第48部分(第1/7 页)

ir　way　into　Brutus　Howell's　throat。　〃It's　us！　It's　Paul　and　me　and　。　。　。　it's　us！〃

He　took　the　first　step　up；　so　that　the　light　over　the　stoop　could　fall　fully　on　his　face；　I　joined　him。　Hal　Moores　looked　back　and　forth　between　us；　his　angry　determination　giving　way　to　bewilderment。　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　he　asked。　〃Not　only　is　it　the　shank　of　the　morning；　you　boys　have　the　duty。　I　know　you　do；　I've　got　the　roster　pinned　up　in　my　workshop。　So　what　in　the　name　of　。。。　oh；　Jesus。　It's　not　a　lockdown；　is　it？　Or　a　riot？〃　He　looked　between　us；　and　his　gaze　sharpened。　〃Who　else　is　down　by　that　truck？〃

Let　me　do　the　talking。　So　I　had　instructed　Brutal；　but　now　the　time　to　talk　was　here　and　I　couldn't　even　open　my　mouth。　On　my　way　into　work　that　afternoon　I　had　carefully　planned　out　what　I　was　going　to　say　when　we　got　here；　and　had　thought　that　it　didn't　sound　too　crazy。　Not　normal　…　nothing　about　it　was　normal　…　but　maybe　close　enough　to　normal　to　get　us　through　the　door　and　give　us　a　chance。　Give　John　a　chance。　But　now　all　my　carefully　rehearsed　words　were　lost　in　a　roaring　confusion。　Thoughts　and　images　…　Del　burning；　the　mouse　dying；　Toot　jerking　in　Old　Sparky's　lap　and　screaming　that　he　was　a　done　tom　turkey　…　whirled　inside　my　head　like　sand　caught　in　a　dust…devil。　I　believe　there　is　good　in　the　world；　all　of　it　flowing　in　one　way　or　another　from　a　loving　God。　But　I　believe　there's　another　force　as　well；　one　every　bit　as　real　as　the　God　I　have　prayed　to　my　whole　life；　and　that　it　works　consciously　to　bring　all　our　decent　impulses　to　ruin。　Not　Satan；　I　don't　mean　Satan　（although　I　believe　he　is　real；　too）；　but　a　kind　of　demon　of　discord；　a　prankish　and　stupid　thing　that　laughs　with　glee　when　an　old　man　sets　himself　on　fire　trying　to　light　his　pipe　or　w