jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第6部分

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　self…destructive　nut。　Kyle　didn't　seem　to　have　a　choice；　however。
　〃Okay；　Karon；　tell　them　I'll　pick　up　some　gear　and　head　on　over；　but　it'll　take　a　couple　of　hours。〃　Kyle　was　hoping　the　situation　would　be　resolved　long　before　he　could　get　involved。
　〃They　know　that；　Kyle；　they　said　there　was　no　hurry。　The　guy　in　the　cave　isn't　going　anywhere。〃
　
　6。　　　KID　WITH　A　GUN
　
　Not　one　will　get　away；　none　will　escape。　Though　they　dig　down　to　the　depths　of　the　grave　from　there　my　hand　will　take　them。
　…Amos；　9：12
　
　Oregon　Caves
　PREQUILT：　SATURDAY；　3：42　P。M。　PST
　
　　Ellen　and　Terry　were　sitting　down；　using　each　other　as　backrests。　Most　of　the　others　in　the　cave　were　either　lying　down　or　leaning　against　the　cave　walls。　The　initial　panic　the　group　experienced　had　died　down。　Nothing　had　happened　since　the　kid　had　scared　off　the　next　tour　group；　pointing　his　gun　at　the　members　entering　the　cave　as　he　told　them　to　〃get　out　and　stay　out。〃　The　kid　made　no　demands　or　political　statements；　but　it　was　clear　he　wasn't　going　to　let　anyone　go　either。　Occasionally　his　sister　would　plead　or　try　to　reason　with　him；　but　each　time　she　was　rebuffed。　Finally　she　gave　up　and　sat　in　silence　with　the　rest　of　the　hostages。
　Terry　was　mentally　reviewing　what　he　knew　about　hostage　situations。　If　they　remained　captive　long　enough；　and　if　the　conditions　were　harsh；　some　would　e　to　sympathize　with　the　hostage…takers。　Persistent　anxiety；　with　no　control　over　the　situation；　causes　one　to　identify　with　the　source　of　the　anxiety；　in　this　case　the　kid　with　the　gun。　Terry　remembered　one　case　where　hostages　were　held　in　a　bank　vault　for　three　days。　The　police　turned　off　the　air…conditioning；　poisoned　the　food；　and　provided　minimal　water　while　the　gang　holding　the　hostages　sexually　abused　the　women。　Yet；　when　finally　released；　many　of　the　hostages　expressed　concern　about　what　would　happen　to　their　captors。
　The　two　boys　were　throwing　rocks　in　the　back　of　the　cave。　Terry　turned　to　look　at　them　and　noticed　something　peculiar。　The　military　man　was　no　longer　toward　the　back　of　the　group；　but　in　the　middle。　The　kid　was　sitting　with　his　knees　up　to　his　chest；　and　staring　straight　ahead。　The　gun　was　still　in　his　hand；　although　it　was　pointed　toward　the　ground。　Terry　pulled　his　own　head　to　his　knees；　put　his　arms　on　top；　and　then　lay　his　head　down　sideways　so　he　could　watch　the　military　man。
　It　took　a　long　time；　but　Terry　could　see　what　was　happening。　Every　once　in　a　while　the　military　man　would　stretch　a　leg；　or　an　arm；　or　arch　his　back　and　yawn。　And　every　time　his　leg　came　back　down；　or　he　finished　stretching；　he　would　be　an　inch　or　two　closer　to　the　front。　Terry　watched　him　move　an　arm　and　rock　sideways。　A　few　minutes　later　he　stretched　the　other　arm　and　rocked　back　the　other　way。　He　was　now　two　inches　closer。　It　was　like　watching　a　clock。　It　took　patience；　but　if　you　stared　long　enough　you　could　see　the　minute　hand　move。
　The　military　man's　moves　rekindled　Terry's　sharp　fears；　waves　of　panic　swept　htm。　What　if　the　kid　noticed？　What　if　the　military　man　did　something？　What　if　he　did　something　that　made　the　kid　punish　the　group？　On　the　other　hand；　Terry　didn't　know　enough　about　the　kid's　condition　to　be　certain　that　he　wasn't　a　danger。
　Terry　had　once　worked　with　a　paranoid　schizophrenic　named　Larry　who　was　high　functioning。　He　lived　in　his　own　apartment；　held　down　a　laborer's　job；　and　took　good　care　of　a　white　Persian　cat　named　Katrina。　If　it　hadn't　been　for　his　persistent　claims　that　a　group　of　telepathic　Masons　were　trying　to　kill　him；　Terry　would　not　have　been　treating　Larry。　Then　one　day　a　salesman　wearing　a　Mason's　pin　came　to　Larry's　door。　Larry　shot　the　salesman　in　the　chest；　later　claiming　self…defense。　Larry　ended　up　in　the　state　mental　hospital　and　Katrina　in　the　animal　shelter。　Could　this　kid　be　another　Larry？　Did　Terry　want　the　military　man　betting　all　of　their　lives　that　he　wouldn't　be　another　Larry？
　Terry　gently　pushed　Ellen　into　a　sitting　position；　and　then　cleared　his　throat。
　〃What　is　your　name？〃　he　said　weakly。　Then；　in　a　stronger　voice；　he　repeated　himself。　〃It's　Kenny；　isn't　it？〃
　The　kid　raised　his　head；　his　eyes　glassy。　Slowly　his　head　turned　in　Terry's　direction。　Terry　noticed　the　gun　followed　his　stare。　Even　when　Kenny　was　finally　facing　Terry；　he　wasn't　sure　the　kid　was　seeing　him。
　〃I　said　no　talking。〃
　The　kid　said　it　without　conviction。　Terry　assumed　he　was　as　bored　as　the　rest　of　them；　and　probably　more　scared。
　〃It's　Kenny；〃　his　sister　answered　for　him。　〃Kenny　Randall；　the　nut　case。〃
　Kenny　glared　at　his　sister；　but　the　gun　remained　pointed　at　Terry。
　〃I'm　Terry；　Kenny；　and　this　is　my　wife；　Ellen。〃　Terry　thought　about　telling　Kenny　he　was　a　psychologist。　Sometimes　troubled　people　found　that　reassuring。　On　the　other　hand；　many　people　who　have　had　institutional　experiences　harbor　hostility　toward　psychologists。　Terry　decided　it　was　too　soon　to　mention　his　profession。
　〃Kenny；　Ellen　and　I　are　scared；　and　I　bet　you　are　too。　Are　you　scared；　Kenny？〃
　Kenny's　eyes　were　still　unfocused；　but　he　seemed　to　be　taking　the　whole　group　in。　Terry　wondered　if　he　was　monitoring　the　progress　of　the　military　man。
　〃I　don't　want　to　talk　about　it。〃
　〃What　don't　you　want　to　talk　about；　Kenny？〃
　〃About　what　is　going　to　happen。〃
　〃Kenny；　I　want　to　understand　this。　What　is　going　to　happen？〃
　Kenny's　eyes　finally　focused　on　Terry。　His　direct　stare；　gun　in　his　hand；　twisted　Terry's　stomach　into　a　knot。
　〃I　already　told　you。　The　world　is　going　to　end。〃
　〃How；　Kenny？　How　will　the　world　end？〃
　〃You　don't　believe　me。　No　one　believes　me。　I　tried　to　tell　people　but　no　one　would　listen。　No　one　would　believe　me　when　I　told　them。　I　even　tried　to　show　them；　but　they　wouldn't　see　it。〃　Then　with　bitterness　in　his　voice；　and　a　nod　toward　his　sister；　he　added；　〃Even　my　own　family　wouldn't　believe　me。〃
　Terry　had　worked　with　a　number　of　paranoid　patients　before　and　Kenny　seemed　to　have　the　symptoms。　Kenny　believed　he　had　secret　knowledge；　something　he　had　discovered　and　something　only　he　could　understand。　If　Kenny　was　paranoid　then　he　was　potentially　dangerous。
　〃Kenny；　you　haven't　told　me　about　it　yet。　I　promise　you　I　will　try　to　understand。〃
　〃I　told　you；　he　thinks　the　sky　is　falling；〃　Kenny's　sister　said。　Kenny's　eyes　flamed　and　his　face　reddened。　〃You　never　really　listened　to　me；　did　you；　Jill？　I　never　said　the　sky　was　falling。　I　said　things　were　falling　from　the　sky。　There's　a　difference；　a　big　difference。　I　have　the　proof　too；　but　you　wouldn't　look　at　it；　would　you？〃
　Terry　saw　Kenny's　anger　was　welling　up　and　worried　it　might　drive　Kenny　to　lash　outmaybe　with　the　gun。　Terry　decided　to　try　again　to　deflect　Kenny's　attention　from　his　sister。　He　could　see　Kenny　loved　her；　but　her　ments　were　provoking　Kenny's　anger。
　〃Kenny；　I　really　would　like　to　hear　your　story…theory。〃　Kenny　sat　silently；　breathing　deeply　and　staring　at　Terry。　Terry；　afraid　that　murder　was　going　through　the　kid's　mind；　was　relieved　when　Kenny　finally　spoke。
　〃All　right；　smart　man。　Can　you　understand　why　corn　falls　from　a　clear　blue　sky？　Can　you　understand　why　people　suddenly　burst　into　flame？　Can　you　understand　how　whole　civilizations　simply　disappear？　At　first　we　couldn't　either。　But　then　we　found　someone　else　who　had　seen　it；　someone　a　long　time　ago。　Everyone　thought　he　was　crazy　too。　He　understood　it；　and　so　did　we　finally。　We　proved　it　just　as　scientists　should。　We　had　the　data；　the　theory；　and　the　evidence；　and　still　no　one　believed　us。〃
　Kenny　looked　lost　in　thought　for　a　minute；　a　pained　expression　on　his　face。　Then　Kenny's　expression　changed　to　profound　sadness；　and　he　spoke　again。
　〃I　wish　to　God　that　corn　had　rained　on　someone　else。　Maybe　I　was　meant　to　know。　Maybe　I　stumbled　into　it　accidentally。　It　doesn't　matter　now；　it　will　be　over　soon。〃
　From　a　professional　viewpoint；　Terry　saw　much　to　explore　in　what　Kenny　had　blurted　out。　He　was　emoting　freely；　and　if　this　had　been　a　therapy　session　Terry　would　have　followed　each　lead　deep　into　Kenny's　subconscious。　Things　falling　from　the　sky；　people　burning；　the　mention　of　God。　Were　people　being　burned　for　their　sins？　Who　were　the　〃we〃　Kenny　referred　to　and　who　was　the　person　from　long　ago？　But　Kenny　wasn't　a　patient　and　certainly　wouldn't　cooperate。　Terry　knew　he　had　to　focus　on　their　immediate　situation。　Even　the　briefest　therapy　was　no　good　here。
　〃Will　we　burst　into　flame；　Kenny？　Is　that　what's　going　to　happen？〃　Terry　worried　that　Kenny　might　have　a　can　of　gasoline　in　that　yellow　backpack；　and　when　the　world　didn't　end　he　might　try　to　simulate　it。
　〃No；　we're　not　going　to　burn；　at　least　I　don't　think　so。　Not　down　this　far。　I　hope　not；　but　I　don't。　。　。〃　Kenny's　sentence　trailed　off　and　his　face　showed　confusion　and　then　anger。　〃How　am　I　supposed　to　know？　Jeez；　I'm　not　some　sort　of　Einstein。　I　only　know　it's　going　to　happen。〃　Kenny　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃And　it's　going　to　happen　soon。〃
　〃Are　you　expecting　a　nuclear　attack；　Kenny？　Is　that　why　some　people　will　burn？〃
　〃No；　nothing　like　that。。。　well。。。〃　Kenny's　lips　pulled　up　briefly　into　a　smile。　〃In　a　way　it　is　a　nuclear　attack。　But　it　is　more　than　that；　it's　natural　too。〃
　〃A　natural　nuclear　attack。　Can　you　explain　that；　Ken