JК
Desperation :: Кинг Стивен
Страница: 386 из 422“Ifyou say so, David.”
“I’m up for it,” Steve said. “I can’t wait to see where this guy takes his shoes off and puts his feet up on the hassock.”
“I was in no particular hurry to get to Bakersfield, anyway,” Cynthia said.
David looked at Mary.
“Of course. It was God that showed me how to get out, you know. And there’s Peter to think about. It killed my husband. I think I owe it a little something for Peter.”
David looked at Johnny.
“Two questions,” Johnny said. “First, what happens when this is over. What happens here. If the Desperation Mining Corporation comes back in and starts working the China Pit again, they’ll most likely reopen the China Shaft. Won’t they. So what good is it.”
David actually grinned. To Mary he looked relieved, as if he had expected a much tougher question. “That’s not our problem-that’s God’s problem. Ours is to close the an tak and the tunnel from there to the outside. Then we ride away and never look back.
What’s your other question.”
“Could I take you out for an ice cream when this is over. Tell you some high school war stories.”
“Sure. As long as I can tell you to stop when they get, you know, boring.”
“Boring stories are not in my repertoire,” Johnny said loftily.
The boy walked back to the truck with Mary, slipping his arm around her waist and leaning his head against her arm as if she were his mother. Mary guessed she could be that for awhile, if he needed her to be. Steve and Cynthia took the cab; Ralph and Johnny Marinville sat on the floor of the box a across from Mary and David.
When the truck stopped halfway up the grade, Mary felt David’s grip on her waist tighten and put an arm around his shoulders. They had come to the place where his mother-her shell, anyway-had finished up. He knew it as well as she did. He was breathing rapidly and shal-lowly through his mouth. Mary put a hand on the side of his head and urged him wordlessly with it. He came will-ingly enough, putting his face against her breast. The light, rapid mouth-breathing went on, and then she felt the first of his tears wetting her shirt. Across from her, David’s father was sitting with his knees pulled up to his chest and his hands over his face.
“That’s all right, David,” she murmured, and began stroking his hair. “That’s all right.”
Doors slammed. Feet crunched on the gravel.
“I’m up for it,” Steve said. “I can’t wait to see where this guy takes his shoes off and puts his feet up on the hassock.”
“I was in no particular hurry to get to Bakersfield, anyway,” Cynthia said.
David looked at Mary.
“Of course. It was God that showed me how to get out, you know. And there’s Peter to think about. It killed my husband. I think I owe it a little something for Peter.”
David looked at Johnny.
“Two questions,” Johnny said. “First, what happens when this is over. What happens here. If the Desperation Mining Corporation comes back in and starts working the China Pit again, they’ll most likely reopen the China Shaft. Won’t they. So what good is it.”
David actually grinned. To Mary he looked relieved, as if he had expected a much tougher question. “That’s not our problem-that’s God’s problem. Ours is to close the an tak and the tunnel from there to the outside. Then we ride away and never look back.
What’s your other question.”
“Could I take you out for an ice cream when this is over. Tell you some high school war stories.”
“Sure. As long as I can tell you to stop when they get, you know, boring.”
“Boring stories are not in my repertoire,” Johnny said loftily.
The boy walked back to the truck with Mary, slipping his arm around her waist and leaning his head against her arm as if she were his mother. Mary guessed she could be that for awhile, if he needed her to be. Steve and Cynthia took the cab; Ralph and Johnny Marinville sat on the floor of the box a across from Mary and David.
When the truck stopped halfway up the grade, Mary felt David’s grip on her waist tighten and put an arm around his shoulders. They had come to the place where his mother-her shell, anyway-had finished up. He knew it as well as she did. He was breathing rapidly and shal-lowly through his mouth. Mary put a hand on the side of his head and urged him wordlessly with it. He came will-ingly enough, putting his face against her breast. The light, rapid mouth-breathing went on, and then she felt the first of his tears wetting her shirt. Across from her, David’s father was sitting with his knees pulled up to his chest and his hands over his face.
“That’s all right, David,” she murmured, and began stroking his hair. “That’s all right.”
Doors slammed. Feet crunched on the gravel.