MysteriousDwelling
GnawinghungerremindedDimitrihehadtofindsustenanceimmediately,forhisbodywasnodifferentfromthoseofotherlivingthings,vegetableoranimal,whichallneedednourishmenttosustaihedesignofthefleshbodyerfeeverydetail，butitdidgiverisetoalotoftrouble，forithadtobefedanditssexualurgeshadtobesatisfiedsomehow．Thiswastroublesome，butoherhand，alshtpleasure．Atthesametime,thefleshbodyhadtotendagainstdiseases，agingah．Dimitrididnotwanttothinkaboutitanyfurther．Itwasmoreexpedienttodealwiththepractieeds．Justashewasabouttogetupandgoouttolookforfood，ahugeshadowlookedoverhim．HisfirststartledreawasthatitwasCyclopsingafterhimforhisreveonsedlook，hefounditwasasixfootfour，300pound，blue-eyed，blond-hairedTitanofayoungmaninhistwenties,withawater-melonhoistedonhisshoulder,ingthroughtherosegardentowardsthehalf-burntruinsofahouse．Hewashummingindistinctlyashewalked，hishearingaidshowedthathehadhearingimpairment．Encumberedbyexcessweight,hismovementswereclumsy,buthisexpressionwasiandnaiveasachild’s，insinuatinghewasmentallyretarded．Suddenlywithashoutofjoy，heputdownhismelonandpounasword-shapedbambooonthegroundaeditssharpnessandflexibilityasamusketeerwouldhissword．Thenhesprangintopositionandfehit，decapitatingrosesasifhewouldanoppo’shead，causingaflurryofpetalsandleavestofalltotheground．Hehadhisfun,butcausedhavotherosegarden．Afterawhiletiredofhisgamehethrewawayhisstidwanderedaroundlookingforotheramusements．Itseemedthattheruinsofthisformerlyluxurioushomewashisparadise．Whenhefoundapraphicmagazineamidtheruins，heughedgleefullyaedlyandsatdownoepsoftheporchasheflippedthroughthepages，whilemakinglovewithMrs.Thumbandherfhters．AnimalneedandinstincthadionswhatevertohisIQ．
Justthen，amelodiousvoicecalledout，"Mark!Mark!Whereareyou?"aifulyounggirlmadeherwaythroughthefallenrosesandleavestowardstheruinedhouse．ItwasLaverne,Mark’sstepsister，bothresidentsofthenearbydistrict．Whenshesawhimilydoinghisjobwhilestaringatthepicturesinthemagazine,sheblushedinmaidenlymodestyandshynessandturnedherbacksaying，
"Hurry!It’ste!Wehavetogohome.”Then,throwinganexquisitelyembroideredesesilkhandkerchiefathim,sheadded,"Wipeyourselfwhenyou’rethrough.”Whenhewasdohetwosiblingswalkedarminarmpasttherosegardenandmadetheirwaytowardstheirhome．Theskieswerestillblue．
Thehouseinthenearbyprimeresidentialdistrictwasanaverageoheirfather，Mr.JohnJohnson，hadnotbeeoworkatterhisstroke，sothefamilyfinanceshaddeteriorateddrasticallyandthehouselookedrundown．OldMr．Johnsonwaswalkingboriouslyinthegardenwiththehelpofhisstick，eachstepseemedtobeheavyasathousandpounds．Thestrenuous,strugglingexpressiononhisface,togetherwiththedeepwrinklesmadeohinkthatanotherprecioushumanlifewasabouttoperishfromthisearth．LaverneandMarksprangforwardtohelphimtoachairwhentheirmother’svoicewasheardcallingtoLaverne．Sheanswered，"ing!"auroherbrotherwhohadthemelononhisshoulderandtheman’smagazineinhishandsaying,
"Putthemelonintotherefrigeratoandtakeashower．Don’tpywithitanymoreorIwon’tfrysteakforyoutonight.”Markmadeafaceatherandrantowardsthebathroom．
Lavernewalkedintothehouseandthrewthewetandstickysilkhandkerchiefintothewashingmaetosoakforawhilebeforewashingitbyhand．Itwasherfavorite．Shewasworriedthatherbrother，whohadretlydiscoveredthejoysofmasturbation，wasenjoyingitwithabandon，randomlywastinghisvitality．Shefeltsomethingshouldbedoopreventhimfromgoingohislesthisvitalitywouldbeexhausted；butashisstepsister，shefeltshewasnotinapositiontoteachhimsexeducation．However，ahumanbeinglikeMark，wholivedinhisownworld,freefromworries,actuallylivedahappierlifethanhisnormalterparts．Mrs．Johnson’svoicebrokeintohermusings．Shepulledherselfbacktorealityandhurriediher’sbedroom．
Thickcurtainsblockedoutalllightandtheroomwasdimlylitbythefaintbedsidemp．Theroomwasfullofthepusmellofalcohol，allofwhichgaveoheimpressionthatitwastheroomofasickperson．Mrs．Johnsonyinbed，pletelyparalyzed．Herinnerbodyhadlostallitspowersexceptthatofspeech，sosheironicallycalledherselfa"speakingdeadbody"．Everytwohoursshehadtobeturnedovertopreventbedsoresfrandtokeepherbloodrunningwell．WhensheheardLaverne’sfootstepsingintotheroom,shesaid．
"Laverne,wouldyoupleaseeoverforamoment?Ithinkthereisanantonmyface．Ifeelitchy.”LaveroverandwasabouttokilltheantwhenMrs.Johnsonstoppedhersaying，
"No，it’salittlelifetoo．Don’tkillit．Justblowitaway.”SoLaverheantawaygently．Shewasmovedthateveher’sextremeanddespairingdition，herheartwasfilledwithonlyloveandnottheslightestvestigeofhate．
内容未完，下一页继续阅读