lh.narcissusinchains-第125部分

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eadied　me。
　I　lay　back　on　the　floor　with　my　hand　in　blood　and　my　head　resting　in　God　knows　what　and　relearned　how　to　breathe。　If　I　lay　very　still　and　didn't　try　and　move；　the　feet　didn't　touch　me；　nothing　touched　me。　So　I　lay　in　the　dark　and　closed　my　eyes　and　tried　to　use　my　other　senses；　because　my　eyes　were　useless。　I've　got　pretty　good　night　vision；　but　even　a　cat　needs　some　light；　and　there　was　nothing；　nothing　but　the　darkness。
　The　chains　creaked　as　the　bodies　still　swung　heavily　above　me。　There　were　tiny　air　currents。　A　warm　drop　hit　my　cheek。　All　the　movement　had　started　fresh　bleeding　from　someone。　I　kept　my　eyes　closed　and　forced　myself　to　take　steady；　even　breaths。　One　man　was　screaming；　〃God；　God；　God！〃　over　and　over　again；　as　fast　as　he　could　draw　breath。　He'd　lost　it；　and　I　didn't　blame　him。　I'd　e　damn　close　myself；　and　I　wasn't　hanging　nude　from　the　ceiling；　bleeding。
　Chimera's　voice　came　out　of　the　darkness。　〃Shut　up；　shut　the　fuck　up！〃
　The　man　stopped　screaming　almost　instantly；　but　his　breath　came　in　whimpers；　as　if　he　had　to　make　some　sound。
　〃Anita；〃　Chimera　said。　〃Anita；　where　are　you？〃
　Even　he　couldn't　see　in　the　pitch　blackness；　and　the　smell　of　blood；　sweat；　and　flesh　masked　my　odor　apparently。　Great；　he　didn't　know　where　I　was。　I　wished　I　could　think　of　something　good　to　do　with　that　information。　But　I　just　lay　in　the　dark　on　the　foul　floor；　my　hand　in　the　pool　of　cooling　blood；　another　drop　of　fresh；　warm　blood　hitting　my　cheek；　and　did　nothing。　All　I　had　to　do　was　stall　until　the　cavalry　arrived。　I'd　tried　talking　to　Chimera　and　that　hadn't　worked　so　well。　I'd　try　silence。
　〃Anita；　Anita；　answer　me。〃
　I　didn't　answer。　If　he　wanted　to　find　me　he　could　damn　well　turn　on　the　light。　I　thought　I　wanted　some　light。　But　then　I　thought　maybe　I　didn't　really　want　to　see　what　hung　above　me　in　this　room。　Maybe　it　would　be　one　of　those　sights　that　blasts　the　mind；　one　you　never　really　recover　from。　But　I　badly　wanted　to　see　something；　almost　anything。　I　lay　in　the　dark；　the　way　I　used　to　huddle　under　the　sheets　as　a　child；　afraid　of　the　dark；　afraid　of　what　I　could　not　see。
　〃Answer　me；　Anita！〃　He　screamed　it　this　time；　voice　harsh。
　A　male　voice　from　above　me。　〃Answer　him　if　you　can；　you　don't　want　him　angry　with　you。〃
　Another　man　gave　a　sound　like　a　choking　laugh。　It　sounded　thick；　as　if　there　were　blood　in　his　mouth　and　throat。
　The　dark　was　suddenly　full　of　voices　saying；　〃Answer　him；　answer　him。〃　It　was　like　the　wind　had　found　a　voice　and　was　giving　me　instructions　in　the　dark。
　Another　drop　of　blood　fell　on　my　cheek　and　began　to　slide　slowly　down　my　skin。　I　didn't　wipe　it　off。　I　didn't　move。　I　was　afraid　any　movement　would　let　Chimera　know　where　I　was；　and　I　didn't　want　that。
　〃Shut　up！〃　Chimera　yelled；　and　I　heard　him　move　farther　into　the　room。　The　voices　above　me　fell　silent。　But　I　could　still　feel　them　hanging　there　like　weight　above　me；　like　a　rock　ceiling　pressing　down　on　me。　I　took　a　deep　breath；　let　it　out　slowly。　My　claustrophobia　was　trying　to　scream　in　my　head　that　I　couldn't　breathe；　but　it　was　a　lie。　The　dark　did　not　have　weight　to　it；　that　was　the　fear　talking。　If　Chimera　wanted　to　let　me　lie　in　the　dark　for　the　next　hour　until　help　arrived；　I'd　let　him。　I　would　not　panic。　It　wouldn't　help　anything　for　me　to　start　crawling　frantically　across　the　floor　with　feet　brushing　my　back。　If　I　did　that；　I　would　start　screaming；　and　I　wouldn't　stop　for　a　long；　long　time。
　The　blood　oozed　along　my　neck　into　my　hair；　and　I　kept　my　eyes　closed　and　concentrated　on　breathing　shallow；　quiet。
　〃Answer　me；　Anita；　or　I　will　start　cutting　on　the　men　hanging　above　you；〃　Chimera　said。　His　voice　was　closer；　but　not　too　close。　He　was　still　outside　the　forest　of　hanging　bodies。
　I　still　didn't　answer。
　〃You　don't　believe　me？　Let　me　prove　it　to　you。〃
　A　man　screamed；　high；　piteous；　hopeless。
　〃Don't；〃　I　said。
　〃Don't　what？〃
　〃Don't　hurt　them。〃
　〃They're　nothing　to　you；　not　your　animal；　not　your　friend。　Why　do　you　care？〃
　〃Orlando　King　knows　the　answer　to　your　question。〃
　〃I'm　asking　you；〃　Chimera　said。
　〃You　already　know　the　answer；〃　I　said。
　〃No；　no！　Orlando　knows　the　answer。　I　don't。　I　don't　understand。　Why　do　you　care　about　strangers？〃　The　other　man　screamed　again。
　〃Stop　it；　Chimera。〃
　〃Or　what？〃　he　asked。　〃What　will　you　do　if　I　don't　stop？　What　will　you　do　if　I　stand　here　in　the　dark　and　cut　pieces　off　this　man？　How　will　you　stop　me？〃
　The　man　was　shrieking；　〃No；　don't；　not　that；　nooo！〃　The　scream　fell　off；　which　meant　the　man　was　either　dead；　or　he'd　fainted。　I　hoped　he'd　fainted；　but　either　way　I　couldn't　do　much　about　it。
　〃Can　you　taste　the　fear；　Anita？　Roll　it　on　your　tongue　like　the　strong　spice　it　is。〃
　Right　then　my　mouth　was　so　dry　I　couldn't　have　tasted　a　damn　thing。　But　I　could　sense　their　fear；　smell　it　on　them。　All　of　them　were　afraid　now；　fresh　terror；　pouring　out　of　their　skin。　〃It's　easy　to　scare　people　in　the　dark；　Chimera。　Everybody's　afraid　of　the　dark。〃
　〃Even　you？〃
　I　avoided　the　question。　〃I　was　told　if　I　came　down　here　that　you'd　let　Cherry　and　Micah　go。〃
　〃I　did　tell　Zeke　that。〃
　And　in　that　moment　I　knew　he　had　no　intention　of　letting　them　go。　It　shouldn't　have　surprised　me；　but　it　did。　Had　I　really　expected　fair　dealings　from　him？　Maybe。　It　offended　some　part　of　me　to　know　that　he　wasn't　going　to　do　what　he'd　said。　It　meant　all　deals　were　off。　I'd　gone　from　having　something　to　bargain　with；　to　nothing。　Just　on　a　whim；　he　could　kill　Cherry　and　Micah　before　help　arrived。　My　pulse　was　speeding　up　again；　and　I　fought　to　keep　my　breathing　steady。　I　took　my　hand　out　of　the　cooling　pool　of　blood。　I　might　as　well　move。　He'd　locate　me　soon　through　my　voice。
　I　laid　my　hands　on　my　stomach　and　tried　to　think　of　what　I　could　do；　unarmed；　against　a　man　who　outweighed　me　by　more　than　a　hundred　pounds　and　was　strong　enough　to　break　through　brick　walls。　Nothing　useful　came　to　mind。　Maybe　violence　wasn't　the　way　to　stall。　What　did　that　leave？　Sex？　Sweet　reason？　Witty　repartee？　Dear　God；　a　little　help　here。
　〃You　don't　feel　the　need　to　talk；　do　you？〃　he　asked；　voice　calmer　than　it　had　been；　more　〃normal。〃
　〃Not　unless　I　have　something　to　say。〃
　〃That's　unusual　in　a　woman。　Most　of　them　can't　stand　the　thought　of　silence。　They　talk　and　talk　and　talk。〃　He　was　sounding　calmer。　In　fact；　he　sounded　like　we　should　have　been　sitting　across　a　table　in　some　nice　restaurant　on　a　blind　date。　Since　we　were　in　a　pitch…black　torture　room　with　blood　on　the　floor；　the　matter…of…fact　voice　was　more　frightening　than　the　ranting　had　been。　He　was　supposed　to　rant　and　rave；　but　calm　small　talk；　that　was　really　crazy。
　His　voice　got　calmer；　but　it　never　sounded　exactly　like　Orlando　King's。　It　was　as　if　there　was　another　voice　ing　out　of　him；　another　personality；　maybe。　I　didn't　know；　and　I　didn't　care。　If　it　kept　him　from　cutting　people　up；　then　yea。
　〃Would　you　like　to　see　your　leopard　now？〃　the　calm　voice　asked。
　〃Yes。〃
　The　lights　exploded　across　my　vision；　and　I　was　as　blind　with　the　brilliance　as　I　had　been　with　the　dark。　I　put　a　hand　over　my　eyes　to　shield　them；　then　slowly　lowered　it　as　my　spotty　vision　cleared。
　I　was　staring　up　at　a　pair　of　feet；　legs。　My　gaze　went　up　the　line　of　the　man's　body　to　find　fresh　claw　marks　on　his　buttocks　and　thighs。　Another　drop　of　blood　trailed　from　his　bare　foot　to　land　on　my　hand。　My　gaze　went　slowly　to　the　next　pair　of　legs；　and　the　next；　and　the　next　。。。　Dozens　of　men　hung　like　obscene　ornaments。　For　the　first　time　I　let　myself　wonder；　was　Micah　hanging　somewhere　in　the　forest　of　bodies？
　〃Do　you　want　to　stand　up　or　are　you　enjoying　the　view　from　there？〃　The　calm　voice　spoke　from　only　about　two　feet　away　from　me。　It　made　me　jump　badly。　I　rolled　my　head　back　to　see　Chimera　standing　two　hanging　men　away　from　me。
　〃I'll　stand；　if　you　don't　mind。〃
　〃Allow　me　to　help　you。〃　He　pushed　one　of　the　hanging　men　to　the　side　like　you'd　move　a　drape；　like　the　pale　blue　eyes　weren't　open；　staring；　like　the　man　didn't　shudder　as　Chimera　touched　him。
　I　was　on　my　feet；　carefully　avoiding　the　body　nearest　me；　before　Chimera　could　push　aside　another　one　and　help　me　stand。　I　really　didn't　want　him　to　touch　me。
　Chimera's　eyes　had　bled　back　to　human　gray。　His　face　was　blank；　ordinary。　That　nearly　diabolical　smile　was　gone；　but　I　wasn't　looking　at　Orlando　King　either。　It　was　somebody　else。　The　question　was；　was　the　new　personality　going　to　be　more　helpful　or　more　dangerous？
　He　pushed　back　the　bodies　like　holding　open　a　door　so　I　could　walk　out。　I　let　him　do　it；　but　I　kept　my　attention　on　him；　as　if　I　expected　him　to　try　and　grab　me。　I　guess　I　did。　When　I　stepped　out　into　a　clear　space　a　breath　went　out　of　me　that　I　hadn't　even　known　I　was　holding。
　Chimera　stepped　beside　me；　and　I　moved　just　a　little　away　from　him。　Movement　caught　my　attention　but　it　was　only　the　hanging　men　swinging　slowly　from　where　Chimera　had　moved　them。　All　of　them　bore　marks　of　some　kind；　claws；　blades；　burns。　One　of　them　was　missing　his　legs　below　the　knees。　I　turned　back　to　the　man　in　front　of　me；　and　I　knew　I　looked　pale。　I　couldn't　help　that。　I　hadn't　screamed。　I　hadn't　panicked；　much。　I　couldn't　control　the　involuntary　stuff。　I　was