dk.coldfire-第44章

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　became　entangled；　even　her　sophisticated　vocabulary　and　talent　for　supple　phrase…making　failed　her　miserably。　
　〃Shit；　yes！〃　she　said　at　last。　〃Weirder　than　a　starship。　At　least　weirder　than　the　way　they　show　them　in　the　movies。〃　
　〃e　on；〃　he　said；　ascending　the　stairs　again；　〃let's　get　back　up　there。〃　When　she　lingered　at　the　window；　he　returned　to　her　and　took　her　hand。　〃It　isn't　over　yet。　I　think　it's　just　beginning。　And　the　place　for　us　to　be　is　the　upper　room。　I　know　it's　the　place。　e　on；　Holly。〃　
　They　sat　on　the　inflatable…mattress　sleeping　bags　again。　
　The　lantern　cast　a　pearly…silver　glow；　whitewashing　the　yellow…beige　blocks　of　limestone。　In　the　baglike　wicks　inside　the　glass　chimney　of　the　lamp；　the　gas　burned　with　a　faint　hiss；　so　it　seemed　as　if　whispering　voices　were　rising　through　the　floorboards　of　that　high　room。　
　Jim　was　poised　at　the　apex　of　his　emotional　roller　coaster；　full　of　childlike　delight　and　anticipation；　and　this　time　Holly　was　right　there　with　him。　
　The　light　in　the　pond　had　terrified　her；　but　it　had　also　touched　her　in　other　ways；　sparking　deep　psychological　responses　on　a　primitive　sub…subconscious　level；　igniting　fuses　of　wonder　and　hope　which　were　fizzing…burning　unquenchably　toward　some　much…desired　explosion　of　faith；　emotional　catharsis。　
　She　had　accepted　that　Jim　was　not　the　only　troubled　person　in　the　room。　
　His　heart　might　contain　more　turmoil　than　hers；　but　she　was　as　empty；　in　her　own　way；　as　he　was　in　his。　When　they'd　met　in　Portland；　she　had　been　a　burnt…out　cynic；　going　through　the　motions　of　a　life；　not　even　trying　to　identify　and　fill　the　empty　spaces　in　her　heart。　She　had　not　experienced　the　tragedy　and　grief　that　he　had　known；　but　now　she　realized　that　leading　a　life　equally　devoid　of　tragedy　and　joy　could　breed　despair。　Passing　days　and　weeks　and　years　in　the　pursuit　of　goals　that　had　not　really　mattered　to　her；　driven　by　a　purpose　she　had　not　truly　embraced；　with　no　one　to　whom　she　was　profoundly　mitted；　she　had　been　eaten　by　a　dry…rot　of　the　soul。　
　She　and　Jim　were　the　two　pieces　of　a　yin…yang　puzzle；　each　shaped　to　fill　the　hollowness　in　the　other；　healing　each　other　merely　by　their　contact。　
　They　fit　together　astonishingly　well；　and　the　match　seemed　inevitable；　but　the　puzzle　might　never　have　been　solved　if　the　halves　of　it　had　not　been　brought　together　in　the　same　place　at　the　same　time。　
　Now　she　waited　with　nervous　excitement　for　contact　with　the　power　that　had　led　Jim　to　her。　She　was　ready　for　God　or　for　something　quite　different　but　equally　benign。　She　could　not　believe　that　what　she　had　seen　in　the　pond　was　The　Enemy。　That　creature　was　apart　from　this；　connected　somehow　but　different。　Even　if　Jim　had　not　told　her　that　something　fine　and　good　was　ing；　she　eventually　would　have　sensed；　on　her　own；　that　the　light　in　the　water　and　the　ringing　in　the　stone　heralded　not　blood　and　death　but　rapture。　
　They　spoke　tersely　at　first；　afraid　that　voluble　conversation　would　inhibit　that　higher　power　from　initiating　the　next　stage　of　contact。　
　〃How　long　has　the　pond　been　here？〃　she　asked。　
　〃A　long　time。〃　
　〃Before　the　Ironhearts？〃　〃Yeah。〃　
　〃Before　the　farm　itself？〃　〃I'm　sure　it　was。〃　
　〃Possibly　forever？〃　〃Possibly。〃　
　〃Any　local　legends　about　it？〃　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　〃Ghost　stories；　Loch　Ness；　that　kind　of　stuff〃　〃No。　Not　that　I've　ever　heard。〃　
　They　were　silent。　Waiting。　
　Finally　Holly　said；　〃What's　your　theory？〃　〃Huh？〃　〃Earlier　today　you　said　you　had　a　theory；　something　strange　and　wonderful；　but　you　didn't　want　to　talk　about　it　till　you'd　thought　it　through。〃　
　〃Oh；　right。　Now　maybe　it's　more　than　a　theory。　When　you　said　you'd　seen　something　under　the　pond　in　your　dream。　。　。　well；　I　don't　know　why；　but　I　started　thinking　about　an　encounter。　。　。　。〃　
　〃Encounter？〃　〃Yeah。　Like　what　you　said。　Something。　。　。　alien。〃　
　〃Not　of　this　world；〃　Holly　said；　remembering　the　sound　of　the　bells　and　the　light　in　the　pond。　
　〃They're　out　there　in　the　universe　somewhere；〃　he　said　with　quiet　enthusiasm。　〃It's　too　big　for　them　not　to　be　out　there。　And　someday　they'll　be　ing。　Someone　will　encounter　them。　So　why　not　me；　why　not　you？〃　〃But　it　must've　been　there　under　the　pond　when　you　were　ten。〃　
　〃Maybe。〃　
　〃Why　would　it　be　there　all　this　time？〃　〃I　don't　know。　Maybe　it's　been　there　a　lot　longer。　Hundreds　of　years。　
　Thousands。〃　
　〃But　why　a　starship　at　the　bottom　of　a　pond？〃　〃Maybe　it's　an　observation　station；　a　place　where　they　monitor　human　civilization；　like　an　outpost　we　might　set　up　in　Antarctica　to　study　things　there。　
　Holly　realized　they　sounded　like　kids　sitting　under　the　stars　on　a　summer　night；　drawn　like　all　kids　to　the　contemplation　of　the　unknown　and　to　fantasies　of　exotic　adventure。　On　one　level　she　found　their　musings　absurd；　even　laughable；　and　she　was　unable　to　believe　that　recent　events　could　have　such　a　neat　yet　fanciful　explanation。　But　on　another　level；　where　she　was　still　a　child　and　always　would　be；　she　desperately　wanted　the　fantasy　to　be　made　real。　
　Twenty　minutes　passed　without　a　new　development；　and　gradually　Holly　began　to　settle　down　from　the　heights　of　excitement　and　nervous　agitation　to　which　the　lights　in　the　pond　had　catapulted　her。　Still　filled　with　wonder　but　no　longer　mentally　numbed　by　it；　she　remembered　what　had　happened　to　her　just　prior　to　the　appearance　of　the　radiant　presence　in　the　millpond：　the　overwhelming；　preternatural；　almost　panic…inducing　awareness　of　being　watched。　She　was　about　to　mention　it　to　Jim　when　she　recalled　the　other　strange　things　she　had　found　at　the　farmhouse。　
　〃It's　pletely　furnished；〃　she　said。　〃You　never　cleaned　the　house　out　after　your　grandfather　died。〃　
　〃I　left　it　furnished　in　case　I　was　able　to　rent　it　while　waitin　for　a　buyer。〃　
　Those　were　virtually　the　same　words　she　had　used；　standing　in　the　house；　to　explain　the　curious　situation　to　herself　〃But　you　left　all　their　personal　belongings　there；　too。〃　
　He　did　not　look　at　her　but　at　the　walls；　waiting　for　some　sign　of　a　superhuman　presence。　〃I'd　have　taken　that　stuff　away　if　I'd　ever　found　a　renter。〃　
　〃You've　left　it　there　for　almost　five　years？〃　He　shrugged。　
　She　said；　〃It's　been　cleaned　more　or　less　regularly　since　then；　though　not　recently。　
　〃A　renter　might　always　show　up。〃　
　〃It's　sort　of　creepy；　Jim。〃　
　Finally　he　looked　at　her。　〃How　so？〃　〃It's　like　a　mausoleum。〃　
　His　blue　eyes　were　utterly　unreadable；　but　Holly　had　the　feeling　she　was　annoying　him；　perhaps　because　this　mundane　talk　of　renters　and　house　cleaning　and　real　estate　was　pulling　him　away　from　the　more　pleasurable　contemplation　of　alien　encounters。　
　He　sighed　and　said；　〃Yeah；　it　is　creepy；　a　little。〃　
　〃Then　why。　。　。　？〃　He　slowly　twisted　the　lantern　control；　reducing　the　flow　of　gas　to　the　wicks。　The　hard　white　light　softened　to　a　moon…pale　glow；　and　the　shadows　eased　closer。　〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　I　couldn't　bear　to　pack　up　my　granddad's　things。　Together；　we'd　sorted　through　grandma's　belongings　only　eight　months　earlier；　when　she'd　died；　and　that　had　been　hard　enough。　When　he。　。　。　passed　away　so　soon　after　her；　it　was　too　much　for　me。　For　so　long；　they'd　been　all　I　had。　
　Then　suddenly　I　didn't　even　have　them。〃　
　A　tortured　expression　darkened　the　blue　of　his　eyes。　
　As　a　flood　of　sympathy　washed　through　Holly；　she　reached　across　the　ice　chest　and　took　his　hand。　
　He　said；　〃I　procrastinated；　kept　procrastinating；　and　the　longer　I　delayed　sorting　through　his　things；　the　harder　it　became　to　ever　do　it。〃　
　He　sighed　again。　〃If　I'd　have　found　a　renter　or　a　buyer；　that　would　have　forced　me　to　put　things　in　order；　no　matter　how　unpleasant　the　job。　
　But　this　old　farm　is　about　as　marketable　as　a　truckload　of　sand　in　the　middle　of　the　Mojave。〃　
　Closing　the　house　upon　the　death　of　his　grandfather；　touching　nothing　in　it　for　four　years　and　four　months；　except　to　clean　it　once　in　a　while　that　was　eccentric。　Holly　couldn't　see　it　any　other　way。　At　the　same　time；　however；　it　was　an　eccentricity　that　touched　her；　moved　her。　As　she　had　sensed　from　the　start；　he　was　a　gentle　man　beneath　his　rage；　beneath　his　steely　superhero　identity；　and　she　liked　the　soft…hearted　part　of　him；　too。　
　〃We'll　do　it　together；〃　Holly　said。　〃When　we've　figured　out　what　the　hell　is　happening　to　us；　wherever　and　however　we　go　on　from　here；　there'll　be　time　for　us　to　sort　through　your　grandfather's　things。　It　won't　be　so　difficult　if　we　do　it　together。〃　
　He　smiled　at　her　and　squeezed　her　hand。　
　She　remembered　something　else。　〃Jim；　you　recall　the　description　I　gave　you　of　the　woman　in　my　dream　last　night；　the　woman　who　came　up　the　mill　stairs？〃　〃Sort　of〃　〃You　said　you　didn't　recognize　her。〃　
　〃So？〃　〃But　there's　a　photo　of　her　in　the　house。〃　
　〃There　is？〃　〃In　the　living　room；　that　photograph　of　a　couple　in　their　early　fifties。　
　Are　they　your　grandparents；　Lena　and　Henry？〃　〃Yeah。　That's　right。〃　
　〃Lena　was　the　woman　in　my　dream。〃　
　He　frowned。　〃Isn't　that　odd。　。　。　？〃　〃Well；　maybe。　But　what's　odder　is；　you　didn't　recognize　her。〃　
　〃I　guess　your　description　wasn't　that　good。〃　
　〃But　didn't　you　hear　me　say　she　had　a　beauty　mark…〃　His　eyes　narrowed；　and　his　hand　tightened　around　hers。　〃Quick；　the　tablets。〃　
　Confused；　she　said；　〃What？〃　〃Something's　about　to　happen；　I　feel　it；　and　we　need　the　tablets　we　bought　at　The　Center。〃　
　He　let　go　of　her　hand；　and　she　withdrew　the　two　yellow；　lined　tablets　and　felt…tip　pen　from　the　plastic　bag　at　her　side。　He　took　them　from　her；　hesitated；　looking　around　at　the　walls　and　at　the　shadows　above　them；　as　if　waiting　to　be　told　what　to　do　next。　
　The　bells　rang。　
　That　musical　tintinnabulation　sent　a　thrill　through　Jim。　He　knew　that　he　was　on　the　verge　of　discovering　the　meaning　not　merely　of　the　events　of　the　past　year　but　of　the　last　two　and　a　half　decades。　And　not　just　that；　either。　More。　Much　more。　The　ringing　heralded　the　revelation　of　even　greater　understanding；　transcendental　truths；　an　explanation　of　the　fundamental　meaning　of　his　entire　life；　past　and　future；　origins　and　destiny；　and　of　the　meaning　of　existence　itself　Grandiose　as　such　a　notion　might　be；　he　sensed　that　the　secrets　of　creation　would　be　revealed　to　him　before　he　left　the　windmill；　and　that　he　would　reach　the　state　of　enlightenment　he　had　sought…and　failed　to　find…in　a　score　of　religions。　
　As　the　second　spell　of　ringing　began；　Holly　started　to　get　up。　
　Jim　figured　she　intended　to　descend　to　the　window　on　the　stairs　and　look　into　the　pond。　He　said；　〃No；　wait。　It's　going　to　happen　here　this　time。〃　
　She　hesitated；　then　sat　down。　
　As　the　ringing　stopped　again；　Jim　felt　pelled　to　push　the　ice　chest　out　of　the　way　and　put　one　of　the　yellow；　lined　tablets　on　the　floor　between　him　and　Holly。　He　was　not　sure　what　he　was　expected　to　do　with　the　other　tablet　and　the　pen；　but　after　a　brief　moment　of　indecision；　he　held　on　to　them。　
　When　the　melodic　ringing　began　a　third　time；　it　was　acpanied　by　an　impossible　pulse　of　light　within　the　limestone　walls。　The　red　glow　seemed　to　well　up　from　inside　the　stone　at　a　point　directly　in　front　of　them；　then　suddenly　raced　around　the　room；　encircling　them　with　a　throbbing　band　of　luminescence。　
　Even　as　the　strange　fire　whipped　around　them；　Holly　issued　a　wordless　sound　of　fear；　an