sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第46部分

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s　as　though　there　was　an　invisible　weight　holding　her　down。　She　knew　this　had　to　be　a　dream；　but　at　the　same　time　she　could　hear　that　hideous　rattle　from　her　throat　as　she　fought　for　breath。　She　was　dying。　But　could　a　person　die　during　a　nightmare？　Jill　could　feel　the　cold　tendrils　exploring　her　body；　moving　in　between　her　legs；　inside　her　now；　filling　her；　and　with　a　heart…stopping　suddenness；　she　realized　it　was　Toby。　Somehow；　by　some　means；　it　was　Toby。　And　the　quick　rush　of　terror　in　Jill　gave　her　the　strength　to　claw　her　way　to　the　foot　of　the　bed；　gasping　for　breath；　mind　and　body　fighting　to　stay　alive。　She　reached　the　floor　and　struggled　to　her　feet　and　ran　for　the　door；　feeling　the　cold　pursuing　her；　surrounding　her；　clutching　at　her。　Her　fingers　found　the　door　knob　and　twisted　it　open。　She　ran　out　into　the　hallway；　panting　for　air；　filling　her　starved　lungs　with　oxygen。　The　hallway　was　warm；　quiet；　still。　Jill　stood　there；　swaying；　her　teeth　chattering　uncontrollably。　She　turned　to　look　into　her　room。　It　was　normal　and　peaceful。　She　had　had　a　nightmare。　Jill　hesitated　a　moment；　then　slowly　walked　back　through　the　doorway。　Her　room　was　warm。　There　was　nothing　to　be　afraid　of。　Of　course；　Toby　could　not　harm　her。　In　her　sitting　room；　Nurse　Gallagher　awakened　and　went　in　to　check　on　her　patient。　Toby　Temple　was　lying　in　his　bed；　exactly　as　she　had　left　him。　His　eyes　were　staring　at　the　ceiling；　focused　on　something　that　Nurse　Gallagher　could　not　see。　
　After　that　the　nightmare　kept　recurring　regularly；　like　a　black　omen　of　doom；　a　prescience　of　some　horror　to　e。　Slowly；　a　terror　began　to　build　up　in　Jill。　Wherever　she　went　in　the　house；　she　could　feel　Toby's　presence。　When　the　nurse　took　him　out；　Jill　could　hear　him。　Toby's　wheelchair　had　developed　a　high…pitched　creak；　and　it　got　on　Jill's　nerves　every　time　she　heard　it。　I　must　have　it　fixed；　she　thought。　
　She　avoided　going　anywhere　near　Toby's　room；　but　it　did　not　matter。　He　was　everywhere；　waiting　for　her。　The　headaches　were　constant　now；　a　savage；　rhythmic　pounding　that　would　not　let　her　rest。　Jill　wished　that　the　pain　would　stop　for　an　hour；　a　minute；　a　second。　She　had　to　sleep。　She　went　into　the　maid's　room　behind　the　kitchen；　as　far　away　from　Toby's　quarters　as　she　could　get。　The　room　was　warm　and　quiet。　Jill　lay　down　on　the　bed　and　closed　her　eyes。　She　was　asleep　almost　instantly。　She　was　awakened　by　the　fetid；　icy　air；　filling　the　room；　clutching　at　her；　trying　to　entomb　her。　Jill　leaped　up　and　ran　out　the　door。　
　The　days　were　horrible　enough；　but　the　nights　were　terrifying。　They　followed　the　same　pattern。　Jill　would　go　to　her　room　and　huddle　in　her　bed；　fighting　to　stay　awake；　afraid　to　go　to　sleep；　knowing　that　Toby　would　e。　But　her　exhausted　body　would　take　over　and　she　would　finally　doze　off。　She　would　be　awakened　by　the　cold。　She　would　lie　shivering　in　her　bed；　feeling　the　icy　air　creeping　toward　her；　an　evil　presence　enveloping　her　like　a　terrible　malediction。　She　would　get　up　and　flee　in　silent　terror。　
　It　was　three　a。m。　Jill　had　fallen　asleep　in　her　chair；　reading　a　book。　She　came　out　of　her　sleep　gradually；　slowly；　and　she　opened　her　eyes　in　the　pitch…black　bedroom；　knowing　that　something　was　terribly　wrong。　Then　she　realized　what　it　was。　She　had　gone　to　sleep　with　all　the　lights　on。　She　felt　her　heart　begin　to　race　and　she　thought。　There's　nothing　to　be　afraid　of。　Nurse　Gallagher　must　have　e　in　and　turned　out　the　lights。　Then　she　heard　the　sound。　It　was　ing　down　the　hallway；　creak。。。　creak。。。　Toby's　wheelchair；　moving　toward　her　bedroom　door。　Jill　began　to　feel　the　hairs　rise　on　the　back　of　her　neck。　It's　only　a　tree　branch　against　the　roof；　or　the　house　settling；　she　told　herself。　Yet　she　knew　that　it　wasn't　true。　She　had　heard　mat　sound　too　many　times　before。　Creak　。。。　creak。。。　like　the　music　of　death　ing　to　get　her。　It　can't　be　Toby；　she　thought。　He's　in　his　bed；　helpless。　I'm　losing　my　mind。　But　she　could　hear　it　ing　closer　and　closer。　It　was　at　her　door　now。　It　had　stopped；　waiting。　And　suddenly　there　was　the　sound　of　a　crash；　and　then　silence。　Jill　spent　the　rest　of　the　night　huddled　in　her　chair　in　the　dark；　too　terrified　to　move。　In　the　morning；　outside　her　bedroom　door；　she　found　a　broken　vase　on　the　floor；　where　it　had　been　knocked　over　from　a　hallway　table。　
　She　was　talking　to　Dr。　Kaplan。　
　〃Do　you　believe　that　the　　the　mind　can　control　the　body？〃　Jill　asked。　
　He　looked　at　her；　puzzled。　〃In　what　way　？〃　
　〃If　Toby　wanted　wanted　very　much　to　get　out　of　his　bed；　could　he？〃　
　〃You　mean　unaided？　In　his　present　condition？〃　He　gave　her　a　look　of　incredulity。　〃He　has　absolutely　no　mobility　at　all。　None　whatsoever。〃　
　Jill　was　still　not　satisfied。　〃Ifif　he　was　really　determined　to　get　up　　if　there　was　something　he　felt　he　had　to　do。。。〃　
　Dr。　Kaplan　shook　his　head。　〃Our　mind　gives　mand　to　the　body；　but　if　your　motor　impulses　are　blocked；　if　there　are　no　muscles　to　carry　out　those　mands；　then　nothing　can　happen。〃　
　She　had　to　find　out。　〃Do　you　believe　that　object　can　be　moved　by　the　mind？〃　
　〃You　mean　psychokinesis？　There　are　a　lot　of　experiments　being　done；　but　no　one　has　ever　e　up　with　any　proof　that's　convinced　me。〃　
　There　was　the　broken　vase　outside　her　bedroom　door。　Jill　wanted　to　tell　him　about　that；　about　the　cold　air　that　kept　following　her；　about　Toby's　wheelchair　at　her　door；　but　he　would　think　she　was　crazy。　Was　she？　Was　something　wrong　with　her？　Was　she　losing　her　mind？　
　When　Dr。　Kaplan　left；　Jill　walked　over　to　look　at　herself　in　the　mirror。　She　was　shocked　by　what　she　saw。　Her　cheeks　were　sunken　and　her　eyes　enormous　in　a　pale；　bony　face。　If　I　go　on　this　way；　Jill　thought；　I'll　die　before　Toby。　She　looked　at　her　stringy；　dull　hair　and　her　broken；　cracked　fingernails。　
　I　must　never　let　David　see　me　looking　like　this。　I　have　to　start　taking　care　of　myself。　From　now　on；　she　told　herself；　you're　going　to　the　beauty　parlor　once　a　week；　and　you're　going　to　eat　three　meals　a　day　and　sleep　eight　hows。　The　following　morning；　Jill　made　an　appointment　at　the　beauty　parlor。　She　was　exhausted；　and　under　the　warm；　fortable　hum　of　the　hair　drier；　she　dozed　off；　and　the　nightmare　began。　She　was　in　bed；　asleep。　She　could　hear　Toby　e　into　her　bedroom　in　his　wheelchair。。。　creak。。。　creak。　Slowly；　he　got　out　of　the　chair　and　rose　to　his　feet　and　moved　toward　her；　grinning；　his　skeletal　hands　reaching　for　her　throat。　Jill　awoke　screaming　wildly；　throwing　the　beauty　shop　into　an　uproar。　She　fled　without　even　having　her　hair　bed　out。　After　that　experience；　Jill　was　afraid　to　leave　the　house　again。　And　afraid　to　remain　in　it。
　Something　seemed　to　be　wrong　with　her　head。　It　was　no　longer　just　the　headaches。　She　was　beginning　to　forget　things。　She　would　go　downstairs　for　something　and　walk　into　the　kitchen　and　stand　there；　not　knowing　what　she　had　e　for。　Her　memory　began　to　play　strange　tricks　on　her。　Once；　Nurse　Gordon　came　in　to　speak　to　her；　Jill　wondered　what　a　nurse　was　doing　there；　and　then　she　suddenly　remembered。　The　director　was　waiting　on　the　set　for　Jill。　She　tried　to　recall　her　line。　Not　very　well；　I'm　afraid。　Doctor。　She　must　speak　to　the　director　and　find　out　how　he　wanted　her　to　read　it。　Nurse　Gordon　was　holding　her　band；　saying；　〃Mrs。　Temple！　Mrs。　Templel　Are　you　feeling　all　right？〃　And　Jill　was　back　in　her　own　surroundings；　again　in　the　present；　caught　up　in　the　terror　of　what　was　happening　to　her。　She　knew　she　could　not　go　on　like　this。　She　had　to　find　out　whether　there　was　something　wrong　with　her　mind　or　whether　Toby　was　able　to　somehow　move；　whether　he　had　found　a　way　to　attack　her；　to　try　to　murder　her。　She　had　to　see　him。　She　forced　herself　to　walk　down　the　long　hall　toward　Toby's　bedroom。　She　stood　outside　a　moment；　steeling　herself；　and　then　Jill　entered　Toby's　room。　
　Toby　was　lying　in　his　bed；　and　the　nurse　was　giving　him　a　sponge　bath。　She　looked　up；　saw　Jill　and　said；　
　〃Why；　here's　Mrs。　Temple。　We're　just　having　a　nice　bath；　aren't　we？〃　
　Jill　turned　to　look　at　the　figure　on　the　bed。　Toby's　arms　and　legs　had　shriveled　into　stringy　appendages　attached　to　his　shrunken；　twisted　torso。　Between　his　legs；　like　some　long　indecent　snake；　lay　his　useless　penis；　flaccid　and　ugly。　The　yellow　cast　had　gone　from　Toby's　face；　but　the　gaping　idiot　grin　was　still　there。　The　body　was　dead；　but　the　eyes　were　frantically　alive。　Darting；　seeking；　weighing；　planning；　hating；　cunning　blue　eyes　filled　with　their　secret　plans；　their　deadly　determination。　It　was　Toby's　mind　she　was　seeing。　The　important　thing　to　remember　is　that　his　mind　is　unimpaired；　the　doctor　had　told　her。　His　mind　could　think　and　feel　and　hate。　That　mind　had　nothing　to　do　but　plan　its　revenge；　figure　put　a　way　to　destroy　her。　Toby　wanted　her　dead；　as　she　wanted　him　dead。　As　Jill　looked　down　at　him　now；　staring　into　those　eyes　blazing　with　loathing；　she　could　hear　him　saying；　I'm　going　to　kilt　you；　and　she　could　feel　the　waves　of　abhorrence　hitting　her　like　physical　blows。　Jill　stared　into　those　eyes；　and　she　remembered　the　broken　vase　and　she　knew　that　none　of　the　nightmares　had　been　illusions。　He　had　found　a　way。　She　knew　now　that　it　was　Toby's　life　against　hers。　
　　
　When　Dr。　Kaplan　finished　his　examination　of　Toby；　he　went　to　find　Jill。　
　〃I　th