Chapter 24 Chapter Twenty Two

"Shh, don't move." I didn't move, I just shook my head and twisted to the rhythm of the traffic.The locomotive whistle whimpered, which sounded far away, but somehow overwhelmed the roar in my ears and got into my ears.My whole body seemed to be dead. Something wet and cool touched my forehead.I opened my eyelids, only to see the colorful and changeable shapes in front of me.Four hazy arms passed in front of me, and then condensed into a small limb.I gagged, my lips parted involuntarily, I turned my head away but didn't spit out. "Eyes closed. Lie still," Walter said.

"Hmm." I murmured, letting my head hang aside, the wet cloth slipping off.Moments later, the wet cloth was placed back on my forehead. "You got a hard knock, glad you made it through." "He's awake? Hey, Jacob, are you okay?" Lao Luo said. I felt as if ascending from a deep mine shaft, and for a while I couldn't tell which was which.It seemed that I was on my bed and the train was moving, but how did I get back to my room?How did you fall asleep? Malena! My eyelids fluttered open, and I leaned forward. "Didn't I tell you to lie still?" Walter scolded me.

"Marlena! Where's Marianna?" I gasped and slammed back on the pillow.My brain is churning inside my skull.I think the brain has been beaten loose.It was even more dizzy with my eyes open, so I closed them again.The eyes couldn't see anything, and the darkness inside the skull seemed bigger than my head, as if the skull had been turned inside out. Walter knelt beside me, took the wet cloth off my forehead, dipped it in the water, and wrung it dry.There was a clear and clean sound as the water dripped back into the big bowl, the familiar tinkling sound.The buzzing in his ears began to subside, replaced by a sharp throbbing pain, sweeping across the entire back of his head between the left and right ears.

Walter wiped my face with a damp cloth, touching my forehead, cheeks, and chin, dampening my skin.The tingling sensation of wetness gradually penetrated into the skin, helping me to focus on the world beyond my head. "Where is she? Did August hit her?" "I have no idea." I opened my eyes again, and the things in front of me were very crooked.I struggled to get up on my elbows, and this time Walter didn't push me back on the bunk, but just leaned over, watched my pupils, and said, "Damn, your pupils are not the same size. You think you can drink ?" "Um... yes." I gasped, having trouble coming up with the right words.I know what I'm trying to say, but the conduit that connects my tongue to my brain is probably full of paste.

As Walt walked across the room, a bottle cap fell to the ground with a clang.He came back to me and held a bottle to my lips.It is SARS [SARS: a carbonated drink]. "I'm afraid that's all I have," he lamented. "Damn it." Lao Luo muttered, "Jacob, are you alright?" I wanted to answer, but I only cared about propping myself up and not lying down, and I had no energy left to distract myself. "Walter, is he okay?" Lao Luo's voice was much more worried this time. "Probably," Walter said, setting the root beer bottle on the floor. "Should I sit up and take a look, or lie down a little longer?"

"I have to get Marina back." "Forget it, Jacob, there's nothing you can do right now." "I must go. In case he..." My voice was hoarse, and I couldn't even finish the sentence.Walt helped me sit up. "There's nothing you can do right now." "I can not accept." Walter was furious. "For God's sake, can you listen to my advice just once?" His anger scared me into silence.I shift my knees and lean forward, resting my head on my arms.I feel that my head is so heavy and big, at least as big as my body. "Not to mention the train is moving, you've got a concussion, we're in trouble, big trouble, and the only thing you can do right now is stop trying to poke a hornet's nest. Damn, if you're not knocked out, if you're not Lao Luo is still in our hands, and I will never get in the car tonight."

I stared between my knees, at the bedding, trying to keep my eyes on the largest piece of fabric.The scene in front of me was more stable, and it no longer wobbled around.Every minute that passes, more parts of my brain come back to life. "Listen, we'll get rid of Luo Luo in three days." Walter continued, his voice clear, "we just have to get through as long as we can. That said, we have to be careful not to be plotted against, and not to do anything stupid .” Lao Luo answered, "Get rid of Lao Luo? Is that how you treat me?" Walter scolded: "Yes, that's how I see you now! You should thank us for treating you this way. If we leave now, what do you think they will do to you! Huh?"

There was no answer from the bed. Walter hesitated for a moment, then sighed, "Listen, it's pitiful for Marlena to be beaten, but for God's sake! If we don't make it to Providence, Lao Luo will be screwed. The next three days Well, Malena has to take care of herself. Damn, she's been taking care of herself for four years, I think she can take three more days." "She's pregnant, Walter." "what?" There was a long silence.I look up. Walter frowned and said, "Are you sure?" "That's what she said." He looked into my eyes for a long time.I tried desperately to meet his gaze, but my eyeballs kept slipping away.

"Then we have to be more careful, Jacob, look at me!" "I want to see you!" "We have to get out of the way. If we want to leave alive together, we have to be careful. We have to stand still, not even a single step! Everything has to wait for Lao Luo to be sent away. The sooner you can recognize the facts, the better." There was a sob from the bed.Walter turned his head, "Don't cry! Lao Luo, if they haven't forgiven you, they won't agree to take you home. Or do you prefer the red lampshade?" "I don't know either," he cried.

Walter said to me, "Jacob, look at me, look at me." When I fixed my gaze on him, he continued, "Marlena will handle August, I promise you She can do it. She is the only one who can do it. If she makes a mistake, she will be hated forever. It only takes three more days." "What after three days? Like you keep saying, we have nowhere to go." He looked away angrily, then turned around and said, "Jacob, do you really understand our situation? Sometimes I really doubt it." "Of course I do! I just don't like the way we're going." "I don't like it either, but as I said, you can only take one step at a time. Now, as long as you find a way to live until the day you leave."

Although Walter kept reassuring Luo that his family would welcome him home with open arms, Luo still choked up and blew his nose. When he finally lost consciousness and fell asleep, Walter went to check on him, and then turned off the kerosene lamp.He and Queenie curled up on the corner saddle, and after a few minutes, he started snoring. I leaned up cautiously, constantly trying to see if my body was stable.Once I was fully upright, I tried to take a step forward.I was dizzy, but seemed to be able to keep my feet.I walked a few more steps without issue, so I walked across the room to the trunk. Six minutes later, with Walt's knife in my mouth, I climbed over the roof of the show carriage on all fours. When inside the carriage, the train only sounded slightly rattling, but on the roof, it was a loud roar.The train went through a curve, the carriages twisted and bumped, and I stopped and climbed on the roof rail until the train came to a straight road. Climbing to the end of the car, I hesitated, considering what to do next.Logically, I could climb down the ladder, jump to another car, and walk through car after car until I reached my destination.But I can't afford to risk being seen. so and so. So I stood up, still with the knife in my mouth, crossed my legs and bent my knees, and opened my arms suddenly, as if walking a tightrope. The distance between the two carriages seems to be hundreds of thousands of miles, so far away that there is no limit.I pulled myself together, put my tongue against the bitter blade, and then jumped up, every muscle in my body desperately pushed me forward.I spread my arms and legs wide open, ready to see if I could catch something by chance if I didn't land on the opposite carriage. I landed on the roof, clung to the roof bars, and panted like a dog on the edge of the roof.Something warm dripped from the corner of my mouth.I knelt on the roof rail, reached for the knife in my mouth, and licked the blood from my lips.Then I held the knife in my mouth again, carefully retracting the corners of my mouth. In this way I climbed over five sleeping cars.With every jump, the movement becomes more agile, adding a little more chivalry.After jumping into the sixth car, I have to remind myself to be more cautious. When I arrived in first class, I sat on the roof and assessed my condition.My muscles ached, I was dizzy, and I was out of breath. The train turned another bend.I grabbed the roof rod and looked over at the locomotive.We were driving along the edge of a sprawling knoll towards the viaduct.In the dim light of the sky, I could see the rocky river bank at a depth of nearly twenty meters under the viaduct.The train jolted again, and I made up my mind to go all the way to the forty-eighth car. I still held the knife in my mouth and leaned down.The entertainer's carriage and the leader's carriage are connected by an iron platform, and I only need to fall on it.While my hands were still on the roof, the train shook again, causing my feet to slip aside.I desperately grabbed the roof of the car and didn't let go, my sweaty hands slipped on the connected iron plates. When the train straightened again, I fell onto the iron plank.There was a railing on the platform, and I leaned against it, and after a few moments I regained my strength.I moved my sore and trembling hands and took out the watch from my pocket.It was nearly three o'clock in the morning, and the chance of bumping into someone head-on was slim, but there was no guarantee. The problem was the knife, too long for the pocket and too sharp for the waist.In the end, I wrapped the knife around my coat and tucked it under my arm. Then I brushed my hair, wiped the blood off my lip, and opened the car door. Moonlight shone through the windows, and the aisles were empty.I stood there and looked around.The train is coming to the viaduct.I underestimated the depth of the mountain stream. The train was a full thirty-five meters away from the river bank, facing a vast void.The train wobbled and I was glad I wasn't on the roof. Not long after, I came to the third carriage and stared at the doorknob.I took the knife out of my coat, put it on the ground, and put my coat back on.Then I picked up the knife and stared at the doorknob for another moment. I turned the doorknob and it clicked loudly.I froze on the spot, but still held the doorknob to see if there was any movement inside.After a few seconds, I continued to turn the handle and pushed the door inward. I didn't close the door, for fear that the sound of closing the door would wake him up. If he was lying flat on the bed, a quick knife on his neck would do it.If he's sleeping on his stomach or on his side, I'll just go straight in and keep an eye out for the blade to sever his windpipe.In any case, I'm going to cut him down the throat.I can't be soft, the wound must be deep enough for him to bleed out quickly without screaming. I crept toward the bedroom, the knife clutched, the velvet curtains drawn.I pulled the edge of the drapes back toward me and peered inside.Seeing him sleeping alone on the bed, I breathed a sigh of relief.Malena is safe and sound, probably in the girl's car.In fact, I must have passed over her head on the way here. I got under the curtain and stood by the side of the bed.He sleeps on my side, leaving space for Marina who is not in the room.The curtains of the car windows were not drawn down, and the moonlight came in through the gaps in the trees, making his face flickering. I stare down at him.He wore striped pajamas and had a peaceful, even childlike face.His dark hair was disheveled, and the corners of his mouth were drawn back into a smile.He is dreaming.He moved suddenly, smacked his lips, turned from supine to side, stretched his hand to Marlena's side, patted the empty bed a few times, and then patted her pillow all the way.He grabbed the pillow, hugged it to his chest, hugged the pillow, and buried his face in it. I raised the knife and held the handle with both hands, with the tip half a meter away from his throat.One blow would have killed him.I angled the blade so that it would make the biggest cut with one stroke.There were no more trees outside the car, and a pool of faint moonlight streamed in and reflected on the blade.The blade is shiny, with tiny reflections as I adjust the angle of the blade.August moved again, snoring, and rolled onto his back suddenly, his left arm dropped off the edge of the bed and stopped a few centimeters away from my thigh.The knife is still glowing coldly, still shrouded in the moonlight, and still refracting light.But that's not because I'm adjusting the blade, twenty because my hands are shaking.August opened his jaw, sucked in a deep, unpleasant sound, and smacked his lips.The hand by my thigh relaxes and the fingers of the other hand twitch. I leaned over, carefully placed the knife on Marlena's pillow, and took a few more glances before leaving the car. After the adrenaline wore off, I felt like my head was bigger than my body again.I staggered from the aisle to the end of the carriage. I have to make a decision.I either take the roof again, or continue through the first-class carriages, where there are probably still people awake and gambling, and then through all the sleeping carriages, and then I have to climb on the roof to get back to the show carriage.So, I decided to climb on the roof early. I could hardly bear the torment, and I had a splitting headache, which greatly affected my sense of balance.I climbed onto the railing of the adjacent platform, and climbed onto the roof of the car in a daze.Once on the roof, I slumped on the roof rail, sick and limp.I lay down for ten minutes to catch my breath, continued to crawl forward, rested again at the end of the car, and lay prone between the roof bars, exhausted. Asleep, as soon as the train turns the curve, I'll tumble down. I had ringing in my ears again, and my eyes were rolling wildly.Four times I jumped across the gap between the carriages, and every time I was sure I couldn't jump.The fifth time I almost fell, although I grabbed the thin iron rod, my stomach slammed into the edge of the car, and I just hung there in a daze. I was so exhausted that I thought I should just let go and save trouble.The drowning ghost must have had this kind of thought in the last few seconds, and finally stopped struggling and fell into the embrace of the water.But if I let go, I will not fall into the embrace of water, but will be violently torn apart. I regained my senses suddenly, and hooked my legs there until they hooked on the upper edge of the car roof.Next, leaning over the roof is much easier.A second later, I was gasping again on the roof rod. The train whistle sounded, and I raised my huge head.I'm on top of the show carriage, and I just need to get up to the air vent and jump down.I crawled to and fro to the vent.The vent was open, weird, I remember it was closed when I came out.I leaned over and fell to the ground.One of the horses neighed, snorted, and stomped heavily, not knowing what was annoyed. I turned my head and the car door was open. I was taken aback, and Huo Di turned to look at the door of the room.It is also open. "Walter! Old Luo!" I yelled. There was no movement in the room, only the sound of the door slamming against the wall, echoed by the click of the sleepers under the car. I scrambled up and jumped towards the door.I couldn't straighten my back, I held on to the door frame with one hand, and pressed the other on my thigh, just bent over and scanned the room with my blind eyes.There was a drop of blood in my head, and once again there were only black and white stars in front of my eyes. "Walter! Old Luo!" I can see things gradually, gradually recovering from peripheral to inner peripheral vision.Therefore, I turned my head unconsciously, trying to see the peripheral things.In the room, there is only moonlight coming in through the gaps in the wooden slats.From the moonlight, I could see that there was no one on the bed, no one on the bedding, and no one on the saddle mat in the corner. I staggered to the row of suitcases in front of the back wall, and bent down to look down. "Walter?" I only found Queenie.It shivered all over, curled up in a ball, and looked up at me in horror.I no longer have any doubts in my mind. I sat flopping on the ground, mournful and full of guilt.I pounded the floor hard, shaking my fists at the sky and God.When I finally calmed down and started sobbing uncontrollably, Queenie crawled out from behind the trunk and slipped into my lap.I held its warm body until we both shook in silence. I wanted to believe that Walter couldn't escape death even with a knife.But no matter what, I was the one who made him have no knife to defend himself, and it was I who made him sure to die. I wanted to believe they got away with it.I tried to imagine the two of them rolling off the train into the mossy woodland, cursing bitterly.Why, at this moment, Walter was probably looking for help.He had already placed Lao Luo in a shaded place, and he went to find someone to help him. Well, well, things are not as bad as I thought.I'll go back and find them.In the morning, I will go to bring Malena out, and we will go back to the nearest town and go to the hospital to inquire.Maybe the prison will ask too, in case they are locked up as homeless.It should be easy to figure out where the nearest town is, just a rough estimate—— No, no way, no one is going to throw a crippled old man and a dwarf off a viaduct.Not even August could do that.Even Uncle Allan couldn't do it. In the second half of the night, I was thinking about how to kill them, thinking over and over again in my mind, savoring the idea of ​​killing people, as if I was playing with a smooth stone. The screech of the brakes brought me back to my senses.Before the train stopped, I jumped down onto the gravel and walked towards the sleeping car with big strides. When I saw the first section of the sleeping car that was so dilapidated that it was supposed to be for the workers to sleep in, I stepped on the iron steps and opened the door with all my strength. So big that the door bounced shut again.I opened the door again and strode in. "Earl! Earl! Where are you! Earl!" My voice was hoarse with hatred and anger. I stalk the aisle, peeking at the bunks.None of the surprised faces were Earl's. Next car. "Earl! Are you here?" I stopped and turned to a bewildered man on the bunk: "Where the hell did he die? Is he here?" "You mean Earl, who's in charge of security?" "Yes, that's him, that's right." He flipped his thumb over his shoulder and said, "The second car over there." I made my way across the next car, trying not to step on a human leg protruding from under the bunk, or bump an arm sticking out of the bunk. I slammed the car door open. "Earl! Where did you go? I know you're here!" The people who walked to both sides were startled, and they moved their positions under the covers to see who broke in and yelled.I walked down the aisle and three-quarters of the way down I saw Earl.I pounce on him. "You bastard!" I leaned over and strangled his neck, "How did you do it? How could you?" Earl jumped up from the bunk and pulled my hand aside. "What--wait a minute, Jacob, calm down, what's going on?" "You know what to ask!" I screamed, twisting my forearm, I broke free from his hand and rushed forward again, but I was not allowed to touch him, and he blocked me again. "How did you do it?" I had tears streaming down my cheeks, "How can it be? Aren't you Lao Luo's friend! Is Walt sorry for you?" Earl turned pale and froze, his hands still grasping my wrists.The horror on his face was real, and I couldn't help but stop struggling. We blinked in amazement.A few seconds passed.A frightened buzzing whisper rippled through the carriage. Earl let go and said, "Come with me." We stepped off the train, and as soon as we were about ten meters away from the carriage, he turned to me and said, "They're gone?" I stared at him, searching his face for signs of pretense, but couldn't find it. "right." Earl gasped and closed his eyes.At one point I thought he was going to cry. "Could it be that you don't know anything?" I said. "I know shit! What do you take me for? I wouldn't do that kind of thing. Damn, bah, damn it, poor old guy, wait—" He looked at me suddenly, "You were in where?" "Somewhere else," I said. Earl stares at me for a moment, then drops his gaze to the ground.He put his hands on his hips and sighed, shaking his head and thinking. "Okay, I'll find out how many poor bastards get thrown out of the car. But I tell you, corners never get thrown out, not even a small one. If they drop Walt, they must I will find you. If I were you, I would immediately pat my ass and leave without looking back." "What if I can't get away?" He raised his eyes sharply, moved his jaw from side to side, looked at me for a long time, and finally said: "It's not dangerous to stay in the camp during the day, if you go back to the train tonight, don't go near the performance carriage, hide on the flatbed Over there in the wagon, hide under the wagon if you want to rest. Don't get caught, watch out, wind up, and get out as soon as you can." "I will, don't worry, it's just that there are one or two things that have not been settled, and it can't be done." Earl gave me another meaningful look and said, "I'll see you later." He took a long stride toward the kitchen.People from the Feitian brigade were gathering in groups of three or four to the kitchen, their eyes were rolling and their faces were full of fear. Except for Lao Luo and Walter, eight other people were missing, three of them were from the main train, and the remaining five were from the flying train.In other words, Lao Hei and the others split up and attacked different trains at the same time.The regiment was about to collapse, and the workers probably would have topped the red lampshade, but they would not have dropped the viaduct.The viaduct was used against me. It suddenly occurred to me that at the very moment when my conscience prevented me from killing August, someone followed his orders to kill me. I don't know how he will feel when he wakes up and sees the knife.I hope he understands that despite my initial warning, I am now determined to take his life.This is what I owe everyone who gets thrown off the bus. I've been sneaking around the camp all morning, anxiously looking for Malena.She was nowhere to be seen. Uncle Ailan walked around with his head held high, wearing black and white checkered trousers and a scarlet vest, whoever got in his way would hit him on the head with his palm.He catches a glimpse of me once, then stops abruptly.We face each other, seven meters apart.I stared and stared desperately to pour the resentment in my eyes into my eyes. After a few seconds, his lips were drawn into a sneer, and he turned right and left.His followers followed behind. I watched from afar as the lunch flag was hoisted in the kitchen.Malena was there, in her go-to clothes, queuing up for food.She scanned the diners and I knew she was looking for me.I hope she knows I'm fine, she's just sitting down when August appears out of nowhere.Sit down with her face to face.He didn't take the food, and after saying something, he stretched out his hand and grabbed Marlena's wrist.She draws her arms back, causing the coffee to spill out.Those near them eyed them sideways.August let go, stood up abruptly, and the bench tipped back onto the grass.He dashes out.As soon as he left, I went straight to the kitchen. Marlena looked up and saw me, her face drained of color. "Jacob!" she gasped. I flattened the bench on the ground and sat down next to each other. "Did he hurt you? Are you okay?" I said. "I'm fine, how about you? I heard—" Her words caught in her throat, and she covered her mouth with her hand. "We're leaving today. I'll keep an eye on you, go as soon as you get the chance, and I'll follow." She looked at me, pale. "What about Walt and Lao Luo?" "Let's go back and have a look." "Give me two hours." "what are you going to do?" Uncle Ailan was standing on the edge of the kitchen, holding his hand in mid-air to beat the torreya. Earl appeared from the other side of the kitchen. "We have some money in the room, and I'll go in and get it while he's away," she said. "No, it's not worth the risk," I said. "I will be careful." "no!" "Okay, Jacob." Earl grabbed my upper arm. "Boss wants you to go." "Wait a minute, Earl," I said. He sighed heavily. "Okay, you're going to struggle for a while, but only for a few seconds, and then I have to take you out." "Marlena, you have to swear that you won't go back to your room." I said urgently. "I must go back. Half of the money is mine. If I don't take it, we will both be penniless." I broke away from Earl's hand and stood facing him, or should I say facing his chest. "Tell me where it is and I'll get it," I said roughly, poking my finger in Earl's chest. "Under the seat by the window." Marina whispered eagerly, stood up and walked to the side of the table, and came to me, "Pull the cushion off, it's in the coffee can, but I'll get it, probably It's more convenient than you—” "Okay, I gotta get you out," Earl said, turning me around and clasping my arms behind my back.He pushed me forward so I was in a stooped position. I turned to Malena: "I'll get it. Stay away from that train, you swear!" I struggled a little, and Earl let me go. "I want you to swear!" I hissed. "I swear," Malena said, "be careful!" "Let go of me, bastard!" I yelled at Earl, pretending of course. He and I insisted on making a big scene and left the kitchen.I don't know if anyone can see that although he is pulling my arm, he hasn't pulled me so much that it hurts.But he threw me over the turf for a full three meters, which was enough to cover up that little flaw. I sneaked out of the corner of my eye all afternoon, dodged behind the door curtain, and hid under the caravan, but I still couldn't avoid people's eyes and ears, and got close to the No. 48 car.Besides, August was nowhere to be seen after lunch, and he was probably in the car.So I continue to bide my time. There is no afternoon show today.At about three o'clock, Uncle Allen stood on a box in the center of the arena and announced to everyone that the performance tonight was the best in everyone's life.He didn't explain what would happen to everyone otherwise, and no one asked him. And so, a makeshift parade was improvised, and then the animals entered the tents, and the candy sellers and other video sellers lined up their booths.The men, women and children who had come with the parade gathered in the arena, and before long Cecil was working on the fools at the front of the vaudeville. I stuck to the top of the animal tent, and tore open the seams of the tent wall to peek inside. I saw August lead Rosie into the tent.He waved his silver-tipped cane over its belly and behind its front legs, threatening it to submit.It obeyed obediently, but its eyes were burning with hostility.August led it to its old seat and chained its legs to the stakes.It glared angrily at August's arched back, with its ears flattened, and then seemed to change its mind, waved its long nose to explore the ground in front of it, found a small piece, picked it up, rolled its long nose inwards and rubbed against it, Try the touch before throwing it into your mouth. Malena's horses were lined up, but she was not in the mantle.The country bumpkins filed into the big tent, and they were almost gone. She should be ready in the animal tent.Come on, come on, where are you- It occurred to me that although she had vowed not to return to their box, she had probably broken her word.Damn, damn, damn.August hasn't got Rosie's chains down yet, but it won't be long before he realizes that Malena isn't in the tent and goes out to find her. Someone pulled my sleeve, I turned around and raised my fist. Grady threw up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Wow buddy, take it easy." I let go of my fist. "I'm just a little nervous." "Yeah, well, it's no wonder." He looked around, "Well, I saw you were thrown out of the kitchen, are you full?" "No." "Then let's go to the cooking tent, come on." "I can't go, I don't have a dime." I was anxious to send him away.I turned and pulled open the seam of the hood.Marina is still not there. "I'll help you pay," Grady said. "It's okay with me, really." I continued to turn my back on him, secretly hoping that he would make sense of it and leave. "Look, we gotta talk about being safer in camp," he said steadily. I turned my head and looked into his eyes. I followed him across the field.The band in the canopy began to play the accompaniment music of the great spectacle. We came to line up in front of the cooking tent.The men behind the counter flipped the hamburger meat with lightning speed, fashioned it into burgers, and handed them out to the small but impatient crowd. It's Grady's and my turn.He held up two fingers, "Two burgers, Sammy, we're not in a hurry." Within seconds, the man behind the counter handed out two tin plates, I took the next, Grady took the other, and handed out a rolled bill. "You get out of the way." The cook waved his hand, "Your money is useless here." "Thanks, Sammy." Grady pocketed the bill. "Thank you very much." He walked over to a rotten wooden table and sat down on a bench, and I sat across from him. "Okay, what do you want to talk to me about?" I said, rubbing my fingers over a burl. Grady looked around intelligently. "A couple of guys who were thrown out last night are coming up again." He picked up the burger and let the juices drip dry, and three drops of oil fell onto the plate. "What, are they here?" I said, straightening up, scanning the venue.There were only two or three kittens in front of the sideshow, probably waiting for someone to take them to Barbara's tent, and the other bumpkins were all in the big tent. "Keep your voice down. That's right, five people are back," Grady said. "Then Walter..." My heart was pounding, and as soon as I said Walter's name, I saw the light in his eyes, and I felt a sense in my heart. "Oh my god," I said, turning my head away, blinking away the tears and swallowing.It took me a while to pull myself together. "How did it happen?" Grady put the burger back on the plate and was silent for five seconds before answering.When he spoke, his tone was very calm, without cadence. "When the train went over the viaduct, they were thrown off, without exception. Old Luo hit his head on a rock and died instantly. Walter's foot broke, and they had to keep him alone." He swallowed. Swallowing, he added, "They think he should have died last night." I stare into the distance.A fly landed on my hand and I waved it away. "What about the others?" "They didn't die. Two of them patted their butts and left, and the others caught up." He moved his eyes left and right, "Bill was one of them." "What are they going to do?" "He didn't tell. But no matter what, they're going to kill Uncle Allan. I'm going to help as much as I can." "Why are you telling me this?" "Give you a chance to escape. You are Lao Luo's friend, and we will not ignore your friendship." He leaned forward, leaning his chest against the edge of the table, and continued to say calmly, "Besides, in my opinion , you can't afford to make mistakes." I raised my eyes abruptly, and he was staring straight into my eyes, with one eyebrow raised. Whoa, man, he got it.Now that he knows, everyone knows.We have to dodge people now, dodge immediately. Suddenly thunderous applause erupted from the canopy, and the band seamlessly played Gounod's waltz.That was the signal for Rosie the Elephant to come on, and I instinctively turned in the direction of the animal tent.Malena was either getting ready to ride the elephant or was already sitting on it. "I have to go," I said. "Sit down and eat your hamburger. If you plan to escape, you may have to wait for the next meal." With his elbows on the rough gray tabletop, he picks up the burger. I stared at my burger, wondering if I could swallow it. I reached for the hamburger, but before I could pick it up, the band stopped noisily.The brass instruments sounded chaotically at the same time, and ended with a hollow cymbal "clang". The sound floated tremblingly from the awning, across the field, and just fell silent. Grady froze on the spot, still bowing his head to the burger. "What's the matter? What happened?" I said. "Don't be noisy," Grady snapped. The music sounded again, and "The Star-Spangled Banner Never Falls" was played. "Ouch God, ouch nasty." Grady jumped up and back, knocking over the bench. "What? What's the matter?" "The catastrophe is walking on the street!" He shouted back, and ran away. All the members of the world's largest circus of the Banzini Brothers rushed to the tent in a hurry.I stood up and stood behind the bench, stunned, not understanding what was going on.I turned sharply to see the fry cook, who was tearing off his apron.I yelled, "What is he talking about?" He twisted the apron over his head to take it off. "This catastrophe is walking on the street, just talking about trouble, big trouble." "What kind of mess?" Someone rushed past me and slapped me on the shoulder.It's Diamond Joe.He raised his voice: "Jacob—something happened to the animal tent, the animal ran away, hurry up, hurry up!" There was no need for him to say more, I started to run, and when I got close, the ground rumbled under my feet, it was not a sound, but a vibration, which scared me out of my wits.The hooves and claws stepped on the dry mud, and the ground shook. I rushed into the curtain of the animal tent, and immediately stuck to the wall of the tent, giving way for the yak to run past.The curving horns are only centimeters from my chest.A frightened hyena clings to the shoulder of a yak, its eyeballs rolling in horror. All the animals ran away in fright.The cages were all open, and the center of the animal tent was blurred. Looking carefully, I recognized chimpanzees, orangutans, llamas, zebras, lions, giraffes, camels, hyenas, and horses inside. In fact, I Dozens of horses were seen, including Marlena's horses, and each one went wild with fright.All kinds of animals turn left and right, run, scream, swing, run wild, growl, and whine.Animals were everywhere, dangling from ropes, staggering up poles, ducking under wagons, clinging to the walls, and slipping through the center of the tent. I scanned the tent for Malena, but saw a big cat slipping into the hallway leading to the tent.It's a leopard.Watching its brisk black body disappear into the canvas corridor, I stood there, waiting for the bumpkins to notice something strange.I waited for several seconds, and the moment finally came.There was a long scream followed by another, and there was a thunderous clamor of everyone scrambling to be the first, pushing and fleeing for their lives.Lord, please let them out from behind the tent.Lord, please don't let them run this way. 在这一片动物怒海中，我瞥见两个人的身影。他们正在抛拉绳索，将动物撩拨得更加惊骇。其中一个人是比尔。他看到我了，和我四目对望片刻，然后和另一个人一道溜进大篷。音乐第二度刺耳地停止，这回始终没重新响起。 我扫视兽篷，急得跳脚。Where are you?Where are you?你到底在哪里？ 我瞥见粉红亮片的闪光，猛地转过头去，原来玛莲娜站在萝西身边，我大叫着松了一口气。 奥古斯特在她们前面。他当然是和她们在一起，不然会在哪？玛莲娜的双手捂着口，还不曾发现我，但萝西看到我了。它意味深长地望着我半晌，神色有些古怪，我不禁怔在那里。奥古斯特什么也没注意到，脸红耳赤，咆哮不已，指天划地，挥打那根银头手杖。他的高帽躺在一边的干草上，扁扁的，仿佛他曾经踩过一脚。 萝西伸出长鼻，要拿某个东西。一只长颈鹿穿过我们之间，在慌乱中长颈子仍然优雅地快速摆动，等它过去，我看到萝西将栓它铁链的铁桩拔起来了，松松握住，桩尖靠在硬泥地上。铁链仍然系在它脚上。它若有所思地望着我，然后将目光移到奥古斯特没戴帽子的后脑勺。 “天哪。”我赫然明白它的心思。我跌跌撞撞向前冲，一匹马从我前面经过，我闪过它的臀部。“不行！不行！” 它高高举起铁桩，仿佛铁桩没有重量似的，干净利落地一下就把他的头劈裂，啵，仿佛敲开一颗水煮蛋。它握住铁桩，直到奥古斯特向前翻倒，然后将铁桩插回地上，动作几近慵懒。它向后退，玛莲娜映入我眼帘，她可能看到了刚刚那一幕，也可能没看见。 几乎就在同时，一群斑马从她们面前跑过去。奥古斯特的躯体在黑白蹄腿间忽隐忽现，上上下下。一只手，一只脚，扭曲弹动，柔若无骨。当马群过去，奥古斯特成了一摊混杂血肉、内脏、干草的玩意儿。 玛莲娜瞪着那一片血肉模糊，双眼圆睁，然后瘫倒在地。萝西扇动耳朵，张开口，侧走过去，用四条腿护住玛莲娜。 尽管四周动物仍然狂奔不歇，起码我知道在自己沿着篷壁摸索过去之前，玛莲娜不会有事。 有人从大篷来到兽篷，试图循原路出去。我跪在玛莲娜身边，手捧着她的头，正在此时，人们从连接大篷和兽篷的甬道出来，挺进了一两公尺才察觉兽篷内的情况。 跑在前面的人没了去路，被后面的人挤得摔倒。若不是他们后面的人也见到动物奔窜，他们肯定会被人群踩在脚下。 动物们忽然变换方向，各种动物全混在一起。狮子、骆马、斑马跟着红毛猩猩、黑猩猩一起跑。一条鬣狗和一只老虎肩并肩。十二匹马和一头脖子挂着一只蜘蛛猴的长颈鹿。北极熊用四肢笨拙地前进。它们全朝着人群冲过去。 人潮调转方向，尖叫着想退回大篷。刚刚被推倒在地的人这会儿挤在人群最后面，慌得直跳脚，捶打面前人的后背和肩膀。障碍霍地排除了，人群和动物一起鬼吼鬼叫地奔逃。很难说究竟谁比较惊骇，所有动物绝对是一心一意只想逃命。一头孟加拉虎硬朝一位太太的双腿之间钻挤，让她双脚离了地。她低头一看，昏了，她丈夫便插着她的胳肢窝，把她搀下虎背，拖她回大篷。 不出几秒，除了我以外，兽篷里只剩下三个存活的生物，就是萝西、玛莲娜和癞皮狮子雷克斯。它爬回了自己的笼舍，蜷缩在角落发抖。 玛莲娜呻吟不已，拉起奥古斯特一只手又放下。我瞟一眼奥古斯特的那摊血肉，决定不能再让她看见我抱起她，从售票门出去。 营地几乎都空了，人和动物奔到外围，形成一个圆圈。大家都卯起来跑远一点，跑快一点，圈子越扩越大，像水塘表面的一圈涟漪，边缘渐渐消散无踪。