the　crow's　eye　had　been。　Shouldn't　bother　me；　shouldn't；　I've　seen　worse；　oh　yeah；　Pascow；　for　instance；　Pascow　was　worse；　a　lot　worse…　But　it　did　bother　him。　His　stomach　turned　over。　The　warm　build　of　sexual　excitement　had　suddenly　deflated。　Christ；　that　bird's　damn　near　as　big　as　he　is。　Must　have　caught　it　with　its　guard　down。　Way；　way　down。
　　This　would　have　to　be　cleaned　up。　Nobody　needed　this　sort　of　present　on　Christmas　morning。　And　it　was　his　responsibility；　wasn't　it？　Sure　was。　His　and　nobody　else's。　He　had　recognized　that　much　in　a　subconscious　way　even　on　the　evening　of　his　family's　return；　when　he　had　purposely　spilled　the　tires　over　the　tattered　body　of　the　mouse　Church　had　killed。
　　The　soil　of　a　man's　heart　is　stonier；　Louis。
　　This　thought　was　so　clear；　somehow　so　three…dimensional　and　auditory；　that　Louis　jerked　a　little；　as　if　Jud　had　materialized　at　his　shoulder　and　spoken　aloud。
　　A　man　grows　what　he　can。　。　。　and　tends　it。
　　Church　was　still　hunched　greedily　over　the　dead　bird。　He　was　working　at　the　other　wing　now。　There　was　a　tenebrous　rustling　sound　as　Church　pulled　it　back　and　forth；　back　and　forth。　Never　get　it　off　the　ground；　Orville。　That's　right；　Wilbur；　fucking　bird's　just　as　dead　as　dogshit；　might　as　well　feed　it　to　the　cat；　might　as　well…　Louis　suddenly　kicked　Church；　kicked　him　hard。　The　cat's　hindquarters　rose　and　came　down　splayfooted。　It　walked　away；　sparing　him　another　of　its　ugly　yellow…green　glances。　〃Eat　me；〃　Louis　hissed　at　it；　catlike　himself。
　　〃Louis？〃　Rachel's　voice　came　faintly　from　their　bedroom。　〃ing　to　bed？〃
　　〃Be　right　there；〃　he　called　back。　I've　just　got　this　little　mess　to　clean　up；　Rachel；　okay？　Because　it's　my　mess。　He　fumbled　for　the　switch　that　controlled　the　garage　light。　He　went　quickly　back　to　the　cupboard　under　the　kitchen　sink　and　got　a　green　Hefty　Bag。　He　took　the　bag　back　into　the　garage　and　took　the　shovel　down　from　its　nail　on　the　garage　wall。　He　scraped　up　the　crow　and　dropped　it　into　the　bag。　Then　he　shoveled　up　the　severed　wing　and　slipped　that　in。　He　tied　a　knot　in　the　top　of　the　bag　and　dropped　it　into　the　bin　on　the　far　side　of　the　Civic。　By　the　time　he　had　finished；　his　ankles　were　growing　numb。
　　Church　was　standing　by　the　garage　doorway。　Louis　made　a　threatening　gesture　at　the　cat　with　the　shovel；　and　it　was　gone　like　black　water。
　　Upstairs；　Rachel　was　lying　on　her　bed；　wearing　nothing　but　the　sapphire　on　its　chain　。　。　。　as　promised。　She　smiled　at　him　lazily。　〃What　took　you　so　long；　Chief？〃
　　〃The　light　over　the　sink　was　out；〃　Louis　said。　〃I　changed　the　bulb。〃
　　〃e　here；〃　she　said　and　tugged　him　gently　toward　her。　Not　by　the　hand。　〃He　knows　if　you've　been　sleeping；〃　she　sang　softly；　a　little　smile　curved　up　the　corners　of　her　lips。　〃He　knows　if　you're　awake。　。　。　oh　my；　Louis　dear；　what's　this？〃
　　〃Something　that　just　woke　up；　I　think；〃　Louis　said；　slipping　off　his　robe。　〃Maybe　we　ought　to　see　if　we　can　get　it　to　sleep　before　Santa　es；　what　do　you　think？〃
　　She　rose　on　one　elbow；　he　felt　her　breath；　warm　and　sweet。
　　〃He　knows　if　you've　been　bad　or　good。　。　。　so　be　good。　。　。　for　goodness　sake。　。　。　Have　you　been　a　good　boy；　Louis？〃
　　〃I　think　so；〃　he　said。　His　voice　was　not　quite　steady。
　　〃Let's　see　if　you　taste　as　good　as　you　look；〃　she　said。
　　The　sex　was　good；　but　Louis　did　not　find　himself　simply　slipping　off　afterward　as　he　usually　did　when　the　sex　was　good…slipping　off　easy　with　himself；　his　wife；　his　life。　He　lay　in　the　darkness　of　Christmas　morning；　listening　to　Rachel's　breathing　slow　and　deep；　and　he　thought　about　the　dead　bird　on　the　doorstep…　Church's　Christmas　present　to　him。
　　Keep　me　in　mind；　Dr。　Creed。　I　was　alive　and　then　I　was　dead　and　now　I'm　alive　again。　I've　made　the　circuit　and　I'm　here　to　tell　you　that　you　e　out　the　other　side　with　your　purr…box　broken　and　a　taste　for　the　hunt；　I'm　here　to　tell　you　that　a　man　grows　what　he　can　and　tends　it。　Don't　forget　that；　Dr。　Creed；　I'm　part　of　what　your　heart　will　grow　now；　there's　your　wife　and　your　daughter　and　your　son。　。　。　and　there's　me。　Remember　the　secret　and　tend　your　garden　well。
　　At　some　point　Louis　slept。
　　　31
　　Their　winter　passed。　Ellie's　faith　in　Santa　Claus　was　restored…　temporarily　at　least…by　the　footprints　in　the　hearth。　Gage　opened　his　presents　splendidly；　pausing　every　now　and　then　to　munch　a　particularly　tasty…looking　piece　of　wrapping　paper。　And　that　year；　both　kids　had　decided　by　midafternoon　that　the　boxes　were　more　fun　than　the　toys。
　　The　Crandalls　came　over　on　New　Year's　Eve　for　Rachel's　eggnog；　and　Louis　found　himself　mentally　examining　Norma。　She　had　a　pale　and　somehow　transparent　look　that　he　had　seen　before。　His　grandmother　would　have　said　Norma　was　beginning　to　〃fail；〃　and　that　was　perhaps　not　such　a　bad　word　for　it。　All　at　once　her　hands；　so　swollen　and　misshapen　by　arthritis；　seemed　covered　with　liver　Spots。　Her　hair　looked　thinner。　The　Crandalls　went　home　around　ten；　and　the　Creeds　saw　the　New　Year　in　together　in　front　of　the　TV。　It　was　the　last　time　Norma　was　in　their　house。
　　Most　of　Louis's　semester　break　was　sloppy　and　rainy。　In　terms　of　heating　costs；　he　was　grateful　for　the　thaw；　but　the　weather　was　still　depressing　and　dismal。　He　worked　around　the　house；　building　bookshelves　and　cupboards　for　his　wife；　and　a　model　Porsche　in　his　study　for　himself。　By　the　time　classes　resumed　on　January　23；　Louis　was　happy　to　go　back　to　the　university。
　　The　flu　finally　arrived…a　fairly　serious　outbreak　struck　the　campus　less　than　a　week　after　the　spring　semester　had　begun；　and　he　had　his　hands　full…he　found　himself　working　ten　and　sometimes　twelve　hours　a　day　and　going　home　utterly　whipped　but　not　really　unhappy。
　　The　warm　spell　broke　on　January　29　with　a　roar。　There　was　a　blizzard　followed　by　a　week　of　numbing　subzero　weather。　Louis　was　checking　the　mending　broken　arm　of　a　young　man　who　was　hoping　desperately…and　fruitlessly；　in　Louis's　opinion…that　he　would　be　able　to　play　baseball　that　spring　when　one　of　the　candy…stripers　poked　her　head　in　and　told　him　his　wife　was　on　the　telephone。
　　Louis　went　into　his　office　to　take　the　call。　Rachel　was　crying；　and　he　was　instantly　alarmed。　Ellie；　he　thought。　She's　fallen　off　her　sled　and　broken　her　arm。　Or　fractured　her　skull。　He　thought　with　alarm　of　the　crazed　fraternity　boys　and　their　toboggan。
　　〃It　isn't　one　of　the　kids；　is　it？〃　he　asked。　〃Rachel？〃
　　〃No；　no；〃　she　said；　crying　harder。　〃Not　one　of　the　kids。　It's　Norma；　Lou。　Norma　Crandall。　She　died　this　morning。　Around　eight　o'clock；　right　after　breakfast；　Jud　said。　He　came　over　to　see　if　you　were　here　and　I　told　him　you'd　left　half　an　hour　ago。　He　oh　Lou；　he　just　seemed　so　lost　and　so　dazed。　。　。so　old。　。　。thank　God　Ellie　was　gone　and　Gage　is　too　young　to　understand　。　。　。〃
　　Louis's　brow　furrowed；　and　in　spite　of　this　terrible　news　he　found　it　was　Rachel　his　mind　was　going　out　to；　seeking；　trying　to　find。　Because　here　it　was　again。　Nothing　you　could　quite　put　your　finger　on；　because　it　was　so　much　an　overall　attitudinal　fix。　That　death　was　a　secret；　a　terror；　and　it　was　to　be　kept　from　the　children；　above　all　to　be　kept　from　the　children；　the　way　that　Victorian　ladies　and　gentlemen　had　believed　the　nasty；　grotty　truth　about　sexual　relations　must　be　kept　from　the　children。
　　〃Jesus；〃　he　said。　〃Was　it　her　heart？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said。　She　was　no　longer　crying；　but　her　voice　was　choked　and　hoarse。　〃Could　you　e；　Louis？　You're　his　friend；　and　I　think　he　needs　you。〃
　　You're　his　friend。
　　Well　I　am；　Louis　thought　with　a　small　touch　of　surprise。　I　never　expected　to　have　an　eighty…year…old　man　for　a　buddy；　but　I　guess　I　do。　And　then　it　occurred　to　him　t