dk.coldfire-第45章

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escence。　
　Even　as　the　strange　fire　whipped　around　them；　Holly　issued　a　wordless　sound　of　fear；　and　Jim　remembered　what　she　had　told　him　of　her　dream　last　night。　The　woman…whether　it　had　been　his　grandmother　or　not…had　climbed　the　stairs　into　the　high　room；　had　seen　an　amber　emanation　within　the　walls；　as　if　the　mill　was　made　of　colored　glass；　and　had　witnessed　something　unimaginably　hostile　being　born　out　of　those　mortared　blocks。　
　〃It's　okay。〃　He　was　eager　to　reassure　her。　〃This　isn't　The　Enemy。　
　It's　something　else。　There's　no　danger　here。　This　is　a　different　light。〃　
　He　was　only　sharing　with　her　the　reassurances　that　were　flooding　into　him　from　a　higher　power。　He　hoped　to　God　that　he　was　correct；　that　no　threat　was　imminent；　for　he　remembered　too　well　the　hideous　biological　transformation　of　his　own　bedroom　ceiling　in　Laguna　Niguel　little　more　than　twelve　hours　ago。　Light　had　pulsed　within　the　oily；　insectile　birth　sac　that　had　blistered　out　of　ordinary　drywall；　and　the　shadowy　form　within；　writhing　and　twitching；　had　been　nothing　he　would　ever　want　to　see　more　directly。　
　During　two　more　bursts　of　melodic　ringing；　the　color　of　the　light　changed　to　amber。　But　otherwise　it　in　no　way　resembled　the　menacing　radiance　in　his　bedroom　ceiling；　which　had　been　a　different　shade　of　amber　altogether　the　vile　yellow　of　putrescent　matter　or　of　rich　dark　pus…and　which　had　throbbed　in　sympathy　with　an　ominous　tripartite　heartbeat　that　was　not　audible　now。　
　Holly　looked　scared　nonetheless。　
　He　wished　he　could　pull　her　close；　put　his　arm　around　her。　But　he　needed　to　give　his　undivided　attention　to　the　higher　power　that　was　striving　to　reach　him。　
　The　ringing　stopped；　but　the　light　did　not　fade。　It　quivered；　shimmered；　dimmed；　and　brightened。　It　moved　through　the　otherwise　dark　wall　in　scores　of　separate　amoeba…like　forms　that　constantly　flowed　together　and　separated　into　new　shapes；　it　was　like　a　one…dimensional　representation　of　the　kaleidoscopic　display　in　one　of　those　old　Lava　lamps。　The　ever…changing　patterns　evolved　on　all　sides　of　them；　from　the　base　of　the　wall　to　the　apex　of　the　domed　ceiling。　
　〃I　feel　like　we're　in　a　bathysphere；　all　glass；　suspended　far；　far　down　in　the　ocean；〃　Holly　said。　〃And　great　schools　of　luminescent　fish　are　diving　and　soaring　and　swirling　past　us　on　all　sides；　through　the　deep　black　water。〃　
　He　loved　her　for　putting　the　experience　into　better　words　than　he　could　summon；　words　that　would　not　let　him　forget　the　images　they　described；　even　if　he　lived　a　hundred　years。　
　Unquestionably；　the　ghostly　luminosity　lay　within　the　stone；　not　merely　on　the　surface　of　it。　He　could　see　into　that　now…translucent　substance；　as　if　it　had　been　alchemized　into　a　dark　but　well…clarified　quartz。　The　amber　radiance　brightened　the　room　more　than　did　the　lantern；　which　he　had　turned　low。　His　trembling　hands　looked　golden；　as　did　Holly's　face。　
　But　pockets　of　darkness　remained；　and　the　constantly　moving　light　enlivened　the　shadows　as　well。　
　〃What　now？〃　Holly　asked　softly。　
　Jim　noticed　that　something　had　happened　to　the　yellow　tablet　on　the　floor　between　them。　〃Look。〃　
　Words　had　appeared　on　the　top　third　of　the　first　page。　They　looked　as　if　they　had　been　formed　by　a　finger　dipped　in　ink：　I　AM　WITH　YOU。　
　Holly　had　been　distracted…to　say　the　least！…by　the　lightshow；　but　she　did　not　think　that　Jim　could　have　leaned　to　the　tablet　and　printed　the　words　with　the　felt…tip　pen　or　any　other　instrument　without　drawing　her　attention。　Yet　she　found　it　hard　to　believe　that　some　disembodied　presence　had　conveyed　the　message。　
　〃I　think　we're　being　encouraged　to　ask　questions；〃　Jim　said。　
　〃Then　ask　it　what　it　is；〃　she　said　at　once。　
　He　wrote　a　question　on　the　second　tablet；　which　he　was　holding；　and　showed　it　to　her：　Who　are　you？　As　they　watched；　the　answer　appeared　on　the　first　tablet；　which　lay　between　and　slightly　in　front　of　them　at　such　an　angle　that　they　could　both　read　it。　The　words　were　not　burnt　onto　the　paper　and　were　not　formed　by　ink　that　dripped　magically　from　the　air。　Instead；　the　irregular；　wavery　letters　appeared　as　dim　gray　shapes　and　grew　darker　as　they　seemed　to　float　up　out　of　the　paper；　as　though　a　page　of　the　tablet　were　not　one…five　hundredth　of　an　inch　thick　but　a　pool　of　liquid　many　feet　deep。　She　recognized　immediately　that　this　was　similar　to　the　effect　she　had　seen　earlier　when　the　balls　of　light　had　risen　to　the　center　of　the　pond　before　bursting　and　casting　concentric　rings　of　illumination　outward　through　the　water　this　was；　as　well；　how　the　light　had　first　welled　up　in　the　limestone　walls　before　the　blocks　had　bee　thoroughly　translucent。　
　THE　FRIEND。　
　Who　are　you？　The　Friend。　
　It　seemed　to　be　an　odd　self　description。　Not　〃your　friend〃　or　〃a　friend〃　but　The　Friend。　
　For　an　alien　intelligence；　if　indeed　that's　all　it　was；　the　name　had　curious　spiritual　implications；　connotations　of　divinity。　Men　had　given　God　many　names…Jehovah；　Allah；　Brahma；　Zeus；　Aesir…but　even　more　titles。　
　God　was　The　Almighty；　The　Eternal　Being；　The　Infinite；　The　Father；　The　Savior；　The　Creator；　The　Light。　The　Friend　seemed　to　fit　right　into　that　list。　
　Jim　quickly　wrote　another　question　and　showed　it　to　Holly：　Where　do　you　e　from？　ANOTHER　WORLD。　
　Which　could　mean　anything　from　heaven　to　Mars。　
　Do　you　mean　another　planet？　YES。　
　〃My　God；〃　Holly　said；　awed　in　spite　of　herself　So　much　for　the　great　hereafter。　
　She　looked　up　from　the　tablet　and　met　Jim's　eyes。　They　seemed　to　shine　brighter　than　ever；　although　the　chrome…yellow　light　had　imparted　to　them　an　exceptional　green　tint。　
　Restless　with　excitement；　she　rose　onto　her　knees；　then　eased　back　again；　sitting　on　her　calves。　The　top　tablet　page　was　filled　with　the　entity's　responses。　Holly　equivocated　only　briefly；　then　tore　it　off　and　set　it　aside；　so　they　could　see　the　second　page。　She　glanced　back　and　forth　between　Jim's　questions　and　the　rapidly　appearing　answers。　
　From　another　solar　sy。stern？　YES。　
　From　another　galaxy？　YES。　
　Is　it　your　vessel　we've　seen　in　the　pond？　YES。　
　How　long　have　you　been　here？　；000　YEARS。　
　As　she　stared　at　that　figure；　it　seemed　to　Holly　that　this　moment　was　more　like　a　dream　than　some　of　the　actual　dreams　she'd　been　having　lately。　
　After　so　much　mystery；　there　were　answers…but　they　seemed　to　be　ing　too　easily。　She　did　not　know　what　she　had　expected；　but　she　had　not　imagined　that　the　murkiness　in　which　they　had　been　operating　would　clear　as　quickly　as　if　a　drop　of　a　magical　universal　detergent　had　been　dropped　into　it。　
　〃Ask　her　why　she's　here；〃　Holly　said；　tearing　off　the　second　sheet　and　putting　it　with　the　first。　
　Jim　was　surprised。　〃She？〃　〃Why　not？〃　He　brightened。　〃Why　not？〃　he　agreed。　
　He　turned　to　a　new　page　in　his　own　tablet　and　wrote　her　question：　Why　are　you　here？　Floating　up　through　the　paper　to　the　surface：　TO　OBSERVE；　TO　STUDY；　TO　HELP　MANKIND。　
　〃You　know　what　this　is　like？〃　Holly　said。　
　〃What's　it　like？〃　〃An　episode　of　Outer　Limits〃　〃The　old　TV　show？〃　〃Yeah。〃　
　〃Wasn't　that　before　your　time？〃　〃It's　on　cable。〃　
　〃But　what　do　you　mean　it's　like　an　episode　of　Outer　Limits？〃　She　frowned　at　TO　OBSERVE；　TO　STUDY；　TO　HELP　MANKIND　and　said；　〃Don't　you　think　it's　a　little。　。　。　trite？〃　〃Trite？〃　He　was　irritated。　〃No；　I　don't。　Because　I　haven't　any　idea　what　alien　contact　should　be　like。　I　haven't　had　a　whole　lot　of　experience　with　it；　certainly　not　enough　to　have　expectations　or　be　jaded。〃　
　〃I'm　sorry。　I　don't　know。　。　。　it's　just。　。　。　okay；　let's　see　where　this　leads。〃　
　She　had　to　admit　that　she　was　no　less　awed　than　she　had　been　when　the　light　had　first　appeared　in　the　walls。　Her　heart　continued　to　thud　hard　and　fast；　and　she　was　still　unable　to　draw　a　really　deep　breath。　
　She　still　felt　that　they　were　in　the　presence　of　something　superhuman；　maybe　even　a　higher　power　by　one　definition　or　another；　and　she　was　humbled　by　it。　Considering　what　she　had　seen　in　the　pond；　the　pulsing　luminescence　even　now　swimming　through　the　wall；　and　the　words　that　kept　shimmering　into　view　on　the　tablet；　she　would　have　been　hopelessly　stupid　if　she　had　not　been　awed。　
　Undeniably；　however；　her　sense　of　wonder　was　dulled　by　the　feeling　that　this　entity　was　structuring　the　encounter　like　an　old　movie　or　TV　script。　
　With　a　sarcastic　note　in　his　voice；　Jim　had　said　that　he　had　too　little　experience　with　alien　contact　to　have　developed　any　expectations　that　could　be　disappointed。　But　that　was　not　true。　Having　grown　up　in　the　sixties　and　seventies；　he　had　been　as　media…saturated　as　she　had　been。　
　They'd　been　exposed　to　the　same　TV　shows　and　movies；　magazines　and　books；　science　fiction　had　been　a　major　influence　in　popular　culture　all　their　lives。　He　had　acquired　plenty　of　detailed　expectations　about　what　alien　contact　would　be　like…and　the　entity　in　the　wall　was　playing　to　all　of　them。　Holly's　only　conscious　expectation　had　been　that　a　real　close　encounter　of　the　third　kind　would　be　like　nothing　the　novelists　and　screenwriters　imagined　in　all　their　wildest　flights　of　fantasy；　because　when　referring　to　life　from　another　world；　alien　meant　alien；　different；　beyond　easy　parison　or　prehension。　
　〃Okay；〃　she　said；　〃maybe　familiarity　is　the　point。　I　mean；　maybe　it's　using　our　modern　myths　as　a　convenient　way　to　present　itself　to　us；　a　way　to　make　itself　prehensible　to　us。　Because　it's　probably　so　radically　different　from　us　that　we　could　never　understand　its　true　nature　or　appearance。〃　
　〃Exactly；〃　Jim　said。　He　wrote　another　question：　What　is　the　light　we　see　in　the　walls？　THE　LIGHT　IS　ME。　
　Holly　didn't　wait　for　Jim　to　write　the　next　question。　She　addressed　the　entity　directly：　〃How　can　you　move　through　a　wall？〃　Because　the　alien　seemed　such　a　stickler　about　form；　she　was　somewhat　surprised　when　it　did　not　insist　on　hewing　to　the　written　question…reply　format。　It　answered　her　at　once：　I　CAN　BEE　PART　OF　ANYTHING；　MOVE　WITHIN　IT；　TAKE　SHAPE　FROM　IT　WHENEVER　I　CHOOSE。　
　〃Sounds　a　little　like　bragging；〃　she　said。　
　〃I　can't　believe　you　can　be　sarcastic　at　a　time　like　this；〃　Jim　said　impatiently。　
　〃I'm　not　being　sarcastic；〃　she　explained。　〃I'm　just　trying　to　understand。〃　
　He　looked　doubtful。　
　To　the　alien　presence；　she　said；　〃You　understand　the　problems　I'm　having　with　this；　don't　you？〃　On　the　tablet：　YES。　
　She　ripped　away　that　page；　revealing　a　fresh　one。　Increasingly　restless　and　nervous；　but　not　entirely　sure　why；　Holly　got　to　her　feet　and　turned　in　a　circle；　looking　at　the　play　of　light　in　the　walls　as　she　formulated　her　next　question。　〃Why　is　your　approach　marked　by　the　sound　of　bells？〃　No　answer　appeared　on　the　tablet。　
　She　repeated　the　question。　
　The　tablet　remained　blank。　
　Holly　said；　〃Trade　secret；　I　guess。〃　
　She　felt　a　bead　of　cold　sweat　trickle　out　of　her　right　armpit　and　down　her　side；　under　her　blouse。　A　childlike　wonder　still　worked　in　her；　but　fear　was　on　the　rise　again。　Something　was　wrong。　Something　more　than　the　disjointed　nature　of　the　story　the　entity　was　giving　them。　
　She　couldn't　quite　put　her　finger　on　what　spooked　her。　
　On　his　own　tablet；　Jim　quickly　wrote　another　question；　and　Holly　leaned　down　to　read　it：　Did　you　appear　to　me　in　this　room　when　I　was　ten　years　old？　YES。　OFTEN。　
　Did　you　make　me　forget　it？　YES。　
　〃D