sk.petsematary-第48部分

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ut　a　grimace。　By　ten　o'clock　that　morning　she　was　asleep　in　her　bed　（the　picture　of　her　and　Gage　still　held　in　her　hand）　and　Rachel　was　sitting　in　front　of　the　television　set；　watching　〃Wheel　of　Fortune。〃　Her　responses　to　Steve's　questions　were　slow。　She　was　stoned；　but　her　face　had　lost　that　thoughtful　look　of　madness　which　had　so　worried…and　frightened…the　P。A。　when　he　came　in　that　morning　at　a　quarter　past　eight。
　　Jud；　of　course；　had　made　all　the　arrangements。　He　made　them　with　the　same　calm　efficiency　that　he　had　made　them　for　his　wife　three　months　before。　But　it　was　Steve　Masterton　who　took　Louis　aside　just　before　Louis　left　for　the　funeral　home。
　　〃I'll　see　that　she's　there　this　afternoon；　if　she　seems　capable　of　handling　it；〃　he　told　Louis。
　　〃Okay。〃
　　〃The　shot　will　have　worn　off　by　then。　Your　friend　Mr。　Crandall　says　he'll　stay　with　Ellie　during　the　afternoon　viewing　hours…〃
　　〃Right。〃
　　〃…and　play　Monopoly　or　something　with　her…〃
　　〃Uh…huh。〃
　　〃But…〃
　　〃Right。〃
　　Steve　stopped。　They　were　standing　in　the　garage；　Church's　stomping　ground；　the　place　where　he　brought　his　dead　birds　and　dead　rats。　The　ones　that　Louis　owned。　Outside　was　May　sunshine；　and　a　robin　bopped　across　the　head　of　the　driveway；　as　if　it　had　important　business　somewhere。　Maybe　it　did。
　　〃Louis；〃　Steve　said；　〃you've　got　to　get　hold　of　yourself。〃
　　Louis　looked　at　Steve；　politely　questioning。　Not　much　of　what　Steve　had　said　had　gotten　through…he　had　been　thinking　that　if　he　had　been　a　little　quicker　he　could　have　saved　his　son's　life…　but　a　little　of　this　last　registered。
　　〃I　don't　think　you've　noticed；〃　Steve　said；　〃but　Ellie　isn't　vocalizing。　And　Rachel　has　had　such　a　bad　shock　that　her　very　conception　of　time　seems　to　have　been　twisted　out　of　shape。〃
　　〃Right！〃　Louis　said。　More　force　in　reply　seemed　to　be　indicated　here。　He　wasn't　sure　why。
　　Steve　put　a　hand　on　Louis's　shoulder。　〃Lou；〃　he　said；　〃they　need　you　more　now　than　they　ever　have　in　their　life。　More　than　they　ever　will　again；　maybe。　Please；　man　。　。　。　I　can　give　your　wife　a　shot；　but　。　。　。　you　。　。　。　see；　Louis；　you　gotta　。　。　oh；　Christ；　Louis；　what　a　cock…knocking；　motherfucking　mess　this　is！〃
　　Louis　saw　with　something　like　alarm　that　Steve　was　starting　to　cry。　〃Sure；〃　he　said；　and　in　his　mind　he　saw　Gage　running　across　the　lawn　toward　the　road。　They　were　yelling　at　Gage　to　e　back；　but　he　wouldn't…lately　the　game　had　been　to　run　away　from　Mommy…Daddy…and　then　they　were　chasing　him；　Louis　quickly　outdistancing　Rachel；　but　Gage　had　a　big　lead；　Gage　was　laughing；　Gage　was　running　away　from　Daddy…that　was　the　game…and　Louis　was　closing　the　distance　but　too　slowly；　Gage　was　running　down　the　mild　slope　of　the　lawn　now　to　the　verge　of　Route　15；　and　Louis　prayed　to　God　that　Gage　would　fall　down…　when　little　kids　ran　fast；　they　almost　always　fell　down　because　a　person's　control　over　his　legs　didn't　get　really　cool　until　he　was　maybe　seven　or　eight。　Louis　prayed　to　God　that　Gage　would　fall　down；　fall　down；　yes；　fall　down　bloody　his　nose　crack　his　skull　need　stitches　whatever；　because　now　he　could　hear　the　drone　of　a　truck　ing　toward　them；　one　of　those　big　ten…wheelers　that　went　back　and　forth　endlessly　between　Bangor　and　the　Orinco　plant　in　Bucksport；　and　he　had　screamed　Gage's　name　then；　and　he　believed　that　Gage　had　heard　him　and　tried　to　stop。　Gage　seemed　to　realize　that　the　game　was　over；　that　your　parents　didn't　scream　at　you　when　it　was　just　a　game；　and　he　had　tried　to　put　on　the　brakes；　and　by　then　the　sound　of　the　truck　was　very　loud；　the　sound　of　it　filled　the　world。　It　was　thundering。　Louis　had　thrown　himself　forward　in　a　long　flying　tackle；　his　shadow　tracking　the　ground　beneath　him　as　the　shadow　of　the　Vulture　had　tracked　the　white　late…winter　grass　of　Mrs。　Vinton's　field　that　day　in　March；　and　he　believed　that　the　tips　of　his　fingers　had　actually　brushed　the　back　of　the　light　jacket　Gage　had　been　wearing；　and　then　Gage's　forward　motion　had　carried　him　out　into　the　road；　and　the　truck　had　been　thunder；　the　truck　had　been　sunlight　on　high　chrome；　the　truck　had　been　the　deep…throated；　shrieking　bellow　of　an　air　horn；　and　that　had　been　Saturday；　that　had　been　three　days　ago。
　　〃I'm　okay；〃　he　said　to　Steve。　〃I　ought　to　go　now。〃
　　〃If　you　can　get　yourself　together　and　help　them；〃　Steve　said；　swiping　at　his　eyes　with　the　arm　of　his　jacket；　〃you'll　be　helping　yourself　too。　The　three　of　you　have　got　to　get　through　it　together；　Louis。　That's　the　only　way。　That's　all　anybody　knows。〃
　　〃That's　right；〃　Louis　agreed；　and　in　his　mind　it　all　started　to　happen　again；　only　this　time　he　leaped　two　feet　farther　right　at　the　end；　and　snagged　the　back　of　Gage's　jacket；　and　none　of　this　was　happening。
　　At　the　time　the　scene　in　the　East　Room　happened；　Ellie　was　pushing　her　Monopoly　marker　aimlessly…and　silently…around　the　board　with　Jud　Crandall。　She　shook　the　dice　with　one　hand　and　clutched　the　Polaroid　of　her　pulling　Gage　on　her　Speedaway　sled　with　the　other。
　　Steve　Masterton　had　decided　it　would　be　all　right　for　Rachel　to　attend　the　afternoon　viewing…in　light　of　later　developments；　it　was　a　decision　he　came　to　deeply　regret。
　　The　Goldmans　had　flown　into　Bangor　that　morning　and　were　staying　at　the　Holiday　Inn。　Her　father　had　called　four　times　by　noon；　and　Steve　had　to　be　increasingly　firm…almost　threatening；　by　call　four…with　the　old　man。　Irwin　Goldman　wanted　to　e　out　and　not　all　the　dogs　of　hell　could　keep　him　from　his　daughter　in　her　time　of　need；　he　said。　Steve　responded　that　Rachel　needed　this　time　before　going　to　the　funeral　parlor　to　get　over　as　much　of　her　initial　shock　as　she　could。　He　didn't　know　about　all　the　dogs　of　hell；　he　said；　but　he　knew　one　Swedish…American　physician's　assistant　that　had　no　intention　of　allowing　anyone　into　the　Creed　home　until　Rachel　had　appeared　in　public；　of　her　own　volition。　After　the　viewing　in　the　afternoon；　Steve　said；　he　would　be　more　than　happy　to　let　the　relatives'　support　system　take　over。　Until　then；　he　wanted　her　left　alone。
　　The　old　man　swore　at　him　in　Yiddish　and　banged　the　phone　down　at　his　end；　breaking　the　connection。　Steve　waited　to　see　if　Goldman　would　indeed　show　up；　but　Goldman　had　apparently　decided　to　wait。　By　noon　Rachel　did　seem　a　little　better。　She　was　at　least　aware　of　the　time　frame　she　was　in；　and　she　had　gone　out　to　the　kitchen　to　see　if　there　were　sandwich　makings　or　anything　for　after。　People　would　probably　want　to　e　back　to　the　house　after；　wouldn't　they？　she　asked　Steve。
　　Steve　nodded。
　　There　was　no　bologna　or　cold　roast　beef；　but　there　was　a　Butterball　turkey　in　the　freezer；　and　she　put　it　on　the　drainboard　to　thaw。　Steve　looked　into　the　kitchen　a　few　minutes　later　and　saw　her　standing　by　the　sink；　looking　fixedly　at　the　turkey　on　the　drainboard　and　weeping。
　　〃Rachel？〃
　　She　looked　toward　Steve。　〃Gage　really　liked　these。　He　especially　liked　the　white　meat。　It　was　just　occurring　to　me　that　he　was　never　going　to　eat　another　Butterball　turkey。〃
　　Steve　sent　her　upstairs　to　dress…the　final　test　of　her　ability　to　cope；　really…and　when　she　came　down　wearing　a　simple　black　dress　belted　at　the　waist　and　carrying　a　small　black　clutch　bag　（an　evening　bag；　really）；　Steve　decided　she　was　all　right；　and　Jud　concurred。
　　Steve　drove　her　into　town。　He　stood　with　Surrendra　Hardu　in　the　lobby　of　the　East　Room　and　watched　Rachel　drift　down　the　aisle　toward　the　flower…buried　coffin　like　a　wraith。
　　〃How　is　it　going；　Steve？〃　Surrendra　asked　quietly。
　　〃Going　fucking　terrible；〃　Steve　said　in　a　low；　harsh　voice。　〃How　did　you　think　it　was　going？〃
　　〃I　thought　it　was　probably　going　fucking　terrible；〃　Surrendra　said　and　sighed。
　　The　trouble　really　began　at　the　morning　viewing；　when　Irwin　Goldman　refused　to　shake　hands　with　his　son…in…law。
　　The　sight　of　so　many　friends　and　relatives　had　actually　forced　Louis　out　of　the　web　of　shock　a　little；　had　forced　him　to　notice　what　was　going　on　and　be　outward。　He　had　reached　that　stage　of　malleable　grief　that　funeral　directors　are　so　used　to　handling　and　turning　to　its　best　advantage。　Louis　was　moved　around　like　a　counter　in　a　Parcheesi　game。
　　Outside　the　East　Room　was　a　small　foyer　where　people　could　smoke　and　sit　in　overstuffed　easy　chairs。　The　chairs　looked　as　if　they　might　have　e　directly　from　a　distress　sale　at　some　old　English　men's　club　that　had　gone　broke。　Beside　the　door　leading　into　the　viewing　room　was　a　small　easel；　black　metal　chased　with　gold；　and　on　this　easel　was　a　small　sign　which　said　simply　CAGE　WILLIAM　CREED。　If　you　went　across　this　spacious　white　building　that　looked　misleadingly　like　a　fortable　old　house；　you　came　to　an　identical　foyer；　this　one　outside　the　West　Room；　where　the　sign　on　the　easel　read　ALBERTA　BURNHAM　NEDEAU。　At　the　back　of　the　house　was　the　Riverfront　Room。　The　easel　to　the　left　of　the　door　between　the　foyer　and　this　room　was　blank；　it　was　not　in　use　on　this　Tuesday　morning。　Downstairs　was　the　coffin　showroom；　each　model　lit　by　a　baby　spotlight　mounted　on　the　ceiling。　If　you　looked　up…Louis　had；　and　the　funeral　director　had　frowned　severely　at　him…it　looked　as　if　there　were　a　lot　of　strange　animals　roosting　up　there。
　　Jud　had　e　with　him　on　Sunday；　the　day　after　Gage　had　died；　to　pic