sk.carrie-第30章

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Her　rapid　breathing　slowed；　slowed；　caught　suddenly　as　if　on　a　thorn
And　suddenly　vented　itself　in　one　howling；　cheated　scream。
As　she　felt　the　slow　course　of　dark　menstrual　blood　down　her　thighs。
Part　Three
Wreckage

From　the　national　AP　ticker；　Friday；　June　5；　1979：
CHAMBERLAIN；　MAINE　（AP）
STATE　OFFICIALS　SAY　THAT　THE　DEATH　TOLL　IN　CHAMBERLAIN　STANDS　AT　409；　WITH　49　STILL　LISTED　AS　MISSING。　INVESTIGATION　CONCERNING　CARIETTA　WHITE　AND　THE　SO…CALLED　'TK'　PHENOMENA　CONTINUES　AMID　PERSISTENT　RUMOURS　THAT　AN　AUTOPSY　ON　THE　WHITE　GIRL　HAS　UNCOVERED　CERTAIN　UNUSUAL　FORMATIONS　IN　THE　CEREBRUM　AND　CEREBELLUM　OF　THE　BRAIN。　THIS　STATES　GOVERNOR　HAS　APPOINTED　A　BLUE…RIBBON　MITTEE　TO　STUDY　THE　ENTIRE　TRAGEDY。　ENDS。　FINAL　JUNE　5　030　N　AP
From　The　Lewiston　Daily　Sun；　Sunday；　September　7　（p。　3）：
The　Legacy　of　TK
Scorched　Earth　and　Scorched　Hearts
CHAMBERLAIN　…　Prom　Night　is　history　now。　Pundits　have　been　saying　for　centuries　that　time　heals　all　wounds；　but　the　hurt　of　this　small　Western　Maine　town　may　be　mortal。　The　residential　streets　are　still　there　on　the　town's　East　Side；　guarded　by　graceful　Oaks　that　have　stood　for　two　hundred　years；　the　trim　saltboxes　and　ranch　styles　on　Morin　Street　and　Brickyard　Hill　are　still　neat　and　undamaged。　But　this　New　England　pastoral　lies　on　the　rim　of　a　blackened　and　shattered　hub；　and　many　of　the　neat　houses　have　FOR　SALE　signs　on　their　front　lawns。　Those　still　occupied　are　marked　by　black　wreaths　on　front　doors。　Bright…yellow　Allied　vans　and　orange　U…Hauls　of　varying　sizes　are　a　mon　sight　on　Chamberlain's　streets　these　days。
The　town's　major　industry；　Chamberlain　Mills　and　Weaving；　still　stands；　untouched　by　the　fire　that　raged　over　much　of　the　town　on　those　two　days　in　May。　But　it　has　only　been　running　one　shift　since　July　4th；　and　according　to　mill　president　William　A。　Chamblis；　further　lay…offs　are　a　strong　possibility。　'We　have　the　orders；'　Chamblis　said；　'but　you　can't　run　a　mill　without　people　to　punch　the　time　clock。　We　don't　have　them。　I've　gotten　notice　from　thirty…four　men　since　August　15th。　The　only　thing　we　can　see　to　do　now　is　close　up　the　dye　house　and　job　our　work　out。　We'd　hate　to　let　the　men　go；　but　this　thing　is　getting　down　to　a　matter　of　financial　survival。'
Roger　Fearon　has　lived　in　Chamberlain　for　twenty…two　years；　and　has　been　with　the　mill　for　eighteen　of　those　years。　He　has　risen　during　that　time　from　a　third…floor　bagger　making　seventy…three　cents　an　hour　to　dye…house　foreman；　yet　he　seems　strangely　unmoved　by　the　possibility　of　losing　his　job。　'I'd　lose　a　damned　good　wage；'　Fearon　said。　'It's　not　something　you　take　lightly。　The　wife　and　I　have　talked　it　over。　We　could　sell　the　house　…　it's　worth　20；000　easy　…　and　although　we　probably　won't　realize　half　of　that；　we'll　probably　go　ahead　and　put　it　up。　Doesn't　matter。　We　don't　really　want　to　five　in　Chamberlain　any　more。　Call　it　what　you　want　but　Chamberlain　has　gone　bad　for　us。'
Fearon　is　not　alone。　Henry　Kelly；　proprietor　of　a　tobacco　shop　and　soda　fountain　called　the　Kelly　Fruit　until　Prom　Night　levelled　it；　has　no　plans　to　rebuild。　'The　kids　are　gone；'　he　shrugs。　'If　I　opened　up　again；　there'd　be　too　many　ghosts　in　too　many　corners。　I'm　going　to　take　the　insurance　money　and　retire　to　St　Petersburg。'
A　week　after　the　tornado　of　'54　had　cut　its　path　of　death　and　destruction　through　Worcester；　the　air　was　filled　with　the　sound　of　hammers；　the　smell　of　new　timber；　and　a　feeling　of　optimism　and　human　resilience。　There　is　none　of　that　in　Chamberlain　this　fall。　The　main　road　has　been　cleared　of　rubble　and　that　is　about　the　extent　of　it。　The　faces　that　you　meet　are　full　of　dull　hopelessness。　Men　drink　beer　without　talking　in　Frank's　Bar　on　the　corner　of　Sullivan　Street；　and　women　exchange　tales　of　grief　and　loss　in　back　yards。　Chamberlain　has　been　declared　a　disaster　area；　and　money　is　available　to　help　put　the　town　back　on　its　feet　and　begin　rebuilding　the　business　district。
But　the　main　business　of　Chamberlain　in　the　last　four　months　has　been　funerals。
Four　hundred　and　forty　are　now　known　dead；　eighteen　more　still　unaccounted　for。　And　sixty…seven　of　the　dead　were　Ewen　High　School　Seniors　on　the　verge　of　graduation。　It　is　this；　perhaps；　more　than　anything　else；　that　has　taken　the　guts　out　of　Chamberlain。
They　were　buried　on　June　1　and　2　in　three　mass　ceremonies。　A　memorial　service　was　held　on　June　3　in　the　town　square。　It　was　the　most　moving　ceremony　that　this　reporter　has　ever　witnessed。　Attendance　was　in　the　thousands；　and　the　entire　assemblage　was　still　as　the　school　band；　stripped　from　fifty…six　to　a　bare　forty；　played　the　school　song　and　taps。
There　was　a　sombre　graduation　ceremony　the　following　week　at　neighbouring　Motton　Academy；　but　there　were　only　fifty…two　Seniors　left　to　graduate。　The　valedictorian；　Henry　Stampel；　broke　into　tears　halfway　through　his　speech　and　could　not　continue。　There　were　no　Graduation　Night　parties　following　the　ceremony；　the　Seniors　merely　took　their　diplomas　and　went　home。
And　still；　as　the　summer　progressed；　the　hearses　continued　to　roll　as　more　bodies　were　discovered。　To　some　residents　it　seemed　that　each　day　the　scab　was　ripped　69　again；　so　that　the　wound　could　bleed　afresh。
If　you　are　one　of　the　many　curiosity…seekers　who　have　been　through　Chamberlain　in　the　last　week；　you　have　seen　a　town　that　may　be　suffering　from　terminal　cancer　of　the　spirit。　A　few　people；　looking　lost；　wander　through　the　aisles　of　the　A&P。　The　Congregational　Church　on　Carlin　Street　is　gone；　swept　away　by　fire；　but　the　brick　Catholic　Church　still　stands　on　Elm　Street；　and　the　trim　Methodist　Church　on　outer　Main　Street　although　singed　by　fire；　is　unhurt。　Yet　attendance　has　been　poor。　The　old　men　still　sit　on　the　benches　in　Courthouse　Square；　but　there　is　little　interest　in　the　checkerboards　or　even　in　conversation。
The　over…all　impression　is　one　of　a　town　that　is　waiting　to　die。　It　is　not　enough；　these　days；　to　say　that　Chamberlain　will　never　be　the　same。　It　may　be　closer　to　the　truth　to　say　that　Chamberlain　will　simply　never　again　be。
Excerpt　from　a　letter　dated　June　ninth　from　principal　Henry　Grayle　to　Peter　Philpott；　Superintendent　of　Schools。
。。。　and　so　I　feel　I　can　no　longer　continue　in　my　present　position；　feeling；　as　I　do；　that　such　a　tragedy　might　have　been　averted　if　I　had　only　had　more　foresight。　I　would　like　you　to　accept　my　resignation　effective　as　of　July　1；　if　this　is　agreeable　to　you　and　your　staff。　。　。
Excerpt　from　a　letter　dated　June　eleventh　from　Rita　Desjardin；　instructor　of　Physical　Education；　to　Principal　Henry　Grayle：
。。。　am　returning　my　contract　to　you　at　this　time。　I　feet　that　I　would　kill　myself　before　ever　teaching　again。　Late　at　night　I　keep　thinking：　If　I　had　only　reached　out　to　that　girl；　if　only；　if　only　。。。
Found　painted　on　the　lawn　of　the　house　tot　where　the　White　bungalow　had　been　located：
CARRIE　WHITE　IS　BURNING　FOR　HER　SINS　JESUS　NEVER　FAILS
From　'Telekinesis：　Analysis　and　Aftermath'　（Science　Yearbook；　1981）；　by　Dean　D。　L　McGuffin：
In　conclusion；　I　would　like　to　point　out　the　grave　risk　authorities　are　taking　by　burying　the　Carrie　White　affair　under　the　bureaucratic　mat…and　I　am　speaking　specifically　of　the　so…called　White　mission。　The　desire　among　politicians　to　regard　TK　as　a　once…in…a…lifetime　phenomenon　seems　very　strong；　and　while　this　may　be　understandable　it　is　not　acceptable。　The　possibility　of　a　recurrence；　genetically　speaking；　is　99　per　cent。　Ifs　time　we　planned　now　for　what　may　be　。。。
From　Slang　Terms　Explained。。　A　Parents'　Guide；　by　John　R。　Coombs　（New　York：　The　Lighthouse　Press；　1985）；　p。　73：
to　rip　off　a　Carrie。　To　cause　either　violence　or　destruction；　mayhem。　confusion；　（2）　to　mit　arson　（from　Carrie　White；　1963…1979）
From　The　Shadow　Exploded　（p。　201）：
Elsewhere　in　this　book　mention　is　made　of　a　page　in　one　of　Carrie　White's　school　notebooks　where　a　line　from　a　famous　rock　poet　of　the　'60s；　Bob　Dylan；　was　written　repeatedly；　as　if　in　desperation。
It　might　not　be　amiss　to　close　this　book　with　a　few　lines　from　another　Bob　Dylan　song；　lines　that　might　serve　as　Carrie's　epitaph：　I　wish　I　could　write　you　a　melody　so　plain/　That　would　save　you；　dear　lady；　from　going　Insane/　That　would　ease　you　and　cool　you　and　cease　the　pain/Of　your　useless　and　pointless　knowledge。。。
From　My　Name　Is　Susan　Snell　（p。　98）：
This　little　book　is　done　now。　I　hope　it　sells　well　so　I　can　go　someplace　where　nobody　knows　me。　I　want　to　think　things　over；　decide　what　I'm　going　to　do　between　now　and　the　time　when　my　light　is　carried　down　that　long　tunnel　into　blackness　。。。
From　the　conclusion　of　The　State　Investigatory　Board　of　Maine　in　connection　with　the　events　of　May　27…28　in　Chamberlain；　Maine：
。。。　and　so　we　must　conclude　that；　while　an　autopsy　performed　on　the　subject　indicates　some　cellular　changes　which　may　indicate　the　presence　of　some　paranormal　power；　we　find　no　reason　to　believe　that　a　recurrence　is　possible　or　even　likely　。。。
Excerpt　from　a　letter　dated　May　3；　1988；　from　Amelia　Jenks；　Royal　Knob；　Tennessee；　to　Sandra　Jens；　Maiken；　Georgia：
。。。and　your　little　neece　is　growin　like　a　weed；　awfull　big　for　only　2。　She　has　blue　eyes　like　her　daddy　and　my　blond　hair　but　that　will　porubly　go　dark。　Still　she　is　awfull　pretty　&　I　think　sometimes　when　she　is　asleep　how　she　looks　like　our　momma。
The　other　day　wile　she　was　playin　in　the　dirt　beside　the　house　I　sneeked　around　and　saw　the　funnyest　thing。　Annie　was　playin　with　her　brothers　marbles　only　they　was　mooving　around　all　by　themselfs。　Annie　was　giggeling　and　laffing　but　I　was　a　little　skared。　Some　of　them　marbles　was　going　right　up　&　down。　It　reminded　me　of　gramma；　do　you　remember　when　the　law　came　up　that　time　after　Pete　and　there　guns　flew　out　of　there　hands　and　grammie　just　laffed　and　laffed。　And　she　use　to　be　able　to　make　her　rocker　go　even　when　she　wasen　in　it。　I　gave　me　a　reel　bad　turn　to　think　on　it。　I　shure　hope　she　don't　get　heartspels　like　grammie　did；　remember？
Well　I　must　go　&　do　a　wash　so　give　my　best　to　Rich　and　take　care　to　send　us　some　pitchers　when　you　can。　Still　our　Annie　is　awfull　pretty　&　her　eyes　are　as　brite　as　buttons。　I　bet　she'll　be　a　worldbeeter　someday。
All　my　love；
Melia



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