Chapter 22 Chapter 12 The Uninvited Guest

1 Ever since Mike made those calls, Henry Powers had started hearing voices that had been talking to him all day long.For a while Henry thought those voices were coming from the moon.As he was hoeing in the vegetable garden in the afternoon, he looked up to see a small pale moon in the blue sky.A ghostly moon. Because of this, he believed that the moon was speaking to him.Only the ghostly Moon spoke in ghostly voices--the voices of his friends, the voices of those children who had played in Banron long ago.Those... there was another voice...he didn't dare to say it. Victor.Creevey was the first to speak to him on the moon: They're back, Henry.

It's all back, buddy.They are back in Derry. Then came Beltz.Huggins, speaking to him as if from the back of the moon: You're the only one alive, Henry.You are the only one left among us.You have to kill them for me and Victor.No kid bullied us that much.Oh, one time, I was playing baseball at Turek's house, and Tony Turek said that ball could fly out of Yankee Stadium. He hoeed the ground and looked up at the ghostly moon in the sky.After a while, Fogarty came over and patted the back of his neck, and Henry fell to the ground. "You hoed the peas and the weeds together, stupid pig."

Henry got up and wiped the dust off his face and hair.Before him stood Fogarty, a paunchy guard in a white uniform. "I'm sorry, Mr. Fogarty," said Henry, showing his ragged yellow teeth. "Yes, you'll regret it," said Fogarty. "If I catch you again, you'll regret it, Henry." "Yes, Mr Fogarty." Fogarty turned and left, Henry took the opportunity to look around secretly.They were brought here to hoe as soon as the weather cleared, all the people in the blue ward—the place where patients who were once considered very dangerous, and still were, were kept.In fact, at "Junipine Hill"—a facility for insane criminals—all criminals were considered dangerous.Henry Powers was held here because he was convicted of killing his biological father in the late fall of 1958—a year famous for his murder trials; and 1958 was a remarkable year when it came to murders.

Of course they believed he didn't just kill his father; if it was just for killing his biological father, then Henry wouldn't have spent 20 years in the Augusta State Mental Hospital, most of the time under various restraints.No, it wasn't just his father; he was officially believed to have killed all of his victims, at least most of them. After the verdict was pronounced, the Derry News ran an editorial on its front page entitled "The end of the long night in Derry".Several pieces of evidence are cited in it: Patrick was found in Henry's writing desk.Hoxett's missing belt; a pile of textbooks belonging to Beltz and Victor found missing in his closet; and most hatefully, a murdered girl's shorts were found in the seam of Henry's mattress .

The Derry News declared with outrage that Henry Powers was the dehumanizing killer who plagued Derry in the spring and summer of 1958. But even a fool like Henry knew that the "Long Night in Derry" was never over. People from the police station formed a circle and kept interrogating him, asking him to confess quickly. "There's a lot of angry people out there, Henry," said the detective. "Although there hasn't been a lynching in Derry for a long time, that doesn't mean it can't be." Henry understood that their anxiety was not because they really believed that the citizens of Derry with conscience would break into the police station, take him, and hang him in an apple tree; but because they wanted to end that summer of blood and terror. .But Henry didn't let them succeed.He quickly understood that they wanted him to admit everything.Henry didn't care one bit.After the horrors in the sewers, and seeing Beltz and Victor killed first-hand, he doesn't seem to care about anything anymore.

real.Yes, he killed Beltz and Victor.At least it was because of the dark tunnel he led them that they died.Yes, he killed one.Yes, he killed all those who were murdered.If it's not a fact, what does it matter?Someone is always responsible!Perhaps it was for this reason that he was spared death.If he still refuses to confess... He knew what was going on with Patrick's belt.It was one day in April. The two of them won a drinking competition, but later they found out that it was inappropriate, so they threw it on the desk.Those books - oh my god, the three of them spent all day together and forgot about their summer homework.There must have been his books in their closets, too, and the police knew that.

The shorts... no, he didn't know how they got under his mattress. But he thought he knew who—or what—did it. It's best not to say these things. Best not to mention it. So they sent him to Augusta, and finally in 1979, to Juniper Hill.He only got into trouble here once, and it was because those people didn't understand his habits at first, and there was a guy who wanted to turn off Henry's night light.That night light was Henry's protector after the sun went down.Without that light, all sorts of things would come out.Neither door locks nor iron nets can stop them, they come lightly like mist.Lots of stuff, talking and laughing...sometimes it gets really tense.Hairy things, slippery things, things with eyes. These were the things that killed Beltz and Victor when the three of them ran after the kids into the tunnel in 1958.

He looked up at the other fellow sufferers from the blue ward, thinking about the different experiences each of them had. Soon those voices came again.But this time it was the voices of others, the voices of the children who brought him to what he was today, from the ghostly moon You can't catch a fat man, Bowers.A voice whispered.Now I'm rich and you're hoeing here.Ha-ha, fool! Bow, Bow, Bowles, stay safe, stay safe!Since you came here, have you read any good, good, good books, books, books?I write, write, write a lot!I have, have, and have money now, and you, you are still imprisoned in Du, Du, Juniper Mountain!Ha-ha, you stupid, mean fellow!

"Shut up." Henry whispered to the quiet voice, the hoe in his hand fluttered, and he picked up the peas and weeds together, sweat rolling down his cheeks like tears. "We could have caught you. We could have." We've got you locked up here, idiot!Another voice rang in my ear.You chased me, but you couldn't catch me, and now I'm rich too!Go away, Bananafoot! "Shut up!" Henry growled in a low voice, swinging the hoe faster. "Shut up!" Henry, do you want to have sex with me?Another voice taunted him.so unlucky!I've slept with every single one of them and I'm a bitch, but now I'm rich too.We are together again.We make love together again.But now even if I let you come, you can't do it.

You can't get that thing hard.Ha-ha, how ridiculous, Henry, you are so ridiculous... Weeds, dust, and peas flew everywhere as he hoeed like mad; and the ghostly voices from the ghostly moon echoed and circled, loudly, above his head.Fogarty ran up to him cursing, but Henry didn't hear it at all, because you couldn't even catch a little nigger like me, could you, because of those ghost voices?Another ghostly voice taunted him.We killed two of your accomplices in that fight!We almost killed you!Ha-ha, fool!Ha ha! Then all the voices came at once, jeering him, questioning, jeering; jeering, questioning, and Henry dropped the hoe and shouted at the ghostly moon.At first he only had rage, but suddenly the moon changed into the face of a clown, a rotten, pale, pockmarked face, black eyes, and a blood-red mouth making an unbearable and pitiful smile.There was no longer fury in Henry's scream, but full of extreme fear.The Joker in Ghost Moon spoke: You must go back, Henry.You must go back and complete this mission.You have to go back to Derry and kill them all.for me.For - at this moment, Fogarty, who was furious, was so angry that he smashed Henry hard with a roll of coins.Henry collapsed to the ground, and the clown's voice repeated with him in the dark vortex: Kill them all, Henry, kill them all, kill them all, kill them all...

2 Henry Powers lay in bed, tossing and turning. As the moon went down, he felt a deep wave of gratitude.The moon at night is less scary and more real.If he saw again the hideous face of the Joker in the sky, over mountains, fields, and woods, he thought he would die of fright. He lay there on his side, staring intently at the night light.The lamps were changed one by one, and Henry counted the years of his captivity by these worn-out night-lights. At 2:04 a.m. on May 30, his night light went out again.He couldn't help but let out a groan of pain.Countess was on duty in the blue ward tonight--Countess was the worst one, worse than Fogarty. Henry listened to the snoring and dreaming all around him one after another, and the low sound of the TV coming through the door leading to the hall.He suddenly heard a voice, and Henry couldn't help shivering, this time the voice didn't come from the moon. Instead, it came from under his bed! Henry recognized the voice immediately.It's Victor.Chris, had his head wrung out 27 years ago in the Derry Underground.The monster created by Frankenstein had its neck broken.Henry saw it all with his own eyes, and later saw the cloudy yellow eyes staring at him.Yes, it was the monster created by Frankenstein that killed Victor and then Beltz, but Victor appeared in front of his eyes. That being the case, now that the voice came again, Henry felt calm and fearless.Even, feel a little relieved. "Henry," Victor said. "Victor!" Henry yelled loudly. "What are you doing down there?" The snoring stopped for a moment.In the hall, Kang Huo turned down the sound of the TV.Henry seemed to see him listening attentively. "You don't have to speak up, Henry," Victor said, "you just think I can hear you too. They can't hear me at all." What do you want, Victor?Henry asked him in his heart. After hearing no reply for a while, Henry thought Victor had left.Outside the door, Counts turned up the volume of the TV again.There was a tearing sound from under the bed, a soft creaking sound from the springs, and a shadow emerged from under the bed, and Victor looked at him with a smile.Henry also smiled at it uneasily.Victor looks a bit like Frankenstein's monster these days, too. There is a scar around the neck, like the mark left by the twisted rope.Henry thought maybe its head had been sewn in there.Gray-green, mysterious eyes seemed to float on a slimy layer. Victor is still the same as when he was 12 years old. "I want what you want," Victor said, "and I want revenge on them." Revenge them, said Henry Powers vaguely. "But first you have to get out of here," Victor said. "You have to go back to Derry. I need you, Henry. We all need you." They won't hurt you.Henry knew in his heart that it was not the old Victor who was talking to him. "If they're half-believing, they can't hurt me," Victor said.But things are not good right now, Henry.Back then we didn't believe they could beat us.But the fat man escaped in Banlun.On the day after watching the movie, that fat man, that stinky mouth, and that bitch also slipped away from us.And that fight, they saved the little nigger—” do not talk!Henry yelled at Victor, with the domineering and tough voice that once dominated the party in the past.Then he drew back, thinking Victor might hurt him—and since Victor was a ghost, of course he could do anything—but Victor just grinned. "If they're still dubious, I can handle them," it said. "But you're alive, Henry. You can kill them whether they believe it or not. Catch them one by one, or catch them all. You can have your revenge." Take revenge on them, Henry repeated the words.Then he looked at Victor suspiciously again.But I can't escape from here, Victor.There is an electrical grid in the window, and Countess is on duty again tonight.He is one of the scariest.Maybe tomorrow night... "Don't worry about that Count." Victor said and stood up.Henry saw that he was still wearing the same pair of jeans he had worn the day he died, covered with grime from the gutter. "I'll deal with Counts." Victor held out his hand. Henry hesitated for a while, and took the hand.He and Victor headed for the door of the blue ward.When he was about to walk to the door, the guy who ate his biological mother's brain suddenly woke up.He stared wide-eyed at Henry's midnight visitor.It was his mother.The top of the head is gone.Scary red eyes stared at him.When grinning, the lipstick is on the big yellow teeth.The guy screamed, "No, Mom! No, Mom! No, Mom!" The TV was turned off immediately, and before anyone else opened their eyes, Counts had already rushed through the door. "Okay, idiot! You're out of your mind again. I've got you covered." "No, Ma! No, Ma! Please, Ma! No, Ma—" Counts rushed in and saw Powers first.His cry froze in the air as he looked to the left.Beside Powers stands a monster in a clown suit.8 feet tall.Silver clothes, a row of orange pompom buttons on the chest, and a pair of ridiculously big shoes on the feet.But the head was not the head of a man or a clown, but the head of a German pinscher that Counts feared most.With blood-red eyes, the big furry mouth was grinning back, revealing sharp white teeth. A roll of coins in his hand rolled to the floor.Counts let out a hysterical scream as the clown lunged at him. "It's time for the circus!" the clown roared, and his white-gloved hand fell on Counts' shoulder. It's just that the hand in the glove feels like a pair of claws. 3 The bastard Beverly married managed to get on a connecting flight to Bangor.The madman finds Beverly's friend Kay.McCall, beat up the woman, and pressed Beverly's whereabouts. Along the way, he read the author's introduction on the back cover of "Black Torrent" over and over again.william.Dunbang, a native of New England.He and his wife Audra.Phillips lives in California.Currently writing a new book.Tom noticed that the paperback edition of Black Torrent was published in 1976.He figured the guy had written several new novels between then and now. Audra Vilips...he's seen her in the movies, hasn't he?He paid little attention to actresses, but if this beautiful baby was exactly what he remembered.He noticed her because she looked like Beverly: long auburn hair, green eyes, plump. He straightened his waist and patted his thigh lightly with the book, trying to forget the pain in his head and mouth.Yes, it must be her.He went to see a movie called "Cemetery Moon" with Beverly.Walking out of the theater, he also said that the actress looked like Beverly. "I don't think so," Beverly said. "I'm taller than her, and she's petite. Her hair is darker than mine, too." That was over.He didn't remember until now. He and his wife, actor Audra.Phillips... Tom had a smattering of psychology, which he had used to keep his wife in check throughout the years of their marriage.Now he feels a kind of wood gnawing at his heart, it's just a feeling.Because Beverly and this Dunbang played together when they were young; and this Dunbang married a wife who was exactly like him, Tom.Logan's wife. What games did they play when they were kids?Postman?Milk bottle? another game? Tom sat patting his thigh with the book, feeling his temples swell and ache. As soon as Tom arrived in Bangor he went to the rental car dealership.The lady there looked nervously at his bruised, bruised and purple face, and told him that there were no more taxis, and I was sorry. Tom bought a paper at the newsstand, turned to the advertising column, and marked three choices.After only two phone calls, I got in touch with a car seller. It's just a mess: the transmission hums, the whole body creaks, the brakes don't work.It doesn't matter.He drove the car to a parking lot and bought a parking space.I drove in, used a screwdriver to remove the license plate of the car next to me, and installed it on the broken car I just bought. At 10 p.m., he was driving east on Route 2 with a map of Maine on the seat next to him.The radio in the car didn't work, so he drove quietly. It doesn't matter, anyway, he has a lot of things to think about.For example, when he catches Beverly, how should he torture her. He was sure, sure, that Beverly would be found soon. smokes. Oh dear, talk to Tom.You picked the wrong guy when Luo Bao was sleeping.The question is this - what is to be done with you? The battered Ford struggled through the night.Near Newport, he found a grocery store that was still open and bought a pack of cigarettes. He threw the cigarette on the seat next to him and drove on.He drove slowly along Highway 7, looking for a fork.Yes, it is Highway 3.The road sign reads: Derry 15 km. He turned the corner and picked up speed.Glancing at the pack of cigarettes, he smiled smugly.In the dim light of the car, his scarred face looked strange and terrifying. Bought you cigarettes, Beverly, Tom thought.Oh dear, the whole box is for you.When I catch you, honey, I'll make you fucking eat them one by one.If that Dunbang wants to try it too, I'll arrange it for him.No problem, Beverly.No problem at all. Tom felt much better for the first time since the whore slipped away after beating him off his guard. 4 Audra Dunbon flew to Maine on a British Airways flight.She was lucky to find out that British Airways Flight 23 from London to Los Angeles was stopping at Bangor International Airport to refuel. That day was like a nightmare. "Penthouse" producer Freddie.Firestone was looking for Bill as soon as he got to work.Audra's stunt double caused a storm that day.Seems like stuntmen have a guild too.The stuntwoman had finished her assignments for the week, so her guild was asking Freddie to sign a pay slip or find another replacement.But the problem is that there is no double actress who is more similar to Audra's figure.So Freddie decided to hire an actor to act as a double.But the boss of the guild said that it violated the guild's charter and was suspected of gender discrimination. Freddie was notoriously short-tempered in the film industry.He was so angry that he threw the guild boss out, then went back to the office and thought about it for 20 minutes, and when he came out, he wanted to find Bill.He wanted Bill to rework the scene, leaving out the falling down the stairs.Audra was compelled to tell him that Bill was no longer in England. "What?" Freddy was stunned.He looked at Audra like she was talking crazy. "What did you say?" Audra timidly told him the whole story.She knew Freddie didn't believe her. "So what now?" Freddie asked her, and she could only shake her head. "I could make peace with the guild owner," he said, "but then what? We've got another four weeks of photography and your husband's in Massachusetts—" "Maine—" He waved. "Wherever it is. How do you live without him?" "I" He leans forward. "I like you, Audra. Really. I like Bill too--even with all the mess he's made. We can finish the rest. If the script needs to be rewritten, I'll do it...even if he If he is not satisfied, he can only blame himself. I can live without Bill, but I cannot live without you. I will not let you run back to the United States to find your man, I will let you go all out, can you do it?" "I have no idea." "I don't know either. But I want you to think about it. If you can act like a real actor and do your job, then let's not talk about it for a while, maybe until the filming is completed. But if you put the pick and walk away, I'm not being polite, although I'm not a person who holds grudges. I tell you clearly that if you give up the pick, I guarantee that you will never get mixed up in this circle. I am serious. You don't like this, right?" right. "She said weakly. Actually, she didn't care about anything. There was only Bill in her heart.Freddie is a nice guy, but he doesn't understand emotions; all he cares about is his movies.He didn't meet Bill's eyes... didn't hear Bill's stuttering speech. "Okay." He stood up. "Let's go for a drink together." She shook her head. "I never drink. I'm going home and thinking about it." He stared at her intently, holding the phone in one hand. "I believe you intend to find him," Freddie said, "I'll tell you too, it was a very serious mistake, my girl." His nerves are a little out of whack, but he has solid foundations.He will shake his foundations, but then he will come back.If he wanted you to come with him, he would have told you already. " "I haven't decided anything yet." As she said this, she knew in her heart that she had already decided, even before she came to work this morning. Take care, dear," Freddie reminded her, "don't do anything you regret. " She felt he was pressuring her to give in, to promise, to do her job, to just passively wait for Bill to come back...or disappear into the black hole he had walked out of in the past. She walked over and kissed him on the cheek. "Goodbye, Freddie." Back home, she called British Airways and found out that BA #23 had landed in Bangor, less than 50 miles from Derry. "Is this flight booked for you, ma'am?" Audra closed her eyes, and Freddy's warning sounded in her ears again. Freddie didn't want her to go, Bill didn't want her to go, but why did her heart tell her she had to go?God, I really—"Ma'am? Are you on the phone?" "Definitely." After Audra finished speaking, he hesitated again.Maybe she should sleep for a while, to distance herself from these strange things. "Tomorrow. First class, if possible. But anything." If I change my mind, I can cancel the ticket.Very likely.When I woke up, my mind was clear and everything was clear. However, by this morning nothing was clear. Her heart was still screaming, urging her to get on the road.She had a nightmare all night.So she called Freddie, not because she wanted to, but because she felt she owed him something.She stammered and told him how much she thought Bill needed her, and then she hung up abruptly. He hung up the phone without saying anything. Audra thought that the light click said everything. 5 The plane landed in Bangor at 7:09 a.m. ET.Audra was the passenger who disembarked from the plane.People around her looked at her curiously, probably wondering why she got off the plane here—such a small place.She took a piece of luggage from Tui Yi and went straight to the car rental agency.She was luckier than Tom and got a car from National Car Rental. Fifteen minutes after she realized she had been in America, she started thinking in American terms again.It made her feel ridiculous. She found a map, and the lady at the car rental company helped her find the best route. Ten minutes later, Audra was on the road, reminding herself at every intersection that if she forgot to drive on the left, she would be smashed to pieces. She drove the car, realizing that she had never been so scared in her life. 6 What a coincidence.Tom booked a room at the Cowra Hotel on Jackson Avenue, and Audra settled at the Holiday Inn.The two motels are right next to each other.A cement walkway separates the two brigades towards the parking lot.The cars of the two happened to be head-to-head and parked together. 7 Henry has been hiding all day.Sometimes I slept for a while, sometimes I lay there and watched the police cars drive by. While the losers were eating lunch, Henry was listening to voices from the moon. After dark, he was standing on the side of the road, ready to hitch a ride. Not long after, an idiot drove over and let him get in the car. March 17, 1985 The fire that broke out in the "Black Point" bar in late autumn of 1930. I am sure that the fire - the one my father narrowly escaped with - ended a cycle of murders and disappearances in 1929-1930; the previous cycle.It seems like every cycle needs an unholy sacrifice to quiet that terrible power in Derry...letting it sleep for another 25 years or so. But if every cycle requires a sacrifice to end, that cycle seems to require some sort of event to start. So I started tracking the "Bradley Gang" incident. They were executed at the junction of Canal, Mayth, and Kansas Avenues—not too far from the place in the photo that Bill and Richie saw on that day in June 1958—in October 1929, that is, Thirteen months before the "black spot" fire... not long after the stock market crash. As for the Black Spot fire, many Derry residents do not remember what happened that day. They either said they were out of town to visit relatives; The police department log shows that Sergeant Sullivan wasn't even in town that day; but a reference book on gangs has a picture of a grinning man standing over the sieved Al Bradley next to the dead body.If that man wasn't Sheriff Sullivan, it must be his twin brother. Finally, I learned the whole story from Mr. Kenny. Norbert Kenny, owner of the Center Street Drug Store from 1925 to 1975.He would love to chat with me; but with Betty.Like Lipser's father, he asked me to turn off the tape recorder before he told the story. "There's no reason not to tell you," he said. "No one will publish it, and if it does, no one will believe it." He held an old-fashioned medicine jar in front of me. "Would you like a licorice candy? I remember you were always interested in red, Mike." I took one. "Was Sheriff Sullivan there that day?" Mr. Kenny laughed, and he took a licorice drop too. "You want to know, don't you?" "I want to know." I chewed on the licorice candy.I remember pushing a few pennies over the counter to Mr. Kenny to buy licorice candy once when I was a child, but I haven't had it since.It's still as sweet as ever. "You were too young to remember when Bobby Thomson hit that home run in the playoffs in 1951," Mr. Kenny said. "You were about 4 years old at the time, and a few years later someone published an article in the newspaper commenting on that baseball game, saying that there were about a million people in New York who claimed to be watching the game that day." Mr. Kenny carefully wiped the corners of his mouth with a handkerchief Drooling.We sat in the office behind the drugstore; although Norbert Kenny was 80 years old and had been retired for 10 years, he still kept his grandson's books. "But it's the opposite about the Bradley Gang!" he exclaimed.He smiled, but it wasn't a pleasant smile—it was a nostalgic, cold smile, slightly cynical. "There were about 20,000 people living in Derry at the time. Main and Canal streets had only been paved for four years, and Kansas Avenue was still a dirt road. It was dusty in the summer and muddy everywhere in March or October. Every year The mayor would talk about paving Kansas Avenue, but it wasn't paved until 1942. It... where did I get?" "There were twenty thousand people living in the town at that time," I went on. "Oh, yes. Of those 20,000, maybe half are dead by now, maybe more—50 years is a long time. Derry people often die young. That may be a fashion. But stay I don't think you can find 12 people who would say they were in Derry the day the 'Bradley gang' happened. I guess Butts the butcher. Lowden might have said something frankly - when he sold the butcher There's a picture on the wall of the 'Bradley Gang' car that's too rotten to be called a car. Charlotte Rietfield, if you like, maybe Will tell you a thing or two; she's a middle school teacher now, and even though she was only 10 or 12 at the time, I'm sure she remembers a lot. And Karl. Snow... Aubrey. Stansey... Text. Stan Mnell... and the painter who drank all night at the 'Wonley' - I think his name was Pickmans - they'll all remember. They were all there that day..." He looked down at the licorice jar in his hand.I wanted to slap him and tell him to go on, but I held back. Finally he added: "Most of the rest of the people lie. Like people claiming they saw Bobby Thompson hit that home run. But New Yorkers lie that way because they want to be there; and Derry people lie because they wish they weren't there when it happened. Do you know what I mean, boy?" I nod. "Do you still want to hear it?" Mr. Kenny asked me. "You look nervous, Mr. Mike." "I didn't," I said. "I think I've been fine." "All right," said Mr. Kenny kindly. "The sheriff was there that day. He was going to go birding, but he changed his mind right away when Lar Menken told him Al Bradley was coming that afternoon." "How did Menken know?" I asked. "That story was instructive," said Mr. Kenny, with that cynical smile on his face again. "Bradley was never the FIA's top pick, but they've tried to get him—since around 1928. I guess they wanted to show they didn't make a living. Al Bradley and his brother George were in The Midwest hit half a dozen banks and then kidnapped a banker for ransom, and the ransom ended up being paid $30,000, which was a lot of money at the time—but they killed the hostages anyway. "After that, the Midwest came after them, and Al and George's gang fled northeast, toward us. "It was the rainy season in 1929, maybe July, maybe August, maybe even early September... I forget the exact date. There were 8 of them - Al Bradley, George Bradley , Joe Conklin and his brother Carl, an Irishman nicknamed 'The Creeping Christ', Arthur Malovin, because he was nearsighted, but he wore glasses only when absolutely necessary, handsome but the murderous Chicagoan Pantric Candy; and two other women: Katie Donathy, George's wife; and Mary Hauser, Candie's mistress, but everyone has share. "They think they're safe out of Indiana. But they're wrong here, boy. "They lurked for a while, and then they were ready to attack. They had a lot of guns and a little bit of ammunition, so they came to the town of Derry in two cars on October 7th. Patrick Candie took two women to visit. store, and the rest walked into Menken's Sporting Goods Store. "Lal Menken was alone. He died in 1959. He was too fat, always too fat - but there was nothing wrong with his eyes. As soon as they walked in, he recognized Al immediately. Bradley. He thought he recognized the others, but he didn't recognize him until Maggie put on his glasses and looked at the knives in the container. "Al surprised Ridley walked up to him and said: "We want to buy some ammunition. '"'Okay,' replied Lal Manken, 'you are in the right place.'" "Bradley handed Lal a piece of paper, and Lal looked at it. As far as I know, the paper has been lost, but Lal said looking at it makes the blood run cold. They To buy 500 rounds of 38mm; 800 rounds of 45mm; 60 rounds of 50mm; those are for shotguns. And 1000 rounds each of 22mm short and long; plus 45mm 16,000 rounds of ammunition for the machine gun.” "Shit!" I said. Mr. Kenny smiled and brought the medicine jar again.I shook my head first, and then took another licorice candy. "'That's a lot of money,' said Lal." “'走吧，艾尔。'马洛艾说。'我告诉过你在这个小地方是买不到的。我们去班戈看看吧。那里也许什么也没有，但是我可以走一趟。'”'等等。 '拉尔非常镇静地说。 '这是一笔好买卖，我可不愿失去它。现在我能给你22毫米的，45毫米和50毫米口径的每样我只能提供一百发。其余的……'说到这里，拉尔半闭上眼睛，敲着自己的面颊，仿佛在计算。 '后天才行。what do you think? '“布雷德利咧着嘴笑了，说那样很好。卡尔。康克林仍然坚持到班戈去，但是被否决了。 “'如果你不能按时交货，现在就应该说清楚。'艾尔·布雷德利对拉尔说。'因为我是个很好的人。但是如果你耍我的话，我会发疯的。你懂了吗？'”“'我知道。”拉尔说道。'我会按时全部交货的。您贵姓——'”'雷德'。布雷德利回答。'我叫理查德。雷德。'布雷德利伸出手来；拉尔握住他的手，脸上满是笑容。“非常高兴见到你，雷德先生。”然后布雷德利问拉尔什么时候来提货。拉尔·曼肯说是后天下午两点，他们说那挺好，然后就出去了。他们走出去在人行道上和两个女人还有康迪会面了。拉尔也认出了康迪。” 凯尼先生说完，眼睛闪亮着问我：“那么，你认为拉尔怎么做了？打电话给警察了吗？” “我猜他没有。”我说。“基于发生的情况。如果他打电话的话，我宁愿打断我的腿。” “好了，也许你愿意，也许你不愿意。”凯尼先生的脸上同样是那种似乎嘲讽的微笑。我哆嗦了——因为我知道它意味着什么……他一定明白我知道了。 “也许你愿意，也许你不愿意。”凯尼先生重复着。“但是我可以告诉你，拉尔·曼肯到底子了些什么。此后剩余的时间里，每当有人——某人——进来的时候，他就会告诉他们布雷德利在德里出现了；他认出来了。他还告诉他们，他答应给布雷德利提供弹药；那是一个他要遵守的诺言。” “多少？”我问道。凯尼先生那闪闪发亮的眼睛使我神情恍低突然之间，药店里那浓郁的气味几乎要使我窒息……我屏住了呼吸。 “拉尔结多少人传了话？”凯尼先生问。 I nod. “不能确定。”他说。“我想，是那些他认为可以信任的人。” “那些他可以信任的人。”我沉思了，我的声音变得有些沙哑。 “没错。”凯尼先生说。“德里人，你知道。不是那些'怕老婆'的。”他笑了。 “我在布雷德利一伙拜访拉尔的当天10点左右到了他的体育用品商店。他告诉我那个故事，然后问能帮我什么。我本来是来问我的照片洗好了没有——那时候，拉尔还经营照片冲洗业务——但是当我拿上照片以后，我就说想为我的步枪买些子弹。 “要打些猎物吗？诺伯特？'拉尔～边问我，一边把子弹送了过来。 “'可能得收拾一些害虫'说完，我俩都哈哈地笑了起来。”凯尼先生大笑着，用手拍着自己的瘦腿，好像那是他听过的最有趣的笑话。他身子向前倾，拍了拍我的膝盖。“我的意思是，消息已经传遍了它该去的所有地方，德里是个小镇。你也知道，你只需告诉某个人，你需要传达的就能传到……明白我说的话吗？再来一颗甘草糖？” 我用麻木的手指又捏了一颗。 “会让你发胖的。”凯尼先生咯咯地笑了。那时他看起来是很老了……非常老，眼镜从他的鼻梁滑下，满脸都是皱纹。 “到了那天，我带着我的步枪到了药店。店里的伙计鲍伯。坦纳也带了他的鸟枪。大概一点半的时候，我在药店门口放了一个牌子，上面写着'请稍等，马上回来'。然后拿了我的步枪从后门走到了理查德小巷。我问鲍伯。坦纳是否也一块去。他说他抓完药马上就去，还说让我给他留个活口。 “运河大街上几乎没有车辆也没有行人。只是偶尔有一辆运货卡车经过，也就那么多。在战争纪念碑旁边的长椅上坐着杰克·皮聂特和安迪·克里斯。 “在法院外面的台阶上坐着佩蒂埃。万尼斯、艾尔。内尔和基米·格顿，吃着带来的东西。他们一个个都是全副武装。基米·格顿拿的是一条二战时期的斯朴令费尔德步枪，看起来比他自己还大。 “每个地方都有人，都荷枪实弹，他们或者站在门口，或者坐在台阶上，或者站在窗户旁。” “凯尼先生看着我，也看穿了我。他的眼睛不再尖锐；而是因为回忆显得朦朦胧胧。那种神情只有当一个人回忆起他一生当中最辉煌的时刻时才会出现。” “我记得听到了风声，孩子。”他像是在梦吃。 “我记得听到了风声，还有法院大钟敲响两点的声音。当两点10分的时候，什么事情也没有发生。然后是两点一刻、两点20分。你也许会想人们可能会起身离开，是不是？但是根本不是那回事。人们都坚守原位。因为”因为你们知道他们会来，是不是？ “我问道，”毫无疑问。 " 他目光炯炯地看着我，好像是一位老师对学生的背诵感到满意。 “对了！”他说，“我们知道。根本不必去说。一切都很平静，直到两点25分左右，两辆汽车，一辆红色的，一辆深蓝色的，从阿普枚尔山上疾驶下来，开进了丁字路口。其中一辆是雪佛莱，另一辆是拉萨尔·康克林兄弟，潘特里克·康迪，还有玛莉·霍瑟坐在雪佛莱里；布雷德利兄弟，马洛埃和凯蒂·多纳候坐在拉萨尔里面。 “他们穿过丁字路口，艾尔·布雷德利突然刹住了那辆拉萨尔，后面康迪开的那辆车险些撞了上去。整条街太安静了。布雷德利是一头野兽，4年的躲藏生活使他变得非常警觉。他拉开车门，蹬在踏板上四处张望，然后给康迪做了一个'撤退'的手势。康迪说了一声'什么，老板？'我听得清清楚楚，那也是我们听到那天他们所说的最后的话语。此时从汽车里射出一道光，那是化妆镜反射出来的——玛莉在瑟正在鼻子上抹粉。 “就在此时，拉尔·曼肯和伙计比弗·马龙从他的商店里冲了出来。 “举起手来，布雷德利！你们被包围了！拉尔吼叫着。说时迟，那时快，还没等布雷德利转过头来，拉尔一枪就打中了他的肩膀，鲜血一下就喷了出来。布雷德利拉上车门，发动了汽车；此刻所有的人都开了火。 “枪战持续了4分钟，或者5分钟，但是似乎非常漫长。同时开火的一定有五六十个人。事后从拉尔·曼肯商店的砖墙上挖出了36块弹片，而商店所有的窗户都被震碎了。 “布雷德利把他的拉萨尔轿车转了一个半圆；他的行动并不慢，但是汽车转过头的时候，所有的轮胎已经被打爆了。车前灯被打飞，挡风玻璃也打碎了。坐在后排的马洛埃和乔治·布雷德利每人守着一扇窗户开着手枪。我看见一颗子弹击中了马洛埃的脖子。他又打了两枪，就手臂耷拉着瘫的车窗上了。 “康迪也想掉头，结果撞上了前面的汽车。他们可真的完蛋了，孩子。两辆车挂在了一起，没有办法挣脱了。 “乔·康克林从后座钻出来，双手都拿着手枪，站在路口中间朝杰克·皮聂特和安迪·克里斯开火，两个人从椅子上摔了下来，倒在草地上。安迪·克里斯还不停地叫着'我被打中了！我被打中了'！其实他们俩都毫发不损。 “乔·康克林打光全部子弹，又从腋下掏出一把手枪来狂射。但是有人打中了他的腿部，他倒下了。事后凯尼。博顿说是他打的，但是没办法证明。任何人都有可能。 “康克林的弟弟卡尔刚钻出车门，就被一颗子弹击中头部，重重地倒在地上。 “玛莉·霍瑟也出来了；也许她想投降，我不知道。她尖叫着，但是却很难听得见。她的手里拿着的那个化妆镜被一颗流弹打碎了。她又想回到汽车，但是屁股挨了一枪，她仍然挣扎着爬进了汽车里。 “艾尔·布雷德利又发动了汽车，而且拖着雪佛莱走了大概10英尺，扯断了保险杠，挣脱了后面的车。 “弹雨向他们倾泻过去。布雷德利兄弟俩还活着，乔治在后座开着枪。他的老婆死在他的身边。 “艾尔·布雷德利的汽车拐了个弯停了下来。他跳出汽车，沿着运河大街跑去，结果被子弹打成了筛子。 “潘特里克·康迪从那辆雪佛莱轿车钻了出来，看上去好像要投降，然后他从腋下掏出一把手枪开了火。他也许刚打了三枪，就倒在了汽车旁。 “此时那个叫霍瑟的女人又出来了；这回她毫无疑问想投降——她高举着双手。也许没有人真的想杀死他，可又是一排交叉火力，她也倒了下去。 “乔治·布雷德利几乎跑到了战争纪念碑旁的长椅附近，但是一颗子弹掀翻了他的后脑勺。” 几乎没有意识到我在做什么，我又从药罐里拿了一颗甘草糖。 “他们继续向那两辆汽车开枪大概持续了一分钟。”凯尼先生说。 “人们头脑一发热可不容易平息下来。我向四周望了望，发现苏利文治安官和内尔他们一起躲在法院的台阶后面。不要听信有人所言说他不在那里；诺伯特·凯尼就坐在你前面，跟你说实话。 “等火力停下来，那些汽车已经变成了一堆废物。人们开始走过去。没有人说话。你能听见的只是风声和双脚踩在碎玻璃上的声音。 然后开始拍照了。你也知道，孩子，拍照一开始，故事就结束了。 " 凯尼先生摇晃着椅子看着我。 “《德里新闻》的报道不是那样。”那是我惟一能想起的话。那天报纸的标题是《州警察、联邦调查局击毙布雷德利帮》；副标题是《当地警方提供支援》。 “当然不是了，”凯尼先生笑着说，“我亲眼看见出版人马克·朗林把两颗子弹打在了乔·康克林的身上。” “上帝。”我嘟哝着说。 “吃够甘草糖了吗？孩子。” “足够了。”我说着，舔了舔嘴唇。“凯尼先生，那么大的事情是……如何……被掩盖的呢？” “根本就没掩盖。”他的脸上流露出吃惊的神色。“只不过没有人谈论而已。说实话，谁管呢？那天总统又没有到场。只不过是射杀几条疯狗而已；如果给他们半点机会，他们就会反咬一口。” “但是那些女人呢？” “几个婊子。”他冷漠地说。“除此而外，这是德里，不是纽约或者芝加哥。洛杉肌发生地地震死上12个人就能成为报纸头条新闻，而在中东一个人杀了3000人也无人问津。” 除此而外，这是德里。 这句话简单太自然了，好像任何人都应该明白。 当然，最糟糕的是我确实明白了。 我又问了凯尼先生一个问题。 “那天当射击开始时，你见没见过任何你不认识的人？” 凯尼先生的回答让我的体温立即下降了10度。“小丑？你说的是？你怎么知道的，孩子？” “哦，我在某处听说过。”我说。 “我只是瞥了一眼。我瞅见他站在一个首饰店的帐篷下面。”凯尼先生说：“他穿的并不是小丑的服装。他穿着棉衬衣，上面套着农民常穿的油套。但是他的脸上涂着白色的油彩，还画着一个红色的笑容。他还戴着假发，你知道，橘黄色的。有点可笑。” “拉尔·曼肯从来没看见那个人，但是比弗见过；只是比弗非常困惑，因为他看见那个小丑就在左边一幢公寓的窗户里。一次我问基米·格顿——他死于珍珠港战役——他说他看见那人就在战争纪念碑的后面。” 凯尼先生摇着头，笑了笑。 “听起来很有趣，而事后他们想起来的东西更有趣。你可能听到16个不同的故事，而其中没有两个会重合。以那个小丑所拿的枪为例——” “枪？”我问道，“他也射击了吗？” “没错，”凯尼先生说，“我瞥了一眼，觉得那是一支温彻斯特式的步枪；后来我才想到我那么认为是因为我自己拿的就是那样的枪。 比弗·马龙想那个人拿了一支雷明顿式枪，因为比弗拿的也是同样的枪；当我问基米的时候，他说那人用的是老式的斯朴令费尔德步枪，就和他的一样。好笑吧？Ok? " “好笑。”我应付着说，“凯尼先生……难道你们就不纳闷，那个小丑究竟在做什么？特别是他还戴着农民才穿的袖套？” “当然纳闷了。”凯尼先生说。“那不是什么大事，你也明白，但是我们确实纳闷。大多数人猜那人一定想参加却又怕人认出来。也许是一个镇理事会成员，也许是个医生或者律师。如果我的父亲那副打扮我也认不出来的。” He laughed again. 我问他有什么可笑的。 “有可能是一个真正的小丑。”他说道。“在二三十年代，农村集市比现在来得早，就在布雷德利帮来到的时候，集市刚刚开始了。在农村集市上有小丑。也许其中的一个听说我们要狂欢一下，于是就赶来凑个热闹。” 他朝我干笑着。“我几乎讲完了。但是既然你这么感兴趣，而且听得这么认真，我再告诉你一件事，那是16年以后我们在班戈喝酒的时候比弗·马龙说的。他说那个小丑的身子从那个窗户里伸了出来；伸得那么远，比弗简直都不敢相信他竟然掉不下去。不仅是他的头、肩膀和手臂伸在窗外，比弗说那人的两膝都伸了出来，悬在空中，脸上画着红色的笑容，朝布雷德利他们开火。比弗说，那人简直就像一个杰克灯笼，让人感到害怕。” “就像是在飘浮。”我说。 “没错。”凯尼先生表示同意。“比弗说还有其他的东西，此后几周都困拢着他，但是就是想不起来。最后就在一天夜里他起来小便时，他突然想到那天下午两点25分当枪战开始的时候，阳光灿烂——但是那个小丑竟然没有影子。一点影子也没有。”