按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
gs。。。her mother； too。。。they said 。。。things about me。。。and her father。。。about something。。。some lie。。。something you told her。。。something。。。〃
〃All of them？〃 Owen asked。 〃You killed。 All of them。〃
Jimmy shrugged。 〃I guess so。 It's kind of a blur。 Funny thing is；〃 he giggled in a way that seemed uncharacteristic； 〃it didn't really feel like me at all。
It felt like something else。 Like I got taken over。 Maybe if she hadn't pointed this gun。 Maybe if I hadn't been drinking。 I don't know。 It happened fast。 I was about to leave； but her mother saw me with the gun。 She saw me and she was saying these things。 And then I just wanted to shut her up and this thing was inside me。 This feeling。 Like something wanted me to point the gun at her mother。 Just to scare her。 And then： kabang。〃
〃Jimmy？〃
〃And then her father starts shouting upstairs； and I feel this。。。this wild thing inside me；〃 Jimmy said； and now the giggling was being annoying and seemed to increase between words。 〃And I just go running back up the stairs and down the hall and there's her dad； and I think of my dad； and I think of all the things I'm never going to have； and suddenly the gun is going off； and then Jenna's screaming and she's picking up the phone in her room because I hear that beep beep noise and I have to stop her； I have to tell her not to call； that there'll be a way to work this all out。 And then； I feel it in me again。 I'm moving faster than I'm supposed to … the rest of the world is moving slow … and I'm in her room and she has a look on her face like she doesn't understand how I got there so quickly and I'm feeling this … power or something … and then I press the gun against her throat to shut her up。〃
Then； he calmed slightly。 He pointed the gun directly at Owen。 〃It's something you said to her。 Isn't it？ It's because you told her。 But you said something terrible； didn't you？〃
〃Jimmy；〃 Owen said。 〃Now； I know you're upset。 I know this is difficult right now。 But I want you to breathe。 Take a few deep breaths。 e on。 Just breathe。 The secret is in breathing。〃
Jimmy looked at him curiously for a moment； blinking。 Then he opened his mouth and let the air in。
Then； out。
Then； in。 Slowly； carefully。
Then； warmth returned to Jimmy McTeague's eyes and he said：
〃Owen； I'm so sorry。 I'm so sorry。 I should never have e this summer。〃
Epilogue
Belief
1
I can look at this past summer now and see that it was all Dagon。
Dagon was there； I had brought Dagon into our world； and Dagon had gotten loose。 There is no madness except the madness of the gods。 There is no purity except the purity of love。
Here is where he took me … down to the sailboat … and out to sea。
2
We sailed around Outerbridge； its cliffs and caves； around the Montgomery palazzo； shining green and white with the flashing of the lighthouse nearby； north and then east； beyond the Great Salt Pond； out into the diamond night where sea and sky met； and the storm howled around us； and Jimmy； gun to my head； calling me Mooncalf over and over again； forced me to whisper an incantation to Dagon of the purity and madness of human love。
Mooncalf； he said。 Mooncalf。
THE END
1
1