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！
Kaufman almost smiled at the perfection of its horror。 He felt an offer of insanity tickling the base of his skull； tempting him into oblivion； promising a blank indifference to the world。
He began to shake； uncontrollably。 He felt his vocal cords trying to form a scream。 It was intolerable： and yet to scream was to bee in a short while like the creatures in front of him。
〃Fuck it；〃 he said； more loudly than he'd intended； then pushing himself off from the wall he began to walk down the car between the swaying corpses； observing the neat piles of clothes and belongings that sat on the seats beside their owners。 Under his feet the floor was sticky with drying bile。 Even with his eyes closed to cracks he could see the blood in the buckets too clearly： it was thick and heady； flecks of grit turning in it。
He was past the youth now and he could see the door into Car Three ahead。 All he had to do was run this gauntlet of atrocities。 He urged himself on； trying to ignore the horrors； and concentrate on the door that would lead him back into sanity。
He was past the first woman。 A few more yards； he said to himself； ten steps at most； less if he walked with confidence。
Then the lights went out。
〃Jesus Christ；〃 he said。
The train lurched； and Kaufman lost his balance。
In the utter blackness he reached out for support and his flailing arms enpassed the body beside him。 Before he could prevent himself he felt his hands sinking into the lukewarm flesh； and his fingers grasping the open edge of muscle on the dead woman's back； his fingertips touching the bone of her spine。 His cheek was laid against the bald flesh of the thigh。
He screamed； and even as he screamed； the lights flickered back on。
And as they flickered back on； and his scream died； he heard the noise of the Butcher's feet approaching down the length of Car One towards the intervening door。
He let go of the body he was embracing。 His face was smeared with blood from her leg。 He could feel it on his cheek； like war paint。
The scream had cleared Kaufman's head and he suddenly felt released into a kind of strength。 There would be no pursuit down the train； he knew that： there would be no cowardice； not now。 This was going to be a primitive confrontation； two human beings； face to face。 And there would be no trick…none…that he couldn't contemplate using to bring his enemy down。 This was a matter of survival； pure and simple。
The door…handle rattled。
Kaufman looked around for a weapon； his eye steady and calculating。 His gaze fell on the pile of clothes beside the Puerto Rican's body。 There was a knife there； lying amongst the rhinestone rings and the imitation gold chains。 A long…bladed； immaculately clean weapon； probably the man's pride and joy。 Reaching past the well…muscled body； Kaufman plucked the knife from the heap。 It felt good in his hand； in fact it felt positively thrilling。
The door was opening； and the face of the slaughterer came into view。
Kaufman looked down the abattoir at Mahogany。 He was not terribly fearsome； just another balding； overweight man of fifty。 His face was heavy and his eyes deep…set。 His mouth was rather small and delicately lipped。 In fact he had a woman's mouth。
Mahogany could not understand where this intruder had appeared from； but he was aware that it was another oversight； another sign of increasing inpetence。 He must dispatch this ragged creature immediately。 After all they could not be more than a mile or two from the end of the line。 He must cut the little man down and have him hanging up by his heels before they reached their destination。
He moved into Car Two。
〃You were asleep；〃 he said； recognizing Kaufman。 〃I saw you。
Kaufman said nothing。
〃You should have left the train。 What were you trying to do？ Hide from me？〃 Kaufman still kept his silence。
Mahogany grasped the hand of the cleaver hanging from his well…used leather belt。 It was dirty with blood； as was his chain…mail apron； his hammer and his saw。
〃As it is；〃 he said； 〃I'll have to do away with you。〃 Kaufman raised the knife。 It looked a little small beside the Butcher's paraphernalia。
〃Fuck it；〃 he said。
Mahogany grinned at the little man's pretensions to defence。
〃You shouldn't have seen this： it's not for the likes of you；〃 he said； taking another step towards Kaufman。 〃It's secret。〃 Oh； so he's the divinely…inspired type is he？ thought Kaufman。 That explains something。
〃Fuck it；〃 he said again。
The Butcher frowned。 He didn't like the little man's indifference to his work； to his reputation。
〃We all have to die some time；〃 he said。 〃You should be well pleased： you're not going to be burnt up like most of them： I can use you。 To feed the fathers。〃 Kaufman's only response was a grin。 He was past being terrorized by this gross； shambling hulk。
The Butcher unhooked the cleaver from his belt and brandished it。
〃A dirty little Jew like you；〃 he said； 〃should be thankful to be useful at all： meat's the best you can aspire to。〃 Without warning； the Butcher swung。 The cleaver divided the air at some speed； but Kaufman stepped back。 The cleaver sliced his coat…arm and buried itself in the Puerto Rican's shank。 The impact half…severed the leg and the weight of the body opened the gash even further。 The exposed meat of the thigh was like prime steak； succulent and appetizing。
The Butcher started to drag the cleaver out of the wound； and in that moment Kaufman sprang。 The knife sped towards Mahogany's eye； but an error of judgement buried it instead in his neck。 It transfixed the column and appeared in a little gout of gore on the other side。 Straight through。 In one stroke。 Straight through。
Mahogany felt the blade in his neck as a choking sensation； almost as though he had caught a chicken bone in his throat。 He made a ridiculous； half…hearted coughing sound。 Blood issued from his lips； painting them； like lipstick on his woman's mouth。 The cleaver clattered to the floor。
Kaufman pulled out the knife。 The two wounds spouted little arcs of blood。
Mahogany collapsed to his knees； staring at the knife that had killed him。 The little man was watching him quite passively。 He was saying something； but Mahogany's ears were deaf to the remarks； as though he was under water。
Mahogany suddenly went blind。 He knew with a nostalgia for his senses that he would not see or hear again。 This was death： it was on him for certain。
His hands still felt the weave of his trousers； however； and the hot splashes on his skin。 His life seemed to totter on its tiptoes while his fingers grasped at one last sense。
Then his body collapsed； and his hands； and his life； and his sacred duty folded up under a weight of grey flesh。
The Butcher was dead。
Kaufman dragged gulps of stale air into his lungs and grabbed one of the straps to steady his reeling body。 Tears blotted out the shambles he stood in。 A time passed： he didn't know how long； he was lost in a dream of victory。
Then the train began to slow。 He felt and heard the brakes being applied。 The hanging bodies lurched forward as the careering train slowed； its wheels squealing on rails that were sweating slime。
Curiosity overtook Kaufman。
Would the train shunt into the Butcher's underground slaughterhouse； decorated with the meats he had gathered through his career？ And the laughing driver； so indifferent to the massacre； what would he do once the train had stopped？ Whatever happened now was academic。 He could face anything at all； watch and see。
The tannoy crackled。 The voice of the driver： 〃We're here man。 Better take your place eh？〃 Take your place？ What did that mean？
The train had slowed to a snail's pace。 Outside the windows； everything was as dark as ever。 The lights flickered； then went out。 This time they didn't e back on。
Kaufman was left in total darkness。
〃We'll be out in half…an…hour；〃 the tannoy announced； so like any station report。
The train had e to a stop。 The sound of its wheels on the tracks； the rush of its passage； which Kaufman had grown so used to； were suddenly absent。 All he could hear was the hum of the tannoy。 He could still see nothing at all。
Then； a hiss。 The doors were opening。 A smell entered the car； a smell so caustic that Kaufman clapped his hand over his face to shut it out。
He stood in silence； hand to mouth； for what seemed a lifetime。 See no evil。 Hear no evil。 Speak no evil。
Then； there was a flicker of light outside the window。 It threw the door frame into silhouette； and it grew stronger by degrees。 Soon there was sufficient light in the car for Kaufman to see the crumpled body of the Butcher at his feet； and the sallow sides of meat hanging on every side of him。
There was a whisper too； from the dark outside the train； a gathering of tiny noises like the voices of beetles。 In the tunnel； shuffling towards the train； were human beings。 Kaufman could see their outlines now。 Some of them carried torches； which burned with a dead brown light。 The noise was perhaps their feet on the damp earth； or perhaps their tongues clicking； or both。
Kaufman wasn't as naive as he'd been