the.lost.world-第25部分

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　　　　After　a　moment；　a　credit　card　appeared　through　the　crack　of　the　partment　door。　The　card　slid　upward；　lifting　the　panel　latch；　unhooking　it。　The　door　swung　open；　and　a　white　bundle　of　padding　fell　Out；　landing　with　a　dull　thud　on　the　floor。　The　padding　unrolled；　and　Arby　Benton　groaned；　stretching　his　small　body。
　　　　〃If　I　don't　pee；　I'm　going　to　scream；〃　he　said；　and　he　hurried　on　shaky　legs　into　the　tiny　bathroom。
　　　　He　sighed　in　relief。　It　had　been　Kelly's　idea　for　them　to　go；　but　she　left　it　to　Arby　to　figure　out　the　details。　And　he　had　figured　everything　out　perfectly；　he　thought　…　at　least；　almost　everything。　Arby　had　correctly　anticipated　it　would　be　freezing　cold　in　the　cargo　plane；　and　that　they　would　have　to　bundle　up；　he'd　stuffed　their　partments　with　every　blanket　and　sheet　in　the　trailer。　He'd　anticipated　they　would　be　there　at　least　twelve　hours；　and　he　put　aside　some　cookies　and　bottles　of　water。　In　fact；　he'd　anticipated　everything　except　the　fact　that；　at　the　last　minute；　Eddie　Carr　would　go　through　the　trailer　and　latch　all　the　storage　partments　from　the　outside。　Locking　them　in；　so　that；　for　the　next　twelve　hours；　he　wouldn't　be　able　to　go　to　the　bathroom。　For　twelve　hours！
　　　　He　sighed　again；　his　body　relaxing。　A　steady　stream　of　urine　still　flowed　into　the　basin。　No　wonder！　Agony！　And　he'd　still　be　locked　in　there；　he　thought；　if　he　hadn't　finally　figured　out　…
　　　　Behind　him；　he　heard　muffled　shouts。　He　flushed　the　toilet　and　went　back；　crouching　down　by　the　storage　partment　beneath　the　bed。　He　quickly　unlatched　it；　another　padded　bundle　unrolled；　and　Kelly　appeared　beside　him。
　　　　〃Hey；　Kel；〃　he　said　proudly。　〃We　made　it！〃
　　　　〃I　have　to　go；〃　she　said；　dashing。　She　pulled　the　door　shut　behind　her。
　　　　Arby　said；　〃We　did　it！　We're　here！〃
　　　　〃Just　a　minute；　Arb。　Okay？〃
　　　　For　the　first　time；　he　looked　out　the　window　of　the　trailer。　All　around　them　was　a　grassy　clearing；　and　beyond　that；　the　ferns　and　high　trees　of　the　jungle。　And　high　above　the　tops　of　the　trees；　he　saw　the　curving　black　rock　of　the　volcanic　rim。
　　　　So　this　was　Isla　Sorna；　all　right。
　　　　All　right！
　　　　Kelly　came　out　of　the　bathroom。　〃Ohhh。　I　thought　I　was　going　to　die！〃　She　looked　at　him；　gave　him　high　five。　〃By　the　way；　how'd　you　get　your　door　unlatched？〃
　　　　〃Credit　card；〃　he　said。
　　　　She　frowned。　〃You　have　a　credit　card？〃
　　　　〃My　parents　gave　it　to　me；　for　emergencies；〃　he　said。　〃And　I　figured　this　was　an　emergency。〃　He　tried　to　make　a　joke　out　of　it；　to　treat　it　lightly。　Arby　knew　Kelly　was　sensitive　about　anything　to　do　with　money。　She　was　always　making　ments　about　his　clothes　and　things　like　that。　Arid　how　he　always　had　money　for　a　taxi　or　a　Coke　at　Larson's　Deli　after　school；　or　whatever。　Once　he　said　to　her　that　he　didn't　think　money　was　so　important；　and　she　said；　〃Why　would　you？〃　in　a　funny　voice。　Arid　ever　since　then　he　had　tried　to　avoid　the　subject。
　　　　Arby　wasn't　always　clear　about　the　right　thing　to　do　around　people。　Everyone　treated　him　so　weird；　anyway。　Because　he　was　younger；　of　course。　And　because　he　was　black。　Arid　because　he　was　what　the　other　kids　called　a　brainer。　He　found　himself　engaged　in　a　constant　effort　to　be　accepted；　to　blend　in。　Except　he　couldn't。　He　wasn't　white；　he　wasn't　big；　he　wasn't　good　at　sports；　and　he　wasn't　dumb。　Most　of　his　classes　at　school　were　so　boring　Arby　could　hardly　stay　awake　in　them。　His　teachers　sometimes　got　annoyed　with　him；　but　what　could　he　do？　School　was　like　a　video　played　at　super…slow　speed。　You　could　glance　at　it　once　an　hour　and　not　miss　anything。　And　when　he　was　around　the　other　kids；　how　could　he　be　expected　to　show　interest　in　TV　shows　like　〃Melrose　Place；〃　or　the　San　Francisco　49ers；　or　the　Shaq's　new　mercial。　He　couldn't。　That　stuff　wasn't　important。
　　　　But　Arby　had　long　ago　discovered　it　was　unpopular　to　say　so。　It　was　better　to　keep　your　mouth　shut。　Because　nobody　understood　him；　except　Kelly。　She　seemed　to　know　what　he　was　talking　about；　most　of　the　time。
　　　　And　Dr。　Levine。　At　least　the　school　had　an　advanced…placement　track；　which　was　moderately　interesting　to　Arby。　Not　very　interesting；　of　course；　but　better　than　the　other　classes。　And　when　Dr。　Levine　had　decided　to　teach　the　class；　Arby　had　found　himself　excited　by　school　for　the　first　time　in　his　life。　In　fact　…
　　　　〃So　this　is　Isla　Sorna；　huh？〃　Kelly　said；　looking　out　the　window　at　the　jungle。
　　　　〃Yeah；〃　Arby　said。　〃I　guess　so。〃
　　　　〃You　know；　when　they　stopped　the　car　earlier；〃　Kelly　said；　〃could　you　hear　what　they　were　talking　about？〃
　　　　〃Not　really。　All　the　padding。〃
　　　　〃Me　neither；〃　Kelly　said。　〃But　they　seemed　pretty　worked　up　about　something。〃
　　　　〃Yeah；　they　did。〃
　　　　〃It　sounded　like　they　were　talking　about　dinosaurs；　Kelly　said。　〃Did　you　hear　anything　like　that？〃
　　　　Arby　laughed；　shaking　his　head。　〃No；　Kel；〃　he　said。
　　　　〃Because　I　thought　they　did。〃
　　　　〃e　on；　Kel。〃
　　　　〃I　thought　Thorne　said　'triceratops。〃'
　　　　〃Kel；〃　he　said。　〃Dinosaurs　have　been　extinct　for　sixty…five　million　years。
　　　　〃I　know　that。。。〃
　　　　He　pointed　out　the　window。　〃You　see　any　dinosaurs　out　there？〃
　　　　Kelly　didn't　answer。　She　went　to　the　other　side　of　the　trailer；　and　looked　out　the　opposite　window。　She　saw　Thorne；　Malcolm；　and　Eddie　disappearing　into　the　main　building。
　　　　〃They're　going　to　be　pretty　annoyed　when　they　find　us；〃　Arby　said。　〃How　do　you　think　we　should　tell　them？〃
　　　　〃We　can　let　it　be　a　surprise。
　　　　〃They'll　be　mad；〃　he　said。
　　　　〃So？　What　can　they　do　about　it？〃　Kelly　said。
　　　　〃Maybe　they'll　send　us　back。〃
　　　　〃How？　They　can't。〃
　　　　〃Yeah。　I　guess。〃　Arby　shrugged　casually；　but　he　was　more　troubled　by　this　line　of　thought　than　he　wanted　to　admit。　This　was　all　Kelly's　idea。　Arby　had　never　liked　to　break　the　rules；　or　to　get　into　any　kind　of　trouble。　Whenever　he　had　even　had　a　mild　reprimand　from　a　teacher；　he　would　get　flushed　and　sweaty。　And　for　the　last　twelve　hours；　he　had　been　thinking　about　how　Thorne　and　the　others　would　react。
　　　　〃Look；〃　Kelly　said。　〃The　thing　is；　we're　here　to　help　find　our　friend　Dr。　Levine；　that's　all。　We've　helped　Dr。　Thorne　already。〃
　　　　〃Yes
　　　　〃And　we'll　be　able　to　help　them　again。〃
　　　　〃Maybe。。。〃
　　　　〃They　need　our　help。〃
　　　　〃Maybe；〃　Arby　said。　He　didn't　feel　convinced。
　　　　Kelly　said；　〃I　wonder　what　they　have　to　eat　here。〃　She　opened　the　refrigerator。　〃You　hungry？〃
　　　　〃Starving；〃　Arby　said；　suddenly　aware　that　he　was。
　　　　'So　what　do　you　want？〃
　　　　〃What　is　there？〃　He　sat　on　the　padded　gray　couch　and　stretched；　as　he　watched　Kelly　poke　through　the　refrigerator。
　　　　〃e　and　look；〃　she　said；　annoyed。　〃I'm　not　your　stupid　housekeeper；〃
　　　　〃Okay；　okay；　take　it　easy。〃
　　　　〃Well；　you　expect　everybody　to　wait　on　you；〃　she　said。
　　　　〃I　do　not；〃　he　said；　getting　quickly　off　the　couch。
　　　　〃You're　such　a　brat；　Arby。〃
　　　　〃Hey；〃　he　said。　〃What's　the　big　deal？　Take　it　easy。　You　nervous　about　something？〃
　　　　No；　I　am　not；〃　she　said。　She　took　a　wrapped　sandwich　out　of　the　refrigerator。　Standing　beside　her；　he　looked　briefly　inside；　grabbed　the　first　sandwich　he　saw。
　　　　〃You　don't　want　that；〃　she　said。
　　　　〃Yes；　I　do。〃
　　　　〃It's　tuna　salad。〃
　　　　Arby　hated　tuna　salad。　He　put　it　back　quickly；　looked　around　again。
　　　　〃That's　turkey　on　the　left；〃　she　said。　〃In　the　bun。〃
　　　　He　brought　out　a　turkey　sandwich。　〃Thanks。〃
　　　　〃No　problem。〃　Sitting　on　the　couch；　she　opened　her　own　sandwich；　wolfed　it　down　hungrily。
　　　　〃Listen；　at　least　I　got　us　here；〃　he　said；　unwrapping　his　own　carefully。　He　folded　the　plastic　neatly；　set　it　aside。
　　　　〃Yeah。　You　did。　I　admit　it。　You　did　that　part　all　right。〃
　　　　Arby　ate　his　sandwich。　He　thought　he　had　never　tasted　anything　so　good　in　his　entire　life。　It　was　better　even　than　his　mother's　turkey　sandwiches。
　　　　The　thought　of　his　mother　gave　him　a　pang。　His　mother　was　a　gynecologist　and　very　beautiful。　She　had　a　busy　life；　and　wasn't　home　very　much；　but　whenever　he　saw　her；　she　always　seemed　so　peaceful。　And　Arby　felt　peaceful　around　her；　too。　They　had　a　special　relationship；　the　two　of　them。　Even　though　lately　she　sometimes　seemed　uneasy　about　how　much　he　knew。　One　night　he　had　e　into　her　study；　she　was　going　over　some　journal　articles　about　progesterone　levels　and　FSH。　He　looked　over　her　shoulder　at　the　columns　of　numbers　and　suggested　that　she　might　want　to　try　a　nonlinear　equation　to　analyze　the　data。　She　gave　him　a　funny　look；　a　kind　of　separate　look；　thoughtful　and　distant　from　him；　and　at　that　moment　he　had　felt　…
　　　　〃I'm　getting　another　one；〃　Kelly　said；　going　back　to　the　refrigerator。　She　came　out　with　two　sandwiches；　one　in　each　hand。
　　　　〃You　think　there's　enough？〃
　　　　〃Who　cares？　I'm　starving；〃　she　said；　tearing　off　the　wrapping　on　the　first。
　　　　〃Maybe　we　shouldn't　eat　…　〃
　　　　〃Arb；　if　you're　going　to　worry　like　this；　we　should　have　stayed　home。〃
　　　　He　decided　that　was　right。　He　was　surprised　to　see　that　he　had　somehow　finished　his　own　sandwich。　So　he　took　the　other　one　Kelly　offered　him。
　　　　Kelly　ate；　and　stared　out　the　window。　〃I　wonder　what　that　building　is；　that　they　went　into？　It　looks　abandoned。〃
　　　　〃Yeah。　For　years。〃
　　　　〃Why　would　somebody　build　a　big　building　here；　on　some　deserted　island　in　Costa　Rica？〃　she　said。
　　　　〃Maybe　they　were　doing　something　se