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！
ail sweeping across the floor。 Its head moved jerkily； eyes fixed on Kip。
〃Feed it；〃 the man said。
There was a piece of doughy brown bread beside him。 He tore off a small chunk and tossed it over。 The lizard jerked； scurried back； waited。 Then it advanced on the bread and licked at it。
Kip was still dazed from hunger and weak from sleeping。 In the past three days he had slept a great deal； intoxicated by the strange fumes eminating from pots the man kept in a circle around the boy's bare mattress。 Sometimes his sleep was dreamless and black； the sleep of the dead； but more often it was peopled by phantoms； grinning things like the masks that watched him； always in an anticipatory silence。 The faces spun about him in his dreams； calling his name over and over。
Out of necessity； Kip had begun to build a brick wall in his mind to keep the horrors back； the mortar going down smooth and thick； each row of bricks solid and even。 But sometimes the things seemed to have more strength； and they reached out with their gray tendrils to pull down the bricks he had erected the night before。 No matter how hard he shrieked at the nightmare forms there was no escape； there were too many； and he had to work harder and harder to put the bricks back into place。 He worked at the wall like a madman； as if sleep were just another of the many labors set for him by his uncle； who had made him heat and knead balls of wax； to be fashioned into images by the man and sold to furtive customers。 Kip had also been made to drain seven white chickens of their blood； and； one night； to acpany his uncle to the pauper's graveyard to sever a recently dead man's head for that fearful death spell； the Garabanda。 The wall never seemed to be plete； for the things still found holes and weak spots through which to grasp at him。 But someday it would be strong enough to hold them back and away forever； and never again would they make him scream that terrible scream from the deep pit of sleep。 He vowed it to himself； made the vow as much a part of him as was his fear and dislike of the man who called himself 〃uncle。〃
In one of his cold…sweat nightmares he was wandering the wide corridors and empty rooms of a huge； abandoned mansion。 Moss draped the windows and doors； no light could penetrate； and he moved through spidery shadows。 When he ran into boarded…over doors； sealed windows； bricked passageways； he would turn and retrace his steps。 In one room there were older people dressed in bright colors； each of them standing alone and not speaking to the others； in another was a child playing on the floor with a bright green ball that suddenly uncurled and became a lizard that slithered away。 Upstairs was a passage with gaping holes in the floor； the black timbers threatening to give way beneath his feet。 He guided himself onward； searching； feeling his way along。
As he came through a doorway； the tides suddenly surged around his feet。 He resisted the pull of the current and saw the blue water slowly turn a dark…red color。 In another room； farther along； were a woman and a little girl who waved to him and smiled。 He heard the tolling of a ship's bell from far away； a world away； then silence。 He moved on； finding rooms crowded with iron； ship's parts； and rusted equipment； a white man moved across the corridor ahead of him and Kip followed。 A skeleton stood before him； arms out； face imploring him for something he couldn't understand； the skeleton crumpled； fell to dust。
And in the next room； almost at the crown of the house； a congregation of shadows。 A chair。 Open windows； black sky； sheer tattered curtains trailing in an unfelt wind。 And in the chair a dark form； unrecognizable； a roiling thing without true substance； but emanating a vast and terrible hate。 The door slammed behind him。 Alerted by the noise； the hideous form turned what would be its head； slowly； seeking out the intruder。 Two blinding crimson orbs fixed Kip to the floor； they burned through to his brain。 And then the thing rose from the chair and started for him； dark arms ing up to embrace him。 He felt his back against the door； felt the hardness of the wood pressing into his spine。 The thing's hot breath touched his cheek and he began to shout for help； over and over； it neared him； smelling of age and rot； uncoiling like a black mamba。
And then the door behind him came open。 He fell backward； still screaming。
Opened his eyes。
A hand ing for him； brown and withered。 A craggy； staring face behind it。 He recoiled； the hand grasped his shoulder and shook him fully awake。
In the corner the lizard had shifted； tiny pinpoints of gleaming red still unblinking。
His uncle stood over him； wiping sweat from his cheeks。 〃Your future is not with me；〃 he said。
And suddenly the figure of the hand on the green door trembled。 The door came open and a man in dungarees peered out at the constable。
Kip stared at him for a few seconds； then posed himself and drove on to the Square； the memories whirling inside his head： bits of remembered faces and colors； sights and smells。 He had labored long and hard to wall off that part of his life。 He'd thought the bricks were firmly mortared into place。 Until the U…boat had e。
I know what you could have been； Boniface had told him。
Bullshit； Kip muttered between clenched teeth。 Bullshit。
The evening shadows fell across Coquina。 The moon rose； glittering silver on the waves that surged over Kiss Bottom。 The breeze began to pick up； gently at first； then strengthening and finally sweeping up sand in the streets； swirling it in gritty puffs that stung the shuttered windows。 A dog bayed at the moon until someone cursed and threw a shoe to quiet him。
And no one heard the sound of hammers ringing against iron down in the boatyard。
Fifteen
JOHNNY MAJORS STRETCHED； feeling the ripple of muscles up and down his back。 He got out of bed and moved in the dark toward a chair in one corner of the bedroom where his clothes had been thrown down in hasty disarray。 As he buttoned his shirt he looked across at the woman's nude form sprawled on the bed； her black body still glistening from their heated lovemaking。 She said softly； 〃It early yet。 You don't have to go。〃
〃Ten to eight；〃 he said； struggling into his jeans。 〃Old lady'll be wonderin' where I am。 Someday she gonna go over to the Landfall and see I ain't there and then what gonna happen？〃
〃You scared？〃 she asked； a mocking question she knew would get to him。
〃No。 Hell； no。 But I smart too。 I ain't gonna play her to the limit。〃 He zipped his fly and buckled his belt。
〃Cale and Langstree won't be back 'til tomorrow sometime。 You could spend the night。〃
He grinned； his teeth gleaming in the darkness。 〃The hell you say。 If your man found us here in the mornin'。。。 uh uh； no。 And my old lady wouldn't be so damn happy about it neither。 No； baby； we got to play it smart。 There enough of you for both me and Cale。〃
〃Mebbe not；〃 she said petulantly； drawing herself up on the pillows； her heavy breasts hanging over the sheet。
He came and sat on the bed beside her。 〃Hey。 Your old man and Langstree'll have more trips to m