gns.throwback-第40部分

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here。　Pushed　again。　Now　he　was　lying　across　a　hammock　of　interlaced　fir　branches；　they　sagged　but　held。　It　would　have　to　do；　she　could　not　get　him　any　further。
　　
　　Jackie　had　just　taken　the　weight　of　her　body　on　another　thick　branch　when　she　heard　the　dog　ing。　A　fast　trot　now；　panting　heavily；　the　need　for　caution　gone。　The　beast　knew　its　prey　could　not　outrun　it　now。
　　
　　Her　sweat　went　cold；　she　could　smell　its　stale　sweaty　odour；　heard　the　low　killing　growl　in　its　throat。　She　gripped　the　branch；　kicked　her　legs　and　swung　her　body　at　the　same　time；　a　trapeze　artist　getting　early　momentum；　a　human　pendulum　gathering　speed。
　　
　　Just　in　time！　She　was　aware　of　the　dog's　spring；　its　snapping　slavering　jaws；　mad　eyes　glinting　in　the　forest　blackness。　Had　it　anticipated　her　swing　it　would　have　hit　her；　instead　it　leaped　behind；　missed　and　fell　back。　It　snarled　its　fury；　head　upturned；　waiting　for　her　to　fall；　tensed　and　ready；　hackles　raised。
　　
　　Jackie　grabbed　another　bough；　forced　her　protesting　muscles　into　one　last　tremendous　effort。　She　made　it；　hauled　herself　up　and　gave　a　sob　of　relief　as　she　lay　across　the　branches；　a　couple　of　feet　above　her　unknown　panion。
　　
　　The　dog　barked；　howled；　jumped　at　the　tree　trunk；　its　vicious　claws　shredding　the　bark；　trying　for　a　hold　but　failing。　It　snarled；　sat　back　on　its　haunches；　stared　at　the　two　humans　with　sheer　malevolence。
　　
　　Jackie　looked　down　at　the　man。　His　body　was　limp　but　with　luck　the　branches　would　hold。　If　they　didn't　。　。　。
　　
　　She　could　smell　the　animal's　breath；　foul　vapours　that　drifted　up　to　her；　reeked　of　putrid　flesh。　A　scavenger。　Jaws　that　had　killed；　mutilated。　A　ravening　beast　whose　only　thought　was　to　rip　human　flesh　to　bloody　shreds；　devour　it　raw。　Canine　madness。
　　
　　She　trembled；　wished　she　had　some　water。　The　stream　she　had　splashed　through　earlier；　its　icy　cold　current　serving　to　revive　her；　came　back　to　taunt　her。　She　should　have　paused　to　slake　her　thirst　but　there　had　not　been　time。　Likewise　she　had　not　eaten　for　several　hours。　Hungry；　thirsty；　exhausted；　and　afraid　to　sleep。
　　
　　The　dog's　jaws　opened。　Not　a　snarl；　something　much　more　sinister。　A　yawn；　a　noisy　slow　relaxation　that　posed　the　worst　threat　of　all。　The　creature　had　overe　its　initial　fury　and　frustration；　now　it　was　resorting　to　patience　and　cunning。　It　was　in　no　hurry。　Its　prey　was　trapped　in　the　tree　above　it　and　there　was　no　way　of　escape。　It　could　rest　and　watch。　Sleep　if　necessary；　because　its　senses　were　so　alert　that　the　slightest　movement　would　wake　it　instantly。　Time　was　on　its　side。
　　
　　Jackie　shivered；　moved　slightly　and　dislodged　a　shower　of　icy　raindrops　out　of　the　foliage　above。　Staring　at　that　shape　below；　the　wolf…like　silhouette　with　eyes　that　glowed　green　fire。
　　
　　She　transferred　her　gaze　to　the　man　immediately　below　her。　He　was　desperately　ill；　he　might　die　before　morning；　but　better　that　he　died　peacefully　than　fell　and　was　savaged　by　the　waiting　animal。
　　
　　He　moved　and　her　heart　threatened　to　stop　as　the　big　branch　creaked。　He　was　restless；　changing　position。　His　head　turned　to　one　side；　craning　his　neck　until　he　could　see　her；　his　eyes　unnaturally　bright　and　shiny。
　　
　　'Have　you　seen　。　。　。　Sylvia？'　Soft　tones；　chilling。　Tell　me；　have　you　seen　her？'
　　
　　Jackie　did　not　understand；　just　shook　her　head　and　tried　to　smile。　He　went　into　a　fit　of　coughing；　the　fever　inside　him　was　raging；　building　up　to　a　peak。　He　had　not　long　to　go…
　　
　　'Lie　still　or　you　might　fall。　Perhaps　the　dog　will　get　tired　and　go　away。'　She　knew　it　wouldn't。　It　had　the　cunning　and　cruelty　of　its　master。
　　
　　'She　knows　it　is　me　even　though　I　have　changed　like　everybody　else。'　He　was　talking　fast　now。　'She's　with　that　Quinn　fellow；　that's　what　hurts　me　most。　Somehow　she　escaped；　just　as　he　did。　I've　been　turned　into　an　animal　but　I　still　want　to　see　her　before　I　die。　Everybody's　going　to　die　before　long。'
　　
　　His　voice　tailed　off　and　she　could　hear　him　shivering；　his　teeth　banging　together。　A　glance　downwards；　the　dog's　eyes　flickered　open　for　a　second；　closed　again。　It　wasn't　going　anywhere　in　a　hurry。　She　stretched　out；　made　sure　her　grip　was　secure。　She　wouldn't　fall。　How　long　before　it　got　light？　Not　that　it　would　make　any　difference。
　　
　　She　was　aware　of　sleep　claiming　her；　a　soft　soothing　blanket　that　numbed　her　terror；　gave　her　a　sensation　of　warmth；　a　bed　that　was　fortable。
　　
　　It　was　light。　Or　rather　it　wasn't　quite　so　dark；　a　foggy　greyness　that　created　its　own　weird　shapes。　Trees　became　grotesque　monsters；　changed　back　to　trees　again。　There　was　only　one　monster；　a　shaggy　one　with　permanently　erect　pointed　ears；　lying　with　its　head　on　its　paws；　its　eyes　wide　and　staring　upwards。　Waiting。
　　
　　Jackie　tried　to　ease　her　stiff　limbs；　felt　excruciating　pins　and　needles　as　the　trapped　blood　began　to　flow　again。　The　man　was　still　there　on　the　bed　of　branches　beneath　her；　a　still　form　with　one　arm　that　was　twice　the　thickness　of　the　other。　For　a　moment　she　thought　that　he　was　dead；　that　the　cold　damp　night　air　had　put　an　end　to　his　suffering。　And　then　his　head　moved；　his　eyes　ing　round　to　meet　hers；　filmed　but　clearing　slowly。
　　
　　'Perhaps　somebody　will　e　before　long；'　she　said。　If　somebody　did　e　it　would　undoubtedly　be　Kuz　and　his　followers。　She　would　be　rescued　to　meet　a　worse　fate。
　　
　　They　would　kill　her　panion　because　they　had　no　use　for　the　sick　or　the　maimed。　Only　the　fittest　survived。
　　
　　He　nodded；　shifted　his　position；　and　began　to　convulse！　And　she　knew　then　that　he　was　going　to　fall！
　　
　　A　bination　of　weakness　and　pins　and　needles　robbed　him　of　any　chance　of　holding　on。　In　his　own　fevered　mind　Eric　Atkinson　surrendered；　had　given　up　all　hope　of　ever　seeing　Sylvia　again。　That　single　glowing　ember；　the　spark　that　had　kept　him　going；　was　dying。　His　fingers　did　not　even　attempt　to　grasp　the　interwoven　fir　boughs　as　he　started　to　slip。
　　
　　Jackie　watched　in　horror。　The　branches　bent；　held　him　up　for　a　final　second　or　two　but　his　sliding　weight　was　too　much　for　them　and　then　they　catapulted　him　down。
　　
　　The　dog　had　him　the　moment　he　struck　the　ground；　Eric　Atkinson's　final　scream　of　agony　torn　from　his　throat　in　a　mass　of　bloody　flesh；　a　jagged　open　wound　that　pumped　scarlet　fluid；　saturating　the　crazed　beast　as　it　bit　and　tore；　its　fangs　crunching　on　brittle　bones。　The　man's　head　sagged　to　one　side；　the　vertebrae　snapped　so　that　the　body　twisted　round　as　it　was　dragged。　Clothing　tore；　exposed　more　flesh　for　mutilation；　an　open　groin　wound；　intestines　being　pulled；　unravelled。
　　
　　It　was　several　minutes　before　the　creature's　frenzy　subsided；　and　only　then　did　it　begin　to　feast　on　the　carnage；　masticating　noisily；　ravenously；　glancing　round　as　though　it　feared　lest　its　master　might　suddenly　appear　and　deprive　it　of　its　prize。
　　
　　Jackie　closed　her　eyes　but　could　not　shut　out　the　horror　below　her。　Sooner　or　later　she　too　would　weaken。
　　
　　The　dog's　hunger　appeased；　it　lay　down　by　the　remains　of　the　man　it　had　savaged；　turned　its　attention　once　more　to　the　woman　in　the　trees　above　it；　watched　her　steadily。　It　gave　a　contented；　threatening　yawn。　It　would　wait　until　tomorrow；　the　day　after；　next　week　if　need　be。　It　had　food；　she　did　not。
　　
　　The　false　warmth　inside　Jackie's　body　had　long　since　evaporated。　Her　skin　was　goose　pimpled；　the　cold　and　damp　beginning　to　penetrate　deep。　A　feeling　of　drowsiness；　a　fight　to　keep　awake。　If　she　slept　again　she　might　move；　roll。　。　。　fall！　She　would　not　make　it　through　another　night；　she　knew　that。
　　
　　Weak　sunlight　slanted　down　through　the　forest　ceiling；　a　vain　attempt　because　shortly　afterward　the　hill…fog　rolled　back　again　as　though　it　had　something　to　hide。　Strange　thoughts；　frightening　ones；　plagued　Jackie　Quinn's　tortured　mind。　Phil　Winder；　a　hairless　race　of　weaklings；　a　face　she　half…knew　flitting　in；　then　disappearing　and　leaving　her　with　a　blurred　image。　A　man；　his　features　would　be　familiar　if　only　she　could　visualise　them；　reaching　out　for　her。　But　he　could　not　help　her；　nobody　could。
　　
　　Her　mouth　was　dry。　She　moistened　her　fingers　on　the　wet　foliage；　sucked　them。　They　tasted　of　resin；　made　her　want　to　spit。　Hunger　gnawed；　brought　with　it　nausea。　Once　the　lower　branch　creaked　alarmingly；　and　she　grabbed　the　overhead　one　but　it　did　not　crack。　And　below　her　the　dog　appeared　to　sleep　but　if　she　watched　it　long　enough　she　saw　an　eye　flicker　open。　It　was　playing　a　cruel　game　with　her；　savouring　every　second　of　it。
　　
　　Dozing；　hearing　in　her　mind　the　baying　of　the　brute　as　it　picked　up　a　fresh　scent；　the　killing　urge　strong。　A　baying　that　grew　louder。　And　louder。
　　
　　Until　at　last　it　jerked　her　awake　in　a　cold　shivering　sweat。　She　gripped　the　bough　tightly　for　surely　what　she　saw　was　an　hallucination　brought　on　by　exposure　to　the　elements。
　　
　　There　must　have　been　a　dozen　dogs　down　below　her！　An　assortment　of　mangy　long…haired　animals；　mongrels　of　various　strains；　collies；　Alsatians；　deerhounds；　a　mixed　ancestry　with　one　overriding　mon　factor…ferocity！　They　bunched　together；　their　tongues　dwindling　to　a　low　warning　growl。　The　big