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！
Mark lashed out with both feet at Straker's crotch； and Straker side…stepped liquidly； like a dancer。 At the same moment he kicked his own foot out； connecting squarely with Mark's kidneys。
Mark bit his lips and writhed on the floor。
Straker chuckled。 'e； young master。 To your feet。'
'I 。 。 。 I can't。'
'Then crawl；' Straker said contemptuously。 He kicked again； this time striking the large muscle of the thigh。 The pain was dreadful； but Mark clenched his teeth together。 He got to his knees； and then to his feet。
They progressed down the hall toward the door at the far end。 The pain in his kidneys was subsiding to a dull ache。 'What are you going to do with me？'
'Truss you like a spring turkey； young master。 Later； after my Master holds intercourse with you； you will be set free。'
'Like the others？'
Straker smiled。
As Mark pushed open …the door and stepped into the room where Hubert Marsten had mitted suicide； something odd seemed to happen in his mind。 The fear did not fall away from it； but it seemed to stop acting as a brake on his thoughts； jamming all productive signals。 His thoughts began to flicker past with amazing speed； not in words or precisely images； but in a kind of symbolic shorthand。 He felt like a light bulb that has suddenly received a surge of power from no known source。
The room itself was utterly prosaic。 The wallpaper hung in strips； showing the white plaster and sheet rock beneath。 The floor was heavily dusted with time and plaster； but there was only one set of footprints in it； suggesting someone had e up once； looked around； and left again。 There were two stacks of magazines； a cast…iron cot with no spring or mattress； and a small tin plate with a faded Currier & Ives design that had once blocked the stove hole in the chimney。 The window was shuttered； but enough light filtered dustily through the broken slats to make Mark think there might be an hour of daylight left。 There was an aura of old nastiness about the room。
It took perhaps five seconds to open the door； see these things； and cross to the center of the room where Straker told him to stop。 In that short period； his mind raced along three tracks and saw three possible outes to the situation he found himself in。
On one； he suddenly sprinted across the room toward the shuttered window and tried to crash through both glass and shutter like a Western movie hero； taking the drop to whatever lay below with blind hope。 In one mental eye he saw himself crashing through only to fall onto a rusty pile of junked farm machinery； twitching away the last seconds of his life impaled on blunt harrow blades like a bug on a pin。 In the other eye he saw himself crashing through the glass and into the shutter which trembled but did not break。 He saw Straker pulling him back； his clothes torn； his body lacerated and bleeding in a dozen places。
On the second track； he saw Straker tie him up and leave。 He saw himself trussed on the floor； saw the light fading； saw his struggles bee more frenzied （but just as useless）； and heard； finally； the steady tread on the stairs of one who was a million times worse than Straker。
On the third track； he saw himself using a trick he had read about last summer in a book on Houdini。 Houdini had been a famous magician who had escaped jail cells； chained boxes； bank vaults； steamer trunks thrown into rivers。 He could get out of ropes； police handcuffs； and Chinese finger…pullers。 And one of the things the book said he did was hold his breath and tighten his hands into fists when a volunteer from the audience was tying him up。 You bulged your thighs and forearms and neck muscles； too。 If your muscles were big； you had a little slack when you relaxed them。 The trick then was to relax pletely； and go at your escape slowly and surely； never letting panic hurry you up。 Little by little； your body would give you sweat for grease； and that helped； too。 The book made it sound very easy。
'Turn around；' Straker said。 'I am going to tie you up。 While I tie you up； you will not move。 If you move； I take this'…he cocked his thumb before Mark like a hitchhiker…'and pop your right eye out。 Do you understand？'
Mark nodded。 He took a deep breath； held it； and bunched all his muscles。
Straker threw his coil of rope over one of the beams。
'Lie down；' he said。
Mark did。
He crossed Mark's hands behind his back and bound them tightly with the rope。 He made a loop； slipped it around Mark's neck； and tied it in a hangman's knot。 'You're made fast to the very beam my Master's friend and sponsor in this country hung himself from； young master。 Are you flattered？'
Mark grunted； and Straker laughed。 He passed the rope through Mark's crotch； and he groaned as Straker took up the slack with a brutal jerk。
He chuckled with monstrous good nature。 'So your jewels hurt？ They will not for long。 You are going to lead an ascetic's life； my boy…a long； long life。'
He banded the rope over Mark's taut thighs； made the knot tight； banded it again over his knees； and again over his ankles。 Mark needed to breathe very badly now； but he held on stubbornly。
'You're trembling； young master；' Straker said mockingly。 'Your body is all in hard little knots。 Your flesh is white…but it； will be whiter！ Yet you need not be so afraid。 My Master has the capacity for kindness。 He is much loved； right here in your own town。 There is only a little sting； like the doctor's needle； and then sweetness。 And later on you will be let free。 You will go see your mother and father； yes？ You will see them after they sleep。'
He stood up and looked down at Mark benignly。 'I will say good…by for a bit now； young master。 Your lovely consort is to be made fortable。 When we meet again； you will like me better。'
He left； slamming the door behind him。 A key rattled in the lock。 And as his feet descended the stairs； Mark Jet out his breath and relaxed his muscles with a great； whooping sigh。
The ropes holding him loosened…a little。
He lay moveless； collecting himself。 His mind was still flying with that same unnatural； exhilarating speed。 From his position； he looked across the swelled； uneven floor to the iron cot frame。 He could see the wall beyond it。 The wallpaper was peeled away from that section and lay beneath the cot frame like a discarded snake…skin。 He focused on a small section of the wall and examined it closely。 He flushed everything else from his mind。 The book on Houdini said that concentration was all important。 No fear or taint of panic must be allowed in the mind。 The body must be pletely relaxed。 And the escape must take place in the mind before a single finger did so much as twitch。 Every step must exist concretely in the mind。
He looked at the wall； and minutes passed。
The wall was white and bumpy； like an old drive…i n movie screen。 Eventually； as his body relaxed to its greatest degree； he began to see himself projected there； a small boy wearing a blue T…shirt and Levi's jeans。 The boy was on his side； arms pulled behind him； wrists nestling the small of the back above the buttocks。 A noose looped around his neck； and any hard strugglin