sk.petsematary-第13部分

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go。　They　hauled　it　away。〃
　　〃Great；〃　Louis　said；　but　he　felt　relieved　nonetheless。　At　least　it　wasn't　out　on　a　run；　which　was　what　he　had　first　feared；　〃When　do　we　get　it　back？〃
　　Joan　Chariton　laughed。　〃Knowing　the　University　Motor　Pool；〃　she　said；　〃it'll　e　back　around　December　fifteenth　wrapped　in　Christmas　ribbon。〃　She　glanced　at　the　student。　〃You've　got　half　a　degree　of　fever；〃　she　said。　〃Take　two　aspirins　and　stay　out　of　bars　and　dark　alleys。〃
　　The　girl　got　down。　She　gave　Louis　a　quick　appraising　glance　and　then　went　out。
　　〃Our　first　customer　of　the　new　semester；〃　Charlton　said　sourly。　She　began　to　shake　the　thermometer　down　with　brisk　snaps。
　　〃You　don't　seem　too　pleased　about　it。〃
　　〃I　know　the　type；〃　she　said。　〃Oh；　we　get　the　other　type　too…athletes　who　go　on　playing　with　bone　chips　and　tendonitis　and　everything　else　because　they　don't　want　to　be　benched；　they　got　to　be　macho　men；　not　let　the　ream　down；　even　if　they're　jeopardizing　pro　careers　later　on。　Then　you've　got　little　Miss　Half…Degree　of　Fever…〃　She　jerked　her　head　toward　the　window；　where　Louis　could　see　the　girl　with　the　peeling　sunburn　walking　in　the　direction　of　the　Gannett　Cumberland…Androscoggin　plex　of　dorms。　In　the　examining　room　the　girl　had　given　the　impression　of　being　someone　who　did　not　feel　well　at　all　but　was　trying　not　to　let　on。　Now　she　was　walking　briskly；　her　hips　swinging　prettily；　noticing　and　being　noticed。
　　〃Your　basic　college　hypochondriac。〃　Charlton　dropped　the　thermometer　into　a　sterilizer。　〃We'll　see　her　two　dozen　times　this　year。　Her　visits　will　be　more　frequent　before　each　round　of　prelims。　A　week　or　so　before　finals；　she'll　be　convinced　she　has　either　mono　or　pneumonia。　Bronchitis　is　the　fall…back　position。　She'll　get　out　of　four　or　five　tests…the　ones　where　the　instructors　are　wimps；　to　use　the　word　they　use…and　get　easier　makeups。　They　always　get　sicker　if　they　know　the　prelim　or　final　is　going　to　be　an　objective　test　rather　than　an　essay　exam。〃
　　〃My；　aren't　we　cynical　this　morning；〃　Louis　said。　He　was；　in　fact；　a　little　nonplussed。
　　She　tipped　him　a　wink　that　made　him　grin。　'I　don't　take　it　to　heart。　Doctor。　Neither　should　you〃
　　〃Where's　Stephen　now？〃
　　〃In　your　office；　answering　mail　and　trying　to　figure　out　the　latest　ton　of　bureaucratic　bullshit　from　Blue　Cross…Blue　Shield；〃　she　said。
　　Louis　went　in。　Charlton's　cynicism　notwithstanding；　he　felt　fortably　in　harness。
　　Looking　back　on　it；　Louis　would　think…when　he　could　bear　to　think　about　it　at　all…that　the　nightmare　really　began　when　they　brought　the　dying　boy；　Victor　Pascow；　into　the　infirmary　around　ten　that　morning。
　　Until　then；　things　were　very　quiet。　At　nine；　half　an　hour　after　Louis　arrived；　the　two　candy…stripers　who　would　be　working　the　nine…to…three　shift　came　in。　Louis　gave　them　each　a　doughnut　and　a　cup　of　coffee　and　talked　to　them　for　about　fifteen　minutes；　outlining　their　duties；　and　what　was　perhaps　more　important；　what　was　beyond　the　scope　of　their　duties。　Then　Charlton　took　over。　As　she　led　them　out　of　Louis's　office；　Louis　heard　her　ask：　〃Either　of　you　allergic　to　shit　or　puke？　You'll　see　a　lot　of　both　here。〃
　　〃Oh　God；〃　Louis　murmured　and　covered　his　eyes。　But　he　was　smiling。　A　tough　old　babe　like　Charlton　was　not　always　a　liability。
　　Louis　began　filling　out　the　long　Blue　Cross…Blue　Shield　forms；　which　amounted　to　a　plete　inventory　of　drug　stock　and　medical　equipment　（〃Every　year；〃　Steve　Masterton　said　in　an　aggrieved　voice。　〃Every　goddam　year　the　same　thing。　Why　don't　you　write　down　plete　heart　transplant　facility；　approx。　value　eight　million　dollars。　Louis？　That'II　foozle　em！〃）；　and　he　was　totally　engrossed；　thinking　only　marginally　that　a　cup　of　coffee　would　go　down　well；　when　Masterton　screamed　from　the　direction　of　the　foyer…waiting　room：　〃Louis！　Hey；　Louis；　get　out　here！　We　got　a　mess！〃
　　The　near…panic　in　Masterton's　voice　got　Louis　going　in　a　hurry。　He　bolted　out　of　his　chair　almost　as　if　he　had；　in　some　subconscious　way；　been　expecting　this。　A　shriek；　as　thin　and　sharp　as　a　shard　of　broken　glass；　arose　from　the　direction　of　Masterton's　shout。　It　was　followed　by　a　sharp　slap　and　Chariton　saying；　〃Stop　that　or　get　the　hell　out　of　here！　Stop　it　right　now！〃
　　Louis　burst　into　the　waiting　room　and　was　first　only　conscious　of　the　blood…there　was　a　lot　of　blood。　One　of　the　candy…stripers　was　sobbing。　The　other；　pale　as　cream；　had　put　her　fisted　hands　to　the　corners　of　her　mouth；　pulling　her　lips　into　a　big　revolted　grin。　Masterton　was　kneeling　down；　trying　to　hold　the　head　of　the　boy　sprawled　on　the　floor。
　　Steve　looked　up　at　Louis；　eyes　grim　and　wide　and　frightened　He　tried　to　speak。　Nothing　came　out。
　　People　were　congregating　at　the　Student　Medical　Center's　big　glass　doors；　peering　in；　their　hands　cupped　around　their　faces　to　cut　out　the　glare。　Louis's　mind　conjured　up　an　insanely　appropriate　image：　sitting　in　the　living　room　as　a　kid　of　no　more　than　six　with　his　mother　in　the　morning　before　she　went　to　work。　watching　the　television。　Watching　the　old　〃Today〃　show；　with　Dave　Garroway。　People　were　outside；　gaping　in　at　Dave　and　Frank　Blair　and　good　old　J。　Fred　Muggs。　He　looked　around　and　saw　other　people　standing　at　the　windows。　He　couldn't　do　anything　about　the　doors；　but…　〃Shut　the　drapes；〃　he　snapped　at　the　candy…striper　who　had　screamed。
　　When　she　didn't　move　immediately；　Charlton　slapped　her　can。　〃Do　it；　girl！〃
　　The　candy…striper　got　in　gear。　A　moment　later　green　drapes　were　jerked　across　the　windows。　Chariton　and　Steve　Masterton　moved　instinctively　between　the　boy　or。　the　floor　and　the　doors；　cutting　off　the　view　as　best　they　could。
　　〃Hard　stretcher；　Doctor？〃　Chariton　asked。
　　〃If　we　need　it；　get　it；〃　Louis　said；　squatting　beside　Masterton。　〃I　haven't　even　had　a　chance　to　look　at　him。〃
　　〃e　on；〃　Chariton　said　to　the　girl　who　had　closed　the　drapes。　She　was　pulling　the　corners　of　her　mouth　with　her　fists　again；　making　that　humorless；　screaming　grin。　She　looked　at　Charlton　and　moaned；　〃Oh；　ag；〃
　　〃Yeah；　oh；　ag　is　right。　e　on。〃　She　gave　the　girl　a　hard　yank　and　got　her　moving；　her　red　and　white　pinstriped　skirt　swishing　against　her　legs。
　　Louis　bent　over　his　first　patient　at　the　University　of　Maine　at　Orono。
　　He　was　a　young　man；　age　approximately　twenty；　and　it　took　Louis　less　than　three　seconds　to　make　the　only　diagnosis　that　mattered：　The　young　man　was　suing　to　die。　Half　of　his　head　was　crushed。　His　neck　had　been　Broken。　One　collarbone　jutted　from　his　swelled　and　twisted　right　shoulder。　From　his　head；　blood　and　a　yellow；　pussy　fluid　seeped　sluggishly　into　the　carpet。　Louis　could　see　the　man's　brain；　whitish…gray　and　pulsing　through　a　shattered　section　of　skull。　It　was　like　looking　through　a　broken　window。　The　incursion　was　perhaps　five　centimeters　wide；　if　he　had　had　a　baby　in　his　skull；　he　could　almost　have　birthed　it；　like　Zeus　delivering　from　his　forehead。　That　he　was　still　alive　at　all　was　incredible。　In　his　mind　suddenly　he　heard　Jud　Crandall　saying　sometimes　you　could　feel　it　bite　your　ass。　And　his　mother：　dead　is　dead。　He　felt　a　crazy　urge　to　laugh。　Dead　was　dead；　all　right。　That's　affirmative；　good　buddy。
　　〃Holler　for　the　ambulance；〃　he　snapped　at　Masterton。
　　〃Louis；　the　ambulance　is…〃
　　〃Oh　Christ；〃　Louis　said；　slapping　his　own　forehead。　He　shifted　his　gaze　to　Charlton。　〃Joan；　what　do　you　do　in　a　case　like　this？　Call　Campus　Security　or　the　EMMC？〃
　　Joan　looked　flustered　and　upset…an　extreme　rarity　with　her；　Louis　guessed。　But　her　voice　was　posed　enough　as　she　replied。　〃Doctor；　I　don't　know。　We've　never　had　a　situation　like　this　before　in　my　time　at　the　Medical　Center。〃
　　Louis　thought　as　fast　as　he　could。　'Call　the　campus　police。　We　can't　wait　for　EMMC　to　send　out　their　own　ambulance。　If　they　have　to；　they　can　take　him　up　to　Bangor　in　one　of　the　fire　engines。　At　least　it　has　a　siren；　flashers。　Go　do　it；　Joan。〃
　　She　went　but　not　before　he　caught　her　deeply　sympathetic　glance　and　interpreted　it。　This　young　man；　who　was　deeply　tanned　and　well…muscledperhaps　from　a　summer　working　on　a　roadcrew　somewhere；　or　painting　houses；　or　giving　tennis　lessons…and　dressed　now　only　in　red　gym　shorts　with　white　piping；　was　going　to　die　no　matter　what　they　did。　He　would　be　just　as　dead　even　if　their　ambulance　had　been　parked　out　front　with　the　motor　idling　when　the　patient　was　brought　in。
　　Incredibly；　the　dying　man　was　moving。　His　eyes　fluttered　and　opened。　Blue　eyes；　the　irises　ringed　with　blood。　They　stared　vacantly　around；　seeing　nothing。　He　tried　to　move　his　head；　and　Louis　exerted　pressure　to　keep　him　from　doing　so；　mindful　of　the　broken　neck。　The　cranial　trauma　did　not　preclude　the　possibility　of　pain。
　　The　hole　in　his　head；　oh　Christ；　the　hole　in　his　head。
　　〃What　happened　to　him？〃　he　asked　Steve；　aware　that　it　was；　under　the　circumstances；　a　stupid　and　pointless　question。　The　question　of　a　bystander。　But　the　hole　in　the　man's　head　confirmed　his　status；　a　bystander　was　all　he　was。　〃Did　the　police　bring　him？〃
　　〃Some　students　brought　him　in　a　blanket　sling。　I　don't　know　what　the　circumstances　were。〃
　　There　was　what　happened　next　to　be　thought　of。　That　was　his　responsibility　too。　〃Go　out　and　find　them；〃　Louis　said。　〃Take　them　around