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The Laughing Corpse :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 205 из 213Eyes on the back of the body, if it had a back and a front,followed our progress. The smell from the running wounds was nearly overwhelming. But what was a little gagging between friends?
Wanda opened the door to the outside world. Hot summer wind blew our hair into spider silk strands across our faces. It felt wonderful.
Why hadn't Gaynor and the rest come to the rescue? They had to have heard the gunshots and the screaming. The gunshots at least would have brought somebody.
We stumbled down three stone steps to the gravel of a turn around. I stared off into the darkness at hills covered in tall, waving grass and decaying tombstones. The house was the caretaker's house at Burrell Cemetery. I wondered what Gaynor had done to the caretaker.
I started to lead Wanda away from the cemetery towards the distant highway, then stopped. I knew why no one had come now.
The sky was thick and black and so heavy with stars if I'd had a net I could have caught some. There was a high, hot wind blowing against the stars. I couldn't see the moon. Too much starlight. On the hot seeking fingers of the wind I felt it. The pull. Dominga Salvador had completed her spell. I stared off into the rows of headstones and knew I had to go to her. Just as the zombie had had to obey me, I had to obey her. There was no saving throw, no salvaging it. As easy as that I was caught.
39
I stood very still on the gravel. Wanda moved in my arms, turning to look at me. Her face by starlight was incredibly pale. Was mine as pale? Was the shock spread over my face like moonlight? I tried to take a step forward. To carry Wanda to safety. I could not take a step forward. I struggled until my legs were shaking with the effort. I couldn't leave.
"What's the matter? We have to get out of here before Gaynor comes back," Wanda said.
"I know," I said.
"Then what are you doing?"
I swallowed something cold and hard in my throat. My pulse was thudding in my chest. "I can't leave."
"What are you talking about?" There was an edge of hysteria to Wanda's voice.
Hysterics sounded perfect. I promised myself a complete nervous breakdown if we got out of here alive. If I could ever leave. I fought against something that I couldn't see, or touch, but it held me solid. I had to stop or my legs were going to collapse. We had enough problems in that direction already. If I couldn't go forward, maybe, backwards.
I backed up a step, two steps. Yeah, that worked.
"Where are you going?" Wanda asked.
"Into the cemetery," I said.
Wanda opened the door to the outside world. Hot summer wind blew our hair into spider silk strands across our faces. It felt wonderful.
Why hadn't Gaynor and the rest come to the rescue? They had to have heard the gunshots and the screaming. The gunshots at least would have brought somebody.
We stumbled down three stone steps to the gravel of a turn around. I stared off into the darkness at hills covered in tall, waving grass and decaying tombstones. The house was the caretaker's house at Burrell Cemetery. I wondered what Gaynor had done to the caretaker.
I started to lead Wanda away from the cemetery towards the distant highway, then stopped. I knew why no one had come now.
The sky was thick and black and so heavy with stars if I'd had a net I could have caught some. There was a high, hot wind blowing against the stars. I couldn't see the moon. Too much starlight. On the hot seeking fingers of the wind I felt it. The pull. Dominga Salvador had completed her spell. I stared off into the rows of headstones and knew I had to go to her. Just as the zombie had had to obey me, I had to obey her. There was no saving throw, no salvaging it. As easy as that I was caught.
39
I stood very still on the gravel. Wanda moved in my arms, turning to look at me. Her face by starlight was incredibly pale. Was mine as pale? Was the shock spread over my face like moonlight? I tried to take a step forward. To carry Wanda to safety. I could not take a step forward. I struggled until my legs were shaking with the effort. I couldn't leave.
"What's the matter? We have to get out of here before Gaynor comes back," Wanda said.
"I know," I said.
"Then what are you doing?"
I swallowed something cold and hard in my throat. My pulse was thudding in my chest. "I can't leave."
"What are you talking about?" There was an edge of hysteria to Wanda's voice.
Hysterics sounded perfect. I promised myself a complete nervous breakdown if we got out of here alive. If I could ever leave. I fought against something that I couldn't see, or touch, but it held me solid. I had to stop or my legs were going to collapse. We had enough problems in that direction already. If I couldn't go forward, maybe, backwards.
I backed up a step, two steps. Yeah, that worked.
"Where are you going?" Wanda asked.
"Into the cemetery," I said.