Chapter 30 Chapter 19 Contest of Wisdom 2

7 Henry fell heavily to the ground.He snorted, the wound opened, and blood flowed out again; the blood flowed onto the concrete floor, black.Henry stared at it for a while, then raised his head and looked around. Kansas Avenue was quiet, and every house was dark. Here is a drain. A balloon tied to a metal drain bar popped and disappeared in the breeze. Henry covered his stomach with one hand and struggled to stand up.The nigger hurt him, but the nigger hurt more than he did. "Kill them all. Fucking bastards." The world in front of him kept shaking, and Henry only heard the "creaking" sound of springs in his ears.Viktor's head shook constantly on the spring, and his eyebrows, forehead and face were stained with blood.

Henry looked to the left, there was a high fence, and behind the fence stood the Seminary, a Victorian building.Since the last class graduated in 1974, it has become a chattering women's club they call the Derry Historical Society. He stumbled toward its front door.A metal sign hung on the door reading "No Trespassing - Derry Police Order". Henry's foot tripped and he fell hard on the pavement.A car in front is rushing here, and the lights of the car are flooding the street.He squinted and saw the lights on the roof—it was a police car. He quickly crawled under the chain at the door and hid behind the fence.

The police car did not slow down and sped past. Suddenly, its overhead light came on, and the light shone brightly, washing the surrounding darkness. "Caught, I'm caught." Henry's mind was racing...and then he realized the police car had passed him, speeding down Kansas Avenue.Another moment, a sharp sound pierced the night sky, coming towards him from the south; it seemed that a huge black cat was opening its mouth to swallow him. After a long time, Henry gradually realized that it was an ambulance.He lay prone on the wet grass, shivering all over, trying not to vomit.He's afraid that if he vomits, the contents of his stomach will come out...he has to deal with 5 people.

Ambulance and police car.where are they goingOf course the library.nigga there.But you are too late, I have already dealt with him, turn off your alarm.He was out of hearing.But—Henry licked his chapped lips.If he died, there would be no sirens.Unless the nigga called--just, maybe.Maybe he's not dead. "No." Henry gasped.He rolled over and lay on the grass, staring at the sky - it was full of stars.It came from there, he knew, from somewhere in the sky. He closed his eyes, crossed his arms over his stomach, and trembled all over.He was thinking, "The nigger died. Somebody heard the fight and called the police. That's all."

But why another ambulance? "Shut up, shut up!" Henry roared, the anger from the past welling up in his heart again.He just remembered how they beat him over and over again—every time he thought they were his own.He remembered what happened on that last day.When you get kicked in the crotch, you will remember it well.Things like that happened to him again and again that summer. Henry struggled to sit up. He remembered Victor and Beltz helping him to Banron.Regardless of the piercing pain, he walked quickly.They followed Beverly to an open field.It doesn't take a second to know that children have played there.There were candy wrappers on the floor, a few boards, and some sawdust, as if something had been built there.

He remembered standing in the center of the open field, examining the big trees for a small tree house.If he had found out, he would have climbed a tree, grabbed the girl, and cut her throat with a knife without hesitation. But he didn't find any treehouses, neither did Beltz and Victor.He told Baeltz to stay and watch the open field while he and Victor searched along the creek.But there was no sign of her there either.He remembered bending down, picking up a stone, and angrily throwing it far into the creek. "Where the hell is she?" He turned to Victor. Victor shook his head slowly. "I don't know," he said. "You're bleeding."

Henry looked down and saw bloodstains oozing from his crotch.His lower body was throbbing with pain.Angrily came up again.She did it. "Where is she?" he said hoarsely. "I don't know." Victor's answer was equally dull. "Runned, I guess. Maybe she's crawled up to the old Cape by now." "No," Henry said. "She's hiding. They have a place, and she's hiding there. Maybe not a tree house, but something else." "Right?" "I...don't...know!" Henry roared, and Victor recoiled in horror. Henry stood in the Kentucky River, letting the cold water run over his shoes.He looked around, and his eyes fell on a concrete pipe that jutted out about 20 feet from the shore—it was a pumping station, and he walked towards it.The skin all over his body tightened.There was a buzzing sound inside, and a stream of dirty water flowed out of it and merged into the small river.He bent down and landed on the iron top of the concrete column.

"Henry?" Victor called out uneasily. "Henry? What are you doing?" Henry ignored him.He looked through a hole in the iron roof and saw nothing but darkness.He put his ear on it again. "Wait……" The voice came from the darkness, and Henry only felt that the temperature of his whole body suddenly dropped to zero, and the blood stopped flowing.But there was another feeling that came with it: love.His eyes widened.A voice came out.That was the sound from the moon; now it's coming to the pumping station...in the drainpipe. "Wait...look..." Henry waited a while longer, but there was no other sound except the hum of the water pump.He turned and walked back.Victor stood on the shore, watching him carefully.Henry ignored him and started calling Belz.After a while, Beltz returned.

"Let's go," he said. "What are we doing, Henry?" Beltz asked. "Wait. Look." They dived back to face the open and sat down. "Henry, what—" Beltz began to ask. "Hush!" Beltz fell silent for a moment.Although that voice only spoke two words, it seemed to have explained everything.They're here to play, and soon the rest will be here.Why bother with a little whore, and not kill them all? They just sat there, waiting and watching.Victor and Belz's eyes were open, but they seemed to be asleep.But Henry thought of many things.Like this switchblade he got this morning.It wasn't the one he had on school holidays, he had lost that knife somewhere.This knife looks pretty cool.

It came by mail. A bit like. He stood on the porch, looking at the broken mailbox in his house.There are many balloons on the mailbox. Two are attached to the small hooks on which the postman hangs packages, and the rest are attached to the side.Red, yellow, blue, green. As he got closer, he saw faces painted on the balloon—the faces of the kids who had fought him that summer, each one of them seemed to be laughing at him. He gaped at the balloons, and one by one they popped, as if he had killed them with his thoughts. The flap in front of the mailbox suddenly fell off on its own.Henry walked over and saw what was inside - a long package.He pulled the package out and saw it read "To Mr. Henry Powers, RFDZ, Derry, Maine."It's even signed underneath: "Mr. Robert Gray, Derry, Maine."

He tore open the wrapping paper, and inside was a small white box.Open the box, the switchblade is on the white cotton.He took it into the house. His father was lying on the bed and sleeping.He was surrounded by beer cans and his belly bulged out of his yellow shorts.Henry knelt by his father's bed, listening to his wheezing, watching his lips move as he gasped. Henry put the knife on his father's neck.His father rolled over and went back to sleep.Henry held the knife to his neck again for almost 5 minutes. He remembered the voice on the moon.That voice was like a spring breeze, very warm but with a cold blade sandwiched in the middle.It told him he just had to press the spring.Everything the voice said seemed to be very good to Henry.So he pressed the spring. "Click". The 6-inch blade plunged into his father's neck. Bach's eyes snapped open.He stared at the ceiling and opened his mouth wide.Blood trickled down from the corner of his mouth and all the way to his ear.Then his mouth started to vomit blood, and he grabbed Henry's knee with both hands and squeezed hard.Henry didn't mind.Then Buck's hand slipped down, and the struggle stopped.Butch Bowles is dead. Henry pulled the blade out, wiped it on the dirty sheet, then pressed the spring again, pushing the blade back.He looked at his father indifferently.When he knelt beside Buck and put the knife on his neck, the voice had already told him what to do today, and the voice had already explained it clearly.So he went into another room and called Beltz and Victor. Now here they are, all 3 of them.The switchblade in his left trouser pocket made him feel better, though his lower body still ached terribly.The rest will be back soon, to play their childish games, and then his killing will begin.He remembered not taking his eyes off the pale, ghostly moon in the sky when he reached the city.He saw a strand in the moon--a twisted face of a skeleton; the face was grinning.It said the same thing all the way: we floated here, Henry, we all float and you float too... Accompany it to the city. "Kill them all, Henry," said the ghostly voice. Henry would kill them all, and then his tormentors, and their shame, would be gone.He would kill them, and the voices—those voices from the moon—would let him go.He kills them, then walks home and drinks a ~can of his father's beer and listens to rock music.Everything will be wonderful then.That voice would take care of him - he could feel it.If you take care of it, it will take care of you. It's always like that in Derry. But those children must be mentioned first.immediately.Just today.The voice told him. Henry took out his knife and admired it in the sun.Suddenly Belts seized his arm and cried out in a low voice: "Look, Henry! Look!" Henry raised his head quickly.A small patch of the clearing suddenly rose up like magic.He understood it all at once when he heard the creaking sound of the door hinge turning.They couldn't find the tree house because there was no tree house. "God, we were standing on top of them just now." Victor hummed.When he saw Bane's head popping out of that spot, he immediately wanted to rush out.Henry grabbed him and dragged him back. "Aren't we going to catch them, Henry?" Victor asked. "We will." Henry said, without taking his eyes off the nasty fat kid for a moment. "don’t worry." The fat kid was pulling that little bitch out of the hole.She looked around suspiciously.Then the two of them muttered something and ran into a tall bush. "Come on," said Henry, "we'll follow them. Not too close, and be quiet. I'll catch them all." 8 A man ran across the open, ducking, eyes wide open.Beltz paused at the mouth of the cave. "I'm sitting on top of them." Henry impatiently made a forward gesture. They walked along the path so as not to make noise.They were half way down Kansas Avenue when the little whore and the fat man suddenly appeared in front of them. Fortunately, they all turned their backs to Henry's group, and none of them looked back.The three of Henry were stunned, and then quickly hid in the bushes.Soon the backs of Ben and Beverly get smaller. The 3 people started tracking again... cautiously. 9 Henry pressed the spring of the switchblade, and the blade jumped out.He looked at the moonlight sleepily.He doesn't know what time it is, he has drifted away from reality. Suddenly a sound came from his ear, it was the sound of a car, and it was getting closer.Henry’s eyes widened, and he clenched the handle of the knife. The car turned a corner and stopped by the wall of the seminary.Henry knelt on the ground and saw the lights and the shape of the car.Policemen?His hand holding the knife loosened and tightened. "I'll give you a ride, Henry." Came a low voice. "We must get you to the Derry Hotel soon. The night will be over soon." After a shriek of trumpet-like laughter, the sound stopped, only the squealing of small bugs and the sound of the engine.Henry struggled to his feet and looked at the car.It's not a police car, it doesn't have lights, and it's... very old. Henry heard chi chi laughter again...or maybe it was just the wind. He came out from behind the fence, crawled under the chains at the door, stood up again, and walked toward the car.He saw it clearly. It was a Plymouth limousine, a car his father had dreamed of. The door of the car opened suddenly, and the lights inside came on.The driver turned to look at him—it was Beltz.Huggins!That face can no longer be called a face.One eye was gone; teeth peeped out from a rotting hole in his cheek; his skull was tipped over with the same New York Yankees baseball cap he wore the day he died. "Belts!" Henry exclaimed, but a sharp pain in his stomach kept him from screaming. A hideous grin appeared on Belz's lips; it made a gesture, inviting Henry to get into the car. Henry hesitated and got into the car.Another gust of blood came out, and his stomach hurt badly.Finally he tilted his head back and gritted his teeth to feel better. The doors closed by themselves, and the dome lights went out.Henry saw Beltz's rotting hand rest on the bumper; a white knuckle was exposed from the carrion. The car headed up Kansas Avenue toward Apple Hill. "How are you, Beltz?" Henry heard himself asking.It was a stupid question, of course--Belts couldn't be here, dead people can't drive--but it was something he pushed as far as he could remember to ask. Belz didn't answer.Its single, deep-set eye looked at the road, and its teeth shone white through the hole in its cheek.Henry was vaguely aware of the musty smell emanating from Beltz, like a basket of rotten tomatoes.The small cabinet on the dashboard of the car slammed open.Under the dim light inside, Henry saw a half-full bottle of whiskey.He took the bottle out, uncorked it, and took a long gulp.The cold liquid flowed into the stomach, as if it had exploded.He shivered and moaned...and felt better. "Thank you," he said. Belz turned his head, and his neck creaked like a door hinge.Baelz stared at him with one eye for a moment, and Henry realized for the first time that most of Baelz's nose was missing.Maybe it was eaten by a dog.Maybe rats.Rats most likely.When they chased the kids to the sewer that day, it was full of rats. Beltz turned his head slowly to the road again.Henry was very happy.Beltz stared at him—but Henry didn't want to think about it.There was something in Belz's one eye.Is it to blame?Is it anger?what is this else? Henry took another sip of his wine.He felt a little warmer. The car came down from Upmell Hill and turned a corner.Everywhere was silent. "I didn't mean to leave you alone that day, Beltz," Henry said. Belz turned his head again, grinning horribly, a black piece of chewing gum showing through parted teeth. "You know what that's about." Henry finished and stopped.what is the problem?That question kept puzzling him.They chased the fat kid and the little bitch back down Kansas Avenue.But instead of running away, they leaned against a fence and talked, their eyes fixed on the direction of the street. Henry remembered that there was no sky and dark clouds, and a heavy rain was about to come; Pro. What happened next?What—a hand was on Henry's forearm, and Henry screamed.He turned and saw Beltz's face within two inches of his.He gasped.Beltz smelled awful, and his stomach was churning. He suddenly remembered the final ending—it was the ending of Beltz and Victor.They were standing in the sewer, not knowing which way to go.Suddenly Victor screamed: "Frankenstein! It's Frankenstein!" With his scream came a Frankenstein monster with a neck full of spikes and a large scar on his forehead. "Frankenstein!" Victor screamed, "Fran—" and Victor's head flew up and hit the stone wall of the sewer.Then the monster's yellow eyes fixed on Henry, and the blood in Henry's whole body stagnated, and he felt a heat flow from his lower body. The monster sprang at him, and then Belz...Beltz... "Look, I know I ran away," Henry said, "I shouldn't have done that. But it was...but..." Belz just stared at him. "I'm lost," Henry whispered, as if explaining that he, too, had paid.He was wandering around in the dark for hours that day, and then he started screaming.At one point he fell--into the fast-flowing river.It's an underground canal.he thinks. He floated out with the current, and finally struggled to climb ashore, and then lost consciousness in the dark.It was already dark when he woke up again.He found his way home, got into a car and drove home.When he got home, the police were already there waiting for him. But then was then, and now is now.Beltz stood in front of the monster, and it stretched out its claws and grabbed half of his face—that's what Henry saw when he was running away.But now Beltz is back and pointing at something. Henry saw that they had stopped in front of the Derry Hotel.He understands everything now. They are there.he thinks.all the rest.All in sleep.I will pack them.One by one. He took out the bottle and took another swig.He felt the blood flow from the wound again, but the whiskey made him feel better. "Look," he said to Beltz, "I'm sorry. I don't know why I ran away. Please do not get angry. Belz spoke.That was the only time, but the voice was not his.The voice came from Baeltz's rotten mouth. It was deep and powerful, and it was extremely terrible.It was the voice from the moon, the voice of the clown, and the voice of the sewer that he had heard countless times in his sleep. "Shut up! Then kill them," said the voice. "Of course," Henry whimpered, "of course. All right. I want to. No problem—" He put the bottle back.Then he saw a note appear where the bottle had been.He took it out and opened it.There was a line of bloody red letters on it: "Pennivay reminds you" Printed legibly beneath the scarlet letter: BILL DUNBON 311 BANN.Hansko 404 Eddie.Casblanc 609 see Foley.Marsh 518 Ridge.Dorje 217 That's their room number.This saves time. "Thanks, Be—" But Beltz was gone.All that's left of the driver's seat is his hat, and some silly stuff stuck to the knob of the gear shifter. Henry stared, his heart throbbing painfully in his throat... then he suddenly heard something move in the backseat.He quickly opened the door and got out of the car, almost falling to the ground. Every step he took pulled his stomach and made him extremely painful.But he finally stood on the sidewalk and looked at the 8-story building in front of him.Here, the library, the Aladdin Theatre, and the seminary were some of the things he could remember clearly.The lights on the upper floors of the building are now nearly all extinguished.Only the lights at the door and corridor are still on. Henry wobbled open the door and walked in. It was quiet in the hall, no one was there.Only the low sound of the TV is still in the duty room. His body was stained with blood, and the blood kept gushing from the wound.Anyone who saw him at this point would have screamed and fled—but no one. As soon as he pressed the button, the elevator doors opened.He looked at the note in his hand, and he chose the 6th floor. From top to bottom, I'm going to clean them up one by one. He closed his eyes.The hum of the elevator made him feel comfortable, like the sound of pumps in a pumping station.The events of that day still lingered in his mind, as if everything had been pre-arranged and each had a role to play.Victor and Beltz seem, almost, to be drawn in.He remembered—the elevator stopped.The door opened.He checked the note again.Eddie.Casbrandi is in room 609.Henry supported the wall and walked in that direction. Arrived.He took a switchblade from his pocket, licked his dry lips with his tongue, and knocked on the door.Nothing happened.He knocked again.This time the sound was much louder. "Who is it?" a muffled voice.very good.As soon as he opened the door, Henry would plunge the sharp blade into his neck. "Waiter. Sir." Henry said, "Your wife's number." Does Cusblanc have a wife?Maybe it's just too stupid to say that.He waited alertly.At last he heard footsteps—slippers. "Is it Myra's?" He sounded surprised.OKSoon he will be even more surprised.Henry's temples were throbbing. "I think so. Sir. No name. Just your wife." There was a pause, followed by the sound of fumbling chains being pulled.Henry smiled, pressed the spring, and the blade jumped out.He brought the knife to his cheek, ready.He heard the sound of turning the lock.He waited and the door opened. 10 Eddie saw Stanley and Richie come out of the Castro Avenue Mall, each holding a Rocket.He called out, "Hey, wait a minute!" They turned their heads and Stanley waved to Eddie.Eddie came running, panting, with one arm bandaged and a plank under the other. "Give me a bite of 'Rocket,'" he said to Richie. "Your mother won't let it go. Eddie," Richie said reluctantly.He speeds up his eating; he's just reached the middle of the chocolate, his favorite part. "There are germs! My child! Your mother will say that you will get bacteria if you eat other people's food!" "I'm going to take a chance," Eddie said. Richie reluctantly brought the ice cream to Eddie's mouth, and Eddie shrank back after taking a few bites. "You can eat mine if you want," said Stanley. "I had a good lunch." "Jews don't eat much," Richie was telling Eddie. "That's part of their religion." The three now walked toward Kansas Avenue.The whole of Derry seemed to be in a siesta, lifeless.Most of the houses they passed had their umbrellas down.Toys were littering the grass, and the children didn't know where they were.Rumbling thunder rolled over from the west. "I guess everyone's asleep," Richie said, before tossing his empty ice cream box down the gutter. "Have you ever seen such a quiet day? What? Does everyone go to the Bay Bar?" "Hey! Man, man, man!" Bill Dunbar called from behind them. "Wait, wait a minute!" Eddie turned his head in surprise.Bill turned the corner from Castro Avenue on his favorite bike, followed by Mike—Mike's bike was almost new, but still not as fast as the Silver Arrow. "Ha-yo, Silver Arrow!" cried Bill.He galloped over on his bicycle, squeezed the brakes in front of the three of Eddie, and the car stopped. "To Baby!" cried Richie, "how are you?" "I'm very, very, very good," Bill said. "See Ben and Beverly?" Mike rode over and joined them.His face was full of small beads.He asked Bill, "How does your bike go so fast?" Bill laughed. "I, also, don't know. It's, quite fast." "I didn't see them," Rich said. "Maybe they got there first. Now they're singing a duet, 'Boom-cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-da-da-da-da-da-da, you look like a dream, my sweetheart." Stanley hissed him. "He's jealous," Rich said to Mike. "Jews can't sing." "Beep--" "Beep beep." After Rich called, everyone laughed. They are now heading towards Ban Lun.At first everyone was talking, but after a while they all fell silent.Eddie watched the disturbed look on Bill's face and thought maybe Bill felt the strange silence too.He knew Richie was just joking, but it seemed like everyone in Derry had gone somewhere today.There was not a single car on the street, and no one else. "It's quiet, isn't it?" Eddie said.But Bill just nodded. They were on Kansas Avenue next to Ben Lun when they saw Ben and Beverly running towards them, yelling as they ran.Beverly's appearance shocked Eddie.He was always neat and clean; but now she was almost an alien.Her wide eyes were flustered; there was a cut on her cheek; her shirt was torn; her trousers were thick with something. Ben followed closely behind, panting heavily. "Can't go to Barron," Beverly said breathlessly. "The boys, Henry Victor, they got there. Knife, he had a knife—" "Slow. Slow down." Bill went forward. "She said Henry was crazy, Big Bill," said Ben. "Fuck! You mean he used to be normal?" Richie said, spitting. "Shut, shut up, Li, Li, Li Qi." Bill said, looking at Beverly. "Say, let's talk." Eddie involuntarily reached into his trouser pocket and touched the asthma spray. He didn't know what happened, but it was definitely not a good thing. As calmly as she could, Beverly recounted the whole story—from when Henry's gang caught her in the street.She didn't say anything about her father - that was terribly humiliating to her. When Beverly finished telling the story, Bill bowed his head, stood quietly with his hands in his pockets, Silver Arrow's handlebars resting on his chest, and the rest waited patiently.Bill thought for a long time, and no one bothered him.Eddie suddenly realized that this might be the last move. That's why there's silence today, isn't it? Richie remembered the photos that suddenly moved in George's album. Beverly thought of her father's dead white eyes. Mike thought of the bird. Ben thought about mummy. Stanley thought of the dripping pants, and the pale arms. "Go, go, go." Bill finally spoke. "Let's, let's go there." "Bill—" Ben called out. "Beverage said Henry was really crazy. He wanted to kill—" "It's not theirs." Bill pointed to a large swath of lowland ahead, full of bushes. "It's not their property." He looked around them gravely. "I'm tired, tired, tired of being intimidated by them. We defeated, defeated them in the stone, stone battle. If they still, want to do it again, we have to give, give, give." "But Bill," Eddie said, "what if it's not just them?" Bill turned and looked at Eddie lost.That bored look on Bill's face really freaked him out—it wasn't until finally, when they met again in the library, that Mike really understood how Bill felt.He seemed driven to the point of insanity, almost as out of control as Henry. "Okay, okay," Bill said, "If, if, if not so what?" No one answered.Thunder was rolling in the sky, getting closer and closer.Eddie looked up at the dark clouds coming from the west. A heavy rain was about to come. "Now, now, I will sue and tell you now." Bill looked at them and said, "If, if you are unwilling and willing to go, I will not force or force it. It is up to you to decide, decide, decide." "I'll go with you, boss." Richie said quietly. "Me too," Ben said. "Of course." Mike shrugged. Both Beverly and Stanley agreed.And finally Eddie. "I don't think you're going, Eddie," Richie said. "Your arm ain't healed yet." Eddie looked at Bill pleadingly. "I want, want him," Bill said. "You come with me, Ai, Ai, Eddie. I will take care of you." "Thank you, Bill," Eddie said.Bill's tired and almost mad face seemed suddenly cute.There was a passion in Eddie; if Bill wanted him dead, he wouldn't hesitate. "Bill has the final say." Rich said, putting his right hand under the armpit of his left arm, flapping like a wing.Ben and Mike smiled, and Eddie smiled too. The thunder sounded again.This time it exploded right over their heads, and they all jumped up and huddled together.There was a strong wind. Bill looked at Stanley and said something strange: "Did you bring your bird, bird, bird manual, Stanley?" Stanley patted the back pocket of his trousers. "Let's go, go, go." Bill and Eddie walked in front side by side, and the rest followed in a single file.When we got to the little bridge, Bill put the bike in its old place under the bridge, and they all stood together and looked around. The wind didn't darken the sky, or even obscure it.But the scene changed so much that everything seemed to be in a dream.Eddie felt a familiar terror coming over him—he remembered the same light in the house at 29 Nabert Street. Another flash of lightning pierced the sky.Eddie quickly covered his ears.One, two, three, and then there was a loud bang. "The weather forecast didn't say rain this morning," Ben said uneasily. "The paper said it was muggy today." Mike looked up at the sky and said, "I've never seen a storm come so fast." As if to confirm it, the thunder rang again. "Let's go," Bill said. "Let's take the board that Wen, Eddie took, and put it in the club." They took the path that led into the open.Where the wind blows, the trees and bushes on both sides seem to be whispering.In the bamboo forest ahead, the sound of bamboo leaves was very strange, as if they were beating war drums. "Bill?" Eddie whispered. "what?" "I thought that would only happen in a movie, but," Eddie smiled, "I think someone's watching me." "Oh, he, they're right there, it doesn't matter." Bill reassured him. Eddie looked around uneasily, gripping the boards under his arms. 11 Eddie opened the door. A bloodstained man stood before him—a man who looked like a zombie fresh from the grave.Eddie's eyes widened, and before he could catch a breath, the gleaming blade of Henry Powers was thrusting towards him. Eddie slammed the door subconsciously—the door clamped Henry's forearm, causing his knife to deviate from the direction; with a "click", Henry let out a scream, his hand let go, and the knife fell on the ground. on the ground.Eddie kicked it up and it slid under the TV. Henry slammed the door with all his strength, and the thin Eddie flew out like a puppet, knocking his knees on the bed, and he couldn't help kneeling on it.Henry rushed in and slammed the door.Eddie sat up with a hissing sound. Henry snapped his fingers. "Okay, gay." His eyes were on the floor, looking for the knife.did not see it.Eddie groped on the nightstand and grabbed a bottle of soda.He picked up the bottle and knocked it hard on the cabinet, breaking it, and the soda popped out with foam. Henry walked towards Eddie with his right hand bent. "Gay, let you throw another rock at me," he said, lunging at Eddie. Eddie took the half of the bottle and hit Henry right in the face and into his right eye. Henry screamed dryly in pain, and took a few steps back.Yellow liquid flowed from his eye sockets; blood gushed out from his face.Eddie jumped off the bed screaming loudly, and Henry jumped on him again.Eddie blocked it with the bottle, and Henry's left hand poked it deeply.亨利闷吼一声，右手一拳把艾迪打了出去。 艾迪飞了出去，撞在写字台上。他的左臂正好垫在了后面。他感觉过去的骨折的地方又断开了。一阵刺痛突然袭来，艾迪痛苦地咬紧了牙关。 亨利晃晃悠悠地站到了他的面前。艾迪连忙又抓住了半截瓶子。亨利全身是血，像一棵大树一样朝他扑倒了下来；艾迪把瓶子在胸前一挡，瓶子整个插进了亨利的脸膛。艾迪的左臂又是一阵剧痛。鲜血沾满了他的身上，他不知道鲜血是他的还是亨利的。 亨利像一条蹲鱼一样在地上翻滚。接着，他的身子一硬，打了一个滚。瓶子还插在他的了肚子上。 “啊！”亨利叫了一声，看着天花板，不动了。 一波波的虚弱感占据了艾迪。他慢慢地爬起，挣扎着站起身来。他摇晃着走到床头柜前，抓起了哮喘喷雾剂，用力喷了几下，然后回头看着地上的尸体。那是亨利吗？is it possible?Yes.尽管他的头发变得花白，身体变得更胖，但是仍然是亨利。亨利死了。终于，亨利——“啊！”亨利叫着，坐了起来。他的双手在空中乱抓，好像要抓什么东西。他的那只瞎眼仍在流着液体。他转动着脑袋，看见了正向后退的艾迪，想要站起来。但是他刚一张嘴，一股鲜血从他的嘴里喷射出来，他又瘫了下去。 艾迪慌乱地抓起了电话，拨了一个“0”。铃声不断地响起。 “快点，”艾迪心想，“快点，你干什么？快点！快接他妈的电话！” 铃声响了又响。艾迪瞅着亨利，期待着他还能爬起来。Blood.There was blood everywhere. “总台。”一个可恶的迷迷糊糊的声音终于回答了。 “接邓邦先生的房间。”艾迪说，“要快。” “你确定要接吗？”服务生问，“现在是3点过10分。” “是的！快接！”艾迪吼叫起来。 “好的，好的。”服务生说，“消消火吧，朋友。” 接着，铃声再次响起。快点，比尔，快点，快——突然一个可怕的念头出现在他的脑海里。要是亨利先去了比尔的房间怎么办？或者理奇的？班恩的？贝弗莉的？或者亨利先去了图书馆吗？他肯定先去过什么地方，要不然现在就是艾迪自己躺在地板上了。要是亨利已经去找过其他所有的人可怎么办？要是他们全都死了呢？艾迪越想越怕。要是电话再没人接，他就要尖叫起来了。 电话那边终于有人了。毫无疑问是比尔的声音，声音很小心：“你、你、你好？” “比尔，”艾迪几乎给巴了，“比尔，感谢上帝。” “艾迪？”比尔的声音变低了，跟一个人说电话是谁打的；接着他的声音又亮了：“怎、怎么回、回事？艾迪？” “是亨利·鲍尔斯。”艾迪看了看地板上的尸体。“比尔，他来了我这儿、我杀了他。他有把刀，我想和那天他拿的是同一把。就是我们到下水道的那天。还记得吗？” “我记得。”比尔严肃地说。 12 “艾、艾迪，听我说。我想让你叫班、班、班恩过来一、一下。”比尔说。 “好的。”艾迪跑到了后面。 他们现在已经走进了开阔地。 班思跑了过来。俱乐部洞口的门现在大开。比尔深吸了一口气，看了看翻滚的乌云。 “什么事？”班思问。 “他们为、为什么不出、出来抓我、我、我们呢？”比尔问，“他们就、就在那里。艾、艾、艾迪说得对。我能感、感、感觉到他们。” “是的。”班恩说，“我猜他们可能愚蠢地想等我们进俱乐部里去，然后再一网打尽。” “也、也、也许。”比尔说着，突然感觉亨利是想让他们出来跟他决战。 它想让他们出来跟它决战。 然后被杀。 比尔突然明白了：他们将和乔治一样成为牺牲品。所有的7个人都是。他们的尸体也许会被发现，也许不会。那将依赖于它是否会保护亨利。Yes.在外人眼里，他们只不过是被杀手杀死的。是它想让他们死。亨利只不过是它的工具。God!what should I do? “比尔？”班恩焦虑地问。其余的人也围了过来。又是一个炸雷。灌木丛和竹林不住地狂响。 “比尔——”是理奇的叫声。 “嘘！”比尔一瞪眼，所有的人都安静下来。 比尔盯着前面的树丛，现在他的头脑已经豁然开朗。 乔治在一边，我和我的朋友在另一边。然后杀戮将会停止。 再次停止。 因为这样的事情以前就发生过很多次。每次结尾都需要某种牺牲。某种可怕的事件来阻止它。我不知道我怎么知道的，但是我就是知道、他们——“他们让、让、让它发生。”比尔嘟哝着，“当、当、当然他们会的。” “比尔？”贝弗莉恳求着。 他们让它发生。他们总是那样。事情总会平息。then continue. 它、它——睡觉，或者就像熊一样冬眠，然后它再次开始。他们都知道，人们知道，他们知道只能这样。 “我带、带、带你们到、到这里是因、因、因、因为没有一个地、地方是安、安、安全的。”比尔结结巴巴地说出了他的话，“德、德、德里就是它。你、你、你们懂我的意、意、意思吗？”他看着众人，每个人的眼睛里都流露出害怕的神色。“德、德里就是它、它！不管我、我、我们到哪、哪、哪里，它来抓、抓、抓我们的时、时、时候，他、他、他们都看、看、看不见，听、听、听不到，也不、不、不会知道。”他恳切地看着大家，接着说：“难、难、难道你们不、不、不明白吗？我、我、我们能做的只、只、只能是完、完、完成我们刚开、开、开始的事、事、事情。” 贝弗莉的眼前又浮现出那一幕：罗斯先生站起来，看着她，折起报纸，走回家去。他们看不见，听不见，也不会知道。我的父亲还想杀我。 麦克想起了在比尔家吃午饭的时候，他们自己做三明治吃，而比尔的母亲似乎根本没有看见他们两个，只是读着亨利。詹姆士的一本小说。理奇想起了斯坦利收拾得干干净净却空荡荡的家。斯坦利自己也有些惊讶，他的母亲在午饭时间几乎总是在家的。要是不在家，她也会留下一个纸条说在哪儿能找到她。但是今天没有纸条。汽车也不见了。就那么多。“也许和她的朋友德比一块购物去了。”斯坦利皱着眉头，开始做三明治吃。艾迪现在想起了他的母亲。当他带着木板出来的时候，她一句话都没有说——没有问他是否带了哮喘喷雾剂，没有告诉他什么时候回家，没有警告他不要和那帮野孩子在一块玩。她只是看着自己的肥皂剧，好像他根本不存在一样。 同样的想法出现在每个人的脑海里：他们从早上起来到吃午饭的某个时候，已经变成了生魂。 生魂。 “比尔，”斯坦利嗓音沙哑地说，“要是我们从开普老区穿过呢？” Bill shook his head. “我、我、我想不、不、不行。我、我、我们会在竹、竹、竹林里被抓、抓、抓住，或、或、或者在沼、沼、沼泽地、或、或、或者小河里真、真、真的会有食、食、食人鱼，或、或、或者其他的东、东、东西。” “如果我们离开镇子——”理奇嘟哝着。天空中一声愤怒的响雷。大雨倾盆而下。“如果我们能离开他妈的这个镇子，我们就安全了。” 话音刚落，突然一块石头从灌木丛中飞出，打中了麦克的脑袋。他摇摇晃晃地后退了几步，鲜血从他的头上流了出来。要不是比尔扶住他的话，他就得摔倒了。 “叫你们再扔石头！”是亨利在叫。 比尔能够看见其余的人都在四下察看，准备分头而逃。如果那样的话，他们可真的完蛋了。“班恩！”他厉声叫喊。 班恩看着他说：“比尔，我们得跑。他们——” 又飞过来两块石头。一块石头砸在了斯坦利的大腿上，他叫了起来。贝弗莉则躲过了另一块石头。 “你、你、你们还记得那、那、那一天吗？”比尔高叫，“就是学、学、学校放、放、放假的那天？” “比尔——”理奇叫起来。 比尔挥了挥手，眼睛盯着班恩。“那、那、那个下、下、下水道。抽、抽、抽水站。那、那、那就是我们要、要、要去的地、地、地方！” "but--" “带、带、带我们到、到、到那儿！” 一块石头带着风声从灌木丛中飞出，砸中了比尔的脸。比尔眼前顿时一黑，麦克赶紧扶住了他。他的脸上先是麻木，然后一阵闷痛；鲜血流了下来。他用手一摸，摸着了一个大包；他看了看手上的鲜血，把它擦在了裤子上。 “叫你再扔石头，结巴混蛋！”亨利一边笑，一边在叫。 “快、快、快带我们走！”比尔朝班恩大声叫喊，“到、到、到那个地、地、地方！到、到、到它那、那、那里的路！” “比尔，你不知道！”贝弗莉喊了起来。 比尔愤怒地朝她——朝所有的人吼叫起来：“我知道！” 班恩舔着嘴唇看着比尔，然后他突然猛冲出去，朝小河方向跑去。一道闪电划过天空，紧接着一声霹雳。一块拳头大小的石头飞了出去，打中了班恩的屁股。他叫了一声，双手扑倒在地。 “胖家伙！”亨利兴奋地叫着，从灌木丛中跳了出来。“让我教你怎么扔石——” 麦克从地上抓起了一根木棍，朝亨利打了过去。木棍在空中转了两圈，恰好打中了亨利的前额。亨利尖叫着，捂着脑袋，一屁股坐在了地上。 “快、快、快跑！”比尔大喊，“跟、跟着班、班、班恩！” 所有的人都跟着班恩跑了下去。亨利站起来，领着贝尔茨和维克多猛追。 班恩一面所喘吁吁地狂跑，一面慌乱地想：要是我找不着怎么办？要是我找不着那个抽水站呢？ 但是他不能停下来去想；他的脚步一慢下来，比尔就推探搡着他，叫他加快速度。他的臂部很疼。贝弗莉说过亨利一伙想要杀死他们。他现在真的相信了。 班恩跑到了肯塔斯基河的河岸；他跑得那么急，差点冲进了水里。 “哪、哪、哪里？”比尔赶了上来。 班恩左右一看，心中更加发慌。河水已经涨高了。两岸的草木刷刷作响。 “哪、哪、哪里？” “我不知——”突然他看见了那棵歪倒的大树，还有树下的那个洞口。那是他头一回来这里的时候藏身的地方。“那里！”他叫起来，“那边！” Thunder and lightning.大雨瓢泼。 “走、走！”比尔大叫。 班恩顺着河沿跑到了那棵歪倒的大树前面，爬了过去。艾迪在彼尔和理奇的搀扶下刚翻过去，脚下一绊，班恩揪住了他，两个人一块儿滚倒在地。艾迪叫出声来。 “没事吧？”班恩叫喊。 “我想是！”艾迪也叫喊着，站了起来。 理奇随后翻了过来，然后是斯坦利和麦克。比尔搀着贝弗莉爬上去，班恩和理奇在另一边迎接。她的头发湿淋淋地粘在头上；裤子都变成了黑色。 比尔是最后一个过来的。他刚爬上树，看见亨利和其他两个冲了过来。“石头！扔石头！”他一边从树上滑下，一边高声叫喊。 岸上的石头到处都是。所有的人立即采取了行动。7个人同时朝亨利他们开火。亨利3个冲到树边，又被一阵石头雨打了回去。 “还要教我们扔石头！”理奇一边叫，一边把一块鸡蛋大的石头掷出去。石头打在亨利的肩头，又蹦了出去。 亨利3个人连忙跑出了他们的射程之外，聚在了一起。一会儿，他们爬上了河岸，然后在树丛中消失了。 “他们想包抄我们。老大。”理奇说着，推了推鼻梁上的眼镜。 “没、没、没错。”比尔说，“继、继续，班、班、班恩。我们都跟、跟、跟你走。” 班恩带着他们几个来到了抽水站。他们现在看到对岸有几个圆柱形的管子。有两个管子正把肮脏的黑水排进河里；靠近他们的一个管子的水流细细的，而且没有水泵嗡嗡的声音。那里的水泵已经坏了。 班恩看着比尔，有些害怕。 比尔看着理奇、斯坦利和麦克说：“我、我、我们得把盖、盖、盖子弄下来，都、都、都来帮、帮、帮我。” 圆柱上的铁盖有个把手，但是雨水使它变得很滑。班思走到比尔身边，比尔给他腾了个地方。 “现、现在，用、用、用力！”比尔大喊。众人一齐使劲。 “一、二、三，推！”理奇喊着号子。盖了开始挪动了。 “一、二、三，推！”现在洞口变大了。 “退后！”麦克高叫，“要掉下来了！” 众人一齐后退，看着那个铁盖子掉了下来。它“啪”地掉在泥地上，翻了个个儿。 比尔朝里面望去。有一排铁横档通到地下的一汪水中。水泵有一半浸泡在水里，水开始从水泵的出水口处倒灌进来。 那就是他们要去的地方。 “艾、艾、艾迪。抓、抓、抓住我。” 艾迪不解地看着他。 “用你、你、你的那只好胳、胳、胳膊，就、就这样。”比尔跟他示范着。 艾迪明白了，但是他有些勉强。 “快！”比尔不耐烦地说。“他、他、他们就要来、来、来了广艾迪抓住了比尔脖后的衣领；斯坦利和麦克扶着他，把他的腿夹在了比尔的腹部。比尔笨拙地抓着上面的水泥达，小心地探身下去。艾迪闭上了自己的眼睛。 比尔放开了水泥边，抓住了最上面的横档。他开始一步步往下爬。他的脚踩进了冰凉的水里；然后他蹲下身，让艾迪下来。他深吸了一口气——艾迪把他的脖子勒得够呛。 他抬头看着圆柱口。那里离他的头顶有7英尺左右。其余的人都探头向下看。“快、快、快、快、快点！”他嚷着，“都下、下、下来！快！” 贝弗莉先下来，然后是斯坦利、班思和麦克，最后是理奇。但是当他刚要探身，听见维克多喊起来：“亨利！那儿！多杰！” 理奇一回头，看见他们跑了过来。维克多打头，亨利手里握着一把明晃晃的刀子，疯狂地冲过来，把维克多推得跪倒在了地上。 理奇连忙探身下去。亨利明白了他要干什么，朝他怪叫。理奇哈哈大笑，把中指竖起来，朝亨利比划着。 “你们会死在里面的！”亨利愤怒地叫喊。 “瞧瞧着！”理奇嚷着，大笑不止。其实他的心里极度害怕，但是他却不能控制自己。 亨利向前猛冲，距离理奇只有20英尺远了。理奇疯狂地笑着，顺着横档爬了下去。 紧接着亨利的脸出现在洞口。“好了。”他朝下叫着，“我来了。 把你们全抓住。 " 他把一条腿迈了过来，探住了最上面的横档，然后又迈过了另一条腿。 比尔大声地说：“等、等他一靠、靠、靠近，我、我、我们就抓、抓、抓住他，把、把他扯、扯、扯下来，摁、摁到水、水、水里。知、知。知道吗？” “是，总督！”理奇说着，伸出哆嗦着的一只手，敬了一个礼。 “准备好了！”斯坦利叫喊着。 亨利在第三个横档上停了下来。他向下看了看；他的脸上头一回出现了犹豫的神色。 艾迪突然明白了。他们一次只能下一个人。而且这里太深，不能跳下来。即使他们跳下来，7个人也正围成一圈等着他们。 “来、来、来呀，亨、亨、亨利，”比尔说，“你等、等、等什么？” “对呀，”理奇笑嘻嘻地说，“你不是想打几个小孩子吗？来吧，亨利。” “我们等着呢，亨利。”贝弗莉甜甜地说，“当你下来时，可能会不喜欢的。但是如果你愿意，就来吧。” “除非你是小鸡。”班恩加了一句，然后开始学小鸡叫。顿时嘲笑的声音响成一片。亨利左手紧紧握着刀子，低着头看着他们，脸变成了铅灰色。他忍受了大概有30秒，终于爬了出去。大伙一齐嘘他。 “好、好、好了。”比尔低声说，“到、到、到下水、水、水道里。快、快、快点！” “为什么？”贝弗莉问，还没等比尔回答，亨利的脸又出现在洞口；他把一块足球大的石头扔了下来。贝弗莉尖叫一声，靠上了墙壁。石头砸在了水泵上，砰地一声巨响，接着又蹦了回来，打在了水泥墙上，再有一英尺就砸上了艾迪。石头溅落在水里。 “快、快点！”比尔又叫起来。大家一齐拥进下水道里。 接着更多的石头飞落，碎石四处乱溅。 过了一会儿，石头停止了。比尔探头一看，只见亨利正飞快地顺着横档爬下来。“抓、抓、抓住他！”比尔冲了出来，理奇、班恩和麦克也冲了出来。理奇一跃而起，飞身抓住了亨利的脚踝。亨利一面咒骂，一面疯狂地蹬踏，想要摆脱理奇。但是理奇一伸手，抓住了一个横档，接着抱住亨利的腿，在他的脚踝上狠狠地咬了一口。亨利尖叫着，又开始向上爬。他的一只鞋子掉了下来，落在了水里。 “咬我！”亨利狂叫，“咬我！操你妈的咬我！” “今年春天我还得过破伤风！”理奇还在嘲笑他。 “砸他们！”亨利气得语无伦次了，“砸他们，轰他们，返回石器时代！砸出脑浆！” 更多的石头砸落下来。比尔他们迅速撤了回去。 “现在是相持。”班思说，“他们不下来，我们也上不去。” “我、我、我们不上、上、上去。”比尔静静地说，“你、你们都知、知、知道。我、我、我们从、从、从来不会再、再、再上去。” 所有的人都非常害怕。大家都看着比尔。No one spoke. 亨利的声音飘了下来：“我们能等一整天！” 贝弗莉看了看下水道的水管。里面黑乎乎的。她能看见那水泥管的三分之一都有水，而且水正在升高，如果水涨得太高，他们都得淹死。 “比尔，我们非得去吗？” 比尔耸耸肩。是的，他们非得去；要不然他们能去哪儿？被亨利他们杀死？或者更坏的是——在镇里其他的地方被谋杀？贝弗莉现在完全懂得了他的思想。他们最好去找它。引蛇出洞。理奇说：“你告诉我们的那个仪式叫什么？就是图书馆的那本书上说的？” “除、除、除魔。”比尔说着，笑了笑。 “除魔。”理奇点点头。“你咬住它的舌头，它也咬住你的舌头。 right? " “对、对。” “然后你讲笑话。” Bill nodded. “有意思。”理奇看着那黑乎乎的管道。“我连一个也想不起来。” “我也是。”班恩说。恐惧占据了他的心，几乎要使他窒息。他感觉淮一的能使他镇静的，或者说不让他发疯的，就是比尔镇定坚决的表情，当然还有贝弗莉。如果让贝弗莉知道他有多么害怕，他宁愿死去。 “你知道这管道通向哪里？”斯坦利问比尔。 Bill shook his head. “你知道怎么找到它吗？” 比尔还是摇摇头。 “当我们靠近的时候，我们就知道了。”理奇突然说了一句。他颤抖着深吸了一口气。“如果我们非去不可，那么走吧。” Bill nodded. “我是第一个。然后是艾迪、班恩、贝弗莉、斯坦利、麦克。你最后，理奇。每个人必须把一只手放在前面一个人的肩膀上。那里很黑。” “你们要出来吗？”亨利·鲍尔斯在尖叫。 “我们要从某个地方出来，”理奇嘟哝着，“我猜。” 他们像瞎子一样排成了一列。比尔回头看看，确信每个人都把手放在了别人的肩头，然后朝那水流走去。比尔·邓邦带着他的朋友们走进了黑暗，走进了他为弟弟所做的小纸船一年前所去的地方。