Chapter 10 Chapter Seven The Real Danger

Susie Huett continued to keep the men who threatened the Fortress, and Joanna and I set off for Braston Street.Braston Street is where the real danger lies.There is at least one part of every city that is free from all rules, humanity, and civilization, and Braston Street is one such district.It was a place where no one ever paid rent, a place where only the strong had a chance of survival, a place where even a rat with the plague was too afraid to wander alone.There are occasional gangs in power here, but no gang lasts long.People here love the darkness, because only by living in the darkness can they ignore their situation.Alcohol, drugs and despair are the specialty of Braston Street, and the people who end up here are not by accident.That's why I'm worried about Cathy's purpose here.What is it that can summon a young girl like Cathy to come to this kind of place?

What did she think was waiting for her there? It was raining, and the sound of the ticking rain added a little refreshing illusion to the street.The air is filled with the smell of restaurants, and all kinds of delicacies from different time and space come to the nostrils, but unfortunately not every dish emits fragrance.The neon lights are blurred in the rain, faintly illuminating the hungry and angry faces of the passing crowd, fully expressing all the characteristics of Night City. "What a ghost place." Joanna said suddenly. "Sometimes it does," I said. "However, there is also something charming here. Just like bad guys always make good girls blush and heartbeat, the various hidden entertainments in Night City are the main reason that attracts people from the normal world to come here."

Joanna disdainfully said: "I always thought that all kinds of entertainment can be found in London. There are all kinds of sex advertisements in public phone booths, not only are there a variety of tricks, but also the prices are fair. There are all kinds of sex transactions, with physical contact and without physical contact. , characters of all genders providing services of all genders, including intersex people. Foreplay, afterplay, main show... I really don't know what else to do?" "Trust me." I said seriously. "You really don't want to know. Change the subject."

"Okay. What was it like growing up in Nightside?" Joanna looked at me sincerely. "For a child, it should be... very different here?" I shrug. "I didn't have a childhood in the normal world. When you grow up in a place where you see weirdness and wonder every day, it's natural to be surprised by everything. In every way, Night City is a magical place. The world, as long as there are no special circumstances, growing up here is definitely not a boring thing. This is a place where new troubles can arise at any time. For a curious child, what is there to be satisfied with? A child can Easy to learn self-discipline, because misbehaving children are really caught and eaten by monsters. You have to learn survival skills early, or you will never live to grow up. You can't trust anyone, not even friends or family members .But at least you can be sure you can't trust anyone, and that's a plus."

"Everything here is normal for me, Joanna. Your world, a calm, rational, logical normal London, is what I'm not used to. Although it's safe, reasonable, and predictable... ...But sometimes ignorance is a blessing, and it's a good thing that things can happen at any time. Things like omens and prophecies don't have much use in the Nightside, and neither heaven nor hell are involved in the affairs of this place. Although your world is very Safe, but it's also very bleak, very boring, and super hard to live in. After this case is over, I will still go back to your world. Not because I like it better, but because I have lost the need to survive in Night City instinct."

"That Braston Street," said Joanna. "Sounds like a dangerous place even in Nightside. Are you sure Cathy went there?" I couldn't help but stop, because this is what I've been thinking about too.These words were probably made up by the people of the Bastion to dismiss us.In other words, I would also make nonsense in that situation.But... that's all I have left.I frowned, feeling a little discouraged, and people passing by saw me so and took a detour.My talent has always led me to find anything.My reputation is built entirely on this.For me, it was very frustrating to come back to Night City and not be able to use my talents.If Cathy was really on Braston Street, I should be able to feel her presence by now.

I suddenly opened the door of my heart, forcing the power of genius to rush into the night, across hidden time and space, into the mysterious realm.The talent pulsated in the air, wild and angry, and broke open all the locked doors with almost brutal force.Passers-by nearby screamed and ran away with their heads in their hands.I clenched my fists tightly, and a triumphant smile slowly appeared on the corner of my mouth, a kind of smile of a wild wolf when it finds its prey, from an era when there is only one truth for everything.A morbid pain pounded my temples, and it was self-inflicted to squeeze my talents beyond their limits.It's just that I was so angry and frustrated at the time that I didn't care.

I felt Cathy's presence.Not long after she left, the afterimage was still trembling in the void, but it was a kind of illusory existence that seemed like nothing.Someone or something is keeping me from seeing her.My smile widens and I can't see it unless you let me see it?I continued to strengthen my talent, slamming my psychic force through a barbed wire fence.Blood was pouring from my nostrils, and I was losing feeling in my hands.The natural power has already caused serious damage to my body, but the protective net set up by the other party also disintegrated under the strong will, so that I can clearly see the afterimage left by Cathy.She was flickering on the street in front of me, and the image was very clear, probably only a few days old.I took Joanna's hand so that she too could see what was in front of me.Cathy hurried forward, and we followed closely.There was joy on her face, a sweet smile on her mouth, and she was listening to a voice that only she could hear, an extremely beautiful and heavenly language, a call from the depths of her heart.The sound, like a fisherman playing with a bait, lures her straight towards Braston Street.The smile on Cathy's face was literally the scariest thing I've ever seen.It's a wistful smile, but I can't think of anything in the world that makes one want that much.What had the unheard voice promised her?

"Something is calling her," Joanna said, squeezing my hand achingly nervously. "Call her," I said. "Like the siren in Greek mythology who summoned sailors. The voice may have been a lie to lure her, or maybe not, this is the Nightside after all. What worries me the most is that I have no idea what summoned her I know. My talent is blank and I can’t feel anything. This means that the other party has powerful magic power and can control the unbreakable spiritual shield. But as long as such a powerful character appears in Night City, everyone should be discovered. Yes. This kind of news should have been spread throughout the Night City long ago, a brand new strong will affect everyone's living space. However, no one has noticed its existence... except me. I really can't figure it out, a What is the use of the Stilt Girl for such a powerful thing?"

Despite my best efforts, the afterimage of Cathy disappeared before our eyes.The talent returned, the door of the heart was closed, and after everything was quiet, a severe headache followed.All I could do at that moment was stand in the middle of the sidewalk, close my eyes, and try to grab as many thoughts as I could.After this case is over, I have to take a good rest and recuperate.I opened my eyes and saw Joanna pointing a handkerchief to my nose.I took the handkerchief and pressed my nostrils lightly. After a while, the bleeding finally stopped.I didn't find out when she let go. I just thought about how it happened when I came back for the first time.Joanna stood against me, trying to make me as comfortable as possible.The headache quickly subsided and I returned the bloody handkerchief to Joanna, who took it back gracefully, and we continued on to Braston Street.I didn't mention Cai Cai's frustration again, and neither did she.

"Is Suzie really as dangerous as other people think?" Joanna said after a while, obviously just to start a conversation. "Only more dangerous." I answered truthfully. "She built her reputation by stepping on the corpses of her enemies. She was not afraid of anything. She even dared to go where the Nordic barbarians would shy away. Suzie is a person who has no concept of 'fear'. Other concepts she lacks include 'Repression,' 'forgiveness,' and 'self-control.'" Joanna couldn't help laughing. "Really, John, don't you know any normal people here?" I also smiled. "There are no normal people here. Normal people will know how to keep a distance from this kind of place." We keep walking.Although the people in front gave way deliberately, none of them looked at me.Nightside is a place where privacy is extremely important, because everyone has so many secrets to hide.Cars still drive by on the street, no one stops, no one slows down, everyone is in a hurry to get somewhere, to do something that is sure to make someone else unhappy.There are no traffic signals in Night City, because no one obeys the traffic rules.There is no zebra crossing here either. Pedestrians want to cross the road with courage, determination, and a fierce expression.I heard that bribery is also quite effective.I looked at Joanna and asked a question I've always wanted to ask.Because now we are very close to Cathy, it is time to know the answer. "You said Cathy didn't run away for the first time. Why does she run away so often, Joanna?" "I really want to find time to spend with her." Joanna said, looking ahead. "As long as I'm free, I will accompany her. It's just that I'm rarely free. I'm too busy. I spend all my time on work. Only in this way can I maintain my position in the mall. A woman must spend ten I have to work twice as hard to gain a foothold in the mall. I have to deal with a group of men who eat people and don’t spit out their bones every day. In their hands, betrayal and cold arrows are simply an art. I do everything I can to provide Cathy. The sense of security is just to let her afford everything she wants. I don’t even think about how such a comfortable life came about, no matter what, she should respect my job, right?” "do you like your job?" "sometimes." "Haven't you ever thought about changing jobs?" "That's my specialty," she said.I have to nod because I know that feeling well. "No stepfather?" I asked cautiously. "Or any sort of father figure? Another person she could lean on, talk to?" "Of course not. I swore I would never do it again," Joanna said angrily. "Cathy's father was so bad to me purely because he was able to do that to me. Now I'm my own master and anyone who wants to come into my life has to listen to me. Not many men can Putting up with the conditions, even if there was, I couldn't maintain a stable relationship due to work. Anyway, Cathy never wanted anything that was really needed. I taught her to be smart, sensitive, and independent, Don't depend on anyone." "Even you don't want to be classified?" I asked in a low voice.Joanna bowed her head in silence. At that moment, the world suddenly changed.The vitality of the city is gone, and there is a dead silence all around.We left where we were and turned up in a really bad place.Joanna and I suddenly fell forward a few steps, and immediately looked around after standing still.There were no people, no cars on the street, and it was empty and silent.The buildings around us were all in ruins, the tall buildings had all collapsed, and there were no houses more than two stories high.The surroundings are endless, and you can see through the distant horizon at a glance, and everything you see is desolation and destruction.I turned around and found the same sight everywhere.We have come to a world full of death.London and the Nightside are now clouds of the past.Horrible things have happened and everything has been destroyed. The street lights and neon signs are gone, and we are plunged into endless darkness.There was a faint purple light in the sky, as if the night itself had been beaten and bruised.Can't see anything.There are shadows everywhere, very deep, very dark.There was no light, not even a campfire to be seen.We are all alone in the night, and we don't feel anyone's presence.Joanna rummaged through her backpack in a hurry, and finally took out a lighter.Her hands were shaking so badly that it took a dozen times to strike the fire before it finally caught fire.This tiny flame can't shine very far in such a night, but it brings warmth to our hearts.She held up the lighter and observed it with me, trying to recognize the surroundings by the light of the flame... even though I already knew the situation in my heart. It was quiet, very quiet, there was no sound other than the shivering of our feet and irregular breathing.Such absolute tranquility is eerie and unsettling.The cry of the city is gone, and no trace of its inhabitants remains.London was dumbed down, deprived of all sound.I stared around in the dark purple night light, knowing that I had come to an empty place.The heavy stillness overwhelms me, and I almost long to emphasize my existence by shouting.I didn't yell because it would be bad if something heard me.And it would be even worse if nothing could be heard. Never in my life have I felt such absolute loneliness. The buildings around us are all distorted and deformed, and their appearance and outline have long lost their original appearance under the long-term damage of wind and rain.Not a single window has glass in it, and not a single door frame has an iron door in it. These things are all transformed into dark hollows, like the fifth house on the house, or like a bottomless wound.Seeing the once prosperous city reduced to such a state, I can't help but feel a little sadness in my heart.After hundreds of years of construction and expansion, countless people lived, aged, died, and died here. In the end, only this scene remained.I stepped forward slowly, years of dust kicking up under my feet.Joanna let out a nervous sound from her throat, and slowly followed me forward. The temperature was so cold that it was so cold that the limbs were stiff and the skin was stinging, and it seemed that all the heat energy of the surface had completely disappeared.The air was still and there was no wind at all.Walking on the streets that were once bustling but now extremely deserted, the sound of our footsteps sounds very clear.We are shivering, not because of the cold, but because we do not belong in this scalp-numbing place.The shadows of the buildings cast their former outlines on the distant horizon, such a desolate scene that thoroughly expresses the death of the city. "What is this place?" Joanna finally asked.Her hand holding the lighter was no longer shaking, but her voice was still trembling badly.I don't blame her. "Not... somewhere," I said. "When is it? This is the future. From the outside, it should be a long time in the future. The city is destroyed and civilization disappears. The story of London and Night City has not yet been written, but the book was forcibly closed, and it is It slammed shut. We fell into a time rift. It was a closed space in which time jumped between the past and the future, changing forever. There was no time rift when I was last here ...time rifts are usually clearly marked, and anyone with more than two brain cells knows to avoid them. Because they are so unpredictable, no one knows how they work, or even why they form. They are always sudden Appear, and disappear with any poor souls that accidentally get trapped inside." "You mean we're stuck here?" "That's not necessarily the case. I can use my talent to find a way out. The physical area of ​​the time rift will not be too large, as long as I can find the boundary and break through..." "It won't be too big!" Joanna said loudly in a hurry. "It's endless here! Even if you walk for a few weeks, you won't be able to get out!" "Things should not be limited to appearances. You should already understand." I said calmly, trying to make my tone full of wisdom and affirmation, so that she couldn't tell that I was just guessing. "People in the time rift can see the whole world, but the actual area affected by the rift is very small. As long as we open a hole in the boundary, we can go back to the original time. If nothing goes wrong, the boundary is only halfway from here." It's an hour's journey, just walk slowly." "What's wrong?" Joanna said as soon as she heard it. "What could go wrong? We're the only ones here. This is the far future, and everyone's dead. Can't you feel it? London's light has faded..." "There is nothing permanent in this world." I said. "Everything will come to an end in time, even the Night City is no exception. After thousands of years, no matter how great the construction, no matter how immortal the achievements, will fade away." "Maybe someone finally dropped the nuke?" "No. The power of the nuclear bomb is not enough to destroy Night City. No matter what caused the destruction here... the power must be infinitely stronger than the nuclear bomb." "I never imagined such a dead London." Joanna whispered. "London should be alive, it should be immortal. People have put so much effort into building and running London throughout the ages. I always thought that even when the human race dies, London will still stand. It seems that I was wrong. We are all wrong gone." "Maybe humans are just leaving here to build a new London elsewhere," I said. "As long as there are humans in the world, there must be places like Nightside." "What if human beings cease to exist? God knows how far into the future? Hundreds of years? Thousands of years? Look around! This world is dead! Everything is dead! Nothing exists! Even we Just die!" She suddenly trembled all over, and then glared at me with resentment, as if everything was my fault. "Things about you are always so complicated, aren't they? Time rifts...is this kind of thing common in Night City?" "This..." I thought about it. "Not uncommon either." "I knew it," Joanna said. "Not even time can be trusted in Nightside." There was nothing to refute that, so I continued to look around.Thousands of years?The buildings do appear to have been abandoned for a long time, but not so long. "Where did people go? Left because the city was destroyed? If so, where did they move?" "Maybe they migrated to the moon. Like the lyrics of that song." I looked up following her words, and felt a chill, because I finally knew why the world was so dark.There is no moon in the sky!The moon is gone!The flamboyant moon that had hung high in the Nightside sky for ages was gone, and most of the stars were gone.Now there are only a few scattered stars left in the huge sky, like a loyal guard defending the fallen starry sky to the death.But maybe these remaining stars have already disappeared, but because they are too far away from the earth, we can still see the light left a long time ago... How could even the stars disappear?What happened? "I've always thought that the moon in Nightside is bigger because it's closer," I said. "Maybe... the moon is finally getting close enough to fall. God, how far into the future is this?" "If even the stars disappear," Joanna said softly. "Do you think the sun will still be there?" "I have no idea……" "but……" "Don't waste your time," I said loudly. "Don't keep asking questions that don't have answers. It doesn't matter what happens here, we won't stay long. I have discovered the far border. As long as I get there, I can take you away and return to our world." "Wait a minute," Joanna said. "The far border? Why don't we turn around and follow the way we came, and go back from the original border?" "It's not that simple." I said. "Unless the Holy Court forces an order, there is no power to change the time rift once it is formed. Now we can only go back to the fort, but there will still be this time rift between the fort and Braston Street. Want to go around To pass through the time rift, we must first invite a strong person to measure the affected area of ​​the time rift, otherwise no matter how we go, we will still fall back here." "How long is the measurement you said?" "Good question. Even if we can find a powerful person who is available and willing to help for free... the whole test will still take several days, or even a few weeks." "How big can a time rift be?" "That's a good question, too. Probably for miles." "It's ridiculous," Joanna said. "There must be some other way of getting to Braston Street!" I shook my head reluctantly and said: "I can feel that this time rift is connected to Braston Street on some level. I suspect that it did not appear by accident, but that someone stopped us to protect the territory." Created by going forward. The best thing to do now is to travel through the time rift, go straight to the far border, and make a hole there to leave, so we should be directly on Braston Street. It will not be difficult, although it does not sound like Very pleasant, but at least there is no obvious danger. Let my talent lead the way, just make it up." Joanna looked at me, and I looked at her with confidence.But to be honest, I don't know the situation at all, so I can only leave everything to my intuition and guts.Finally she turned her head away and looked around with displeasure. "I don't like it here," she said coldly. "We don't belong here, no one belongs here. It's just that Cathy has been missing for too long, so... where are we going?" I pointed forward and set off together. Joanna held the lighter in front of her, but the flame couldn't shine very far.The flames went straight up without shaking at all, because there was no convection in the air here.I don't know how long the fire can last, but under the light of the flames, the surrounding purple light seems to be even more dim.I feel colder and colder, as if the empty night is sucking away my warmth.I really wanted to make a torch, but I couldn't find a suitable piece of wood among the waste bricks and rubble all over the floor. The uneasiness that comes with the silence was growing in me, because such complete silence is unlikely in nature.Only in the grave can it be so quiet, only after death can it be so silent.It was the calm before the storm, heralding that something in the dark was watching us, quietly waiting for an opportunity to attack.The city may be dead, but the night itself never dies.I suddenly remembered the scene of my father coaxing me to bed when I was a child.At that time, my father still cared about me, and I was not yet addicted to alcohol.Little children know the secrets hidden in the dark, and they know where monsters hide, whether they want to or not.Now in the darkest night ever, I am increasingly convinced that we are being watched by something.Monsters are everywhere, and that's one of the first things everyone living in Night City learns. Some monsters look just like you and me. Maybe the monster at this moment is London itself, because it has lost its life, so it has a resentment for all the creatures that walk in it; Abandon fear.People are always unwilling to be lonely. We walked on the old streets, and the footsteps seemed to be getting louder, but most of the sound was actually absorbed by the dust on the ground.There is a thick layer of dust everywhere on the ground, and God knows how long it has accumulated.Among them, the dust accumulated in the middle of the street is the thickest, but we dare not go to the side of the road, because the buildings on both sides may collapse at any time.As long as it is gently carried by the corner of our clothes, the whole wall may collapse, and a large cloud of gray fog will be rolled up on the ground.I picked up a brick, but it crumbled to pieces in my hands.How many years does it take for a brick to become so fragile?I dare not think too much, because the answer must be a large and disturbing number. Just when I thought I had figured it out, things started to go wrong.There were strange noises in my ears, inaudible at first, but soon coming from all directions, approaching a frightening distance.My imagination is not rich, I just feel that those voices are a bit familiar, but I can't recognize them. I can't help but have a strong sense of foreboding in my heart, and this feeling becomes stronger as the sound approaches.I didn't turn my head, I just turned my eyes to observe each shadow, but I couldn't see anything.I quickened my pace, and the sounds around me also accelerated.They were not in a hurry, keeping a certain distance, but never far away.My palms start to sweat, and my nerves get nervous about the clicks.Joanna heard it too.She looked around in fear, and the fire in her hand flickered.I was afraid that the flame would be extinguished, so I grabbed her arm and slowed down together. "What's that?" she asked aloud. "Is there something else alive here?" "I don't know. The voices are coming from all directions, indicating that there are quite a few of them, and they are surrounding us." I looked at the shadows floating around, but I couldn't see why.Anything can be hidden in the dark.Anything is possible.I started to feel more and more unhappy. "No matter what the other party is, they are still keeping a distance from us at this moment. Maybe they are more afraid than us." "I don't think so." Joanna said. "How far is the border?" I sense with talent. "It takes half an hour to walk, and maybe fifteen minutes to run. It's just that running might make the other party think we're scared." She looked at me suddenly and said, "Could it be that the messenger of pain is here again?" I shook my head with certainty: "After Razor Eddie made such a fuss, they won't come after him so soon. Painbringer's boss will need time to review his strategy. If it's me, he will. Because as long as Razor Eddie is involved, Even the powerful in power dare not act rashly. Besides, the messenger of pain has no ability to accurately track my whereabouts. Otherwise, how could I have lived for so long? Maybe... These sounds are made by insects. I always thought that the world The only ones who can outlive humans are insects. Scientists agree that insects are the only creatures that can survive a nuclear explosion. I guess insects are probably the most likely. Damn! I hate disgusting insects!" "Are you sure you're not human? Maybe there's someone else trapped in the time rift like us? Maybe he's injured and trying to get our attention?" I frowned, it was indeed possible.Although unlikely... I used my talent to try to find the source of the sound.To my surprise, I actually sensed a human being not far from us. "There's someone nearby! It's a man . . . alone, not moving, probably hurt. Come with me." I ran down the street, splashing dust under my feet, and Joanna ran beside me.I found myself getting used to her company, and it was a good feeling.We were so carried away by the excitement of discovering the living that we almost forgot about the disturbing noises.That person may be a passerby like us, or he may be a survivor in this time and space... Maybe he can provide us with many answers, or he may just be a poor person in need of help.Things have to be solved one by one.My talent is like a radar to sense the other party's position, leading us off the main road and into a small alley.We slowed down, fearing that a slight shock would cause the buildings on both sides to collapse.However, the walls of the alley are very strong, and they didn't even shake when we walked by. Finally, we stopped at a large hole in the wall.The edge of the hole was jagged, and it looked like... organic tissue, as if it wasn't an opening in the wall but a wound in a living creature.I touched a brick on top of it with my fingertip, and it didn't shatter under my touch.Strange.It was very dark inside, and there was a musty smell emanating from it.I asked Joanna to bring the lighter closer, but the light was only an inch or two away. "The person you said is inside?" Joanna asked. "Are you sure? It's so dark in here...and there's no sound at all." "He's in there." I affirmed. "My talents can't be mistaken. It's just that it's kind of... weird." I stuck my head carefully into the hole. "Hello? Anyone hear? Hello!" We waited for a while, but there was no response.The surrounding walls didn't shake as I raised the volume.I listened carefully and found that the voice following us just now had disappeared.I tell myself it's because we've gotten rid of them, but honestly I don't really believe it.I probed into the hole again to observe the situation inside.I found that the deeper I looked, the more ominous I felt.The situation in front of me looks like a trap, and the (possibly) injured person inside is the bait.I don't know what monster lurks in the darkness, but I'm sure there's a man in there, even if he doesn't answer.If he gets hurt...we might be his only chance of survival.I must not abandon anyone in this God-forgotten world, or I will be sorry for my conscience.So... I took a deep breath, felt a musty smell in my nostrils, deep in my throat, and walked carefully through the large hole in the wall, onto the floor behind the hole, and into the dark room.At first I stood still and listened attentively, but there was no reaction at all in the room.I stood aside and let Joanna come in with a dim yellow light, faintly illuminating the dark space. The room behind the hole looks like two rooms were randomly opened up to form one large room.There were many black things scattered on the ground, which didn't look like bricks, but I didn't want to touch them, so I decided to walk around them carefully.The air was dry and stuffy, and the stench was suffocating. There was also a faint smell of decay, as if something had died in it, and it had just died not long ago.There was no dust on the floor, but there was gray mold all over the walls.I followed the guidance of my talent and Joanna followed closely behind with a lighter. The fire was shining, shadows were flying, and the atmosphere was full.It didn't take long for us to discover that the talent was pointing to in the far corner of the room, and near there was what looked like a giant cocoon.The giant cocoon stretched from floor to ceiling and was about nine feet high and three feet wide.I couldn't help but wonder what kind of strange insects would emerge from such a large cocoon, but soon found that I didn't want to know the answer.I hate disgusting insects the most.I kept looking for the man I was looking for, but no matter how clearly the gift dictated, we just couldn't find him. Finally, we stopped before the giant cocoon.Apart from this pale giant cocoon under the firelight, there is no other place to hide someone. "Tell me you're not thinking what I'm thinking," Joanna said. "He's in a cocoon," I said. "He's alive, in a cocoon... There's no other way." I swallowed, and stretched out a hand to touch the giant cocoon.The tentacles are wet and hot, and it feels a bit like a mixture of silk and spider silk. Just touching it like this gives goose bumps all over your body.I grabbed a ball of calloused skin at about head height and ripped it off with brute force.The disgusting skin stuck to my hand, and it was extremely malleable and not easy to tear off, but it took me a lot of effort to finally open a small hole, revealing a human face underneath.This person's face was livid, his eyes were closed tightly, no matter how he looked at it, he looked like he was dead.Although the talent has never been missed, I still couldn't help being stunned, until the other party's eyelids twitched, as if struggling to open his eyes, I was sure that he was still alive. I inserted both hands into the cocoon hole and peeled off the cocoon skin next to the man's face.The giant cocoon resisted with all its strength, tightly wrapped around my hand and that face, as if it was repairing the cocoon hole itself.I asked Joanna to help, and then I pulled the giant cocoon apart, pulling out the opponent's head and shoulders. After pulling away the last pile of calluses on the man's face, he finally opened his eyes, and I finally had to admit that I recognized the person in front of me.He was much older than I remembered, with many wrinkles, and the fear in his eyes was beyond my imagination.But anyway, he's obviously my friend, Razor Eddie. He stared at me, his eyes gradually coming back into focus.I wiped the mucous off his face with Joanna's handkerchief and found that although his eyes were open, he was barely conscious.他不认得我，也不认得自己，空空洞洞，仿佛丧失了灵魂。乔安娜跟我一边大声地说些安慰的言语，一边继续努力破茧，一寸一寸地扯开茧皮，最后终于将艾迪抱了出来。他全身都废了，完全无法动弹。身上穿的还是那件灰外套，不过更多洞，更多缝，黏液处处、血迹斑斑，比我印象中还要残破许多。 我们本想拖着他远离巨茧，但是他的脚完全不听使唤，所以我们只好先让他靠墙坐在地上。他的呼吸渐渐沉重，有种喘不过气的感觉，似乎很不习惯正常呼吸。我实在难以想象他到底在巨茧里被关了多久，也不想知道巨茧对他造成了什么伤害。我心中有太多疑问，不过我都没问出口。我只是一直安抚着他，试着将他从封闭的心灵中唤回现实。他一直看着我，全然无视乔安娜的存在。 “没事了，艾迪。”我说。“是我，约翰·泰勒。你已经不在……那东西里面了。等你恢复体力，可以走路，我们就带你回夜城。艾迪？你听得到吗，艾迪？” 尽管眼中的恐惧并未消失，不过他似乎可以听懂我的话了。我看到他的嘴巴缓缓张开，于是低下头去听他说话。他说的很吃力、很沙哑，仿佛已经许久不曾开口说话。 “约翰……泰勒。这么久了。你……你这个浑蛋，愿上帝诅咒你下地狱去。” “什么？”我心里一惊，当即抬头，心想他一定是弄错了。“我会带你离开，艾迪。很快就会没事的。” “不会没事的……已经来不及了。都是你的错，一切都是你的错。” “艾迪……” “我早该杀了你的……该在你……毁灭一切之前就杀了你……” “你在说什么？”乔安娜怒道。“我们才刚到！什么都没做！我们是经由时间裂缝来的！” “那我就诅咒你，约翰……为了你将要做的事。” “你是说世界是因为我而变成这样的？”我缓缓问道。“你要为……我还没做的事情指责我？你该知道我不会做这种事的。我不可能毁灭世界，起码这不会是我的本意。你一定要告诉我发生了什么事，告诉我该怎么防止这一切。” 剃刀艾迪阴沉地微笑道：“你自杀就好了。” “你把约翰出卖给痛苦使者，”乔安娜说。“我们干嘛相信你的话？我说我们根本就不该救你，干脆把你塞回茧里去就算了。” “我们不会那样做的。”眼看艾迪再度被恐惧掳获，我立刻安抚他道。“跟我们走，帮我们阻止这一切。这里离时间裂缝的边界不远，我有办法打开出口，带我们回家，回到属于我们的地方。” “回到……过去？” 他这话让我愣了一下。如果艾迪是这个时间里的幸存者，我应该冒险带他回去吗？夜城能够同时接受两个艾迪吗？我很快就放开这个问题，因为它根本无关紧要。我绝对不会把艾迪丢在这里的。我不能把他留在黑暗之中自生自灭。要是这么干了，我还能算是个人吗？ 我扶着他站起，这回他可以靠着双脚的力量撑起自己的重量。虽然遭遇凄惨至极，但他始终还是剃刀艾迪，强得跟鬼一样的剃刀艾迪。乔安娜与我合力助他穿越房间，跨出墙上的大洞，来到外面的巷子里。然而当我们三个再度回到夜空之下的时候，奇特的声响也跟着再度出现。艾迪让这声音吓得当场缩成一团，不过也只是缩了一下子而已。如今他的目光如炬、神情坚定，当我们回到大街上时，他已经可以自己行走了。不管曾经令他崩溃的力量是什么，剃刀艾迪终究还是剃刀艾迪。 “你怎么会变成这里最后一个活人的？”我终于问道。“现在是什么时候？对我而言是多久以后的未来？我离开了五年，才刚刚再度踏入夜城。这样讲好算吗？可恶，艾迪，伦敦到底毁灭几个世纪了？” “几个世纪？”艾迪说。“感觉的确像是过了几个世纪，不过我一直很有时间概念的。没有几个世纪，约翰。从你毁灭夜城、背叛所有人算起，至今不过八十二年而已。” 乔安娜与我彼此对看，接着转望四周的废墟、残败的建筑，以及无星无月的夜空…… “区区八十二年怎么可能搞成这个样子？”我问。 “你干得十分彻底，约翰。这一切都是出自你的手笔，都是你害的。”艾迪本想以更严厉的语气指责我，可惜他没有那个力气。“人类灭绝了……都是因为你。世界已死，变得冰冷、腐败……仅存的生命只能像是依附在烂水果上面的蛆那样苟延残喘。我是唯一……活下来的人类，因为我不会死，因为许多年前在诸神之街订下的条约使我成为永生之人……白痴！超级大白痴！我已经活太久了……所有曾经关心过的人事物通通在我眼前消逝。每个梦都碎了，取而代之的是永无止尽的梦魇。我好想死……但我就是死不了。” “约翰做了什么？”乔安娜问道。“他到底做了什么能把世界弄成这样？” “你不该去追查你妈的下落。”艾迪说。“真相让你崩溃！你根本无法接受事实。” “撑下去，艾迪。”我说。“你很快就会回家了，回到过去，回到从前的夜城。我向你保证……我们一定会阻止这一切。我宁愿死也不会任由世界在我手中毁灭。” 艾迪把头一偏，不再看我。他大口吸着外面的新鲜空气，仿佛很久不曾呼吸到类似的东西。此刻的他几乎可以正常行走，于是我们加快脚步赶往边界。只可惜我们还没来得及走出这条大街，状况就已经急转直下。 地底下涌现无数只怪物，自四面八方将我们团团围住。它们由地面的洞口爬出，身体柔软黝黑，反射出妖异的光芒。我们急忙停下脚步，迅速观察四周，触目所及到处都是细脚、硬壳、复眼、尖牙，外加不停抖动的超长触角。昆虫，各式各样的昆虫。我从来没见过如此恐怖巨大的昆虫。它们倾巢而出，不断地自建筑物内涌现，尽管体型巨大，动作依然迅捷，一波又一波地将我们四周的通路围得水泄不通，简直像是在马路上铺了一层活地毯一样。体型最小的昆虫大约六寸长，而最大的更是长达两、三尺，嘴中锯齿状的尖牙绝对足以轻易咬断人类的肢体。有些虫为了看我们甚至爬到别的虫身上去，不过暂时来讲它们似乎还在跟我们保持距离。 我差点把肚子里的食物通通喷了出来，实在是受不了这些恶心的昆虫。 “说起来，”我尽量以轻松的语气道。“我一直认为有一天世界会被昆虫统治，只是想不到它们竟然变得这么大只。” “一群蟑螂。”乔安娜语带厌恶地道。 “恶心死了。早知道我有机会的时候就该多踩死几只。”她拿打火机对着最近的昆虫挥舞两下，那些虫立刻后退几步。它们一定是怕火，虽然这小小的火苗根本不具威胁，但是怕火仍是它们的本能反应。或许我们可以利用火光开道，烧出一条生路……我瞄了艾迪一眼，本来只想看看他的身体状况如何，想不到竟然发现他在低声啜泣。这些虫究竟对他做了什么？他可是令人闻风丧胆的剃刀艾迪，刮胡刀之神呀！怎么会沦落到被一群虫子给吓成这副德性？I am angry!我突然气到说不出话来。离开这个鬼地方之前，我一定要让这些死虫子付出惨重的代价。 “实在是……太恶心了。”乔安娜说。“这里是真正危险的所在，自然界最原始残暴的一面。” “说得不错。”一个极为耳熟，愉快又自信满满的声音传来。我当即转身，发现眼前多了一块没有昆虫的空地，声音的主人就站在其中。此人人称“收藏家”，跟我认识很久，不过算不上是熟人。印象中收藏家树敌无数，就是没有半个朋友。他身穿“怒吼时代”中帮派份子的服装，从鞋子上的小白斑到背心上的花纹图案以及帽子上的褶痕，种种细节一应俱全。只可惜他的身材对这套服装来说起码过胖三十磅，肚子隆起到连背心的扣子都扣不上。跟往常一样，他浑身上下散发出一种虚假的气质，仿佛脸上带了数不清的假面具一般。他的脸色红润异常，两眼闪闪发光，笑容毫不真诚。这些特质可说是一路走来，始终如一。他身边绽放着温暖的黄色光芒，看不出源自何处，不过对于驱赶昆虫极具功效。 “你在这里做什么，收藏家？”我说。“还有这套俗不可耐的衣服又是从哪偷来的？” “这衣服挺好的，不是吗？”收藏家得意地说。“这是艾尔·卡彭本人穿过的西装喔，我可是趁他不注意时从衣橱里拿来的呢。反正他还有二十套一模一样的西装，根本不会在意。我甚至还弄了一份卡彭专用裁缝师所开的证明。”他满脸笑容地看了看四周，丝毫不被昆虫困扰。“我们可真是在个奇怪的地方巧遇啦，是不是，约翰？” “你认识这个人？”乔安娜语气不悦地问道。 “这位是收藏家。”我介绍道。“他能弄到任何你想得到的东西，就算看守再严密也不成问题。任何堪称稀有的物品都在他的收藏之列，因为他对独一无二的东西情有独钟，并且十分享受寻找过程所带来的快感。据说他所收藏的宝藏已经多到数不清的地步。他是个收藏家、是个盗贼、是个小人、是个骗徒，而且还极有可能是夜城之中最丧尽天良的人。看上眼的东西，他一定要弄到手，完全不管丢了东西的主人会多伤心。我认识很多收藏家都愿意放弃所有珍藏，只为了能到他的秘密藏宝库一游。最近好吗，收藏家？找到那颗凤凰蛋了没？” 他耸耸肩：“很难说，要等它孵出来才知道。”接着一脸虚假地转向乔安娜微笑：“请不要相信所有关于我的传言，亲爱的。那只是一般人对我的误解。” “不，没人误解你。”我说。“你在历史上的形象就是个好管闲事又嗜钱如命的盗墓人。考古学家都拿你的名字去吓小孩。只要能达到目的，你不借伤害任何人。” “我是怕那些东西消失在历史的迷雾之中，所以才弄来亲自收藏。”收藏家一派坦然地说。“改天我会在夜城开一家博物馆，让所有人都能欣赏我的宝藏……只不过现在忌妒我的竞争者太多，要是公开的话一定很快就会被偷个精光。” “你来这里做什么，收藏家？”我问。“这里应该没有剩下什么让你感兴趣的宝贝才对吧？” “你实在太不识货了，约翰。”收藏家伤心地摇头道。“就算进了宝山也会空手而回。张开眼睛看看吧。这里到处都是不曾在我们年代中出现过的昆虫啊。它们是独特的变种，其他地方找不到的。随便抓个几只回去都会让一堆专门收集昆虫的收藏家羡慕到尿出血来，更别提它们在拍卖场里可以飙到什么样的天价了。这年头时光旅行可是越来越贵了呢。” “时光旅行？”乔安娜当即问道。“你有时光机？” “才不是那种不入流的东西。”收藏家说。“不过我倒是有一套洛可可风格的机械珍藏……不是啦，我凭借的是本身的天赋。夜城里有许多人都有天赋。就像约翰专门找东西，艾迪则以没人看得见的剃刀杀人……我的天赋就是能在时间之中来去自如。靠着这项天赋可让我弄到不少珍贵的宝物呢。顺便回答你下一个问题。不！我时光旅行是不带乘客的。你们又是怎么跑到这来的，约翰？” “时间裂缝。”我说。“我正在前往边界的路上，但是这些虫却跑出来挡路。你是从哪个时间点来的，收藏家？” “是在你刚离开夜城的时候。”收藏家说。“你离开得很匆忙，还发誓永远不再踏足夜城。不过看来你毕竟还是回来了？” “我是在那五年之后回来的。”我说。“人是回来了，但心情还是一样糟。” “我并不感到惊讶。”收藏家一边说着一边开心地环顾四周。“啊，这么多美丽的昆虫，真不知道该从何下手。我迫不及待要把它们带回宝库，然后一只一只钉到展示板上呢。” 乔安娜讽刺道：“希望你带来的毒瓶够大。” 四周的昆虫开始鼓噪，所有的触角都出现烦乱的征兆。我决定直接问重点。“收藏家，艾迪说如今距离我的年代只有八十二年，然而这里的所有都已经毁灭，你知道究竟出了什么事吗？” 收藏家一脸无辜地摊了摊手道：“未来不是只有一个，时间并非单线前进。这个未来只是其中一个可能而已。如果这样说你会好过一点的话，这样的未来是可以避免的。” “你熟知这个未来，不然不会任由天赋引领至此。”我说。“你知道这些昆虫的存在。回答我的问题，收藏家。不要逼我对你动粗。” 收藏家脸上依然带着那种让人看了就难受的笑容：“现在可轮不到你来威胁我呀，约翰。事实上，你根本连自己陷入了什么危险都不知道呢。没错，我在安全距离之外研究过这些昆虫，知道它们何以对人类这么感兴趣。我甚至知道它们为什么还不动手解决你们。很抱歉地说，那绝不是什么令人愉快的原因，不过昆虫就是这样了。它们的心智十分简单，不会害怕，没有情绪，甚至没有任何感觉。它们唯一关心的只是生存而已。我一直十分敬佩它们的冷酷无情，以及单纯又不妥协的天性。” “你一直是个怪人。”我说，“说重点。”看来四周的昆虫似乎有开始逼近的趋势。 “你从来不懂得要观察。”收藏家说。“昆虫会在宿主体内产卵，非昆虫的宿主。卵在宿主体内孵化成幼虫，然后一路吃着宿主的血肉成长，最后破体而出。这对宿主来说当然是不太舒服，不过……昆虫天生就是这样冷血无情呀。然而，这个未来里面唯一还没灭绝的物种只剩下昆虫，所以它们唯一能够赖以繁殖的宿主只有……你身旁的那个可怜人了。八十二年来，永生不死的剃刀艾迪一直为所有昆虫担任宿主的角色。进去的时候是卵，出来的时候是虫，昆虫一族就是靠着他才能存活下来的。当然对可怜的艾迪来说被生吃活剥实在不是什么愉快的经验，不过……反正我从来都不喜欢他。” 我没有转头去看艾迪。如果他真是因为我的关系才受到这种折磨的话，我当真是没脸见他。我终于知道为什么昆虫会把他囚禁在巨茧之中，因为它们不敢让艾迪找到任何自杀的机会。我快气炸了……要是我身材够大的话，一定要把全世界的昆虫通通踩死才甘心。 “如今你出现了，约翰。”收藏家说。“你跟这位女士。全新的宿主，更多的幼虫。我猜你们不可能跟艾迪一样撑那么久，不过它们一定会好好善用你们的。当然我有办法帮你们逃走……不过再想想，我从来也不曾喜欢过你呀，约翰。” 突然之间，剃刀艾迪失声尖叫，整个身体剧烈扭曲，全身上下抖动不已。我抓着他的肩膀试图帮他减轻痛楚，但他痉挛得太过厉害，根本抓之不住。他在地上翻滚，咬紧牙关拒绝继续惨叫，然而双眼却不由自主地洒出泪水。我跪在他的身旁，心中大概知道出了什么事情。当成千上万的幼虫自他体内破体而出的时候，我并没有后退半步。这群幼虫又黑又黏又软，但是牙齿却有如刀片一般锐利。它们爬满艾迪全身，甚至从双眼之中冒出，咬得他衣衫湿透、血肉模糊。乔安娜跌倒在地大吐特吐，不过还记得顾好手中的打火机。我愤怒地抓起一把幼虫在手中捏碎，任凭其内脏顺着手臂流下。只可惜它们的数量实在太多，捏死再多也于事无补。 “我要怎样才能帮你，艾迪？”我绝望地问，但他根本没听见。 “你能帮的只有一件事。”收藏家理性地说。“杀了他，帮他解脱。只可惜你办不到，因为他是独一无二的剃刀艾迪，一个永生不死之人。好好看着他吧，约翰。等那支打火机的瓦斯烧完就轮到你们了……艾迪就是你跟她的榜样，就看这些虫有办法让你们活多久啰……” 我把他的话放到一边，专心施展天赋。如果世界上真的有东西能够杀死艾迪，我的天赋就一定有办法找出来。我很快就找到了，因为答案十分明显，世界上唯一杀得死艾迪的东西就是他自己的剃刀，那把从来没有人见过的武器。我心知剃刀不在艾迪触手可及之处，不然他早已杀了自己。不过昆虫也不可能夺走剃刀，因为艾迪所签的契约将自己跟那把刀羁绊在一起，除了上帝之外没有任何力量能将两者分开。我强化天赋的力量，找出了剃刀的所在。可以藏匿剃刀又不让艾迪拿到的地方只有一个，那就是艾迪自己的身体里面，在他的肠子之中。 我想也不想就把艾迪压倒在地，一手插入他腹中的伤口，用力扯开，在肠子之中摸索，丝毫不理会不绝于耳的惨叫声。乔安娜吓呆了，但是又无法转头不看。我整条手臂都进入艾迪体内，这才终于抓到剃刀的珍珠刀柄。当我拔出手臂的时候，艾迪发出令我永生难忘的惨叫声。剃刀上鲜血淋漓，一点一滴地自我手中流下。艾迪倒在地上，无力地抖动，无声地呻吟。我拉出刀身，将刀锋对准艾迪的喉咙，冀求能从他眼中看见一丝感激的神情。 “再见了，艾迪。”我轻声道。“对不起。相信我，我绝不会让这一切发生。” “真是感人肺腑啊。”收藏家说。“但是你根本没有考虑清楚，对吧？”我不用看也知道这家伙十分享受这场好戏。“你看，如果你消灭了昆虫唯一的宿主，而且找到方法跟这女人一起逃脱这个未来，那就等于是宣告地球上的所有物种通通灭绝。你真的要背负这种罪名，消灭地球上仅存的生命吗？” “废话。”我说着一刀对准艾迪喉咙割下。为了确定艾迪必死无疑，我一路划开血肉，直到刀锋触及脊椎为止。鲜血四溅，喷湿我俩身上的衣服，也洗净附近地上的尘土。艾迪两眼眨都不眨一下，静静躺在地上，慢慢接受死亡。我将他的身躯拥入怀中，以自己的双眼代他流下泪水。因为不管我们两人有多么不同，他始终把我当作朋友。最后，所有生命迹象通通离他而去，剃刀也在我手中缓缓消逝。我放下他的尸体，然后吃力地站起身来。收藏家目瞪口呆地看着我。 “我讨厌恶心的昆虫。”我说。 昆虫群中突然传出一声尖叫，瞬间充斥整个紫色夜空。它们终于了解我的行为将会为它们带来什么后果了。越来越多虫发现出了什么事，越来越多的虫加入尖叫的行列，到最后似乎整个城市都在哭喊一般。我的嘴角扬起多年不见的笑容，一种邪恶的微笑。收藏家一看到这个笑容，当场吓得后退一步。昆虫自四面八方向我们涌来，火光几乎无法阻挡它们。除非它们有办法妥善利用我跟乔安娜的肉体，否则我刚刚等于是将它们所有的后代尽数谋杀。我再度感应远方边界的距离，大约十到十五分钟左右的路程，端看我们能跑多快，只要打火机的火不熄掉就行了。 收藏家突然大叫，原来他脚下的地面开了好几个大洞。地底下的虫不怕他身上的光芒，此刻终于挖到他的脚底破土而出。收藏家不小心一脚跌入虫洞，立刻让巨虫咬上一口，只痛得他杀猪似地惨叫。我跟乔安娜附近的地面也开了好几个大洞，不过我们早已离开原地，举步狂奔。艾迪的尸体就让我们丢下不管。他不再需要照顾了，过度长寿的影响终于浮现，尸体已经开始腐烂了。 我们跑过收藏家的身旁，发现他一边惨叫一边在口袋中猛掏，好不容易掏出了一个金属罐。他将其中的液体洒入脚下的虫洞，地底随之传来一阵吼叫。收藏家爬出虫洞，脚上少了一大块肉，伤口深可见骨。他诅咒几声，眼看附近的洞越开越多，赶紧把罐子里剩下的液体洒在四周。他分心了，身上发出的黄光变得摇摆不定。他像个失望的小孩子一样骂了几句脏话，然后遁入时间之中，当场消失不见。黄光隐去，昆虫纷纷转移目标，对着我跟乔安娜火速追来。 乔安娜此时已经恢复冷静，专心地将打火机举在身前开路，有如拿着十字架驱赶不死怪物一样。我发现火焰似乎比之前小了点，不过并没把这想法说出口。反正要嘛就是有火，不然就是没火，总之多说无益。昆虫到处都是，随时可以追上我们，只是它们依然无法进入火光照耀的范围。有些虫跟狗差不多大小，有些则跟猪差不了多少，管它是哪一种虫，反正我通通讨厌。我们借着火光奔入虫堆，所有的虫都不到最后不肯让路。它们张开血盆大口，看来就跟抓熊用的陷阱没什么两样。我再度偷瞄打火机一眼，对那火焰的大小很不满意。打火机的瓦斯绝对撑不到边界，一旦火熄了，就表示我们也完蛋了。眼看这样下去不是办法，我只好再度召唤天赋，试图找出一条能量之道。 在夜城有许多所谓的能量之道，这些通道对不同的人而言有不同的名称。笃信科学的人称之为牧线，崇尚魔法的人就叫它彩虹桥。普通人看不见这种光明大道，只有像我这种心眼通天的人物才能使它们现形。这种路乃是有形的物质与无形的能量合而为一的存在，据说只要你够胆子行走其上，就有可能实现心中最深沉的愿望。 幸好即使到了如此荒凉的年代，能量之道依然存在。我锁定了一条通往边境的能量之道，以心灵力量将之化作实体，带入物质境界。一条清晰明亮、闪闪发光的道路在我们眼前现形，在这道全新的光源照耀之下，所有昆虫仿佛遭火灼伤一般向两旁跳开。乔安娜跟我手拉着手冲上光道，每一脚踏在路上都溅起一阵闪亮的火花。 然而此刻我已无力可跑了。运用天赋耗力极巨，而我今天用了好多次，并且每次几乎都弄到精疲力竭为止。我开始付出代价了。我的脑袋剧烈抽痛，除了眼前的光道之外看不见任何东西。鼻孔中冒出大量鲜血，流过下巴，滴到地上。我的双脚仿佛已经不属于自己。乔安娜拖着我，凭着一股意志力继续前进。我明知边界越来越近，但感觉上依然远在天边。就像是做着不管如何努力，始终都在原地奔跑的噩梦一般。乔安娜在我耳边大叫，但是我几乎听不见任何声音。昆虫就像邪恶的天罗地网，团团将我们围住，怎么也看不到出路。 尽管身心俱疲，我依然不敢相信自己竟会虚脱无力，跌倒在地。我重重地撞在光道之上，任由许多闪亮的能量窜入体内，然而这些零星的能量并不足以帮我再度站起。我虚耗过度，怎么也爬不起来。无数昆虫挤在光道两旁，瞪大无情的复眼狠狠地看着我。乔安娜试图将我扶起，但是我实在太重了。我翻身平躺，抬头看她。 "Run away." I said. “我只能把你带到这里，剩下得靠你自己了。边界就在前方，我已经开启一道回家的门。去找你女儿，乔安娜。好好对她，就当是对我的一点怀念。” 她手一松，我的手臂当即软绵绵地摔在光道上，一点感觉都没有。 “我不会丢下你。”乔安娜说。 "I can not do it." “你当然做得到。要是我们两个都死在这里，你女儿怎么办？别担心，我不会让它们活捉的，我保证。或许……只要我现在死在这里，这一切就不会发生了。有时候时间就是这么有趣。好了，快逃吧，算我求你。” 她低头看我，脸上突然一片茫然，所有情绪通通消失。或许她是吓呆了，也可能只是在衡量情势。接着她转过身去，看向眼前那个无形的边界。她打算把我留在这里等死，我感觉得出来。我有一点恨她，但又希望她赶快逃走。我一直相信自己总有一天会死在夜城之中，也一直希望自己死时是独自一人，不要连累任何人。但是到了最后，乔安娜还是转回身来，脸上的茫然消失，坚定的表情浮现，再一次以双手抓起我的手臂。 “起来！”她大声道。“可恶，给我站起来，混蛋！我们已经走这么远，哪有在这个时候放弃的道理？我绝不会丢下你不管的，你要是不起来，就是连累我陪你一起死。不要闹了，起来！” “这样啊……”我说，至少我认为自己是这么说的。“既然你都这么说了……” 在两人齐心合力之下，我终于再度站了起来，一跛一跛地在光道上前进。每踏出一步，我都以为会是此生最后一步，但是乔安娜总能帮我挤出力气跨出下一步。她半扶半背地支持着我走下去，嘴里说着安慰的言语，偶尔还搭配几句激励式的咒骂。在所有昆虫的怒吼声中，她就这么一路拖着我来到边界，闯进我所打开的时空缝隙，终于回到属于我们的年代。 我们瘫倒在湿淋淋的街道上，大口喘气，享受着象征城市活力的各种喧嚣噪音。闪亮的霓虹、繁忙的交通，还有人潮，到处都是人潮。满天星斗洒落天际，一轮明月照耀地球。Go home feeling good.我们并肩躺在人行道上，路人绕道而行，全然无视我满身的鲜血。夜城是个人人自扫门前雪的好地方。我静静地看着月亮，默默在心中说着抱歉。很少人有机会预见自己的行为将为未来造成多大的影响；也不太可能知道一旦自己当真搞砸，世界会变成什么模样。我考虑是不是该告诉艾迪我们在那个未来所看见的景象，最后还是决定算了。有些未来还是不要预知比较好，即使对刮胡刀之神来说也不例外。 未来并非既定的，这点我早该知道，因为之前就已经看过不少例子。可是不管既不既定，我就是感到内疚！即使根本不知道自己到底干了什么才导致出那样的未来。 “你不该去追查你妈的下落。”未来艾迪