osc.am2.redprophet-第21部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　sorry；　I'll　never　do　it　again；　I'll〃
　　Babbling　on　and　on。　Lolla…Wossiky　pushed　more　light　at　him；　to　help　him　see　better。　It　came　to　the　boy　almost　as　a　question。　What　will　you　never　do　again？
　　Alvin　couldn't　answer；　didn't　know。　What　was　it　he　actually　did？　Was　it　because　he　sent　the　roaches　to　die？
　　He　looked　at　the　Shining　Man　and　saw　an　image　of　a　Red　kneeling　before　a　deer；　calling　it　to　e　and　die；　the　deer　came；　trembling；　afraid；　the　Red　loosed　his　arrow　and　it　stood　quivering　on　the　deer's　flank；　the　deer's　legs　wobbled；　and　it　fell。　It　wasn't　the　dying　or　the　killing　that　was　his　sin；　because　dying　and　killing　were　a　part　of　life。
　　Was　it　the　power　he　had？　The　knack　he　had　for　making　things　go　just　where　he　wanted；　to　break　just　at　the　right　place；　or　fit　together　so　tight　that　they　joined　forever　without　any　gluing　or　hammering。　The　knack　he　had　for　making　things　do　what　he　wanted；　arrange　themselves　in　the　right　order。　Was　it　that？
　　Again　he　looked　at　the　Shining　Man；　and　now　he　saw　a　vision　of　himself　pressing　his　hands　against　a　stone；　and　the　stone　melted　like　butter　under　his　hands；　came　out　in　just　the　shape　he　wanted；　smooth　and　whole；　fell　from　the　side　of　the　mountain　and　rolled　away；　a　perfect　ball；　a　perfect　sphere；　growing　and　growing　until　it　was　a　whole　world；　shaped　just　the　way　his　hands　had　made　it；　with　trees　and　grass　springing　up　in　its　face；　and　animals　running　and　leaping　and　flying　and　swimming　and　crawling　and　burrowing　on　and　above　and　beneath　the　ball　of　stone　that　he　had　made。　No；　it　wasn't　a　terrible　power；　it　was　a　glorious　one；　if　he　only　knew　how　to　use　it。
　　If　it　isn't　the　dying　and　it　isn't　the　power；　what　did　I　do　wrong？
　　This　time　the　Shining　Man　didn't　show　him　anything。　This　time　Alvin　didn't　have　the　answer　e　to　him　in　a　vision。　This　time　he　studied　it　out　in　his　mind。　He　felt　like　he　couldn't　understand；　he　was　too　stupid　to　understand；　and　then　suddenly　he　knew。
　　It　was　because　he　did　it　for　himself。　It　was　because　the　roaches　thought　he　was　doing　it　for　them；　and　really　he　was　doing　it　for　himself。　Hurting　the　roaches；　his　sisters；　everyone；　making　everyone　suffer　and　all　for　what？　Because　Alvin　Miller　Junior　was　angry　and　wanted　to　get　even
　　Now　he　looked　at　the　Shining　Man　and　saw　a　fire　leap　from　his　single　eye　and　strike　him　in　the　heart。　〃I'll　never　use　it　for　myself　again；〃　murmured　Alvin　Junior；　and　when　he　said　the　words　he　felt　as　though　his　heart　were　on　fire；　it　burned　so　hot　inside。　And　then　the　Shining　Man　disappeared　again。
　　Lolla…Wossiky　stood　panting；　his　head　spinning。　He　felt　weak；　weary。　He　had　no　idea　what　the　boy　had　been　thinking。　He　only　knew　what　visions　to　send　him；　and　then　at　the　end；　no　vision　at　all；　just　to　stand　there；　that's　all　he　was　to　do；　stand　there　and　stand　there　until；　suddenly；　he　sent　a　strong　pulse　of　fire　at　the　boy　and　buried　it　in　his　heart。
　　And　now　what？　Twice　now　he　had　closed　his　eye　and　appeared　to　the　boy。　Was　he　through？　He　knew　that　he　was　not。
　　For　the　third　time　Lolla…Wossiky　closed　his　eye。　Now　he　could　see　that　the　boy　was　much　brighter　than　he　was；　that　the　light　had　passed　from　him　into　the　child。　And　then　he　understood　　he　was　the　boy's　dream　beast；　yes；　but　the　boy　was　also　his。　Now　it　was　time　for　him　to　wake　up　from　his　dream　life。
　　He　took　three　steps　and　knelt　beside　the　bed；　his　face　only　a　little　way　from　the　boy's　small　and　frightened　face；　which　now　shone　so　brightly　that　Lolla…Wossiky　could　hardly　see　that　it　was　a　child　and　not　a　man　who　looked　at　him。　What　do　I　want　from　him？　Why　am　I　here？　What　can　he　give　me；　this　powerful　child？
　　〃Make　all　things　whole；〃　Lolla…Wossiky　whispered。　He　spoke；　not　in　English；　but　in　Shaw…Nee。
　　Did　the　boy　understand？　Alvin　raised　his　small　hand；　reached　out　gently　and　touched　Lolla…Wossiky's　cheek；　under　the　broken　eye。　Then　he　raised　his　finger　until　it　touched　the　slack　eyelid。
　　There　was　a　cracking　sound　in　the　air；　and　a　spark　of　light。　The　boy　gasped　and　drew　back　his　hand。　Lolla…Wossiky　didn't　see　him；　though；　because　suddenly　the　boy　was　invisible。　But　Lolla…Wossiky　had　no　care　for　what　he　saw；　for　what　he　felt　was　the　most　impossible　thing　of　all：
　　Silence。　Green　silence。　The　black　noise　was　utterly；　pletely　gone。　His　land…sense　had　returned；　and　the　ancient　injury　was　healed。
　　Lolla…Wossiky　knelt　there；　gasping　for　breath；　as　the　land　returned　to　him　the　way　that　it　had　been　before。　All　these　years　had　passed；　he　had　forgotten　how　strong　it　was；　to　see　in　all　directions；　hear　the　breath　of　every　animal；　smell　the　scent　of　every　plant。　A　man　who　has　been　dry　and　thirsty　until　he　was　at　the　point　of　death；　and　suddenly　cold　water　pours　down　his　throat　so　fast　he　can't　swallow；　can't　breathe；　it's　what　he　longed　for；　but　much　too　strong；　much　too　sudden；　can't　contain　it；　can't　endure　it
　　〃It　didn't　work；〃　the　boy　whispered。　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　　Lolla…Wossiky　opened　his　good　eye；　and　now　for　the　first　time　saw　the　boy　as　a　natural　man。　Alvin　was　staring　at　his　bad　eye。　Lolla…Wossiky　wondered　why；　he　reached　up；　touched　his　missing　eye。　The　lid　still　hung　over　an　empty　socket。　Then　he　understood。　The　boy　thought　that　was　what　he　was　supposed　to　heal。　No；　no；　don't　be　disappointed；　child；　you　healed　me　from　the　deep　injury；　what　do　I　care　about　this　tiny　wound？　I　never　lost　my　sight；　it　was　my　land…sense　that　was　gone；　and　you　gave　it　back　to　me。
　　He　meant　to　shout　all　this　to　the　boy；　cry　out　and　sing　for　the　joy　of　it。　But　it　was　all　too　strong　for　him。　The　words　never　came　to　his　lips。　He　couldn't　even　send　him　visions　now　because　both　of　them　were　now　awake。　The　dream　was　over。　They　had　each　been　dream　beast　for　the　other。
　　Lolla…Wossiky　seized　the　boy　with　both　hands；　pulled　him　close；　kissed　him　on　the　forehead；　hard　and　strong；　like　a　father　to　a　son；　like　brothers；　like　true　friends　the　day　before　they　die。　Then　he　ran　to　the　window；　swung　out　and　dropped　to　the　ground。　The　earth　yielded　to　his　feet　as　it　did　to　other　Red　men；　as　it　hadn't　done　for　him　in　so　many　years；　the　grass　rose　up　stronger　where　he　stepped；　the　bushes　parted　for　him；　the　leaves　softened　and　yielded　as　he　ran　among　the　trees；　and　now　he　did　cry　out；　shouted；　sang；　caring　not　at　all　who　heard　him。　Animals　didn't　run　from　him；　as　they　used　to；　now　they　came　to　hear　his　song；　songbirds　awoke　to　sing　with　him；　a　deer　leapt　from　the　wood　and　ran　beside　him　through　a　meadow；　and　he　rested　his　hand　upon　her　flank。
　　He　ran　until　he　had　no　breath；　and　in　all　that　time　he　met　no　enemy；　he　felt　no　pain；　he　was　whole　again；　in　every　way　that　mattered。　He　stood　on　the　bank　of　the　Wobbish　River；　across　from　the　mouth　of　the　Tippy…Canoe；　panting；　laughing；　gasping　for　air。
　　Only　then　did　he　realize　that　his　hand　was　still　dripping　blood　from　where　he　had　cut　himself　to　give　pain　to　the　White　boy。　His　pants　and　shirt　were　thick　with　it。　White　man's　clothing！　I　never　needed　it。　He　stripped　it　off　and　flung　it　into　the　river。
　　A　funny　thing　happened。　The　clothing　didn't　move。　It　sat　on　the　surface　of　the　water；　not　sinking；　not　sliding　leftward　with　the　current。
　　How　could　this　be？　Wasn't　the　dream　over？　Wasn't　he　fully　awake　yet？
　　Lolla…Wossiky　closed　his　eye。
　　Immediately　he　saw　a　terrible　thing　and　shouted　in　fear。　As　soon　as　he　closed　his　eye；　he　saw　the　black　noise　again；　a　great　sheet　of　it；　hard　and　frozen。　It　was　the　river。　It　was　the　water。　It　was　made　of　death。
　　He　opened　his　eye；　and　it　was　water　again；　but　still　his　clothing　didn't　move。
　　He　closed　his　eye；　and　saw　that　where　the　clothing　was；　light　sparkled　on　the　surface　of　the　black。　It　pooled；　it　shone；　it　dazzled。　It　was　his　own　blood　shining。
　　Now　he　could　see　that　the　black　noise　wasn't　a　thing。　It　was　nothing。　Emptiness。　The　place　where　the　land　ended；　and　emptiness　began；　it　was　the　edge　of　the　world。　But　where　his　own　blood　sparkled；　it　was　like　a　bridge　across　nothingness。　Lolla…Wossiky　knelt；　his　eye　still　closed；　and　reached　out　with　his　cut　and　still…bleeding　hand；　touched　the　water。
　　It　was　solid；　warm　and　solid。　He　smeared　his　blood　across　the　surface；　and　it　made　a　platform。　He　crawled　out　onto　the　platform。　It　was　smooth　and　hard　as　ice；　only　warm；　weling。
　　He　opened　his　eye。　It　was　a　river　again；　except　that　under　him　it　was　solid。　Wherever　his　blood　had　touched；　the　water　was　hard　and　smooth。
　　He　crawled　out　to　where　the　clothing　was；　slid　it　ahead　of　him。　All　the　way　out　to　the　middle　of　the　river　he　crawled；　and　beyond　the　middle；　making　a　thin；　glowing　bridge　of　blood　to　the　other　side。
　　What　he　was　doing　was　impossible。　The　boy　had　done　much　more　than　heal　him。　He　had　changed　the　order　of　things。　It　was　frightening　and　wonderful。　Lolla…Wossiky　looked　down　into　the　water　between　his　hands。　His　own　one…eyed　reflection　looked　back　up　at　him。　Then　he　closed　his　eye；　and　a　whole　new　vision　leapt　to　view。
　　He　saw　himself　standing　in　a　clearing；　speaking　to　a　hundred　Red　men；　a　thousand；　from　every　tribe。　He　saw　them　build　a　city　of　lodges；　a　thousand；　five　thousand；　ten　thousand　Reds；　all　of　them　strong　and　whole；　free　of　the　White　man's　likker；　the　White　man's　hate。　In　his　vision　they　called　him　the　Pro