按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃I hope to God you can get rid of it that easily；〃 Moore said in a hollow tone。
Kip turned away and vanished in the crowd as he moved toward the doorway； leaving Moore sitting alone。
As the constable wound his way through the clustered tables he passed the group of poker players； and one of them was leaning over； talking eagerly； eyes widened and voice lowered。 Kip strained to hear； seeing the taut expressions on the faces of the others。 〃。。。it that goddamn boat bringin' badness here；〃 the man was saying。 〃Me； I afraid to even go down there and see it。 I doan want nothin' to。。。〃 He looked up suddenly into Kip's face； as did the other men。 Kip paused； gazing around the table。
The man who'd been speaking glanced across to the dealer。 〃Two fuckin' cards；〃 he said。
Kip made his way out of the whirling circles of smoke and noise into the coolness of night。 And as he walked along the street to his jeep he caught the fetid odor of rot； a stench hanging in the air； blown across the island in the grip of the evening's breeze。 He knew what it was： the decay from the thing in the shelter oozing through the cracks and holes like a disease to infect all of Coquina。
He reached the jeep； slid behind the wheel； and paused before starting the engine。 He could lie to David Moore； he could lie to all of them； perhaps； as part of his responsibility as peacekeeper of Coquina。 But he could never lie to himself。 There was something terrible； something unspeakable in its evil； down in the guts of that U…boat。
The wafting coils of rot came down around him； tightening at his throat。 He started the engine； put it in gear； and drove through the darkness toward home。
Eleven
WHEN HE WAS a young boy running free and wild on the waterfront streets of St。 Thomas； Cockrell Goodloe had seen a woman stabbed to death。
It had been very fast； a blur of motion and color as a man in a red shirt darted from an alley； catching a lithe young black woman in a brown…striped dress around the throat。 She had dropped a sack of groceries at her feet； and Goodloe had seen the sharp glitter of a blade as the knife drove down into her midsection once； then again。 〃You bad！〃 the man had shouted mindlessly。 〃You dirty bad！〃 The young woman had opened her mouth to scream。 At first nothing came out but a terrible choking sound； and then the shriek came； a sound that raised the flesh all over him； that caught at his throat and made him clap his hands over his ears。 The man had cast her aside； dropping the knife； and had turned to run。 A few older men shouted and chased after him； on the blood…pooled earth the woman shrieked； on and on； a cry of desperation and horror。 And then she was silent； and that was when someone bent down beside her。
And now； forty years later； in the middle of a dreamless sleep； he heard that shriek again。
At once he had pulled himself out of bed； his nerves tingling and heart pounding as they had done that day a long time ago。 He was still groggy from sleep； and he stood in the center of his room； bare feet on harsh timbers； groping for the lantern at the bedside。
〃What that？〃 his wife asked； rising up in bed； a shadow in the darkness。 〃What that sound？〃
〃Jus' wait now；〃 he said。 Matches。 Where them goddamn matches？ He found them； lit the lantern wick。 The flame grew； warming the sparsely furnished room。 He put on a threadbare shirt over his shorts and； taking the lantern； he crossed the floor to the single open window。 He drew aside a tattered curtain and peered out into the night。 His wife came up beside him and clutched at his shoulder。
There was another loud； pained shriek。 Sounded like a woman； stabbed and screaming。 But no； that couldn't be it。 Goodloe's farm was two miles to the north of Coquina village； and the next nearest place was another mile on。 The shriek continued for a few more seconds； ending in a high； wild grunt。 Then came the rooting of the hogs in their pen behind the storage shed。
〃Somethin' at the hogs！〃 Goodloe said。 He turned from the window； moving quickly past his wife； through a tiny kitchen to the back door。 〃Don't you go out there！〃 the woman cried out in a frantic burst of words。 〃Don't you go。。。！〃 But he was already through the door； grasping a hoe he had propped against a wall。 He followed the lantern's track toward the hog pen。 Now more of the hogs were squealing； that terrible； almost…human sound of fear and pain； and Goodloe's skin crawled。
〃Don't go！〃 his wife called out； running after him； her gown flying。
He hefted the hoe like a weapon as he neared the storage shed； it had been torn open； and one door sagged off its hinges。 What the hell？ he wondered； his mind racing。 And then he had rounded the shed and stood near the fenced…in pen where he kept his livestock。
The reddish…brown beasts； fattened for Saturday market； churned madly within the pen； jostling each other in a frenzy； rooting frantically and emitting squeals of terror。 Goodloe couldn't see for the dust they were kicking up； and he lifted his lantern over his head。
In the dim shafts of light that pierced the haze of dust he saw that two of the largest hogs were down。 Black blood glistened around their bulks； and he could see the gleam of bone through their wounds。 The other hogs were startled at the light； their eyes were wild and red； and they jammed into each other to get away from the reek of death。 But there was another noise； a sound above the squeals。
It was the sound of flesh being ripped by the handfuls。
And another noise； an unrestrained sucking； made Goodloe back away a few paces from the pen。 He bumped into his wife； who grasped at him and trembled； her eyes widening because she had seen。
There were other figures in the pen； forms that huddled around the hogs' carcasses and feverishly tore the flesh； then bent over to suck from the flowing rivers of liquid。 The beams reflected off the backs of the hogs； piercing the shadows and briefly illuminating things that appeared human and inhuman at the same time。 When the light grazed them they looked up into the beams； and Goodloe caught his breath in terror。 There were three of them； huddled over the flesh and pools of blood； and the light catching in their eyes burned like the raging centers of hell。
〃Oh God Jesus；〃 Goodloe whispered hoarsely。
And then the things drew themselves away from the light； throwing up skeletal arms before their faces。 Beside him the woman screamed； and then the forms got to their feet； half…hidden by the dust。 Goodloe dropped his lantern down and when he did the things melted into the darkness； moving like aged men plagued by some terrible bone…rotting disease。
Goodloe and his wife stood where they were for a few moments more； the woman crying and the man murmuring 〃Be quiet。 Be quiet；〃 over and over again。 In the distance they heard the brittle noise of the things crashing through jungle growth； and it wasn't until long after that noise had faded that the man moved unsteadily toward the animals。
〃Get back to the house；〃 he told his wife。 She shook her head； and he yelled； 〃GO ON！〃
She stepped away； looking fearfully beyond him toward th