gns.throwback-第5部分

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rning　it。　Jackie's　motto　was　that　you　never　got　rid　of　anything。　'That　freak　gale　and　rainstorm　last　night　will　have　helped　to　disperse　whatever　was　in　the　atmosphere。'
　　
　　'God！'　Sylvia　covered　her　face　with　her　hands　and　for　a　moment　he　thought　that　she　was　on　the　verge　of　hysteria。　That's　all　I　bloody　need！　But　when　she　looked　up　again　that　expression　of　panic　had　passed。　'It　is　a　nuclear　attack。*　She　spoke　calmly。　'It's　got　to　be；　hasn't　it？'
　　
　　'No。'　He　pursed　his　lips；　shook　his　head　slowly；　a　physics　master　aware　that　he　was　going　to　have　difficulty　getting　a　new　theory　over　to　an　intelligent　and　questioning　class。　'It's　not　a　nuclear　attack。　That　much　was　made　plain　in　the　early　radio　bulletins　before　they　cut　out/
　　
　　Try　the　radio　again。'
　　
　　'I　have。　Nothing　at　all。　Plus　the　fact　the　batteries　are　beginning　to　run　low。　I　should've　stocked　some　spares。　Next　time　I　will。'　He　laughed　at　his　own　joke；　made　it　sound　more　unfunny　than　it　was。
　　
　　Then　what　do　you　think's　happened；　Jon？'
　　
　　'It　can　only　be　one　thing。'　He　watched　her　steadily；　wondered　if　he　should　put　it　into　words；　decided　that　there　really　wasn't　any　point　in　keeping　anything　back。　'I　reckon　it　can　only　be　one　thing。　Germ　warfare^
　　
　　He　saw　her　pale；　it　had　to　be　a　trick　of　the　uncertain　oil　lighting　because　she　had　been　deathly　white　for　days。
　　
　　'How　do　you　know？'　She　asked　the　question　because　she　felt　she　was　expected　to　say　something。
　　
　　'I　don't；　I'm　only　guessing。　The　early　reports　hinted　at　a　radioactive　fall…out　but　they　didn't　know　where　it　was　ing　from。　There　hadn't　been　any　fireball；　any　direct　attack；　nothing　picked　up　on　the　detection　devices。　All　that　was　happening　was　that　people　were　ing　out　in　terrible　skin　rashes　and　their　minds　were　going　blank。　It　spread　faster　than　the　plague　and　I　guess　that　when　the　newsmen　caught　it　that　was　the　end　of　all　means　of　munication。　We're　OK　because　a　shelter　like　this　has　a　far　better　chance　against　micro…organisms　than　it　does　against　radiation。'
　　
　　'But　how　。　。　。　how　would　an　enemy　attack　us　with　these　germs？　Surely　there　would　have　been　some　kind　of　warning？'
　　
　　'I　guess　it's　the　most　deadly　weapon　of　all；　the　one　which　we're　most　vulnerable　to；'　Jon　Quinn　went　on。　'As　you　say；　no　bang；　no　warning。　I　suppose　the　enemy　synchronise　their　agents　to　release　the　micro…organisms　into　the　atmosphere；　say　at　half　a　dozen　strategic　points　in　the　western　part　of　Britain　so　that　the　prevailing　winds　will　spread　the　germs。　You　can't　see　'em；　hear　'em　or　smell　'em　and　they've　got　you　before　you　realise　it。　It　could　be　the　same　story　in　the　States　and　in　Western　Europe。　At　the　moment　we've　no　means　of　finding　out。　But　you　can　bet　there's　a　few　other　survivors　besides　us；　total　annihilation　would　be　an　impossibility　even　for　the　most　ruthless　enemy。　At　the　moment　we've　no　idea　what　the　effects　of　these　diabolical　bugs　are。　Early　reports　seem　to　suggest　that　they　affect　the　skin　and　the　brain　but　nobody　seemed　to　be　dying　as　a　direct　result　of　it！　At　least；　not　right　away。'
　　
　　'It's　horrible。'　Sylvia　shuddered。
　　
　　True；　but　think　of　the　advantages　from　the　enemy's　point　of　view。　Buildings　are　left　intact　and　when　it's　ah　over　the　enemy　just　arrives　and　takes　over。　They　could　have　all　the　slave　labour　they　need；　thousands　of　zombies　at　their　disposal。　And　the　rest　go　to　the　gas　chambers。'
　　
　　'We'd　be　better　off　dead；'　she　groaned。
　　
　　'Well　we're　alive　and　we've　got　to　make　the　most　of　it；'　he　grinned；　hoped　that　he　sounded　optimistic。　'As　I　said；　that　storm　came　from　the　west　and　with　luck　it　will　have　cleared　the　micro…organisms。　We've　got　all　the　food　we　need　so　we're　lucky。　Tomorrow　I'm　going　to　take　a　walk　outside；　see　what's　happened　to　the　livestock。'
　　
　　'I'll　e　with　you；'　she　said；　a　sudden　fear　of　being　left　alone；　suppose　something　happened　to　Jon　and　he　didn't　e　back。
　　
　　'No；'　he　replied。　'If　we　both　go　then　there's　a　double　risk　of　contamination　or　whatever。　I　shan't　go　far；　just　a　quick　look　around　the　holding。　And　if　everything's　OK　then　maybe　we'll　be　able　to　make　some　plans　to　explore　further　afield。'
　　
　　'All　right。'　She　lapsed　into　another　silence　and　her　thoughts　returned　to　Eric；　her　husband。　For　the　first　time　for　years　she　found　herself　wishing　they　were　together；　which　was　damned　silly　because　they　had　got　used　to　spending　their　lives　apart。　As　a　feedstuffs　rep　covering　most　of　Wales　he　was　away　for　days　at　a　time　and　she　knew　bloody　well　he'd　got　other　women。　It　was　a　rep's　perk。　So　she　got　her　own　back　by　having　Jon；　she　just　needed　screwing；　every　woman　did；　and　when　your　man　was　away　from　home　week　after　week　you　took　steps　to　get　it；　just　like　he　did。　You　never　admitted　it　to　each　other　but　you　both　suspected…knew。　Life　went　on　that　way；　you　didn't　expect　it　to　change。　And　then　without　warning　something　totally　unexpected　like　this　cropped　up　and　you　had　your　lover　for　keeps　and　your　husband；　if　he　was　lucky；　had　one　of　his　fancy　women。　A　kind　of　enforced　wife…swap。　But　right　now　she'd　have　swapped　for　Eric；　because　of　all　the　men　she　had　over　the　years　he　was　the　one　she　had　never　really　got　to　know。　Now　it　looked　like　it　was　too　late。
　　
　　So　she　was　going　to　stick　to　Jon　Quinn　because　she　needed　somebody　to　protect　her。　Somebody　to　screw　her。　And　he　needed　her　because；　like　Eric；　Jackie　was　out　there　in　a　dying　land。
　　
　　She　would　have　to　accept　the　situation　and　so　would　Jon。　Il　would　be　like　a　second　marriage　for　both　of　them。
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　THREE
　　
　　JACKIE　QUINN　had　a　sensation　like　waking　from　a　long　deep　sleep；　refreshed　but　still　having　to　fight　to　bring　back　hazy　recollections　which　did　their　best　to　elude　her　like　marshland　jack…o'…lanterns。
　　
　　She　was　indoors；　Pauline's　mother's　house。　She　recognised　the　lounge　even　though　all　the　furniture　was　gone　and　the　paper　was　peeling　off　the　walls；　exposing　spreading　patches　of　damp　which　even　the　hot　dry　weather　had　not　been　successful　in　eradicating。
　　
　　Outside　it　was　getting　dark；　the　sky　turning　saffron；　a　single　twinkling　star　seeming　to　mock　her　through　the　dirt…streaked　window…pane。　She　crossed　to　the　window；　stood　looking　out　across　the　overgrown　garden　towards　the　roadside　hedge；　a　thick　untended　length　of　hawthorn　and　lilac。　The　streetlamps　came　on；　one　flickering；　dimming；　burning　low　due　to　some　electrical　fault　probably。　She　shuddered。　It　was　eerie；　artificial　lighting　still　operating　in　a　world　where　nobody　was　^capable　of　any　kind　of　maintenance。　Unless；　of　course；　like　herself　lucidity　came　back　in　flashes。　But　it　would　not　be　enough。　Sooner　or　later　the　lighting　would　pack　up　and　all　amenities　would　e　to　a　standstill。　No　medical　service。　Disease　would　follow。　One　way　or　another；　if　you　didn't　die　now　you　would　later。　It　was　the　beginning　of　the　end。
　　
　　Suddenly　she　stiffened；　narrowed　her　eyes　and　stared　out　into　the　orange…tinted　dusk。　Something　had　attracted　her　attention。　She　saw　a　shape；　then　another；　movements　that　rustled　the　scorched　vegetation　in　the　garden；　branches　swaying；　twigs　snapping。
　　
　　Oh　God！　Unmistakable　silhouettes　in　the　half…light；　grotesque　naked　shapes　that　had　to　be　human　because　they
　　
　　could　not　have　been　anything　else；　stooping；　shambling　forms；　men　and　women；　crouched　amongst　the　bushes；　conversing　by　means　of　gesticulations　and　grunts；
　　
　　Jackie　stifled　a　scream；　backed　away　from　the　window；　an　urge　to　flee　but　there　was　nowhere　to　go　because　she　was　trapped　in　this　place；　a　prisoner　between　the　four　walls　of　a　terraced　house；　outside　a　bunch　of　naked　savages　that　belonged　to　a　primitive　age。
　　
　　She　dropped　on　to　her　hands　and　knees；　crawled　across　the　room。　They　must　not　see　her；　must　not　be　aware　that　she　was　hiding　in　here；　the　frail　doors　and　windows　would　not　keep　them　out。　Her　head　began　to　ache　again　but　it　was　too　dark　inside　here　to　know　whether　her　vision　was　starting　to　tunnel　again。
　　
　　Out　into　the　hall；　listening。　Chattering。　The　noise　reminded　her　of　those　jungle　movies　her　father　used　to　take　her　to　on　wet　Saturday　afternoons　when　she　was　a　child。　Incessant　grunts　and　squeaks。　And　she　knew　only　too　well　that　the　sounds　were　real；　that　no　way　were　they　the　figments　of　her　tortured　brain。
　　
　　She　found　herself　in　a　rear　room；　vaguely　recognised　it　as　once　having　been　the　dining…room。　A　few　years　ago　Pauline's　mother　had　persuaded　Jackie　to　stay　to　supper　and　they　had　eaten　in　here。　The　ceiling　bulged；　there　was　a　gaping　hole　where　water　from　the　bathroom　directly　above　had　deluged　through；　probably　a　burst　pipe　during　one　of　the　recent　severe　winters。　A　rusted　electric　fire　hung　precariously　to　the　wall　in　one　corner；　a　broken　concrete　floor；　a　two…foot　deep　hole　in　the　centre；　further　evidence　of　where　the　surveyors　had　dug　down　in　an　attempt　to　locate　the　fault　in　the　foundations。　And　a　telephone　perched　on　me　window…sill！
　　
　　Jackie　stared　at　the　dust…coated　instrument；　experienced　a　sudden　surge　of　hope。　She　closed　her　eyes；　opened　them　again；　and　it　was　still　there；　afraid　in　case　it　was　a　mirage；　her　brain　taunting　her　with　false　hope