gns.throwback-第13部分

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；　would　have　offered　herself　to　him　again　for　he　was　the　male　of　the　species　and　it　was　his　right。　But　he　was　satisfied　in　that　respect；　his　uppermost　desire　right　now　to　find　some　means　of　escape　from　this　terrible　place　which　he　did　not　understand；　a　prison　which　denied　him　the　freedom　of　the　open　spaces。
　　
　　Throaty　noises：　'What　is　this　place　and　why　are　we　here；　woman？'
　　
　　*I　do　not　know。1　Cowering。　If　he　flew　into　a　rage　he　might　strike　her。
　　
　　He　prowled　the　room；　knocked　over　the　flimsy　bedside　table　and　stooped　to　examine　it；　half…afraid　of　an　obstacle　which　he　did　not　understand；　backing　away。　His　bulk　caught　against　the　door　handle；　sprung　it。　With　a　howl　he　leaped　away；　stared　in　disbelief　as　the　door　swung　slowly　open。　Through　the　gap　he　spied　dazzling　white　walls；　the　long　carpeted　corridor。　Hesitating；　again　looking　to　his　mate　for　support。　There　is　a　way　out。'　'Where　you　go；　I　go。'
　　
　　He　nodded；　aware　how　fast　his　heart　beat；　realising　for　the　first　time　that　his　skin　smarted。　He　held　out　his　hairy　arms；　examined　them；　the　thick　hair　was　patchy；　uneven；　and　he　saw　toe　redness　of　his　flesh；　how　it　burned；　itched　in　places。　The　disfort　angered　him；　but　the　need　to　escape　from　here　dominated　his　limited　instinctive　powers　of　thought。
　　
　　Stealthily；　a　stalking　beast　of　prey；　he　crept　out　of　the　room；　Marlene　close　behind　him。　A　fluorescent　tube　flickered　badly；　hurt　his　eyes；　decided　him　upon　which　way　to　go；
　　
　　And　then　he　saw　the　other　woman！　She　was　old；　her　blotched　flesh　wrinkled；　her　hair　grey　and　sparse。　Her　breasts　sagged；　empty　milk　bags　that　were　of　no　further　use；　legs　skinny　and　weak。　The　head　was　almost　bald；　the　mouth　shrunken　and　toothless；　gnarled　hands　clutching　a　stick；　an　extra　artificial　limb　upon　which　she　had　been　leaning　to　support　her　frail　body。
　　
　　She　saw　them　and　her　eyes　widened；　toothless　mouth　opening　to　emit　a　scream　of　terror；　the　stick　raised　to　protect　herself。
　　
　　Eric　went　into　a　crouch；　saw　a　weapon　which　threatened　them；　this　hag　barring　their　escape　route；　one　of　the　old　ones　seeking　to　strike　them　down。　Fat　had　tautened　into　muscles；　his　reflexes　were　as　sharp　as　any　animal　of　the　wild　for　his　life　depended　upon　them。
　　
　　Powerful　short　legs　springboarded　him　into　action；　had　him　airborne；　mouthing　unintelligible　hatred　for　the　old　woman；　spittle　frothing　down　his　shaggy　beard。　A　killing　cry；　an　arm　brushing　aside　the　wielded　stick；　clattering　it　against　the　wall　so　that　it　thudded　to　the　floor。　A　clenched　fist　raised；　ing　down。
　　
　　Just　one　blow；　that　was　all　that　was　necessary。　He　scarcely　felt　the　impact；　heard　only　the　sharp　snap　as　the　brittle　skull　cracked；　the　head　jerked　right　back。　Something　broke。　His　adversary　was　dead　even　as　she　fell；　never　felt　the　weight　of　his　feet　as　they　landed　on　her　abdomen；　ballooned　her　intestines　into　a　tight　ball　so　that　the　stomach　wall　split　and　spewed　them　out；　blood　and　matter　spraying　the　ceiling。　He　slipped　in　the　slimy　mess；　fell　headlong　in　the　human　offal。　One　bound　and　he　was　upright　again；　a　stinking　hairy　thing　fleeing　for　the　stairs　with　its　mate　close　behind。　Steps　going　down；　not　knowing　where　they　led　but　it　was　dangerous　to　remain　here。　A　landing；　down　another　flight；　then　stopping　as　he　saw　people　below　him　in　the　halt；　slippery　bloody　fingers　clutching　the　stair…rail　until　the　wooden　struts　threatened　to　snap。　His　wide　nostrils　flared；　smelled　death　and　fear　in　the　stuffy　indoor　atmosphere。
　　
　　Marlene　moved　close　to　him；　whined　her　own　terror　softly。　A　bunch　of　men　and　women　prowled　the　ground　floor　area　restlessly；　skin…festered　fingers　examining　mundane　objects　with　the　gleeful　enthusiasm　of　young　children。　A　brass　handbell　clanged　as　its　clapper　swung；　was　dropped　to　the　black　and　white　marble　floor。　Rolling　in　a　half…circle　until　its　momentum　ran　out；　the　watchers　scattering；　chattering　in　alarm；　circling　it　warily　as　though　it　might　suddenly　e　to　life　again　and　spring　up　at　them。　When　it　did　not　it　was　ignored；　forgotten。
　　
　　The　swing…doors　leading　out　into　the　street　spun　crazily；　banged　one　who　sought　to　enter；　had　him　jumping　back　with　a　howl　of　anguish。　Outside　the　street　was　crowded；　everyone　going　his　or　her　own　way　with　urgent　purposeless　gambolling　movements；　arms　hung　low；　some　even　moving　about　on　all　fours。　Backwards　and　forwards；　a　few　dashing　for　no　other　reason　than　that　they　got　in　one　another's　way；　not　a　mob　because　they　were　mindless　individuals　who　had　not　yet　succumbed　to　the　gregarious　instinct。　Confused；　afraid；　screaming　whenever　blue　lights　flashed　and　sirens　blared。　But　neither　ambulances　nor　police　cars　were　going　anywhere；　the　early…morning　traffic　already　shunted　into　an　immovable　tangle。　All　transport　ground　to　a　standstill。
　　
　　Screaming；　there　was　always　somebody　screaming　but　nobody　took　any　notice。　Here　and　there　a　couple　mated　openly　but　their　copulation　was　ignored　because　it　was　acceptable　to　ensure　the　continuation　of　their　kind。　Corpses　lay　on　the　pavements　and　in　the　road。
　　
　　Eric　Atkinson　descended　the　remaining　stairs　cautiously；　Marlene　following　close　behind；　he　knew　she　was　there　because　he　could　smell　her　fear。　Nobody　was　interested　in　them；　they　did　not　even　seem　aware　that　strangers　were　in　their　midst。　Because　everybody　was　a　stranger。
　　
　　He　tried　to　work　out　how　to　pass　through　the　swing…doors；　plate　glass　rotating　every　time　anybody　pushed　at　them；　then　somebody　fell；　perhaps　was　pushed；　sprawled　headlong　and　jammed　the　doors；　pinned　securely；　struggling　and　yelling。　Eric　Atkinson　seized　his　chance；　squeezed　through　the　narrow　gap；　pulling　Marlene　after　him；　treading　heavily　over　the　unfortunate　youth　who　shrieked　in　agony；　his　abdomen　bulged　but　it　was　stronger　than　that　of　the　aged　woman　on　the　second　floor　and　did　not　split。
　　
　　Outside；　breathing　in　the　fresh　air；　hustling　and　being　hustled。　Some　of　the　passers…by　were　still　clothed；　struggling　to　rid　themselves　of　clinging　garments；　tearing　at　material；　pulling　blindly。　Frustrated；　wondering　how　their　bodies　came　to　be　obstructed　by　these　inexplicable　things　which　overheated　burning　skin　and　restricted　their　movements。
　　
　　Futile　flight　in　a　strange　land；　roads　that　were　circular　and　brought　them　back　to　the　place　from　which　they　had　started　but　they　were　not　aware　of　this　because　the　landmarks　were　all　the　same；　buildings　that　looked　identical　wherever　they　went。
　　
　　The　crowds　were　swelling　as　more　and　more　poured　out　into　the　packed　streets；　clambering　over　vehicles；　some　examining　them　with　interest；　overing　their　fear　of　alien　objects；　chattering　excitedly。
　　
　　A　large　van　was　pulled　on　to　the　pavement　close　to　a　bank；　a　black　chassis　with　a　green　trim；　barred　windows　on　the　side　doors　and　at　the　rear。　One　of　the　side　doors　was　open　so　that　you　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　interior。　Two　men；　naked　except　for　their　helmets；　of　which　they　seemed　totally　unaware。　Money　everywhere；　packets　of　notes；　the　polythene　wrappings　split　so　that　the　currency　had　showered　out；　a　carpet　of　giant　confetti；　blue；　green　and　brown　spilling　across　the　floor；　down　the　steps；　wafting　along　the　road。　A　fortune　in　street　litter　that　was　being　trodden　and　shredded　by　an　army　of　feet；　ignored　because　nobody　realised　and　even　if　they　did　they　weren't　worth　anything。　A　gust　of　warm　summer　wind　stirred　them；　swirled　them；　swept　them　further　away。
　　
　　Eric　Atkinson　pulled　Marlene　along　with　him；　hurrying；　almost　dragging　her；　not　knowing　where　he　was　going　only　that　his　instincts　screamed　at　him　to　be　away　from　this　place　of　artificiality　which　stank　of　death　and　fear。
　　
　　Run。　Hide。　Anywhere；　but　not　here。
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　SIX
　　
　　JON　QUINN　sweated　as　he　pushed　the　starter…button　on　the　Land　Rover。　On　the　fifth　attempt　the　engine　coughed　into　life；　emitted　a　cloud　of　black　smoke；　threatened　to　die；　but　he　jammed　his　foot　on　the　accelerator　and　just　caught　it　in　time。　During　those　few　awful　moments　he　thought　that　it　had　packed　up　on　him　in　his　hour　of　greatest　need。　He　sighed　his　relief　audibly；　let　the　engine　tick　over；　the　rattling　vibrations　of　the　meccano…like　bodywork　sweet　music　in　his　ears。　When　he　got　back　he　would　park　it　on　the　slope　facing　downwards；　jump…start　it　next　time　if　he　had　to。
　　
　　He　checked　the　petrol　gauge。　Half…full；　five　gallons　averaging　18　mpg。　Ninety　miles　before　he　ran　dry。　There　was　an　old…fashioned　garage　in　the　next　village　that　still　had　a　hand…operated　pump；　probably　the　majority　of　electrically…powered　ones　were　out　of　mission　by　now。　Tomorrow　he　would　have　a　run　over　and　fill　up；　take　as　many　empty　five…gallon　oil　drums　with　him　as　he　could　find；　stock　up　before　everybody　else　got　the　same　idea。　If　there　was　anybody　else　left。
　　
　　He　didn't　relish　the　prospect　of　venturing　into　civilised　parts；　not　even　remote　villages。　He　was　scared　of　what　he　might　find。　But　he　would　have　to　do　it　sooner　or　later。　Oh　God；　if　only　Jackie　was　here。　There　had　never　really　been　anything　wrong　between　them；　just　a　steady　drifting　apart　that　neither　of　them　had　made　the　effort　to　check。　And　now　it　was　too　late。
　　
　　The　engine　was　ticking