The River Casts Shadows / ªeºt­û°}®e¼v¹³


Joe woke up in his trailer for the first time in a long time without having dreamt previously. He did a double-take on that. Just to be sure. / ³ì¦bªøªº®É¶¡¤¤²Ä¤@¦¸¤£»Ý­n¦³´N¦b¥Lªº°lÂܪ̤¤¿ô¨Ó¥ý«e¹Ú¨£¡C ¥L°µ¤F¤@­Ó¥[­¿-©Ó¾á¨º¡C ¶È¶Èªº½T¡C
But, yes. It was true. He didn't dream. The images were gone. No longer haunting him. He felt such a powerful relief in that revelation. / ¦ý¬O,¬Oªº¡C ¯u¬O¯u¹ê¡C ¥L¨S¦³°µ¹Ú¡C ¼v¹³¤£¨£¤F¡C ¤£¦A¤£©ö§ÑÃhªº¥L¡C ¥L·Pı¤F¨º´¦ÅSªº¤@­Ó¦p¦¹¦³¤Oªº¦w¤ß¡C
The winter had made the day seem darker, but he could roughly tell it was about close to noon. Without much planned to begin with and no place to go, he comtemplated the day's possible line of events. / ¥V¤Ñ¤w¸g¨Ï¨º¤Ñ¦ü¥G¤ñ¸û¶Â·t¡A¦ý¬O¥L¥i¥H·§²¤¦a§i¶D¥¦¬OÃö©ó¹ï¥¿¤Èªºµ²§ô¨Æ¡C ¨S¦³¦h­pµe¶}©l©M¨S¦³¦a¤è¥h, ¥L comtemplated ¤Ñªº¨Æ¥ó¥i¯à½u¡C
Jun and Jinpei had gone out of town as of yesterday, back to their old orphanage. There was a gathering of old friends and acquaintances, an event the two didn't want to pass up. Their little trip made Ken think a bit about Shimada Guard, his own home back in Seclusion, but he only thought of it at its minimum capacity. He had work to handle at Archangel Air. "The winter assignments are hell", he had said. But he then thought of calling home, just to maybe speak to one or two of the kids. And that thought, too, had been cut short. Joe had slapped him on the back of his head with the flat of his hand, just to unfreeze his brain for a second. "Just go to work and feel guilty, you stupid ass," he had growled impatiently. / ¤»¤ë©M Jinpei ±q¬Q¤Ñ°_¤w¸gÂ÷¶}«°Âí,¦V«á¦a¹ï¥L­ÌªºÂ©t¨à°|¡C ¦³¦ÑªB¤Íªº¶°·|©M¬ÛÃѪÌ, ¤@¥ó¨Æ¥ó¨º¤G¨S¦³·Q­n¿ù¹L¡C ¥L­Ìªº¤p®È¦æÃö©ó Shimada ¦u½Ã¨ÏªÖ®¦·Q¤@ÂI, ¥L¦Û¤vªº®a¦V«á¦a¦b¹jÂ÷¤¤, ¦ý¬O¥L¥u¦³¦b¥¦ªº³Ì¤p¯à¤O·Q¨ì¥¦¡C ¥L¦³¤F¤u§@¦b¤Ñ¨ÏªøªÅ®ð³B²z¡C "¥V¤Ñ¥ô°È¬O¦aº»",¥L¤w¸g»¡¡C ¦ý¬O¥LµM«á·Q¨ì©I¥s®a, ¥u¬O¤]³\¸ò¤p«Ä¤¤ªº¤@©Î¤G­Ó»¡¸Ü¡C ¦Ó¥B¨º­Ó·Qªk¡A¤]¡A¤w¸g³Q¤¤Â_¡C ³ì¤w¸g¦b¥LªºÀY­I­±¤W³Q¥Lªº¤â¤½´J©çÀ»¥L, ¥u¬O·»¤Æ¥Lªº¸£¹F¬í¤§¤[¡C "¶È¶È¥h¤u§@¦Ó¥Bı±o¦³¸o, §A·MÄøªºÆj",¥L¤w¸g¤£­@·Ð«ã§p¡C
So Ken was mostly likely still at work since yesterday. Ryu? Ryu had taken the oppurtunity to head back home to his dad's place; it was way warmer down south. He wasn't due back until the end of the week. / ¦]¦¹¦Û±q¬Q¤Ñ¥H«á¤´µM¦b¤u§@¤¤ªÖ®¦¤j³¡¥÷¦³¥i¯à¡C Ryu? Ryu ¤w¸g±a oppurtunity ¦b®a¦V«á¦a«e¶i¨ì¥Lªºª¨ª¨¦a¤è; ¥¦¬O¨Ï¼öªº¤H¦V«n¤èåP¸¨ªº¤èªk¡C ¥Lª½¨ì¬P´Á©³¤£¬O¾A·íªº­I­±¡C
Which leaves me no choice but to got to the Residence, he thought. / ¨º¤@­ÓÅý§Ú¨S¦³¿ï¾Ü°£¤F¨ì¤§¥~¨ì¹F¦í¦v,¥L·Q¡C
The generators are shot again, and it's freezing as it is.... if I stay here tonight I'll turn into a human popsicle by morning. / ·í¥¦¬Oªº®É­Ô¡Aµo¹q¾÷¦A¤@¦¸³Q®gÀ»¡A¦Ó¥B¥¦¬O¦B­áªº.... ¦pªG§Ú¤µ±ß¦b³o¸Ì°±¯d§Ú¦b¦­±á¤§«e±NÅܦ¨¤@­Ó¤HÃþªº¦B´Ò¡C
A shower was much needed, but a stupid idea. Stupid, because in reference to previous thought, the generators were down; the water would come out as warm as Alaskan snow. Wonderful. / ¤@¦¸°}«B¦h³Q»Ý­n, ¦ý¬O¤@­Ó·MÄøªº·Qªk¡C ·MÄøªº, ¦]¬°Ãö©ó¥ý«eªº·Qªk¡Aµo¹q¾÷¬O¤U¨Ó; ¤ô±N·|¥X¨Ó¹³ªü©Ô´µ¥[¤H¤@¼Ëªº·Å·x³·¡C ¥O¤HÅå©_ªº¡C
He changed out of the previous night's clothes, packed a few belongings and left the icebox of a trailer. Unhooking it from his car, he piled in and drove the Shelby Cobra, now with its top up, away from there, heading to the edge of Utoland City where the lone Residence stood. / ¥L§ïÅÜÂ÷«e¤@­Ó©]±ßªº¦çªA, ¥]¸Ë¤F¤@¨Ç©Ò¦³ª«¦Ó¥B¯d¤U¤F°lÂܪ̪º§NÂîw¡C ±q¨ú¤U±q¥Lªº¨T¨®¥¦, ¥L°ï°_¦b¦Ó¥B¾r¾pÁº¸¤ñ²´Ãè³D, ²{¦b¥H¥¦ªº²K¥[,»·Â÷¨º¸Ì,©t³æªº¦í¦v¯¸µÛªº Utoland «°¥«ªºÃä½t¼ÐÃD¡C


He set the car on course for his usual parking spot in the driveway. / ¥L¦b¨®¹D¤¤¬°¥Lªº¥­±`°±¨®³]©w¦b½Òµ{¤Wªº¨T¨®¦aÂI¡C
There were no other vehicles, as he had anticipated. Which was good. That meant he would be alone for the day. / ¨S¦³¨ä¥Lªº¨®½ø,¦p¦P¥L¤w¸g¹w´Á¤@¼Ë¡C ¨º¤@­Ó«Ü¦n¡C ¨º·N¿×¥L±N·|¹ï¨º¤Ñ¬O©t¿Wªº¡C
Climbing out of the car, he felt the sharp winds of winter tear at his hair, ruffling it over his eyes. He brushed it back as he gather his things and headed for the door, fumbling for his keys. He found the one he needed and slid it into the keyhole, a turn of the wrist unlocking the door. / Ãkµn±q¨T¨®¡A¥L¦b¥LªºÀY¾v·Pı¥V¤Ñ²\ºwªº¾U§Q­·,¦b¥Lªº²´·ú¤§¤W§Ë¿¨¥¦¡C ·í¥L»E¶°¥Lªº¨Æª«¦Ó¥B¥hªùªº®É­Ô¡A¥L§â¥¦²¨¨ê¦^¨Ó,¬°¥LªºÆ_°ÍºN¯Á¡C ¥L¶i¤JÁä¤Õ¤§¤ºµo²{¥L»Ý­nªº¨º¤@­Ó©M slid ¥¦,¶}±Òªù ªº¤âµÃ¤@­Ó±ÛÂà¡C
The moment he stepped in, the warmth coming from the central heating system was as close to heaven as he could get for now. He breathed it in, warming his insides, then shut the door behind him. / ¤ù¨è¥L½ñ¦b,·í¥L¥i¥H¬°²{¦b±o¨ìªº®É­Ô¡A¨Ó¦Û¤¤¥¡·x®ð¨t²Î¨t²Î ªº·Å·x¬O¦p¹ï¤Ñ°ó¨Ó»¡ªºµ²§ô¡C ¥L©I§l¤F¥¦¦b,·Å·x¥Lªº¤º³¡,µM«áÃö¤W¦b¥L«á­±ªºªù¡C
The house was dead silent. Unlikely. / ©Ð¤l¦º¨HÀqªº¡C ¤£¤Ó¥i¯à¡C
"Hello?" No answer. "Tante Marie?" The housekeeper didn't respond. / "«¢Åo"? ¨S¦³µª®×¡C "Tante º¿²ú"? ¥D°ü¨S¦³¦^À³¡C
Joe's hand felt for his gun, freeing it from its holster. Undid the lock. / ³ìªº¤âºN¯Á¥Lªººj,ÄÀ©ñ±q¥¦ªº¥Ö®M¥¦¡C ¸Ñ¶}¤FÂê¡C
He dropped his belongings and cautiously moved around to the kitchen. His light blue eyes darted left and right, taking in everything around him, making note of little things as he walked in slow, dangerous steps. / ¥L­°§C¤F¥Lªº©Ò¦³ª«¨Ã¥B·V­«¦a¨ì³B²¾°Ê¨ì¼p©Ð¡C ¥Lªº³Q§ë®g¥ªÃä©M¥kÃä,¦b¥L©P³ò±µ¨ü¨C¥ó¨Æª«, °O¤U¤p¨Æª«ªº²LÂŦⲴ·ú·í°µ¥L¨«¤JºC¤S¦MÀIªº¨BÆJ¡C
Feeling his shoulder close to the kitchen's door frame, he held his breath and waited, counting to ten before making his move into the room. / ·Pı¹ï¼p©ÐªºªùÅé®æªº¥LªÓµ²§ô,¥L«Ì®§¥H«Ý¦Ó¥Bµ¥­Ô, ­pºâ¨ì¤Q¦b§@¥Lªº²¾°Ê¶i©Ð¶¡¤§«e¡C
...Nine.... Ten! / ¡C¡C¡C¤E.... ¤Q!
He whipped to the left, turning into the door frame and smacked into the closed door. Staggering as the door swung in, he barely cleared the way as the door swung back out again, as though eagerly waiting to nail his nose again. / ¥LÃ@¥´¨ì¥ªÃä,±ÛÂà¶i¤Jªù¤§¤º¶i¤JÃö³¬ªù¤§¤ººc¦¨¦Ó¥B¦³¨ý¹D¡C °Ñ®t¦pªù·nÂ\¦b,¥L³Q´X¥G²M°£ªº¤è¦¡¦p¦A¤@¦¸¦b¥~³Q·nÂ\­I­±ªºªù, ¦n¹³¼ö¤ß¦aµ¥­Ô¦A¤@¦¸¥Î°v°v¨c¥Lªº»ó¤l¡C
"Oww... chikuso..." he swore, rubbing his nose. It was then he noticed a note attached to the murderous door. A piece of orange paper scrawled with firm black ink. / "Oww¡C¡C¡C chikuso¡C¡C¡C"¥L©G½|,À¿¥Lªº»ó¤l¡C ¥¦µM«á¥Lª`·N¤F¹ï¤¿¬½ªºªù¤@­Óªþµùªþ¥ó¡C ¤@±i¾ï¦â¯È¥H°í©wªº¶Â¦â¾¥¤ô¼ã¯ó¦a¼g¡C
He got up and pulled it off. Ken's neat scripture lined the paper. / ¥L¨«¶}°_§É¦Ó¥B©Ô¤F¥¦¡C ªÖ®¦ªº¾ã¼ä¸t¸g±Æ¦¨¤@¦æ¤F³ø¯È¡C


Anyone, / ¥ô¦ó¤H,
Tante Marie's got the week off, and Hakase will be in / ³Q±H¥X¬P´Áªº Tante º¿²ú, ¦Ó¥B Hakase ±N¬O¦b
May-eau-East for the next three days. Any eating and fending for will have to be done upon own accord. / ¤­¤ë-eau-¥¼¨Óªº¤T¤ÑªF¤è¡C ¥ô¦óªº¦Y©M ©è¿m¬°±N¥²¶·¦b¦Û¤vªº¨ó©w¤§«á³Q°µ¡C

I may come home, I may not. In any case, don't wait up for me. / §Ú¥i¯à¦^®a, §Ú¤£¥i¯à¡C µL½×¦p¦ó,¤£µ¥­Ô¤£ºÎ ´N§Ú¦Ó¨¥¡C


Ken / ªÖ®¦


Joe crumpled the sheet of paper and threw it towards the wastepaper basket in the corner. 'Towards' was right; 'into' would've been better, but it didn't happen. It bounced off the rim and landed on the floor. / ³ì¦V¨¤¸¨ªº¼o¯ÈÄx¤l§Ë½K¤F¯Èªº±i¦Ó¥B¥á¥¦¡C '¦V' ¬O¥¿½Tªº; '¶i¤J' ¤§¤º would've ¬O¤ñ¸û¦nªº,¦ý¬O¥¦¨S¦³µo¥Í¡C ¥¦¦b¦aªO¤W¨«¶}¤Ï¼uÃä½t¦Ó¥Bµn³°¡C
"Now, I think the shower would be a good idea." / "²{¦b¡A§Ú»{¬°¡A°}«B±N·|¬O¤@­Ó¦n·Qªk" ¡C
Reholstering the weapon, he went back for his bag and hauled it upstairs with him, jets of hot water calling his name. / ¦A¥Ö®MªZ¾¹,¥L¹ï©ó¥Lªº³U¤l¦^¥h¨Ã¥B¥Ñ©ó¥L©ì¤F¥¦¤G¼Ó,©I¥s¥Lªº¦W¦r ªº¼ö¤ô¼Q®g¾÷¡C


Okay, so for once, Ken was right, his thoughts rang as he towel-dried his damp hair. A hot shower *is* better than a cold one. / ¦n¡A¦p¦¹¹ï©ó¤@¦¸¡AªÖ®¦¬O¥¿½Tªº,¥L·Qªk»ïÅT·í°µ¥L¤â¤y§Ë°®ªº¥L¼é·ÃªºÀY¾v¡C ¤@¦¸¼öªº°}«B *¬O* §ó¶W¹L¤@­Ó´H§N¤@¡C
He caught himself. "But only at this time of year," he corrected to no one. He slid into a pair of jeans and a shirt before pulling a sweater over it. February and still chilly, he bitched. BC Island winters were never like this. / ¥L®·®»¤F¥L¦Û¤v¡C " ¦ý¬O¥u¦³¦b¦~ªº³o¦¸",¥L§ï¥¿¨ì¨S¦³¤H¡C ¥L slid ¶i¤J¤@Âù¤û¥J¿Ç©M¤@¥óŨ­m¤§¤º¦b©Ô¦b¥¦¤Wªº¤@¥ó¤ò¦ç¤§«e¡C ¤G¤ë©M¤´µM´H§N,¥L¥Àª¯¡C ¦è¤¸«e®q¥V¤Ñ±q¤£¹³³o¡C
He froze that second. He hadn't thought of BC Island in a long time, directly, at least. Their last mission - his and Ken's anyway - brought back a fragment of his memory that had been lost for a long time, and had begged to be found. Found indeed, in a situation that nearly got both him and his slightly younger 'brother' burnt to ashes. / ¥L¨º¬í­áµ²¡C ¥L¦bªøªº®É¶¡¤º¨S¦³·Q¨ì¦è¤¸«e®q,ª½±µ¦a,¦Ü¤Ö¡C ¥L­Ìªº³Ì«á¥ô°È - ¥Lªº©MªÖ®¦µL½×¦p¦ó -¨Ï¥Lªº¤w¸g³Q¥¢¥h¦³«Üªøªº¤@¬q®É¶¡, ¦Ó¥B¤w¸g½Ð¨D³Qµo²{ªº°O¾Ð¤@­Ó¸H¤ù¦^´_¡C ¦b¤@ºØ´X¥G¨Ï¥L©M¥Lªº¨Ç·L¤ñ¸û¦~»´ªº '¥S§Ì' ¿U¿N¨ì¦ÇÂuªº±¡§Î¤¤ªº½Tµo²{¡C
Memory of the rose. Of blood on the white sand. Of a limp hand that had not yet let go of his gun. Of why, why, why. / ª´ºÀªº°O¾Ð¡C ¦b¥Õ¦âªº¨F¤l¤Wªº¦å¡C ¤@°¦¬X³nªº¨S¦³Åýªº¤â¥Lºj¥h¡C ¬°¤°»ò,¬°¤°»ò,¬°¤°»ò¡C
The son of the Galactor Organization's top Mafia man. The thought ate away at him, sending a wave of bitterness into his throat. Had it actually taken nearly ten years to find out that truth? And he actually / Galactor ²Õ´ªº°ª¼h¶Â¤âÄÒ¨k¤Hªº¨à¤l¡C ·Qªk¦b¥L«I»k,°e­W¨ýªº®ö¼é¶i¥Lªº«|³ï¤§¤º¡C ¥¦¹ê»Ú¤W±a±Nªñ¤Q¦~¤Fµo²{¨º¤@­Ó¨Æ¹ê? ¦Ó¥B¥L¹ê»Ú¤W

shared that truth with the blue-eyed workaholic boy scout by the name of Ken / Âǵ۪֮¦ªº¦W¦r»PÂŦâ- ²´ªº¤u§@¨gµ£¤l­x¤À¨É¨º¤@­Ó¨Æ¹ê
Shimada?
The latter could not be avoided, to say the least. Besides, it was / «áªÌµLªk³QÁקK, »¡³Ì¤Ö¡C ¦¹¥~¡A¥¦¬O
Ken who gave him back that memory, much to his relief and distaste. Relief because Ken, he could trust. They bickered and got on each other's cases, sure. What else did 'brothers' do? They had a mutual trust, a code of thier own, and that was more important and that was what had stood firm all throughout. / §â¥Lµ¹¤©¦^¨Ó¨º°O¾Ð¡A¥Lªº¦w¤ß©M°Q¹½ªº«Ü¦hªÖ®¦¡C ¦w¤ß¦]¬°ªÖ®¦,¥L¥i¥H«H¿à¡C ¥L­Ì°«¼L¦Ó¥B¤W©¼¦¹±¡§Î,·íµM¡C ¤°»ò§Oªº '¥S§Ì' °µ¶Ü? ¥L­Ì¦³¤F¬Û¤¬ªº«H¿à, ¤@­Ó±K½X¤ñ¸û§Aªº¦Û¤v,¦Ó¥B¨º¬O§ó­«­nªº¡A¦Ó¥B¨º¬O¤w¸g¨ì³B¯¸µÛ¤½¥q¥þ³¡ªºªF¦è¡C
But the distasefulness came from the fact that Ken had discovered that secret, and Joe could never leave it behind, not as long as he could see Ken every day and have him as a reminder of that discovery. / ¦ý¬O distasefulness ¨Ó¦Û¨º¤@­ÓªÖ®¦¤w¸gµo²{¨º¤@­Ó¯µ±Kªº¨Æ¹ê¡A¦Ó¥B³ìµLªk§Ñ°O¥¦, ¤£¹³¥L¨º»òªø¥i¥H¨C¤Ñ¬Ý¨£ªÖ®¦¦Ó¥B¦p¤@­Ó¨º¤@¶µµo²{ªº´£¿ô¤H¦³¥L¡C
For some reason, though - and this had been sitting in a cloud right / ¦]¬°¤@¨Ç²z¥Ñ, ÁöµM -¦Ó¥B³o¤w¸g¦b¶³Åv§Q¤¤§¤

above his head for a while now - the memory seemed incomplete. There was still one more fragment missing, and he could not figure out what it was. / ¥L©Ò¤£À´ªº¤@°}¤l²{¦b -°O¾Ð¦ü¥G¤£§¹¥þ¡C ¤´µM¦³¥¢¥h ªº¥t¥~¤@­Ó¸H¤ù¡A¦Ó¥B¥LµLªk²z¸Ñ¥¦¬O¤°»ò¡C
At least, he figured, it doesn't make me nauseous or gives me migranes when I think about it. / ¦Ü¤Ö¡A¥Lºtºâ,·í§Ú·Q¥¦ªº®É­Ô¡A¥¦¤£¨Ï§Ú¥O¤H§@¹Ã©Îµ¹§Ú migranes ¡C
He paced around the room a little more, and finally decided to walk beyond his door a bit. He wanted to see if anything much had changed around the Residence as of late, snce he hadn't been back for a while. / ¥L¦b©Ð¶¡¤p¤pªº§ó¦h©P³ò¿â¨B, ¦Ó¥B³Ì«á¨M©w¨«¶W¹L¥Lªºªù¤@ÂIÂI¡C ¥L·Q­n¬Ý¬Ý¬O§_¥ô¦ó¨Æ«Ü¦h¤w¸g¦b¦í¦vªº©P³ò§ïÅÜ·í°µ³Ìªñ , snce ¥L¨S¦³¦^¨Ó¤@°}¤l¡C
He passed Ken's door and stopped dead. / ¥L§¹¥þ¦a³q¹L¤FªÖ®¦ªºªù¦Ó¥B°±¤î¡C


to be continued... / ³QÄ~Äò¡C¡C¡C


Ali gxan@tm.net.my gxan@hotmail.com


~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Before you decide to fade away / ¦b§A¨M©w¿Æ¦âÂ÷¶}¤§«e
Before you throw it all away / ¦b§A¥þ³¡¥á¥¦Â÷¶}¤§«e
Before you make a decision you may regret / ¦b§A§@¨M©w§A¤§«e¥i¯à·P¨ì¿ò¾Ñ
Think : / ·Q :
"Burn. Live. Thrive." / "¿N¶Ë¡C ©~¦í¡C Ácºa¡C"


'The River Casts Shadows' (continued) / 'ªeºt­û°}®e¼v¹³'(Ä~Äò)


"That freaking sonofa..." / "¨ºÅܱoµJÀê sonofa¡C¡C¡C"
The door was slightly ajar, a draft coming through it, cold winter air. / ªù¨Ç·L·L¶}, «×¹L ªº¯ó½Z¥¦,´H§Nªº¥V¤ÑªÅ®ð¡C
Joe pushed the door open to find the window half open, with thanks to Ken's ridiculous habit of keeping his window open. The room felt like a meat freezer. He went to the window and slammed it shut, very nearly breaking the glass in the process. The vibrations forced several small objects off the bedside table. / ³ì±À°Ê¤Fªù¤½¶}µo²{µ¡¤á¤@¥b¤½¶},ÂǥѨϥLªºµ¡¤á«O«ù¶}©ñªº¹ïªÖ®¦¯îÂղߺDªºÁÂÁ¡C ©Ð¶¡·Pı¹³¤@­Ó¦×¦B®w¡C ¥L¥hµ¡¤á¦Ó¥B²rµMÃö¤W¤F¥¦Ãö¤W,«D±`´X¥G¥´¯}µ{§Çªº¬Á¼þ¡C ¾_°Ê¦b§ÉÃä®à¤l¥~À£­¢¤@¨Ç¤pªºª«Åé¡C
Stupid damn fool! Joe ired. What was he thinking, keeping his window open in the dead of winter! He looked down on the little things that had fallen to the floor, and with heavy obligation decided to put them back where they belonged. / ·MÄøªº«D±`·M¤H! ³ì©Á«ã¡C ¥L¥¿¦b·Q¤°»ò,«O¦s¥Lªºµ¡¤á¦b¥V¤Ñªº¦º¥h¤H¥´¶}! ¥L­Áµø¤w¸g¸¨¨ì¦aªO, ¦Ó¥B»P­«ªº¸q°È¨M©w§â¥L­Ì©ñ¦^­ì³B¥L­ÌÄݩ󪺦a¤è¤p¨Æª«¡C
The old worn photoframe was the first to go back to its place. Joe eyed it briefly. He could see where Ken got his looks from now; he had all his mother's features. There was a sparkle in the younger Ken's eyes that had become rare in his older counterpart; a sparkle of youth that had died in him ever since G-Force became a reality for them and the world. / ªº¿i·l photoframe ¬O¦^¥h¥¦ªº¦a¤è²Ä¤@¡C ²´ªº³ì¥¦Â²µu¦a¡C ¥L¥i¥H¬Ý¨£³Q±o¨ì¥LªºªÖ®¦±q²{¦b°_¬Ýªº¦a¤è; ¥L¦³¤F¥L©Ò¦³ªº¥À¿Ë¯S¼x¡C ¦³¸û¦~»´ªºªÖ®¦¤w¸g¦b¥Lªº¸û¦~ªøªº°t¹ïªÌ¤¤Åܱoµ}¨uªº²´·ú°{Ä£; ¤w¸g¥Ñ¦b¥L¦Ü¤µ¦º G ªº¦~»´¤Hªº°{Ä£-¤O¶q¬°¥L­Ì©M¥@¬ÉÅܦ¨¨Æ¹ê¡C
Ken had forgotten to wear his ID bracelet. It sat in the center of / ªÖ®¦¤w¸g§Ñ°O¬ïµÛ¥Lªº¨­¥÷ÃÒ¤âÅN¡C ¥¦¦b¤¤¤ß¤¤§¤
Joe's palm now in a tangled pile of silver links. Not finding anything else to do, Joe sat himself down on the floor and began undoing where the bracelet had become twisted and tangled. It didn't take long. Soon the bracelet was the shimmering object that had nearly become Ken's trademark; the red jacket, 'Lucky Red', was the established trademark for now. For the first time Joe studied the trinket closely and realized that the ID plate was engraved with Ken's name, like most bracelets of that sort. But the engravement on the back was what intrigued him. A row of ancient Japanese characters were intricately crafted into the silver, but for the life of him, he had no idea what they meant. / ²{¦b¦b»Èªº³Q¨ÏÄñµ²ªº°ï³ì¤â´x³s±µ¡C ¤£¬Oµo²{§OªºªF¦è°µ,³ì¦b¦aªO¤W¤U¨Ó§¤µÛ¥L¦Û¤v¨Ã¥B¶}©l¤F¤âÅN¤w¸gÅܱo¤Ï±`¨Ã¥B¨ÏÄñµ²ªº·´·À¡C ¥¦¨S¦³¤[®³¡C «Ü§Ö¤âÅN¬O¤w¸g³Q´X¥G¦¨¬°ªÖ®¦ªº°Ó¼Ðµo°{Ã{¤§¥úª«Åé; ¬õ¦âªº§¨§J¡A '©¯¹Bªº¬õ¦â',¬O²{¦bªº½T©w°Ó¼Ð¡C ²Ä¤@¦¸³ìÄY±K¦a¾Ç²ß¤F¤p¹¢«~¦Ó¥B¤F¸Ñ¤F¨­¥÷ÃҺФl»PªÖ®¦ªº¦W¦r¤@°_¨è, ¹³¤j¦h¼Æ¨º¤@ºØÃþ«¬ªº¤âÅN¡C ¦ý¬O¦b­I­±¤Wªº¨è¬O±K¿Ñ¤F¥LªºªF¦è¡C »·¥j¤é¥»­Ó©Êªº±Æ¶i¤J»È¤§¤º½ÆÂø¦a³Q­¸¾÷,­n¤£¬O¥Lªº¥Í¬¡,¥L¤£ª¾¹D¥L­Ì©Ò·N¿×ªº¡C
A single gold pin now lay on the floor. Picking it up, Joe noted that it was one other thing that Ken had forgotten to wear : his pilot's wings. Ken was hardly without it if he were at Archangel Air. Joe examined it carefully, finding Ken's initials engraved on the back in the tiniest carvings he had ever encountered : K.S. / ³æ¤@¶Àª÷²{¦b¥Î°w§O¦í¦b¦aªO¤Wªºµ±¡C ¬B°_¥¦, ³ìª`·N¤F¥¦¬O¨º¤@­ÓªÖ®¦¤w¸g§Ñ°OÀ¹ªº¨ä¥L¤@¨Æª« : ¥Lªº­¸¦æ­ûªº¯Í»H¡C ¦pªG¥L¦b¤Ñ¨ÏªøªÅ®ð¡AªÖ®¦­è­è¬O¨S¦³¥¦¡C ³ì¤p¤ß¦a½Õ¬d¤F¥¦, µo²{°_©l¦b¥L¤w¸g³Q´¿¸g¹J¨ìªº³Ì·¥¤pªºÀJ¨è«~ªº­I­±¤W¨èªºªÖ®¦ : K.S.
That second Joe felt himself go cold. Again, he was trying to recall the events of ten years ago, when his parents were murdered on that beach in / ·Pı¥L¦Û¤vªº¨º²Ä¤G³ìÅÜ´H§N¡C ¦A¤@¦¸¡A¥L¥¿¦b¹Á¸Õ¨ú®ø¨Æ¥ó¦b¤Q¦~¥H«e, ·í¥Lªº¤÷¥À¦b¨º®üÅy¤W³Q¿Ñ±þªº®É­Ô¦b
BC Island. What happened in that space of time after the blast and before / ¦è¤¸«e®q¡C ¤°»ò¦b®É¶¡ªº¨ºªÅ¶¡¤¤µo¥Í¦b¯e­·¤§«á©M¥H«e
Dr. Nambu had found him? Nambu hadn't showed up immediately, and besides, how on earth then, did the young Joe wake up with a pair of gold wings identical to the one he was toying with now in the palm of his hand? / Nambu ³Õ¤h¤w¸gµo²{¥L? Nambu ¨S¦³¥ß¨è¥X²{, ©M¦¹¥~, ¦p¦óµM«á¦b¦a²y¤W, °µ¦~»´ªº³ì¥H¤@Âùª÷¦âªº¯Í»H¿ô¨Ó»P¥L¥¿¦b¥Lªº¤â¤â´x¤¤¦³²{¦bª±§Ëªº¨º¤@­Ó¬Û¦P?
Quickly Joe replaced the pin on Ken's table and rushed back into his room. Looking for his jacket and finding it, he rummaged through the pockets searching for the pin that had become his good luck charm for years now. One of the inner breast pockets spat out the gold wings, sending it clattering at his feet. / «Ü§Ö¦a³ì´À´«¤F¦bªÖ®¦ªº®à¤l¤Wªº¤jÀY°w¦Ó¥B¶Ê«Pªð¦^¥Lªº©Ð¶¡¡C §ä´M¥Lªº§¨§J©Mµo²{¥¦,¥L½¹M¹L¤f³U°w¹ï¤w¸g¬°¼Æ¦~²{¦bÅܱo¥Lªº¦n¹B®ð¦N²»ª«ªº¤jÀY°wªº·j´M¡C ¤º³¡ªº¯Ý³¡¤f³U¤§¤@»´¥´¥Xª÷¦âªº¯Í»H,°e¥¦¦b¥Lªº¸}µo¥X¼M°ÕÁn¡C
He took it into his hands and looked for a set of initials just like what was found on Ken's own pin. / ¥L®³¥¦¶i¥Lªº¤â¤§¤º¦Ó¥B§ä´M¤@²Õ°_©l¶È¶È¬Û¦ü¤°»ò¦bªÖ®¦ªº¦Û¤v¤jÀY°w¤W³Qµo²{¡C
Yes, there were initials : K.S. "K.S..." he whispered. "The same initials." He held his breath for what felt like forever, but only half a minute went by. Shaking his head as he slipped the pin into his pocket, he scolded himself. "You ass... millions of people have that same initial. Ken's family alone had three! The pin could belong to anyone!" / ¬Oªº, ¦³°_©l : K.S. "K.S.¡C¡C"¥L¦Õ»y¡C "¬Û¦Pªº°_©l". ¥L¬°¥Ã»·¦a·Pı°_¨Ó¹³ªºªF¦è«Ì®§¥H«Ý¡A¦ý¬O¥u¦³¥b¤ÀÄÁ¹L¥h¡C ·í¥L·Æ­Ë¤jÀY°w¶i¥Lªº¤f³U¤§¤ºªº®É­Ô¡A·nÀY,¥L³d½|¤F¥L¦Û¤v¡C " §AÆj¡C¡C¡C ¼Æ¥H¦Ê¸U­p¤H¦³¬Û¦Pªº°_©l¡C ªÖ®¦ªº®a®x¿W¦Û¦a¦³¤T! ¤jÀY°w¥i¥HÄÝ©ó¥ô¦ó¤H!"
He made his way downstairs, thinking that a cup of good strong coffee might do him some good. / ¥L¨Ï¥Lªº¤èªk¦¨¬°¼Ó¤U, ·Q¤@ªM¦n±jªº©@°Ø¥i¯à°µ¥L¤@¨Ç¦nªº¡C
And then he heard a car pull up into the driveway. / µM«á¥LÅ¥¨ì¤@½ø¨T¨®¶i¤J¨®¹D¤§¤º©Þ¥X¡C


Joe made his way to the large picture window in the lounge to see a black Sebring now sitting in the driveway behind his own car. / ³ì¨Ï¶¢³}ªº¤j®i±æµ¡ªº¥L¸ô¦¨¬°¦b¥L¦Û¤vªº¨T¨®«á­±ªº¨®¹D¤¤²{¦b¬Ý¨£¶Â¦âªº Sebring ®y¦ì¦w±Æ¡C
In any case, don't wait up for me. -- Ken. / µL½×¦p¦ó,¤£¬°§Úµ¥­Ô¤£ºÎ¡C -- ªÖ®¦¡C
"So the little batard decided to come home after all." / "¦p¦¹¤p batard ¨M©w²¦³º¦^®a" ¡C
He watched with some resolution as Ken half-dragged himself out of the car, taking his backpack along with him. He looked beat, and somewhat hungry, since Jun was not around to let him stretch his tab today. The winter had taken its toll on him; his summer tan was gone, replaced by an austere paleness and all the lighter sun-streaks in his hair that he had acquired from the warmer seasons had darkened again to their original color. / ¥L±q¨T¨®¥H¤@¨Ç¨Mij¬Ý¦pªÖ®¦°_¨Ó¤@¥b©ì©Ôªº¥L¦Û¤v,³s¦P¥L¤@°_±a¥Lªº­I¥]¡C ¥L¬Ý¤F¥´, ©M²¤·LÄȾj,¦Û±q¤»¤ë¥H«á¤£¦bªþªñÅý¥L¤µ¤Ñ¦ù®i¥Lªº©w¦ìÁä¡C ¥V¤Ñ¤w¸g±Ä¨ú¦b¥L¤Wªº¥¦³q¦æ¶O; ¥Lªº®L¤Ñ¶À½Å¦â¤£¨£¤F, ³QÄY®mªºÅÜ«C©M©Ò¦³ªº¸û»´¤Ó¶§´À´«- ¥LªºÀY¾v±ø²z¥L¤w¸g¦A¤@¦¸±q¤ñ¸û¼öªº©u¸`°_Àò±o¤w¸g§Ë·t¨ì¥L­Ìªº³ÌªìÃC¦â¡C
He was thinner, but still strong. A little cold wasn't going to bat him down. / ¥L¬O¤ñ¸ûÁ¡ªº, ¦ý¬O¤´µM±j¡C ¤@­Ó¤p¤pªº´H§N¨S¦³¦b§â¥L¥h½¿½»¤U¨Ó¡C
Joe thought of meeting him at the door, but that would seem too eager, even for his own good. Instead he set himself down of the sofa and reached for the day's paper. / ³ì·Q¨ì¦bªù¹J¨£¥L, ¦ý¬O±N·|¦ü¥G¤Ó¼ö¤ß,¬Æ¦Ü¹ï©ó¥L¦Û¤vªº¦n³B¡C ¬Û¤Ïªº¥L¨Fµo³]©w¥L¦Û¤v¤U¨Ó¨Ã¥B¤Î©ó¤Ñªº³ø§i¡C
The jingling of keys broke the temporary silence before the door opened and closed again, Ken leaning hard on his back. He tossed his backpack onto a chair, which made it target, then decided to let gravity take it down to the floor. / ¦bªù¦A¤@¦¸¥´¶}¦Ó¥BÃö³¬¤§«e , Æ_°Íªº§@¥m¾´ÁnÂ_±¼¤F¼È®Éªº¨HÀq, ¶É±× ªºªÖ®¦§V¤O¦a¦b¥Lªº­I³¡¤W¡C ¥LµM«á¦b¤@±i´È¤l¤§¤W§ëÂY¥Lªº­I¥]¨M©wÅý¦a¤ß¤Þ¤O§â¥¦±Ä¨ú¤U¨Ó¨ì¦aªO,¨Ï¥¦ºË·Ç¡C
"You're back?" Joe asked flatly. It didn't even sound like a question. / "§A¦^¨Ó"? ³ì¥­¥­¦a°Ý¡C ¥¦¤£¬Æ¦ÜÅ¥°_¨Ó¹³¤@­Ó°ÝÃD¤@¼Ë¡C
Ken didn't even seem surprised. "I should be asking you the same thing." He stepped down to the lounge and flung himself into a soft armchair, draping his legs over the armrest. "Lemme guess : dead generators." / ªÖ®¦¤£¬Æ¦Ü¦ü¥G·P¨ìÅå³Y¡C "§ÚÀ³¸Ó°Ý§A¬Û¦Pªº¨Æª«" ¡C ¥L¨ì¶¢³}Ã㾦ӥB¶i¤J¤@§â³nªº§ß¤â´È¤l¤§¤º§ë¤F¥L¦Û¤v,Âл\¦b§ß¤â¤Wªº¥L»L¡C " Lemme ²q´ú : ¦ºªºµo¹q¾÷¡C"
"Touche`," he answered. "And you have a leaky roof." / "»¡±o¹ï",¥L¦^µª¡C "¦Ó¥B§A¦³©öº|ªº«Î³»" ¡C
"I do not." / " §Ú¤£".
"You do too." / "§A¤]°µ" ¡C
"I *don't*. Whatever gave you the idea that I did?" / " §Ú *¤£*. ¤£½×¤°»òµ¹¤©¤F§A§Ú°µªº·Qªk?"
"Well, if not, then what in hell are you doing here?" / "¶â, ¦pªG¤£, µM«á¤°»ò¦b¦aº»¤è­±¬O§A¦b³o¸Ì°µ"?
Ken sighed. There really was no point. Not with Joe. "My fucking fridge is empty, okay? You happy now?" / ªÖ®¦¼Û®§¡C ¤£¯uªº¦³ÂI¡C ¤£¬O©M³ì¡C "§Ú©Ê¥æ¹q¦B½c¨º¬OªÅªº,¦n? §A²{¦b§Ö¼Öªº?"
Joe grinned, more widely than what was normal for him. "Entirely." / ³ìÅS¾¦¦Ó¯º,§ó¼sªx¶W¹L¬O¥Lªº±`ºAªF¦è¡C "§¹¥þ¦a".
And for the briefest moment, he felt sorry for Ken, coming back from standing out in the open at Archangel and then driving back in the cold only to encounter a very crude, very sarcastic partner. The also Captain of / ¦Ó¥B³Ì²µuªº¤ù¨è¥H¨Ó¡A¥L¦P±¡ªÖ®¦,±q¦b¤Ñ¨Ïªø¦bÅS¤Ñ¤U¬ð¥XµM«á¤£®Æ³º·|¦b´H§N¤¤¦V«á¦a¾r¾p¦^¨Ó¹J¨ì¤@­Ó«D±`¤ÑµM¤S«D±`¿Ø¨ëªº¦X¹Ù¤H¡C ¨º¤]²îªø
G-Force was dog-tired, and what he really needed was something warm inside him. / G- ¤O¶q¬O¯h­Â·¥ªº,¦Ó¥B¥L¯uªº»Ý­n¬O¸Ì­±ªº·Å·xªF¦è¥L¡C
"Coffee?" / "©@°Ø"?
Ken glared. / ªÖ®¦µo¯t¥ú¡C
Joe slapped himself on the brow with his hand. "Sorry. You don't drink coffee, Boy Scout." / ³ì¦b©M¥Lªº¤â¬Ü¤ò¤W©çÀ»¥L¦Û¤v¡C "Ãø¹Lªº¡C §A¤£³Ü©@°Ø¡Aµ£¤l­x¡C"
Ken would've argued, but not today. "Decaf. And no sugar. Caffeine and sugar together does something strange to me." / ªÖ®¦ would've ª§½×, ¦ý¬O¤£¤µ¤Ñ¡C "²æ¥h©@°Ø¦]ªº©@°Ø¡C ¦Ó¥B¨S¦³¿}¡C ©@°Ø¦]©M¿}¤@°_¹ï§Ú°µ©_©ÇªºªF¦è¡C"
"Yeah. It makes you *normal*." / "¬Oªº¡C ¥¦»s³y§A *±`ºA*."
Joe ducked before the cushion hit his head, running into the kitchen beofre Ken decided to come in after him. / ¦b¹Ô¤lÀ»¤¤¥LªºÀY¤§«e , ³ì¨S¤J¤ô¤¤,Áɶ]¶i¤J¼p©Ð beofre ªÖ®¦¤§¤º¦b¥L¤§«á¨M©w¶i¨Ó¡C


to be continued... / ³QÄ~Äò¡C¡C¡C


Ali

gxan@tm.net.my gxan@hotmail.com


~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Before you decide to fade away / ¦b§A¨M©w¿Æ¦âÂ÷¶}¤§«e
Before you throw it all away / ¦b§A¥þ³¡¥á¥¦Â÷¶}¤§«e
Before you make a decision you may regret / ¦b§A§@¨M©w§A¤§«e¥i¯à·P¨ì¿ò¾Ñ
Think : / ·Q :
"Burn. Live. Thrive." / "¿N¶Ë¡C ©~¦í¡C Ácºa¡C"


'The River Casts Shadows' (continued) / 'ªeºt­û°}®e¼v¹³'(Ä~Äò)


Ken slipped into the kitchen as Joe waited for the coffee to brew. / ·í³ìµ¥­Ô©@°ØÆC³yªº®É­Ô¡AªÖ®¦¨³³t¶i¤J¼p©Ð¡C
Despite the fact that he preferred the caffeinated kind, he let it slip this once, for Ken's sake at least. / ¾¨ºÞ¥L°¾·R¤F caffeinated Ãþ«¬ªº¨Æ¹ê¡A¥LÅý¥¦·Æ­Ë³o­Ó¤@¦¸,¹ï©óªÖ®¦ªº½t¬G¦Ü¤Ö¡C
"You hungry?" Ken asked from the barstool at the counter. "You don't look like you've eaten yet." / " §AÄȾjªº"? ªÖ®¦¦bÂd¥x±q barstool °Ý¡C " §A¬Ý°_¨Ó¤£¹³§A¤´µM¤w¸g¦Y".
Joe shook his head. "Everything in my trailer is frozen." He waited for a witty comment, but received none. All he heard was a deep sigh. / ³ì·nÀY¡C "§Úªº°lÂܪ̪º¨C¥ó¨Æª«³Q­áµ²" ¡C ¥Lµ¥­Ô¤@­Ó´I©ó¾÷´¼ªº·N¨£, ¦ý¬O³Q¤@¯ë©Ó»{ªº¨S¦³¤H¡C ¥þ³¡¥LÅ¥¨ì¬O¤@Án²`ªº¼Û®§¡C
"Something up?" / "¬Y¨Æ´£°ª"?
"No," he replied. Another sigh. "Just... tired, that's all. I almost wish they extended the grounding of the airfield due to the weather. It's / "¤£" ¡A¥LµªÂСC ¥t¤@Án¼Û®§¡C "¥¿ª½ªº¡C¡C¡C ¯h²Öªº,¨º¬O©Ò¦³ªº¡C §Ú´X¥GÄ@¥L­Ì¦b¥Ñ©ó¤Ñ®ð³Q©µ¦ù­¸¾÷³õªº±µ¦a¡C ¥¦¬O
February. Christmas is over, New Year's is over, but people still want to fly out and fly back in." / ¤G¤ë¡C ¸t½Ï¸`µ²§ô, ·s¦~µ²§ô¡A¦ý¬O¤H¤´µM·Q­n¦V«á¦a­¸¥X¦Ó¥B­¸¦b¡C"
Joe poured out two cups of coffee and took them over to the counter, sitting across Ken. "It's good for the business, though, isn't it?" he offered, passing the cup to his partner. / ³ì¹ïÂd¥x­Ë¤GªM©@°Ø¦Ó¥B±µºÞ¥L­Ì,¶V¹LªÖ®¦§¤¡C "¥¦¹ï¥Í·N¬O¦nªº,ÁöµM, ¥¦¤£¬O"? ¥L´£¨Ñ,¹ï¥Lªº¦X¹Ù¤H¸g¹LªM¤l¡C
Ken held the cup in his hands first, letting them warm his half-frozen digits. "Oh, sure. But not when I'm so short-staffed that the remaining six of us works all 5 shifts straight." / ªÖ®¦­º¥ý®³µÛ¤F¥Lªº¤âªM¤l,¨Ï¥L­Ì·Å·x¥Lªº¤@¥b- §N­áªº¼Æ¦r¡C "®@,½T«H¡C ¦ý¬O¤£§Ú¦ó®É¬O¦p¦¹ªºµu - ¬°°t³Æ¤H­û¥H­P©ó³Ñ¾lªº§Ú­Ì¤¤ªº¤»­Ó¾Þ§@©Ò¦³ªº 5 Åܤƪ½½u¡C"
"That was yesterday?" / "¨º¬O¬Q¤Ñ"?
Ken ignored the bewildered look on the Sicilian's face. "Yesterday and this morning. With today's drop, the airfield closed again, thank God. / ªÖ®¦©¿²¤¤F¦b¦è¦è¨½¤HªºÁy¤W¥O¤H§x´bªº¯«±¡¡C "¬Q¤Ñ©M¤µ¤Ñ¦­±á¡C ÂǥѤµ¤Ñªº¤U­°¡A­¸¾÷³õ¦A¤@¦¸Ãö³¬,ÁÂÁ¤W«Ò¡C
Maybe I can catch up with some rest." / ¤]³\§Ú¯à»°¤W¤@¨Ç¥ð®§¡C"
Both were silent for a while, quietly sipping their coffee. Moments between them had been awkward ever since their last assignment, an assignment that had led to truth and trust. Joe had not been able to keep his eyes off Ken for the past week, almost afraid that he would let out his secret to the others and cause something that is beyond necessity. In spite of the words of comfort and trust that Ken had given him that fateful day, it still remains that the fact was there, and that nothing would make him forget it. / ¨âªÌ³£¨HÀq¤@°}¤l,¦wÀR¦a°ã¶¼¥L­Ìªº©@°Ø¡C ¤ù¨è¦b¥L­Ì¤§¶¡¤w¸g¥Ñ¬O²Â©åªº¦Ü¤µ¥L­Ìªº³Ì«á¥ô°È,¤@¶µ¤w¸g¾É­P¨Æ¹ê©M«H¿àªº¥ô°È¡C ³ì¤w¸g³Q¤£¯à°÷¬°¹L¥hªº¤@­Ó¬P´Á§â¥Lªº²´·ú¯d¦bªÖ®¦¥~, ´X¥G®`©È¥L±N·|©ñ¥X¹ï¨ä¾lªÌªº¥L¯µ±K¦Ó¥B¤Þ°_¬Y¨Æ¬O¶W¹L»Ý­n¡C ¾¨ºÞ¦w¼¢ªº¦r©M«H¿à¨º¤@­ÓªÖ®¦¤w¸gµ¹¥L±J©Rªº¤é¤l,¥¦¤´µM«O«ù¨Æ¹ê¦b¨º¸Ì , ¦Ó¥B¨S¨Æ±N·|¨Ï¥L§Ñ°O¥¦¡C
"Stop thinking about it, Joe." / "°±¤î·Q¥¦,³ì".
His head snapped up, staring intently at Ken. "What?" / ¥LªºÀY·m¥ý§Ë¨ì¤â ,¦bªÖ®¦¤@¤ß¤@·N¦aª`µø¡C "¤°»ò"?
"I said stop thinking about it," he repeated, tone unchanging. "I know it's been on your mind all week, and I know I'm partially to blame for your discovery of that truth. I know truth can hurt." With another long sigh, he added, eyes downcast, "I've been there." / " §Ú»¡°±¤î·Q¥¦",¥L­«½Æ,½Õ©M¤£§ïÅÜ¡C " §Úª¾¹D¡A¥¦¬O¾ã¬P´Á¦b§Aªº¤ß¤W, ¦Ó¥B§Ú»{Ãѧڳ¡¥÷¦a¬O¬°§Aªº¨º¤@­Ó¨Æ¹êªºµo²{³d³Æ¡C §Úª¾¹D¡A¨Æ¹ê¯à¶Ë®`¡C"Âǥѥt¥~ªøªº¼Û®§¡A¥L¼W¥[, ®ð¾kªº²´·ú ",§Ú¤w¸g¦b¨º¸Ì¡C"
Joe hated it when he did this. Ken was too perceptive, too observant. He could figure them out at any time he pleases with minimal effort. He was good at that, but not as good as Ryu. / ·í¥L°µ¤F³oªº®É­Ô¡A³ì¼¨«ë¥¦¡C ªÖ®¦¤Óª¾Ä±ªº,¤Ó²`¤Áª`·N¡C ¥LÀH®É¥i¥H²z¸Ñ¥L­Ì¥L¥H³Ì¤pªº§V¤O½Ð¡C ¥L¾Õªø¨º, ¦ý¬O¤£¹³ Ryu ¤@¼Ëªº¦n¡C
"You probaby think it's real easy to handle," he snorted bitterly. / " §A probaby »{¬°¡A¥¦¬O¯u¥¿ªº®e©ö³B²z",¥L«è«ë¦a¼QµÛ®ð§ËÅT»ó¤l¡C
"My parents died because they wanted to leave." / "¦]¬°¥L­Ì·Q­nÂ÷¶}¡A©Ò¥H§Úªº¤÷¥À¦º" ¡C
"Only because they cared enough about you to want you to be away from all that," Ken objected softly. "They wanted to change their lives for your sake." He left the counter, taking both their empty cups to the sink and began washing them. "My father changed his life for the planet's sake. / " ¥u¦³¦]¬°¥L­Ì¨¬°÷Ãö©ó§AÃö¤ß·Q­n§A»·Â÷¥þ³¡",ªÖ®¦¬X©M¦a¤Ï¹ï¡C "¥L­Ì·Q­n¬°¤F§A§ïÅÜ¥L­Ìªº¥Í©R" ¡C ¥LÂ÷¶}¤FÂd¥x, §â¥L­Ìªº¨â­ÓªÅªºªM¤l±a¨ì¬~º°¼Ñ¦Ó¥B¶}©l²M¬~¥L­Ì¡C "§Úªº¤÷¿Ë¬°¤F¦æ¬P§ïÅܤF¥Lªº¥Í¬¡¡C
There is a difference in that." / ¦b¨º¦³¤@ºØ¤£¦P¡C"
Right then and there Joe saw that Ken had dropped his guard completely. His father's death was still upon him, and very heavily so. / ´N¦b¨º®É©M¦b¨º¸Ì³ì¿÷¤l¨º¤@­ÓªÖ®¦¤w¸g§¹¥þ¦a­°§C¥Lªº¦u½Ã¡C ¥Lªº¤÷¿Ë¦º¤`¤´µM¬O¦b¥L¤§¤W, ©M«D±`«Ü­«¦a¦p¦¹¡C
After he had recovered from his brief bout of illness, Ken had gone back to work full speed, and it had never actually occured to Joe that it was a form of blocking everything out. He did reveal a little of his regret and sadness during their last assignment together, but anything he had said that day seemed meaningless compared to what he just reveal there at the kitchen sink. / ¦b¥L¤w¸g«ì´_¥LªºÂ²µu¦¸ªº¯e¯f¤§«á¡AªÖ®¦¤w¸g¦^¥h¤u§@¥þ³t, ©M¥¦¦³±q¤£¹ê»Ú¤W occured ¹ï³ì¥¦¬O¦b¥~ªýÂ_¨C¥ó¨Æª«ªº§Î¦¡¡C ¥Lµy·L¦b¥L­Ìªº³Ì«á¥ô°È´Á¶¡¥Lªº¿ò¾Ñ©M´d«s¤@°_½T¹êÅã¥Ü, ¦ý¬O¥ô¦ó¨Æ¥L¤w¸g»¡¤é¤l¦ü¥GµL·N¸q¤ñ¸û¨ì¥L¶È¶È¦b¼p©Ð¤ô¼ÑÅã¥Üªº¡C
So Ken is still hurting. Why didn't he say anything? He reexamined himself for a second, and they retorted to himself. Hmph. *I* wouldn't have said anything either. I would've just shut up and gone right back to normal. / ¦]¦¹ªÖ®¦¤´µM¥¿¦b¶Ë®`¡C ¥L¦ó¤£»¡¥ô¦ó¨Æ? ¥L¬°¬í­«¦Ò¤F¥L¦Û¤v¡A¦Ó¥B¥L­Ì¹ï¥L¦Û¤v¤Ï»é¡C Hmph¡C *§Ú*¤]¤£·|»¡¥ô¦ó¨Æ¡C §Ú would've ­è­è³¬¼L¦Ó¥B¥h¨ì±`ºA¥¿½T¦a¦V«á¦a¡C
A second contradiction. But I didn't do that either. I'll never be normal again. Neither will he, he guessed as he continued to watch Ken. / ²Ä¤G­Ó¥Ù¬Þ¡C ¦ý¬O§Ú¨S¦³¤]°µ¨º¡C §Ú±N±q¤£¦A¤@¦¸¬O±`ºA¡C ¥L¤]±N¤£·|,·í¥LÄ~Äò¬ÝªÖ®¦ªº®É­Ô¡A¥L²q´ú¡C
And suddenly Ken whipped right around, a smile on his face. "Okay. / ¦Ó¥B¬ðµMªÖ®¦´N¦bªþªñÃ@¥´,¦b¥LªºÁy¤W¤@­Ó·L¯º¡C "¦n¡C
Enough soft stuff. How 'bout we fix us something to eat?" / ¥R¨¬ªº³n¨Æ±¡¡C ¦p¦ó ' ¦¸§Ú­Ì©T©w§Ú­ÌªF¦è¦Y?"
Joe got out of his seat, relieved and somewhat filled with admiration that Ken's will and strength had come through again, holding him together, keeping him stable. So very unlike him. "You get the stuff out, / ³ìÂ÷¶}¥Lªº®y¦ì, ´î»´¨Ã¥B²¤·L¸Ëº¡Æg½à¨ºªÖ®¦ªº·N§Ó¡A¦Ó¥B¤O¶q¦A¤@¦¸¤w¸g«×¹L ,§â¥Lµ²¦X¦b¤@°_¡A¨Ï¥L«O«ùí©wªº¡C ¦p¦¹ªº«D±`¤£¹³¥L¡C "§A±o¨ì¨Æ±¡¥~­±,
I'll do the cooking." / §Ú±N°µ²i¶¹¡C"
"Are we in for another Italiana Fiesta?" Ken grinned as he scoured through the fridge. "I'm hoping so." / " §Ú­Ì¬O¦b¹ï©ó¥t¤@­Ó Italiana ²½¨å"? ·í¥L«ø¿i¹L¹q¦B½cªº®É­Ô¡AªÖ®¦ÅS¾¦¦Ó¯º¡C "§Ú³o»ò§Æ±æ" ¡C
Joe had to smile. Ken's spirit was infectuous. "Then you're getting so." / ³ì¥²¶··L¯º¡C ªÖ®¦ªººë¯«¬O infectuous ¡C " µM«á§A¥¿¦b³o»ò±o¨ì".


A kitchen mess, and oven baking and a bit of flour-flinging later, the two were once again at the counter, a pan of hot lasagna between them, a small loaf of garlic bread on the side and a bowl of soup each with freshly-squeezed apple juice waiting at the finish. / ¤@­Ó¼p©Ð§ËÁV, ©M¯N½c¯MµH©M¤@ÂIÄѯ»-µy«á§ë, ¨º¤G¦bÂd¥x¬O¦A¤@¦¸,¦b¥L­Ì¤§¶¡ªº¤@Áç¤l¼öªº«ó¥­¼eÄѱø, ¦bÃä©M¤@¸J´ö¤Wªº¤j»[ÄÑ¥]ªº¤p±ø¨C­Ó¥Ñ©ó·s-¦b§¹¦¨ºò´¤¤FÄ«ªG¥Äµ¥­Ô¡C
Sighing contentedly with their appetites appeased, thye put off the cleaning up for a bit later, taking their own time to let the food settle in properly. / º¡¨¬¦a¥H¥L­Ìªº³Q¦w¼¾ªº­¹¼¤¼Û®§, thye ±N²M¼ä©µ´Á¦bµy«á¹ï©ó¤@ÂIÂI¤W­±, ªá¥L­Ì¦Û¤vªº®É¶¡¾A·í¦aÅý­¹ª«ªø´È¶i¥h¡C
"Next time it's your turn," Joe said, pointing his lasagna-stained fork at Ken. / "¤U¦¸½ü¨ì§A",³ì»¡,¦bªÖ®¦«ü¥X¥Lªº«ó¥­¼eÄѱøªg¬Vªº¤e¤l¡C
He sipped his juice. "C'mon, I prefer you do it." / ¥L°ã¶¼¤F¥Lªº¥Ä¡C "C'mon,§Ú°¾·R§A°µ¥¦".
"I like your Chinese cooking," Joe argued. / "§Ú³ßÅw§Aªº¤¤°ê²i¶¹",³ìª§½×¡C
"I'd rather go for your Italian." He sipped again. "I don't know where you picked up the talent, but I like it." / "§Ú±N·|¹ç¥i¥h¥s§Aªº¸q¤j§Q»y" ¡C ¥L¦A¤@¦¸°ã¶¼¡C "§Ú¤£ª¾¹D§A±µ¸ü¤~¯àªº¦a¤è¡A¦ý¬O§Ú³ßÅw¥¦" ¡C
"And where did you pick up yours?" / " ¦Ó¥B§A¦b­þùسvº¥«ì´_©O§Aªº"?
Ken was silent for a moment before beginning. "Mother used to do all the cooking at Shimada Guard. Then she got too sick to do it, so the Angel / ªÖ®¦¦b¶}©l¤§«e¤@·|¨à¨HÀq¡C " ¥À¿Ë¹L¥h¤@ª½¦b Shimada ¦u½Ã°µ©Ò¦³ªº²i¶¹¡C µM«á¦o±o¨ì¤Ó¤£µÎªA¦ÓµLªk°µ¥¦, ¦p¦¹¤Ñ¨Ï
Elders took over, but you know, it's never the same. I picked up on it after having watched my mother do it for so long. Whenever Kikei came back late I would wait up for him and fix something just for the both of us. I'd skip dinner earlier just for that." / ¦~ªøªÌ±µºÞ¡A¦ý¬O§Aª¾¹D, ¥¦±q¤£¬O¬Û¦Pªº¡C §Ú¦b¥¦¤W³vº¥«ì´_¦b¦³¤§«á¬Ý§Úªº¥À¿Ë°µ¥¦¬°¦p¦¹ªø¡C µL½×¦ó®É Kikei ±ß¦^¨Ó§Ú±N·|¬°§Ú­Ì¨â­Ó¬°¥Lµ¥­Ô¤£ºÎ¦Ó¥B¶È¶È©T©w¬Y¨Æ¡C §Ú¬°¨º¦­¨Ç®É­Ô±N·|¶È¶È¸õ¶V±ßÀ\¡C"
"Out of necessity, then?" / "±q»Ý­n,µM«á"?
Ken shrugged, then slipping the straw back into his mouth for another sip. "For me, what isn't a necessity?" / ªÖ®¦ÁqªÓ, µM«á¬°¥t°ã¶¼¶i¤J¥Lªº¼L¤§¤º§â½_¯ó·Æ­Ë¦^¨Ó¡C "´N§Ú¦Ó¨¥, ¤°»ò¤£¬O¤@­Ó»Ý­n"?
Joe thought for a second. "Sex?" / ³ì¬°¬í·Q¡C "©Ê§O"?
Ken choked. He pushed the glass away, coughing hard. Hearing Joe's chuckling didn't help much. "You bastard..." / ªÖ®¦²¿®§¡C ¥L±À°Ê¬Á¼þ¤§»·,§V¤O¦a«y¹Â¡C Å¥ÃÒ·|³ì¦Y¦Yªº¯º¨º¨S¦³¦hÀ°§U¡C " §A¨p¥Í¤l¡C¡C¡C"
"It's true!" Joe chided, sensing a nice little argument building up. / " ¥¦¬O¯u¹êªº"! ³ì¥¸³d,¦V¤W´úª¾¤@´É¬ü¦nªº¤pª§½×«Ø¿vª«¡C
"You don't have a sex life." / "§A¨S¦³©Ê§O¥Í¬¡" ¡C
Ken had cleared his throat and was trying to drink again when he answered, "It's only because I live my life with every part of me. You live your life between your legs." / ·í¥L¦^µªªº®É­Ô¡AªÖ®¦¤w¸g²M°£ªº¥L«|³ï¨Ã¥B¦A¤@¦¸¥¿¦b¹Á¸Õ³Ü," ¥¦¥u¦³¬O¦]¬°§Ú¥H§Úªº¨C­Ó³¡¥÷©~¦í§Úªº¥Í¬¡¡C §A©~¦í¦b§Aªº»L¤§¶¡ªº§A¥Í¬¡¡C"
This time Joe spat out his juice. "Say what?!" His ire flared a bit more as he watched his younger brother laugh so hard that he had given up the effort of finishing his drink. "It's not funny, Shimada!" / ³o¦¸³ì»´¥´¥X¥Lªº¥Ä¡C " »¡¤°»ò?!"·í¥L¬Ý¤F¥Lªº§Ì§Ì¯º¦p¦¹ªº§V¤O¥L¤w¸g©ñ±ó§¹¦¨ªº§V¤O¥Lªº¶¼®Æ®É­Ô¡A¥Lªº©Á«ã·n¦²¤F¤@ÂIÂI§ó¦h¡C "¥¦¤£¬O¦n¯ºªº,Shimada"!
"No, no, what I said wasn't exactly funny," he gasped. "But your expression; now, *that* was funny." He burst right out again, by this time leaning hard on the counter, trying to hide his face in his folded arms. His whole body shook. / "¤£¡A¤£¡A§Ú»¡ªº¤£¬O§¹¥þ¦n¯º",¥L³Ý®ð¡C " ¦ý¬O§Aªºªí¹F; ²{¦b,*­þ¤@* ¬O¦n¯ºªº¡C" ¥L¦A¤@¦¸´N¦b¥~Ãzµõ, ¦b³o®É­Ô¦bÂd¥x¤W§V¤O¦a¶É±×, ¹Á¸ÕÂÃ¥LªººPÅ|¤âÁuªº¥LÁy¡C ¥Lªº¾ã­Ó¨­Åé·n°Ê¡C
Joe took the oppurtunity. He kicked Ken's stool from beneath him. / ³ì±a¤F oppurtunity ¡C ¥L½ð¤FªÖ®¦ªº¹¹¤l±q¦b¥L¤§¤U¡C
"Ack!" / "Ack"!
The next second, Ken was hard on his behind, tailbone aching. And now Joe laughed beyond control. "No, Ken. *That* is funny." / ©¹«áªº¬í,ªÖ®¦¬OÃøªº¦b¥L«á­±ªº³¡¤À¤W, ´÷±æªº tailbone¡C ¦Ó¥B²{¦b³ì¯º¶W¹L±±¨î¡C "¤£,ªÖ®¦¡C ** ¬O¦n¯ºªº¡C"
Rolling his eyes, Ken streched his legs out to pull Joe's stool away from underneath the counter, sending him on his behind as well. / ºu°Ê¥Lªº²´·ú, ªÖ®¦ streched ¦b¥~ªº¥L»L±q¦bÂd¥xªº¤U­±³ìªº¹¹¤l¤§»·©Ô,¤]¦b¥Lªº«á­±³¡¤À¤W°e¥L¡C
As Joe rubbed his aching keister, he heard Ken come up close, staring hard. / ·í³ìÀ¿¤F¥Lªº´÷±æ keister ªº®É­Ô,¥LÅ¥¨ì¤F³Qµo¥Íµ²§ô,§V¤O¦aª`µøªºªÖ®¦¡C
"Now we're even. You wash, I dry." / "²{¦b§Ú­Ì¬O¥­©Zªº¡C §A¬~,§Ú§Ë°®¡C"
They both the got to their feet and tended to the domestical chore of washing up. / ¥L­Ì­Ç³£¨º¨ì¹F¥L­Ìªº¸}¦Ó¥B¶É¦V©ó²M¬~ªº domestical ¹s¤u¦b¤W­±¡C
"You think Jun would believe this?" / "§A»{¬°¡A¤»¤ë±N·|¬Û«H³o"?
Ken blinked, thinking. "Nah. Tante Marie wouldn't believe this either." / ªÖ®¦¯w²´,·Q¡C "Nah¡C Tante º¿²ú±N¤£¤]¬Û«H³o¡C"
"Then why do we keeping avoiding doing this when they're around?" / " µM«á¬°¤°»ò§Ú­Ì·í¥L­Ì¦bªþªñªº®É­ÔÄ~ÄòÁקK°µ³o"?
A small smile spread across Ken's face. "The sheer adventure of it?" / ¤@­Ó¤pªº·L¯º¥]¬AªÖ®¦ªºÁy¡C "¥¦ªºµ´¹ï«_ÀI"?
And they both laughed as they did the chore, Joe occasionally splashing Ken over with water, and Ken smacking Joe back with a wrung-up towel. / ¦Ó¥B·í¥L­Ì°µ¤F¹s¤u¡A³ì¦³®É­Ô¦V«á¦a¥H¤@±ø wrung- ¦V¤Wªº¤â¤yµ²§ô¥H¤ô , ©MªÖ®¦ÂqÀãªÖ®¦©Q¦Þªº³ì®É­Ô¡A¥L­Ì­Ç³£¯º¡C


to be continued... / ³QÄ~Äò¡C¡C¡C


Ali gxan@tm.net.my gxan@hotmail.com


~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Before you decide to fade away / ¦b§A¨M©w¿Æ¦âÂ÷¶}¤§«e
Before you throw it all away / ¦b§A¥þ³¡¥á¥¦Â÷¶}¤§«e
Before you make a decision you may regret / ¦b§A§@¨M©w§A¤§«e¥i¯à·P¨ì¿ò¾Ñ
Think : / ·Q :
"Burn. Live. Thrive." / "¿N¶Ë¡C ©~¦í¡C Ácºa¡C"


'The River Casts Shadows' (continued) / 'ªeºt­û°}®e¼v¹³'(Ä~Äò)


Half an hour later they were both splattered - literally - on the carpet in the lounge, staring at the ceiling. / ¤@¥b¤@¤p®É¤§«á¥L­Ì¨â­Ó³Q¨Ï¤ôµ¥­¸Âq - ·Ó¦r­±¤W¦a -¦b¶¢³}ªº¦a´à¤W,¨nµÛ¤ÑªáªO¬Ý¡C
Both sighed simultaneously, but failed to notice it. / ¨âªÌ³£¦P®É¦a¼Û®§, ¦ý¬O¨S¦³ª`·N¥¦¡C
"What time is it?" / "²{¦b´XÂIÄÁ"?
Ken tilted his head slightly to catch sight of the clock on the wall. "Five minutes since you last asked me." / ªÖ®¦¨Ç·L¦a¶É±×¤F¥LªºÀY¿h¨£¦bÀð¾À¤Wªº®ÉÄÁ¡C "¤­¤ÀÄÁ¦Û³Ì«áªº§A¤§«á°Ý¤F§Ú" ¡C
"Specifically?" / "©ú½T¦a"?
"2.38, no more." / "2.38,¨S¦³§ó¦h".
Joe fought the urge to scream. While fighting his own urge, Ken had gone ahead and done it himself. His voice bounced off the walls of the / ³ì¥´¥M¤F©IÆ~¦y¥s¡C ·í¹ï§Ü¥L¦Û¤vªº©IÆ~®É­Ô,ªÖ®¦¤w¸g«e¶i¦Ó¥B°µ¥¦¥L¦Û¤v¡C ¥LªºÁn­µ¨«¶}¤Ï¼uÀð¾À¨º
Residence, echoing along the corridors. / ¦í¦v,ªuµÛ¨«´YÀHÁnªþ©M¡C
Joe whipped around to look at him : he still looked tired, only now more edgy. / ³ì½Âà¬Ý¥L : ¥L¤´µM¬Ý°_¨Ó«Ü¯h²Ö,¥u¦³²{¦b§ó¤M¤f¾U§Q¡C
"I'm bored," Ken explained innocently, as though the scream had not been his. "I am bored out of my mind." / "§Ú·P¨ìµL²á",ªÖ®¦µL¸o¦a¸ÑÄÀ,¦n¹³¦y¥sÁn¤w¸g³Q¤£¬O¥Lªº¡C " §Ú·P¨ìµL²áºÆ¤F".
His steel-blue eyes returned to the ceiling as he spoke. "Jeez, this sucks. What could just the two of us do to get into trouble?" / ·í¥L»¡ªº®É­Ô¡A¥Lªº¿û- ÂŦ⪺²´·ú¦^¨ì¤ÑªáªO¡C "Jeez,³o§l¡C ¤°»ò¥i¥H¥u¬O§Ú­Ì¤¤ªº¤G­Ó°µ¶i¤J§xÂZ?"
Silence. Then, "I just thought of something, Joe." / ¨HÀq¡C µM«á,"§Ú­è­è·Q¨ì¬Y¨Æ,³ì".
And that was when Joe sat up on the floor. Looking down at Ken who was still lying there quite motionless, he saw something he thought he'd never see again : that sparkle in his eyes. The gleam of a child up to something amazing. And he had on the stupidest grin imaginable to be seen upon an elite force commander's face. / ¦Ó¥B¨º¬O·í³ì¦b¦aªO¤W¼õ©]¡C ©¹¤U¬Ý¤´µM¥¿¦b»¡ÁÀªºªÖ®¦¦b¨º¸Ì¬Û·í¤£°Ê, ¥L¬Ý¨£¥L·Q¤F¥L±N·|¤£¦A¬Ý¨£ªº¬Y¨Æ : ¥Lªº²´·ú¨º°{Ä£¡C ª½¨ì¥O¤HÅ岧ªºªF¦è«Ä¤lªº·L®z°{¥ú¡C ¦Ó¥B¥L¦b¥i·Q¹³¦bºë­^¤O¶q«ü´§©xªºÁy¤§¤W³Q¬Ý¨ìªº³Ì·MÄøªºÅS¾¦¯º¤W¦³¡C
"I just thought of a way to get ourselves into trouble." / "§Ú­è­è·Q¨ì¤@­Ó¤èªk¶i¤J³Â·Ð¤§¤º±o¨ì§Ú­Ì¦Û¤v" ¡C

Ken and Joe were laughing so hard as they ran that they kept stumbling and falling into the snow, scrambling along as they went further and further away from the back porch of the Residence. No longer able to even stand up straight, they stopped, leaning hard against the bare trees as they continued to cackle insanely. / ªÖ®¦©M³ì¥¿¦b¯º¦p¦¹ªºÃø·í¥L­Ì¶]¥H­P©ó¥L­ÌÄ~Äò²Ì­Ë¦Ó¥B±¼¤J³·, Ãk½tªuµÛ·í¥L­ÌÅܶV¨Ó¶V¶i¤@¨B»·Â÷¦í¦vªº«á­±ªù´Y¡C ¤£¦AÁo©úªº¬Æ¦Ü¯¸°_¨Óª½½u,¥L­Ì°±¤î, ¶É±×§V¤O¦a¤Ï¹ï¨ª»rªº¾ð·í¥L­ÌÄ~Äò±wºë¯«¯f¦a«£«£¦a¥s¡C
"Pure genius, Ken," Joe noted once he got his breath back. "I had no idea you could do that." / ¤@¥¹¥L§â¥Lªº©I§l±o¨ì¦^¨Ó¡A "¯Âºéªº¤Ñ¤~ , ªÖ®¦", ³ìª`·N¡C " §Ú¤£ª¾¹D§A¥i¥H°µ¨º".
Ken had slid down to the ground now, sitting in the snow, still trying to figure out where he had left his breath. "I had a feeling you had the same talent," he managed at last. "Figured that we should both have some fun." / ªÖ®¦²{¦b¹ï¦a­±§â slid ¦³¤U¨Ó,¦b³·¤¤§¤, ¤´µM¹Á¸Õ²z¸Ñ¥L¤w¸g¯d¤U¥Lªº©I§l­þ¸Ì¡C "§Ú¦³¤F§A¦³¤F¬Û¦Pªº¤~¯à·Pı", ¥L³Ì«á³B²z¡C "ºtºâ¤F§Ú­Ì¨â­ÓÀ³¸Ó¦³¤@¨Ç¼Ö½ì" ¡C
Joe sat down with him, still smiling broadly. "Do you think she'll notice?" / ³ì©M¥L§¤¤U, µM¦Ó·L¯ºªº¼e¼s¦a¡C "§A»{¬°¦o±Nª`·N¶Ü"?
They stared at each other first, then let their eyes wander back to the back porch they had retreated from, where an intricate snow sculpture of / ¥L­Ì­º¥ý¨nµÛ©¼¦¹¬Ý, µM«áÅý¥L­Ìªº²´·ú¦V«á¦a¹C¿º¨ì¥L­Ì¤w¸gºM°hªº«á­±ªù´Y±q, ¦b­þ¸Ì¤@­Ó½ÆÂø³·ÀJ¨è
Tante Marie the housekeeper now stood, looming over the porch like a vulture gone hungry. / Tante º¿²ú¥D°ü²{¦b¯¸µÛ,¦bªù´Y¤§¤WÁô¬ù¥i¨£³ßÅw¤@­Ó³QÅÜÄȾjªº¨rÆN¡C
And Ken exploded with laughter all over again. Now his ribs hurt so badly, but he couldn't care. Joe's response to the sight was no different from his own. / ¦Ó¥BªÖ®¦¥H¯º¦A¤@¦¸¨ì³BÃz¬µ¡C ²{¦b¥Lªº¦Ø°©¶Ë®`¦p¦¹ªºÄY­«¡A¦ý¬O¥LµLªkÃö¤ß¡C ¹ïµø¤Oªº³ì¦^À³¨S¦³¤£¦Pªº¥L¦Û¤vªº¡C
"I swear, if she doesn't notice, I'll kill myself laughing," he replied. Getting up, a different thought popped into his head. "Do you think she'll figure out who did it?" / "§Úµo»},¦pªG¦o¨Sª`·N,§Ú±N±þ§Ú¦Û¤v¯º",¥LµªÂСC °_§É,¤@­Ó¤£¦Pªº·Qªk¶i¤J¥LªºÀY¤§¤º¨ú¥X¡C " §A»{¬°¦o±N²z¸Ñ½Ö¥¦"?
"By the time she gets back, we'd all be back here," Joe told him. / "·í¦o¦^¨Óªº®É­Ô,§Ú­Ì¥þ³¡±N·|¬O«á­±ªº³o¸Ì",³ì§i¶D¤F¥L¡C
"She'll have five suspects to choose from, and she'll never figure out it was us." / " ¦o±N¦³¤­­Ó¶ûºÃ¥Ç±q¤¤¿ï¾Ü¡A¦Ó¥B¦o±NµLªk²z¸Ñ¥¦¬O§Ú­Ì" ¡C
"C'mon, do we look like art majors?" Ken wondered. "I mean, we're the mechanical types, right? We don't have artistic flairs." / "C'mon,§Ú­Ì¬Ý°_¨Ó¹³ÃÀ³N¤@¼Ë¥D­×¬ì¥Ø¶Ü"? ªÖ®¦ÃhºÃ¡C "§Ú·N¿×,§Ú­Ì¬O¾÷±ñªºÃþ«¬,¹ï¤£¹ï? §Ú­Ì¨S¦³ÃÀ³Nªº¾U§Q²´¤O¡C"
"None that anyone else knows of," he answered. For a second he looked back at the ridiculous piece of art they had created. "But I don't think you gotta be an artist to create that thing, Ken." / "¨ä¥L¥ô¦ó¤Hª¾¹Dªº¨S¦³¤H",¥L¦^µª¡C ¥L¦^¬Ý¥L­Ì¤w¸g³Ð³yªº¯îÂÕÃÀ³Nªº¶ô¬í¡C "¦ý¬O§Ú¤£»{¬°§A¥²¶·¬O¤@­ÓÃÀ³N®a³Ð³y¨º¤@¥ó¨Æª«¡AªÖ®¦" ¡C
Ken brushed off the snow from his hair and shoulders, his gloves tingling with the chill around them. "It sure as hell took some wild imagination to come up with, though." / ªÖ®¦©Úµ´¨Ó¦Û¥LªºÀY¾v©MªÓªº³·,¥Lªº¦b¥L­Ì©P³ò¥H´H§N¿³¾Ä ªº¤â®M¡C "¦ý¬O,¥¦·íµM¦p¦aº»±Ä¨ú¤F¤@¨Ç³¥©Êªº·Q¹³µo²{ " ¡C
"What, you mean two tactical strategists from G-Force couldn't be creative enough to come up with an idea like that?" / "¤°»ò,§A·N¿×¨Ó¦Û G ªº¤G­Ó¾Ô³Nªº¾Ô²¤®a-¤O¶qµLªk°÷¦³³Ð³y¤O¨Ó´£¥X¹³¨º¤@¼Ëªº¤@­Ó·Qªk"?
"Element of surprise, my second-in-command," he said lightly. / "·N¥~ªº¤¸¯À,§Úªº²Ä¤G«ü´§",¥L»´»´ªº»¡¡C
"Element of surprise." / "·N¥~ªº¤¸¯À".
Joe took that moment to look Ken over again. The usual, familiar tenseness was absent, as the normal deadpan, formal manner. Almost as though he was 16 again, those times before the call of duty came into his life. / ³ì®³¤ù¨è¦A¤@¦¸µ²§ô¬ÝªÖ®¦¡C ¥­±`¤S¼ô±xªººò±i¯Ê®u,¦p¥¿±`ªºµLªí±¡ªºÁy¤S¥¿¦¡ªº¤èªk¡C ´X¥G¦n¹³¦b³d¥ôªº©I¥s¶i¤J¥Lªº¥Í¬¡¨º¨Ç®É¥N¤§«e¥L¦A¤@¦¸¬O 16 ¡C
16... and they were both nineteen now. / 16.¡C¡C ¦Ó¥B¥L­Ì¨â­Ó¬O¤Q¤E²{¦b¡C
My god... has it already been three years? / §Úªº¯«¡C¡C¡C ¥¦¤w¸g¬O¤T¦~¤F¶Ü?
"So what now?" Ken's voice said, snapping him out of his reverie. / " ¦p¦¹¤°»ò²{¦b"? ªÖ®¦ªºÁn­µ»¡,±q¥LªºªÅ·Q«rÂ_¥L¡C
"It's still light out. There's still time to come up with more mischief, you know." / "¥¦¤´µM¬O»´ªº¦b¥~¡C ¤´µM¦³¸Ó´£¥X§ó¦hªº¶Ë®`®É­Ô,§Aª¾¹D¡C"
Joe shook his head. "Enough for today. Can't make this a habit." / ³ì·nÀY¡C "¤µ¤Ñªº¥R¨¬¡C ¤£¯à¨Ï³o¦¨¬°¤@­Ó²ßºD¡C"
Both were quiet again for a little while before they both stood straight, again dusting the snow off their clothes. / ¦b¥L­Ì­Ç³£µ§ª½¦a¯¸¥ß¤§«e , ¨âªÌ³£¬O¦A¤@¦¸¤pªº¤@·|¨à¦wÀR, ¦A¤@¦¸¥´±½¦b¥L­Ìªº¦çªA¥~ªº³·¡C
"You think the river's frozen over?" Joe asked out of nowhere. / "§A¥J²Ó¦Ò¼{­n­áµ²ªºªe"? ³ìµL³B°ÝÂ÷¡C
Ken remained silent, contemplating. "Should think so. But the warmer season is coming; I don't think it's as incredibly solid as it was before." / ªÖ®¦«O«ù¨HÀq,ª`µø¡C "À³¸Ó³o»ò»{¬°¡C ¦ý¬O¤ñ¸û¼öªº©u¸`§Y±N¨ì¨Ó; §Ú¤£»{¬°¥¦¬O¹³¥¦¥H«e¤@¼ËªºµLªk¸m«H°íµw¡C"
"We could still check it out," he argued. "It's been a while since we went ice-sliding." / "§Ú­Ì¥i¥H¤´µMÀˬd¥X¥¦",¥Lª§½×¡C "¦]¬°§Ú­Ì¥h¤F¦B¡A¥¦³Q¬O¤@·|¨à-·Æ".
The moment he said it Ken's stomach knotted. Anticipation of events, he called the reaction. He spoke, but the tone of voice was different; low / ¤ù¨è¥L»¡¤F¥¦¥´µ²ªºªÖ®¦­G¡C ¨Æ¥óªº¹w´Á,¥L©I¥s¤F¤ÏÀ³¡C ¥L»¡¡A¦ý¬OÁn­µªº©ú·t¬O¤£¦Pªº; §CÂI

like it usually was. Like it was earlier that day. "Fine." / ¬Û¦üªº¥¦³q±`¬O¡C ¬Û¦üªº¥¦¨º¤Ñµy¦­¡C "»@´Ú".
It bother Joe a little that the sparkle in his eyes had vanished, the intensity returning to the young face, once again making it look older, more experienced. / ¥¦·ÐÂZ³ì¥Lªº²´·ú°{Ä£¤w¸g®ø¥¢ªº¤@ÂIÂI , ¦^¨ì¦~»´ªºÁy ±j¯P, ¦A¤@¦¸¨Ï¥¦¬Ý¤ñ¸û¦~ªøªº,§ó´I¦³¸gÅ窺¡C
It bothered him that the ten-year-old in the old worn frame had once again been buried deeply by his older counterpart, the arcane adult he had become. / ¥¦·ÐÂZ¤F¥L¦A¤@¦¸³Q¦³²`²`¦a³Q¥Lªº¸û¦~ªøªº°t¹ïªÌ,¥L¤w¸gÅܱoªº¯«¯µ¦¨¤H®I¸®ªºÂ¿i·lªºÅé®æ¤Q·³¡C
"Okay." / "¦n".
And they walked forward towards the river. / ¦Ó¥B¥L­Ì¦Vªe¦V«e¦a¨«¡C


to be continued.... / ¬OÄ~Äòªº....


Ali gxan@tm.net.my gxan@hotmail.com


~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Before you decide to fade away / ¦b§A¨M©w¿Æ¦âÂ÷¶}¤§«e
Before you throw it all away / ¦b§A¥þ³¡¥á¥¦Â÷¶}¤§«e
Before you make a decision you may regret / ¦b§A§@¨M©w§A¤§«e¥i¯à·P¨ì¿ò¾Ñ
Think : / ·Q :
"Burn. Live. Thrive." / "¿N¶Ë¡C ©~¦í¡C Ácºa¡C"

'The River Casts Shadows' (continued) / 'ªeºt­û°}®e¼v¹³'(Ä~Äò)


Ken, Joe, Jun, Jinpei and Ryu spent a lot of their time - in fact dedicated much of their time to - exploring the forest region near the / ªÖ®¦¡A³ì¡A¤»¤ë¡A Jinpei ©M Ryu «×¹L¤F³\¦h¥L­Ìªº®É¶¡ - ¥L­Ìªº®É¶¡¨Æ¹ê¤W¼ö°J«Ü¦h¨ì - ±´¨s´ËªL°Ï°ì±µªñ¨º
Residence. They had created their own map of the area, naming each little landmark themselves, each time discovering one more new detail, adding another new icon on the map. Ryu, Jinpei and Ken were especially good at noticing the smaller things; Joe and Jun kept the proper records of each discovery and later they would all put the information together, fitting one more piece in the puzzle, completing a very big picture. Ken had been the pioneer in the beginning; he had been there longer, he knew the forest like an old friend. But now all five were fond acquaintances of the natural land, and its preservation and existence were all they needed to remind them of how important their jobs were. / ¦í¦v¡C ¥L­Ì¤w¸g³Ð³y°Ï°ìªº¥L­Ì¦Û¤v¦a¹Ï,¨ú¦W¨C­Ó¤p³°¼Ð¥L­Ì¦Û¤v,µo²{¥t¥~¤@­Ó·sªº²Ó¸`¡A¼W¥[¦b¦a¹Ï¤Wªº¥t¥~·sªº¹Ï¹³ ªº¨C¤@¦¸¡C Ryu ¡A Jinpei ©MªÖ®¦¤×¨ä¾Õªøª`·N¸û¤pªº¨Æª«; ³ì©M¤»¤ë«O«ù¤F¨C¶µµo²{ªº¾A·í¬ö¿ý¡A¦Ó¥Bµy«á¥L­Ì¥þ³¡±N·|±N¸ê®Æ¶°¦X°_¨Ó ,Á¼ÃDªº¾A©y¥t¥~¤@­Ó¶ô,§¹¦¨¤@±i«D±`¤jªº·Ó¤ù¡C ªÖ®¦³Ìªì¤w¸g¬O¥ý¾W; ¥L¤w¸g¬O¦b¨º¸Ì¤ñ¸ûªø,¥Lª¾¹D¡A´ËªL³ßÅw¤@¦ì¦ÑªB¤Í¡C ¦ý¬O²{¦b©Ò¦³ªº¤­¬O¦ÛµM¤g¦aªº³ßÅw¬ÛÃѪÌ, ¦Ó¥B¥¦ªº«O¦s©M¦s¦b¬O¥þ³¡¥L­Ì»Ý­n¨Ï¥L­Ì·Q°_­«­nªº¥L­Ì¤u§@¬O¦p¦ó¡C
Now Ken and Joe closed in on the river, Ken very often stealing glances at a cliff ledge reigning high towards the northwest, a place of his own. When they all found it, Ken had taken a special liking to it; the ledge hung over the sea, facing west where the sun would always warm him at dusk, catching the smell of the west wind and the voices of the seawater beneath. / ²{¦bªÖ®¦©M³ìÃö³¬¦bªe¤W, ªÖ®¦®É±`°½ÅѪ`µø¤@­Ó·í¬F¹ï©ó¦è¥_ªº°ª«× ªºÄa±V©¥¬[,¤@­Ó¥L¦Û¤vªº¦a¤è¡C ·í¥L­Ì¥þ³¡µo²{ªº®É­Ô¥¦,ªÖ®¦¤w¸g±a¹ï¥¦ªº¤@­Ó¯S§Oªº·R¦n; ©¥¬[¹M¤Î®ü¬v¦Q,­±¹ï¤Ó¶§±N·|Á`¬O¦bÁ¡¼Ç·Å·x¥Lªº¦è¤è¡A¦b¤Þ°_¦è¤è­·ªº¨ý¹D©M¤Þ°_®ü¤ôªºÁn­µ¤§¤U¡C
Jun had coaxed Ken to give the spot a name. Joe could never forget the expression he wore as he said the name. / ¤»¤ë¤w¸g«¡ªÖ®¦µ¹¦aÂI¤@­Ó¦W¦r¡C ·í¥L»¡¤F¦W¦rªº®É­Ô¡A³ìµLªk§Ñ°O¥LÀ¹ªºªí¹F¡C
'Eagle's End'. / 'ÆNªºµ²§ô'.
And that was where he sought solace from then on. Whenever the pressure upon him became unbearable, the tension so powerful he felt as though something was ripping him apart, he would go there. If he wasn't seeking balance by practicing his katas, he would be standing at the edge of / ¦Ó¥B¨º¬O¥L±qµM«á´M§ä¤F¼¢ÂǪº¦a¤è¡C µL½×¦ó®ÉÀ£¤O¦b¥L¤§¤WÅܦ¨µLªk§Ô¨ü, ¦p¦¹¦³¤Oªººò±i¦n¹³¬Y¨Æ¤À§O¦a¬O³»«Óªº¥L,¥L±N·|¥h¨º¸Ì¡A¥L·Pı¡C ¦pªG¥L¨S¦³¦bÂǥѽm²ß¥Lªº katas ´M¨D¥­¿Å, ¥L±N·|¦bÃä½t¯¸¥ß
'Eagle's End', perfectly still. More than half of his Seven Day Silence for his father had been spent there, and it had been difficult to draw him away. / 'ÆNªºµ²§ô',§¹¥þ¦a¦wÀR¡C ¬°¥Lªº¤÷¿Ë¶W¹L¤@¥bªº¥L¤C°}¤Ñ¨HÀq¤w¸g¦b¨º¸Ì³Qªá¶O¡A¦Ó¥B¥¦¤w¸g¬O§xÃøªº©Ô¥LÂ÷¶}¡C
"Ken?" / "ªÖ®¦"?
He returned his gaze to the path ahead of him. "Nothing." / ¥L¦b¥L¤§«eÂkÁÙ¥Lªºª`µøµ¹¸ô®|¡C "¨S¨Æ".
Joe snorted. "You'd think I didn't know you well enough. Do you have any idea how the way you look at that place gives me the creeps?" / ³ì¼QµÛ®ð§ËÅT»ó¤l¡C "§A±N·|»{¬°§Ú¨S¦³»{ÃѧA¦nªº¥R¨¬¡C §A¦³¥ô¦óªº·Qªk§A¬Ý¨º¤@­Ó¦a¤èªº¤è¦¡¦p¦óµ¹§Úª¦¶Ü?"
"It does?" he asked, surprised. / "¥¦°µ"? ¥L°Ý,¦YÅå¡C
"Yeah. Like one day I would never find you standing there anymore, but lying beneath it on the rocks." / "¬Oªº¡C ¹³¤@¤Ñ§Ú±N·|µLªkµo²{§A¤£¦A¦b¨º¸Ì¯¸¥ß, ¦ý¬O¦b©¥¥Û¤W¦b¥¦¤§¤U»¡ÁÀ¡C"
Ken gasped. His footsteps died. / ªÖ®¦³Ý®ð¡C ¥Lªº¸}¨B¦º¡C
That same moment Joe realized his mistake. "Oh, shit... Ken, I'm sorry..." A hint of a smile crept on his face, the blue eyes darkening. "Have I really been in that bad a condition?" / ¬Û¦Pªº¤ù¨è³ì¤F¸Ñ¤F¥Lªº¿ù»~¡C "®@,ÁT¡C¡C¡C ªÖ®¦,¹ï¤£°_¡C¡C¡C" ¤Ö¶qªº¤@­Ó¦b¥LªºÁy¤W³Qª¦ªº·L¯º¡AÂŦ⪺²´·ú§Ë·t¡C " §Ú¯uªº¬O¦b¨º®t«lªº¤@ºØ±¡ªp"?
The question caught Joe off guard. He answered nonetheless. "Only since your father died, after you recovered from that freak collapse." / °ÝÃD¦b¦u½Ã¥~®·®»³ì¡C ¥LµM¦Ó¦^µª¡C "¥u¦³¦]¬°§Aªº¤÷¿Ë¦º,¦b§A«ì´_¨º¤@­Ó·î§Î¤H¤§«á±Y¼ì".
Ken's foot shuffled back and forth on the white ground, tracing an unknown pattern. "I'll admit to you now, Joe," he said seriously. "It hasn't been easy." / ªÖ®¦ªº¸}¦b¥Õ¦âªº¦a­±¤W¨Ó¦^¦a©ì¦²,°lÂܤ@­Ó¥¼ª¾ªº¨å«¬¡C " §Ú±N©Ó»{§A²{¦b,³ì",¥LÄY­«¦a»¡¡C " ¥¦¤£¬O®e©öªº".
"Like I couldn't see that." / " ¬Û¦üªº§ÚµLªk¬Ý¨£¨º".
"No, I mean, it's a lot harder than I thought it would be," he cut off. He stepped on forward, Joe following close. "I thought I could get over it, go back to work like before, stop thinking about myself. None of that happened." / " ¤£¡A§Ú·N¿×, ¥¦¬O«Ü¦h§ó§V¤O¦a¤ñ¸û§Ú·Q¡A¥¦±N·|¬O",¥L¤ÁÂ_¡C ¥L½ñ¦b¦V«eªº¤§¤W,¸òÀHµ²§ô ªº³ì¡C "§Ú·Q¡A§Ú¥i¥H§JªA¥¦, ¦^¥h¥H«e¾Þ§@¦PÃþ,°±¤î·Q§Ú¦Û¤v¡C ¨S¦³¤H¨ºµo¥Í¡C"
Joe shrugged. "Y'know, people say that death is easier to handle when you're younger," he said. "You don't dwell on it for very long. Too many other things that are new get in the way. When you're older, you know it's real, you know things." / ³ìÁqªÓ¡C "Y'know, ¤H»¡¡A·í§A¬O¤ñ¸û¦~»´ªº®É­Ô¡A¦º¤`¤ñ¸û®e©ö³B²z",¥L»¡¡C " §A¤£¤j½Í¥¦¬°«D±`ªøªº¡C ·sªº¤Ó¦h¨ä¥Lªº¨Æª«¥H¨º¤è¦¡±o¨ì¡C ·í§A¬O¤ñ¸û¦~ªøªº®É­Ô, §Aª¾¹D¥¦¬O¯u¥¿ªº,§Aª¾¹D¨Æª«¡C"
"In short, maturity is pointless when it comes to people dying," Ken voiced. "You can go ahead and act tough, act like you can take it. The fact is sometimes human nature gets in the way and you just can't." A confession. Joe found himself listening to a confession. / "²¦Ó¨¥¤§¡A·í¥¦±o¨ì¤H¦º¤`ªº®É­Ô¡A¦¨¼ô¬O¤£¦yªº",ªÖ®¦«Å­z¡C "§A¯à«e¶i¦Ó¥Bªí²{±jµw, ªí²{°_¨Ó¹³§A¤@¼Ë¯à±a¥¦¡C ¨Æ¹ê¦³®É¬O¤H©Ê¥H¨º¤è¦¡±o¨ì©M§A´N¬O¤£¯à¡C" ¤@­Ó¦Û»{¡C ³ìµo²{¥L¦Û¤vÅ¥¨ì¤@­Ó¦Û»{¡C
"My job has no room for human nature, Joe," he went on. "I don't have the time to dwell on it, yet I think I want to." / " §Úªº¤u§@¬°¤H©Ê¨S¦³©Ð¶¡,³ì",¥LÄ~Äò¡C " §Ú¨S¦³®É­Ô¤j½Í¥¦, µM¦Ó§Ú»{¬°§Ú·Q­n¨ì".
"A human being needs to," Joe replied, his eyes hard on Ken. "And you're a human being." / " ¤@­Ó¤HÃþ»Ý­n¨ì",³ìµªÂÐ, ¥Lªº²´·ú§V¤O¦a¦bªÖ®¦¨­¤W¡C " ¦Ó¥B§A¬O¤HÃþ" ¡C
Now Ken smiled. "You're not usually this insightful." / ²{¦bªÖ®¦·L¯º¡C " §A¤£³q±`¬O³o¦³¬}¹î¤Oªº".
"I think a lot now," he said. "Ever since I found out about... you know. I dwell hard on it. Too hard, I think." / "§Ú²{¦b·Q«Ü¦h",¥L»¡¡C "¥Ñ§Ú¨ì³Bµo²{¦Ü¤µ¡C¡C¡C §Aª¾¹D¡C §Ú¦b¥¦¤W§V¤O¦a©~¦í¡C ¤Ó§V¤O¦a¡A§Ú·Q¡C"
"While I don't dwell at all." Ken saw the reflection of it and snickered a bit. "We're two extremes of the same thing, going different directions." / " §Ú¤@ÂI¤]¤£©~¦í". ªÖ®¦¬Ý¨£¤F¥¦ªº¤Ï¬M¦Ó¥B¦Y¦Y¦a¯º¤@ÂI¡C "§Ú­Ì¬O¬Û¦Pªº¨Æª«¤GºØ·¥ºÝ¡A¬y¦æªº¤£¦P¤è¦V" ¡C
Joe sighed. "Not easy going back to the center, is it?" / ³ì¼Û®§¡C " ¤£¬O®e©ö¬y¦æªº¦V«á¦a¹ï¤¤¤ß, ¬O¥¦"?
He shook his head. "But we'll get there. Probably all we need is a little more time." / ¥L·nÀY¡C "¦ý¬O§Ú­Ì±N¨ì¨ºùØ¡C ¥i¯à¥þ³¡§Ú­Ì»Ý­n¬O¤pªº§ó¦h®É¶¡¡C"
And this time, Joe took his turn to smile. / ¦Ó¥B³o¦¸¡A³ì¨Ì·Ó¶¶§Ç·L¯º¡C


"Whoa! It's still frozen over!" Joe yelped. "I don't believe it!" / "«z! ¥¦¤´µM³Qµ²§ô­áµ²!"³ì¥s¡C "§Ú¤£¬Û«H¥¦"!
The two raced to the river bank, where it glimmered like a huge crystal sheet, stretching far to the end where the waterfall cascaded. Only there did the ice floor break and fall into small pieces. / ¨º¤G¤ñÁɨ쥦¹ïÂr¥¬¦¨Âr¥¬¸¨¤Uªºµ²§ô¹³·¥¤jªº¤ô´¹±i¡A¦ù®i§@·~¤@¼Ë»»»·¦aµo·L¥úªºªe©¤¡C ¥u¦³¨º¸Ì¶i¤J¤pªº¶ô¤§¤º°µ¤F¦B¦aªO¥ð®§©M¬î¤Ñ¡C
The river had a character of its own. Some parts of the year, the flow was fast and furious, akin to rapids. Jinpei had more than once been swept away by the current. Other times it flowed quietly, almost without motion, just bubbling along as it passed them. No matter what, the end remained the same : a beautiful waterfall. / ªe¦³¤F¤@­Ó¥¦¦Û¤vªº­Ó©Ê¡C ¨º¦~ªº¤@¨Ç³¡¥÷, ¬yµ{«Ü§Ö³tªº©M¨g«ãªº, ¦å±Ú¨ì¨³³tªº¡C Jinpei ¦³¤F¶W¹L¤@¦¸³Q´é¬y±½±¼¡C ¨ä¥Lªº®É¥N¥¦¦wÀR¦a¬y°Ê, ´X¥G¨S¦³´£Ä³, ¶È¶È°_ªwªuµÛ·í¥¦³q¹L¤F¥L­Ì¡C µL½×¤°»ò, µ²§ô«O«ù¤@¼Ëªº : ¤@®y¬üÄRªºÂr¥¬¡C
The river, they had aptly named 'Ki's Flow'. They hadn't found a suitable name for the falls yet. / ªe,¥L­Ì¤w¸g³Q¾A·í©R¦W 'Ki's ªº¬yµ{' ¡C ¥L­Ì¨S¦³¤´µMµo²{¤@­Ó¾A·íªº¦W¦r¬î¤Ñ¡C
Joe could not stop staring at the falls way ahead of him. Something about the roaring of the water struck him. Again, his thoughts were flung back to ten years ago, on BC Island. / ³ìµLªk°±¤î¦b¥L¤§«e¨nµÛ¬î¤Ñ¤èªk¬Ý¡C Ãö©ó¤ôªº§qÁn¬Y¨Æ¥´¤F¥L¡C ¦A¤@¦¸¡A¥Lªº·Qªk¦V«á¦a³Q§ë¨ì¦b¤Q¦~¥H«e,¦b¦è¤¸«e®q¤W¡C
Water... seawater. He could now recall that he was soaked to the bone with salt water when Nambu had found him. But why? Had he drowned after the blast caught him? / ¤ô¡C¡C¡C ®ü¤ô¡C ¥L²{¦b¥i¥H¨ú®ø¡A·í Nambu ¤w¸gµo²{¥Lªº®É­Ô¥L¬O®ûÀã¨ì©M§tÆQªº¤ô°©ÀY¡C ¦ý¬O¬°¤°»ò? ¦b¯e­·®·®»¤F¥L¤§«á¡A¥L²T¦º¤F¶Ü?
He found himself unable to stop trembling. I did drown. I remember. / ¥Lµo²{¥L¦Û¤v¤£¯à°±¤îµo§Ý¡C §Ú½T¹ê²T¦º¡C §Ú°O±o¡C
I was standing in the water when the blast caught me, when the bullet took me. I was thrown back into the sea. The tide was high and coming in. I remember. It swept my sandcastle away. It swept me away... / ·í¤l¼u±a¤F§Úªº®É­Ô·í¯e­·®·®»¤F§Úªº®É­Ô¡A§Ú¦b¤ô¯¸¥ß¡C §Ú³Q¥áªð¦^®ü¬v¡C ¼é¬O°ªªº©M¨ÓÁ{¦b¡C §Ú°O±o¡C ¥¦²M±½§Úªº sandcastle ¤§»·¡C ¥¦²M±½§ÚÂ÷¶}¡C¡C¡C
".... like a pretty decent sheet." / ".... ³ßÅw¬Û·í¬Û·í¦nªº±i¡C"
Joe blinked, facing his friend. "What was that?" / ³ì¯w²´,­±¹ï¥LªºªB¤Í¡C "¨º¬O¤°»ò"?
Ken looked up from his crouched position by the bank. "I said, it looks like a pretty decent sheet. It could support our weight, but I don't entirely trust it." / ªÖ®¦¬Ý¦b³Q»È¦æ±q¥LªºÃÛ¤U¦ì¸m¤W­±¡C "§Ú»¡,¥¦¬Ý°_¨Ó¹³¬Û·í¬Û·í¦nªº±i¤@¼Ë¡C ¥¦¥i¥H¤ä«ù§Ú­Ìªº­«¶q¡A¦ý¬O§Ú¤£§¹¥þ¦a«H¿à¥¦¡C"
"Why not?" he asked sharply, trying to regain his normal composure. / " ¬°¤°»ò¤£"? ¥L¾U§Q¦a°Ý, ¹Á¸Õ¨ú¦^¥Lªº¥¿±`ÂíÀR¡C
"We could slide right across it in one move, and later we could head back using 'Dove's Path'." / "§Ú­Ì¦b¤@¦¸²¾°Ê¤¤¥i¥H´N¦b¾î¹L·Æ°Ê¥¦¡A¦Ó¥Bµy«á§Ú­Ì¥i¥H¦V«á¦a«e¶i¨Ï¥Î 'ÂF¤lªº¸ô®|'" ¡C
"It'd be pretty dark by the time we get to 'Dove's Path', y'know," / "·í§Ú­Ì¨ì¹F 'ÂF¤lªº¸ô®|' ªº®É­Ô¡A¥¦±N·|¬Oº}«Gªº¶Â·t,y'know",
Ken pointed out. "We may as well go back the way we came instead of going in a complete circle." / ªÖ®¦«ü¥X¡C "§Ú­Ì³Ì¦n¦^¥h§Ú­Ì¨Óªº¤è¦¡¥N´À¶i¤J¤@­Ó§¹¥þªº¶ê°é" ¡C
A smirk flickered at the corner of his mouth. "Whassamatter, Ken? / ¼H¼H¯º¦b¥Lªº¼L¨¤¸¨°{°Ê¡C "Whassamatter?ªÖ®¦
You afraid the ice would break under you?" / §A®`©È¦B±N·|¦b§A¤§¤U¥´¯}?"
"There's a chance, but not a very good one." / "¦³¤@­Ó¾÷·|, ¦ý¬O¤£¬O¤@­Ó«Ü¦n".
Joe grinned. "Then you *are* afraid." / ³ìÅS¾¦¦Ó¯º¡C " µM«á§A *¬O*®`©È".
Ken rolled his eyes. "We were talking about maturity a little while back?" he asked acidly. "No thanks. I'm in no mood to swim in ice water." / ªÖ®¦±²¤F¥Lªº²´·ú¡C "§Ú­Ì¥¿¦b½Í½×¦¨¼ô¤pªº¤@·|¨à­I­±"? ¥L¤£©M®®¦a°Ý¡C "¨S¦³ÁÂÁ¡C §Ú¬O¦b¨S¦³¤ß±¡¤¤¦b¦B¤ô¤¤´åªa¡C"
Swim? / ´åªa?
The word echoed in Joe's mind. Not just the word, but the way Ken had said it. The tone, the accent no matter how slight. It sounded familiar, but older than what he recalled. He recalled a child's voice, but the same tone, the same inflections... / ¦r¦b³ìªº¤ß¤¤ÀHÁnªþ©M¡C ¤£¥u¬O¦r, ¦ý¬O¤èªkªÖ®¦¤w¸g»¡¥¦¡C ©ú·t, ¤f­µµL½×¦p¦ó»´µø¡C ¥¦Å¥°_¨Ó¼ô±x, ¦ý¬O¤ñ¥L©Ò¨ú®ø¦~ªøªº¡C ¥L¨ú®ø¤F«Ä¤lªºÁn­µ , ¦ý¬O¬Û¦Pªº©ú·t¡A¬Û¦Pªº©}¦±¡C¡C¡C
He pushed them all away. He stepped down onto the ice. / ¥L¥þ³¡±À°Ê¤F¥L­ÌÂ÷¶}¡C ¥L¦b¦B¤§¤WÃ㾡C
"Joe..." Ken warned. / "³ì¡C¡C¡C"ªÖ®¦Äµ§i¡C
Joe flashed a wicked smile as he deliberately tapped his foot on the sheet of ice. "It's fine, you twit. Look!" / ·í¥L¬G·N¦a»´¥´¤F¦b¦Bªº±i¤W¥L¸}ªº®É­Ô¡A³ì°{²{¤F¤@­ÓÃaªº·L¯º¡C "¥¦¬O»@´Ú,§A³dÃø¡C ¯«±¡!"
His exasperation grew. It was like talking to a mule. "Knock it off, / ¥Lªº´o«ã¦¨ªø¡C ¥¦¬O¹³©M¤@°¦Å[»¡¸Ü¡C "¨«¶}ºVÀ»¥¦,
Joe. Get up here now." / ³ì¡C ²{¦bÄw³Æ³o¸Ì¡C"
And Joe stepped back a bit, then broke into a run. / ¦Ó¥B½ñ­I­±ªº³ì¤@ÂIÂI,µM«áÂô¤J©b¶]¡C
"Aw, Joe!" / "Aw,³ì"!
He skidded, sliding smoothly across the ice, braking right before his feet touched the other side of the riverbank. Turning around, he waved at Ken, further riling him. / ¥L«b¨®,¾î¹L¥­·Æ¦a·Æ¦B¡A¦b¥Lªº³Q±µÄ²ªe©¤ªº¥t¤@Ã䪺¸}¤§«e¥¿½T¦a·Ù¨®¡C ¦^¹LÀY,¥L¦bªÖ®¦¡A¶i¤@¨Bªº§âÅÍ´ý¿B¥L´§»R¡C
"I tell you, it's perfect, Ken! Smoother than it was before!" he called. "Get down here!" / " §Ú§i¶D§A,¥¦¬O§¹¦¨¦¡¡AªÖ®¦! ¿@Ãú¶W¹L¥¦¥H«e!"¥L©I¥s¡C " ¦b³o¸Ì±o¨ì¤U¨Ó"!
Ken saw that Joe was not about to give up. He also saw that the ice did seem thick enough; he still didn't trust it, but he needed to get Joe off there so he could beat some sense into him. Bribery might do it. / ªÖ®¦¬Ý¨£³ì¤£¥´ºâ©ñ±ó¡C ¥L¤]¬Ý¨£¦B½T¹ê¦ü¥G«pªº¥R¨¬; ¥L¤´µM¨S¦³«H¿à¥¦¡A¦ý¬O¥L»Ý­nª§¨ú³ìÂ÷¶}¦b¨º¸Ì¦]¦¹¥L¥i¥H¶i¤J¥L¤§¤º¥´¤@¨Ç·Pı¡C ¸ì¸ï¦æ¬°¥i¯à°µ¥¦¡C
"Fine. I'll come down, if you slide your stupid ass right back here first." / "»@´Ú¡C ¦pªG§A­º¥ý¥¿½T¦a·Æ°Ê§Aªº·MÄøÆj«á­±ªº³o¸Ì¡A§Ú±N¤U¨Ó¡C"
Joe shrugged, and thought that it sounded all right to him. "Sure. I knew you needed my help, Boy Scout." A shorter run this time, then he skidded, the ice sprayingalong eihter side of him. / ³ìÁqªÓ, ¦Ó¥B·Q¤F¥¦¹ï¥LÅ¥¨SÃö«Y¡C "½T«H¡C §Ú»{ÃѤF§A³Q»Ý­n§ÚªºÀ°¦£¡Aµ£¤l­x¡C" ¸ûµu©b¶]³o¦¸¡AµM«á¥L«b¨®,¥Lªº¦B sprayingalong eihter Ãä¡C
Halfway across, the ice broke beneath him and he fell through completely. / ¾î¹Lªº¥b¸ô¦a¡A¦B¦bÂ_±¼¤§¤U¥L©M¥L§¹¥þ¦a¥¢±Ñ¡C
"JOE!" / "³ì"!


to be continued... / ³QÄ~Äò¡C¡C¡C


Ali gxan@tm.net.my gxan@hotmail.com


~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Before you decide to fade away / ¦b§A¨M©w¿Æ¦âÂ÷¶}¤§«e
Before you throw it all away / ¦b§A¥þ³¡¥á¥¦Â÷¶}¤§«e
Before you make a decision you may regret / ¦b§A§@¨M©w§A¤§«e¥i¯à·P¨ì¿ò¾Ñ
Think : / ·Q :
"Burn. Live. Thrive." / "¿N¶Ë¡C ©~¦í¡C Ácºa¡C"

'The River Casts Shadows' (continued) / 'ªeºt­û°}®e¼v¹³'(Ä~Äò)


He hadn't heard Ken's voice. Not from under the ice. He couldn't reach the hole he had fallen through. The current was sweeping him away, and there was nowhere to surface. / ¥L¨S¦³Å¥¨ìªÖ®¦ªºÁn­µ¡C ¤£±q¦b¦B¤§¤U¡C ¥LµLªk¨ì¹F¥L¤w¸g¥¢±Ñªº¬}¡C ´é¬y¬O±½°£¥LÂ÷¶}¡A¦Ó¥B¨º¸ÌµL³B¤É¦Ü¤ô­±¡C
No, not again... don't let me drown again... / ¤£¡A¦A¤@¦¸¤£­n¡C¡C¡C ¤£¦AÅý§Ú²T¦º¡C¡C¡C


Ken chased after the shadow under the ice, the current carrying it away fast. / ªÖ®¦¦b¦B¤U­±ªº¼v¹³¤§«á°l®·,¥¦Â÷¶}ÂN§Ùªº²{¦b¹B°e¡C
Joe you stupid bastard I told you I told you oh god Ken don't you dare lose him don't lose him now.... / ³ì§A·MÄøªº¨p¥Í¤l§Ú§i¶D¤F§A¡A§Ú§i¶D§Aªí¥ÜÅå³Y¯«ªÖ®¦¤£§A´±¥¢¥h¥L²{¦b¤£¥¢¥h¥L....
He needed to surface! He had to come up for air! / ¥L»Ý­n¤É¦Ü¤ô­±! ¥L¥²¶·¬°ªÅ®ðµo¥Í !
As natural as any reaction, Ken brought his arm up in an arc as he ran, and called, "Bird Go!" / ¹³¥ô¦óªº¤ÏÀ³¤@¼Ëªº¦ÛµM¡A·í¥L¶], ¦Ó¥B©I¥sªº®É­Ô¡AªÖ®¦¦b¤@­Ó©·¤¤´£¥X¥Lªº¤âÁu,"³¾¥h"!
The familiar warmth and burst energy inside him was welcoming, especially now. He willed the Bird Style to help increase his strength, to push his legs through the snow, to reach Joe. / ¼ô±xªº·Å·x©M¯}µõ¯à·½¦b¥L¤§¤º¥¿¦bÅwªï,¤×¨ä²{¦b¡C ¥L¨M·N³¾­·®æÀ°§U¼W¥[¥Lªº¤O¶q, §V¤O§¹¦¨¥Lªº»L³·, Ápµ¸³ì¡C
Break the ice, Ken. Do it. / ¥´¯}¦B¡AªÖ®¦¡C °µ¥¦¡C
In one swift motion he plucked a small bomb from one of his pockets and with careful judgement, threw it far ahead of the dark shadow beneath the ice. / ¦b¤@­Ó¨³³tªº¹B°Ê¤¤¥L©Ô¤F¨Ó¦Û¥Lªº¤f³U©M¥Ñ©ó¤p¤ßªº¼f§P¤§¤@ªº¤@­Ó¤pªº¬µ¼u,¦b¶Â·tªº¼v¹³¤§«e»»»·¦a¦b¦B¤§¤U¥á¥¦¡C
A small explosion, but enough. Chunks of thin ice flew, the sheet of nature's crystal breaking apart, revealing 'Ki's Flow' in its icy thunder. / ¤@­Ó¤pªºÃz¬µ , ¦ý¬O¥R¨¬¡C ³Q­¸ªº½G¦B¡A¤À§O¦a¥´¯}¡A´¦ÅS¥¦ªº¦B¹p¹qªº 'Ki's ªº¬yµ{'ªº¦ÛµM¤ô´¹ªº±i¤j¶ô¡C
"Joe!" / "³ì"!

Light. Surface. Joe tried to kick his way up, but the freakishly cold water was numbing his muscles. By will alone he pushed upwards, finally breaking through the surface. / ¥ú¡C ªí­±¡C ³ì¸ÕµÛ¦V¤W½ð¥Lªº¤èªk¡A¦ý¬O´Â¤T¼Ç¥|´H§Nªº¤ô¥¿¦b¨Ï¥Lªº¦Ù¦×³Â¤ì¡C Âǵ۷N§Ó¿W¦Û¦a¥L¥H¤W±À°Ê,³Ì«á¬ð¯}ªí­±¡C
His lungs burned as he swallowed what little air he could before the current took him down again. / ·í¥L§]ªº®É­Ô¡A¥LªºªÍ¿U¿N¤°»ò¤pªºªÅ®ð¥L¥i¥H¦b´é¬y¦A¤@¦¸§â¥L®³¤U¨Ó¤§«e¡C
"Ken!" / "ªÖ®¦"!

Ken had to clear away from the rocky banks before he could make a jump. Too soon and he would end up smashing his skull against cold stone and they would both be dead. / ¦b¥L¥i¥H»s³y¤@¦¸¸õÅD¤§«e , ªÖ®¦¥²¶·±q¦h©¥¥Ûªº»È¦æ¦¬¬B¡C ¤Ó«Ü§Ö¦Ó¥B¥L±N·|³Ì«á¯»¸H¹ï§Ü´H§Nªº¥ÛÀY¥LÀY»\°©¡A¦Ó¥B¥L­Ì¨â­Ó±N·|¦º¡C
Faster, Ken. Focus. Don't lose - / §ó§Ö³t¦a,ªÖ®¦¡C µJÂI¡C ¤£­n¥¢¥h -
His foot caught under a rock. His concentration on his balance gone, he tumbled forward, timing and judgement all abruptly evaporating. / ¥Lªº¸}¦b¤@¶ô©¥¥Û¤§¤U®·®»¡C ¦b¥Lªº¤£¨£¤Fªº¥­¿Å¤è­±ªº¥L¶°¤¤,¥L¦V«e¦a¶^¸¨,¥þ³¡¬ðµM¦a»]µo ªº®É¶¡ÂI©M¼f§P¡C
His left wrist smashed against a rock, shattering the clasp on the bracelet, the bones fracturing. He screamed. / ¥Lªº¥ªÃä¤âµÃ¯»¸H¹ï§Ü¤@¶ô©¥¥Û,¥´¸H¦b¤âÅN¤Wªº³§¤l,°©ÀY¯}¸H¡C ¥L¦y¥s¡C
"No! Not now!" / "¤£! ¤£²{¦b!"
Before the words even escaped him, he was lying on the ground, bracelet in the snow, Bird Style repleaced by wet clothes from before. His wrist sent bolts of fierce pain up his spine, further robbing him of his focus. / ¦r¬Æ¦Ü°k²æ¤F¥L¤§«e¡A¥L¥¿¦b¦a­±¤W¾î½ö,³·ªº¤âÅN, À㪺¦çªA³¾­·®æ repleaced ±q¦b¤§«e¡C ¥Lªº¤âµÃ¦b¥Lªº¯á´Õ¡A¶i¤@¨Bªº±q¥L·m¨«¥LªºµJÂI¤W­±°e¤F¤¿²rµh­Wªºªù­¬¡C
He forced himself up as he grabbed the bracelet and put it away, ignoring the pain as he chased after Joe again, now with nothing to count on except his own given abilities. / ·í¥L§ì¨ú¤F¤âÅN¦Ó¥B¦¬¬B¥¦ªº®É­Ô¡A¥L¦V¤W±j­¢¤F¥L¦Û¤v, ¤£²z¸Bµh­W·í¥L°l®·¦b³ì¤§«á¦A¤@¦¸, ²{¦b¥H¨S¨Æ°£¤F¥L¦Û¤vªºµ¹¤©¯à¤O¥H¥~¥õ¿à¡C
Between the shrieks of angry fire his wrist was sending to his mind, he found himself feeling a bout of deja vu. / ¦b¥Í®ð¤õªº¦y¾UÅTÁn¤§¶¡¥Lªº¤âµÃ¥¿¦b¹ï¥Lªº¤ß°e, ¥Lµo²{¥L¦Û¤v·Pı¦ü´¿¬ÛÃѪº¦¸¡C
Why does this feel so familiar? / ³o¬°¤°»òı±o¦p¦¹¼ô±x?


Joe broke through the surface again, trying to fill his lungs with air instead of water. He forced his limbs to move, to keep his head above water at the very least, but they continued to ignore him. Never had he felt so helpless in his life. / ³ì¦A¤@¦¸¬ð¯}ªí­±, ¹Á¸Õ±N¥LªºªÍ¸Ëº¡ªÅ®ð¥N´À¤ô¡C ¥LÀ£­¢¤F¥Lªº¥|ªÏ²¾°Ê, ¦b«D±`³Ì¤ÖªÌ¤£¾D¨ü§xÃø ,¦ý¬O¥L­ÌÄ~Äò¤£²z¸B¥L¡C ¥L±q¤£¦b¥Lªº¥Í¬¡¤è­±Ä±±o¦p¦¹µL§U¡C
Never since... BC Island, 2039.... / ±q¤£¦Û±q«á¡C¡C¡C ¦è¤¸«e®q,2039....


Semi-conscious, a little Sicilian boy paddled furiously as the current carried him further and further away from his parents, closer and closer to death. The weight of his damp clothes pulled him further down, the waves crashing upon him, forcing him to go under. / ¥b-·í´é¬yÄâ±a¤F¥L±o¶V¨Ó¶V«P¶i»·Â÷¥Lªº¤÷¥À®É­Ô¡A¦³·NÃѤSµy·L¦è¦è¨½¤Hªº¨k«Ä¨g¼É¦a¦E¼Õ, ¶V¨Ó¶V¾aªñªº±o­n©R¡C ¥Lªº¼é·Ã¦çªAªº­«¶q§ó¶i¤@¨B©Ô¤F¥L¤U¨Ó,¦b¥L¤§¤W¼²¸H ªºªi®ö, ±j­¢¥L¥h¦b¤§¤U¡C
He surfaced one more time, and caught sight of a shadow. / ¥L¤É¦Ü¤ô­±¤F¥t¥~¤@­Ó®É¶¡, ¦Ó¥B¿h¨£¤@­Ó¼v¹³¡C
Running on the pier. Leaping off the edge. Diving straight in... / ¯A¤Î½XÀY¡C ¨«¶}¸õÅDÃä½t¡C ¼ç¤ôª½½u¦b¡C¡C¡C


Again, Joe! Again! Let Ken know you're still alive! / ¦A¤@¦¸,³ì! ¦A¤@¦¸! ÅýªÖ®¦ª¾¹D§A¤´µM¬¡µÛ!
Joe raised his head once more beyond the water level. Just as he did, his head connected hard with a small jutting rock, sending shock waves of agony through him. His vision blurred. / ³ì¦A¤@¦¸©ï°_¤F¥LªºÀY¶W¹L¤ô¦ì¡C ¥¿¦p¥L°µ,¥LªºÀY§V¤O¦a¥H¤@¶ô¤pªº¬ð¥X©¥¥Û³s±µ,¸g¹L¥L°e·¥¤jªºµh­W¥O¤H·P¨ì·N¥~ªº°ª¼é¡C ¥Lªºµø³¥¼Ò½k¡C
I can't lose out now... not like this... / §Ú¤£¯à²{¦b¥¢¥h¥X¡C¡C¡C ¤£¬O¹³³o¡C¡C¡C
His vision cleared momentarily, and he saw a running shadow, a leap, a perfect dive. / ¥Lªº¦b¼È®É¦a³Q²M°£ªºµø³¥,¦Ó¥B¥L¬Ý¨£¤@­Ó¬y°Êªº¼v¹³¡A¤@¦¸¸õÅD¡A§¹¬üªº¼ç¤ô¡C
And his mind replayed the dive many times over. Dive after dive, one overlapping the next. First the form of an adult, then a child. Back and forth. Over and over. Once and again and again. / ¦Ó¥B¥Lªº¤ß³\¦h¦¸µ²§ô­«·s¤ñÁɤF¼ç¤ô¡C ¦b¼ç¤ô¤§«á¸õ¤ô, ¤@­Ó¥æÅ|³B²z¤U¤@­Ó¡C ²Ä¤@ªººØ¦¨¤Hªº§Î¦¡, µM«á¤@­Ó«Ä¤l¡C ¨Ó¦^¦a¡C ¤@¦A¦a¡C ¤@¦¸©M¤@¦¸¤S¤@¦¸¡C
The dives were the same. The bodies different. The soul within the bodies identical. / ¼ç¤ô¬O¬Û¦Pªº¡C ¤£¦Pªº¨­Åé¡C ¦b¨­Åé¸Ì­±ªºÆF»î¦P¤@ªº¡C
Ken, it was you... / ªÖ®¦,¥¦¬O§A¡C¡C¡C


The shock of the cold water sent him reeling for a while, his body trying to adjust to the circumstances. Gasping, Ken swam on, letting the current bring him closer to Joe, closer and closer... close enough to touch... / ´H§Nªº¤ôÅåÀ~°e¤F¥L±²¤@°}¤l©ó¶b¤W,¥Lªº¹Á¸Õ½Õ¾ã¨ìÀô¹Ò ªº¨­Åé¡C ³Ý®ð, ªÖ®¦´åªa¦b,¤§¤WÅý´é¬y¹ï³ì¨Ï¥L§ó¾aªñ,¶V¨Ó¶V¾aªñªº¡C¡C¡C Ãö¥R¨¬±µÄ²¡C¡C¡C


Joe felt arms around him. A strong hold. Stronger than the one before. Than the one of a child. These were the arms of an adult. But the same arms, the same will. / ³ì¦b¥L©P³ò·Pı¤F¤âÁu¡C ±j¯Pªº§â´¤¡C ¤ñ¸û±j§§ªº¥H«e¶W¹L¨º¤@­Ó¡C ¶W¹L«Ä¤l¤§¤@¡C ³o¨Ç¬O¦¨¤Hªº¤âÁu¡C ¦ý¬O¬Û¦Pªº¤âÁu¡A¬Û¦Pªº·N§Ó¡C
For the briefest moment, he opened his eyes, finding Ken close to him, his arms around his mid-section, trying to break free from the current. / ³Ì²µuªº¤ù¨è¥H¨Ó¡A¥L¥´¶}¤F¥Lªº²´·ú,¹ï¥Lµo²{ªÖ®¦µ²§ô, ¥Lªº¤âÁu¦b¥Lªº¤¤³¡©P³ò-³¡¤À, ¹Á¸Õ¦Û¥Ñ±q´é¬y¥´¯}¡C
He could feel the hardness of the left wrist, the sign of injury. He could hear Ken's strained voice telling him to swim, to hold on. / ¥L¥i¥H·Pı¥ªÃ䪺¤âµÃ°íµw¡A¨ü¶Ëªº²Å¸¹¡C ¥L¥i¥HÅ¥¨ì§i¶D¥L´åªa ªºªÖ®¦ºò±iªºÁn­µ, µyµ¥¡C
"Come on, Joe, kick! Swim! Just hold on and don't let go!" / "µo¥Í ,³ì , ½ð! ´åªa! ¶È¶ÈÄ~Äò©M¤£Åý¥h!"


"Just hold on... don't let go of me. Don't let go!" / "¶È¶Èµyµ¥¡C¡C¡C ¤£Åý§Ú¥h¡C ¤£Åý¥h!"
Frail hands remained hard on his body, pulling him closer and closer to the shore. He could feel, in his barely conscious state, the other boy tiring quickly, growing weaker as the water drew away all his strength. But he pushed on. / ¯Ü®zªº¤â¦b¥Lªº¨­Åé¤W«O«ù«ÜÃø, ©Ô¥L¶V¨Ó¶V¾aªñªº¨ì®ü©¤¡C ¥L«Ü§Ö¦a¦b¥Lªº´X¥G¦³·NÃѪº¦{¤¤¥i¥H·Pı³Â·Ðªº¥t¤@­Ó¨k«Ä, ¼W¥[¤ñ¸û®z·í¤ô©ÔÂ÷¶}¥L©Ò¦³ªº¤O¶q¡C ¦ý¬O¥L«æ¦£«e¶i¡C
"Don't let go!" / " ¤£Åý¥h"!


Don't let go... don't let go... / ¤£Åý¥h¡C¡C¡C ¤£Åý¥h¡C¡C¡C
Two voices merging as one. Counterparts of time. The child and the adult he had become. / ¤GºØÁn­µ¦X¨Ö·í°µ¤@¡C ®É¶¡ªº°t¹ïªÌ¡C ¥L¤w¸gÅܱoªº«Ä¤l©M¦¨¤H¡C
And now he could recall the child's eyes : large deep blue pools of unforseen strength. Sparkling with youth. / ¦Ó¥B²{¦b¥L¥i¥H¨ú®ø«Ä¤lªº²´·ú : unforseen ¤O¶qªº¤j²`ÂŦâ¦À¡C ©M¦~»´¤H°{Ã{¡C


Joe felt solidity beneath him. Cold, solid ground. His lungs were no longer complaining. His chest hurt. He could feel water in his throat. And there was a voice near him. / ³ì¦b¥L¤§¤U·Pı¤F©TÅé©Ê¡C ´H§N,©TÅé¸m©ó¦a­±¡C ¥LªºªÍ¥¿¦b¤£¦A©ê«è¡C ¥Lªº¯Ý¶Ë®`¡C ¥L¥i¥H·Pı¥Lªº«|³ï¤ô¡C ¦Ó¥B¦³¦b¥Lªþªñªº¤@ºØÁn­µ¡C
"Joe, you okay? Joe?" / "³ì, §A¦n? ³ì?"


"You okay?" / " §A¦n"?
He slowly opened his eyes, only to find a young but worn face above him, a body kneeling close to him. He tried to speak, but nothing came out. / ¥LºCºC¦a¥´¶}¤F¥Lªº²´·ú,¤£®Æ³º·|µo²{¦b¥L¤W­±ªº¤@­Ó¦~»´ªº¦ý¬O¿i·lªºÁy,¤@­Ó¦b¥Lªºªþªñ¸÷ ªº¨­Åé¡C ¥L¸ÕµÛ»¡¡A¦ý¬O¨S¨Æ¥X¨Ó¡C
His hands felt for the bullet wound; it was damp with thick liquid. / ¥Lªº¤âºN¯Á¤l¼u¨ü¶Ë; ¥¦¬O¥Ñ©ó«pªº²GÅé·Ã®ð¡C
He wanted to get up, but it hurt too much. He reached for the boy near him. / ¥L·Q­n°_§É¡A¦ý¬O¥¦¶Ë®`¤Ó¦h¡C ¥L¤Î©ó¦b¥Lªþªñªº¨k«Ä¡C
His fingers clamped on the lapel of a jacket. / ¥Lªº¤â«ü¦b§¨§JªºÂ½»â¤W§¨ºò¡C
He saw the deep blue eyes widen with fear. The body drew away, but he refused to let go. / ¥L¬Ý¨£²`ªºÂŦⲴ·ú¥H®£ÄßÂX¤j¡C ¨­Åé©ÔÂ÷¶}¡A¦ý¬O¥L©Úµ´Åý¥h¡C
A rough tug. Something coming off. The boy running away. / ²ÊÁWªº¥Î¤O©Ô¡C ¨«¶}ªº§Y±N¨ÓªºªF¦è¡C Áɶ]¤§»·ªº¨k«Ä¡C
His thoughts vanishing as pain took over, pushing him off the edge... / ¥Lªº®ø¥¢¦pµh­W ªº·Qªk±µºÞ,¦bÃä½t¥~±À°Ê¥L¡C¡C¡C
A gold pin in his hand. / ¥Lªº¤â¤@­Óª÷¦âªº¤jÀY°w¡C


Joe slowly opened his eyes again, his throat tightening. He saw a familiar face above him, a familiar form kneeling close to him. / ³ìºCºC¦a¦A¤@¦¸¥´¶}¤F¥Lªº²´·ú,¥Lªº«|³ï°Çºò¡C ¥L¬Ý¨£¦b¥L¤W­±ªº¤@­Ó¼ô±xªºÁy,¤@ºØ¦b¥Lªºªþªñ¸÷ ªº¼ô±x§Î¦¡¡C
"Ken?" / "ªÖ®¦"?
No fear in the eyes, but relief. A sigh. "Thank God." / ²´·úªº¨S¦³®£Äß , ¦ý¬O¦w¤ß¡C ¤@Án¼Û®§¡C "ÁÂÁ¤W«Ò" ¡C
Joe groaned, his body aching just about everywhere. He tried to get up. He reached for Ken, his hand falling on the lapel of his jacket. / ³ì©D§u,¦U³B®t¤£¦h´÷±æªº¥L¨­Åé¡C ¥L¸ÕµÛ°_§É¡C ¥L¤Î©óªÖ®¦ , ¥Lªº¤â¦b¥Lªº§¨§J½»â¤Wªº¸¨¤U¡C
Ken didn't draw away, but apprehension came into his eyes. His face creased with confusion. Then a whisper. / ªÖ®¦¨S¦³©ÔÂ÷¶}¡A¦ý¬O²z¸Ñ¶i¤J¥Lªº²´·ú¡C ¥LªºÁy¥H²V¶ÃºP²ª¡C µM«á¦Õ»y¡C
"Oh my god..." / " ®@§Úªº¯«¡C¡C¡C"


Both managed to get back to Shadow Mountain without much difficulty. / ¨âªÌ³£³]ªk¦^¨ì¾B½ª¨S¦³«Ü¦hªº§xÃø¤s¡C
They allowed Hinotori to run a physical check on them, just to make sure that they were all right and were not in danger of any after-effects of secondary drowning. The examination took nearly an hour, and within that hour, neither spoke. / ¥L­Ì¤¹³\¤F Hinotori ¶]¦b¥L­Ì¤Wªº¹ê»ÚÀˬd, ¥u¬O½T©w¥L­Ì¬O¨SÃö«Y¦Ó¥B¨S¦³¦MÀI¥ô¦óªº¦b-¤§«á¤¤¯Å·Ä¦ºªº®ÄªG¡C ¦Ò¸Õ±Nªñªá 1 ¤p®É, ©M¦b¨º¤p®É¤º, ¨âªÌ¬Ò¤£ªº»¡¡C
Joe carefully set Ken's fractured wrist in a fibre-brace, then into a sling. Ken looked over the gash on his partner's brow, but found that it wasn't very serious. / ³ì³Q¯}¸H¤@­ÓÅÖºûªº¤âµÃ¤p¤ß©T©wªºªÖ®¦-¤ä¬W,µM«á¶i¤J¤@­Ó§ë¥Û¾¹¤§¤º¡C ªÖ®¦ÂsÄý¦b¥Lªº¦X¹Ù¤Hªº¬Ü¤ò¤Wªº¬å±o«Ü²`ªº¶Ë¤f, ¦ý¬Oµo²{¥¦¤£¬O«ÜÄY­«¡C
Still no words exchanged. / ¤´µM¨S¦³¦r¥æ´«¡C
They took the transport shuttle back to the Residence, where they got off behind the wall of the study. The wall slipped back and opened, allowing them to re-enter the Residence. / ¥L­Ì¦V«á¦a¹ï¥L­Ì¦b¬ã¨sªºÀð¾À«á­±Â÷¶}ªº¦í¦v®³¤F¶Ç°e¤ÓªÅ±ô¡C Àð¾À¦V«á¦a·Æ­Ë¦Ó¥B¥´¶}, ¤¹³\¥L­Ì¦A¶i¤J¦í¦v¡C
Silence. / ¨HÀq¡C
They went into their rooms, showering and changing into fresh clothes before coming downstairs again. Joe already had a pot of coffee brewing while Ken sat in deep thought on the lounge sofa. / ¥L­Ì¶i¤J¥L­Ìªº©Ð¶¡,¦A¤@¦¸¦b¨Ó¤§«e¶i¤J·sÂAªº¦çªA¤§¤º²O¯D¦Ó¥B§ïÅܼӤU¡C ³ì¤w¸g¦³¤F©@°ØÆC³y¦b¶¢³}¨Fµo¤Wªº²`·Qªk¤¤³Q§¤ªºªÖ®¦®É­Ôªº¤@­Ó³ý¡C
By the time Joe had the twin cups of coffee with him, the silence had become unbearable. / ·í³ì©M¥L¦³¤F©@°ØªºÂù­M­LªM¤lªº®É­Ô,¨HÀq¤w¸gÅܱoµLªk§Ô¨ü¡C
"Umm... thanks," he began. / "Umm¡C¡C¡C ÁÂÁÂ,"¥L¶}©l¡C
Ken didn't turn. / ªÖ®¦¨S¦³Âà¡C
"For... saving my life." / "¬°¡C¡C¡C ¸Ñ±Ï§Úªº¥Í¬¡¡C"
No response. / ¨S¦³¦^À³¡C
"Ken..." / "ªÖ®¦¡C¡C¡C"
"What happened up there?" he asked bluntly. "You fell into the river. I dived in after you. I got you back. Why the hell is it so complicated all of a sudden?" / " ¤°»òµo¥Í¦b¨º¸Ì¤W­±"? ¥L©Z²v¦a°Ý¡C "§A¶^¤Jªe¡C §Ú¦b§A¤§«á¸õ¤ô¡C §Ú§â§A±o¨ì¦^¨Ó¡C ¬ðµM¥¦¬°¤°»ò¦p¦¹½ÆÂø?"
The last question was nearly a shout. It made Joe nervous. / ³Ì«á¤@­Ó°ÝÃD´X¥G¬O¤@Án©I³Û¡C ¥¦¨Ï³ìºò±i¡C


to be continued... / ³QÄ~Äò¡C¡C¡C


Ali gxan@tm.net.my gxan@hotmail.com


~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Before you decide to fade away / ¦b§A¨M©w¿Æ¦âÂ÷¶}¤§«e
Before you throw it all away / ¦b§A¥þ³¡¥á¥¦Â÷¶}¤§«e
Before you make a decision you may regret / ¦b§A§@¨M©w§A¤§«e¥i¯à·P¨ì¿ò¾Ñ
Think : / ·Q :
"Burn. Live. Thrive." / "¿N¶Ë¡C ©~¦í¡C Ácºa¡C"


'The River Casts Shadows' (continued...) / 'ªeºt­û°}®e¼v¹³'(Ä~Äò¡C¡C.)


He didn't want to look at him. He could almost hear the blue eyes screaming emotion, as angry as they were confused. The silence was icy, just like the water that nearly swallowed him up and took him away. / ¥L¨S¦³·Q­n¬Ý¥L¡C ¥L¥i¥H´X¥GÅ¥¨ìÂŦ⪺²´·ú¦y¥s±¡ºü,¹³¥L­Ì·P¨ì§xÂZ¤@¼Ëªº¥Í®ð¡C ¨HÀq¬O¦Bªº,¶È¶È¹³´X¥G§]¥Lªº¤ô´£°ª¦Ó¥B¨ú¨«¥L¡C
He heard a deep sigh from beside him. It finally made him turn. / ¥LÅ¥¨ì¤F¤@Án²`ªº¼Û®§±q¦b¥L®ÇÃä¡C ¥¦³Ì«á¨Ï¥LÂà¦V¡C
Ken was still looking away, but his subtle movements were quiet, voiceless. The intense emotion had finally died down a little, enough for him to speak again. / ªÖ®¦¤´µM¥¿¦b¬ÝÂ÷¶}¡A¦ý¬O¥Lªº±Ó·P¹B°Ê¬O¦wÀRªº,µLÁnªº¡C ±j¯Pªº±¡ºü¤w¸g³Q³Ì«áµy·Lº¥®§ ,¥R¨¬Åý¥L¦A¤@¦¸»¡¡C
"I don't even know why I'm so upset," he said softly. "It's as though someone just tossed me a whole chunk of my memory that I don't understand and I don't know what to do with it." / " §Ú¤£¬Æ¦Üª¾¹D§Ú¬°¤°»ò¬O¦p¦¹·Ð¶Ã",¥L¬X©M¦a»¡¡C "¥¦¬O¡A¦n¹³¬Y¤H­è­è§ëÂY¤F§Ú§Úªº§Ú¤£¤F¸Ñªº°O¾Ð¤@­Ó¾ã­Ó¤j¶ô¡A¦Ó¥B§Ú¤£ª¾¹D¸Ó¥H¥¦°µ¤°»ò" ¡C
"You're not the only one." / "§A¤£¬O°ß¤@ªº¤@­Ó" ¡C
Now Ken looked towards him, eyes intent. Flashing. / ²{¦b¦V¥L¬ÝªºªÖ®¦,ª`·N·N¹Ï¡C °{Ã{¡C
How can they hold so many expressions? Why do they seem to have a life of their own inside him? / ¥L­Ì¦p¦ó¯àºû«ù³o»ò¦hªí¹F? ¥L­Ì¬°¤°»ò¦ü¥G¦³¥L­Ì¦Û¤v¤º³¡ªº¥Í¬¡¥L?
Joe took a few sips of his coffee, letting the liquid warm his throat, his innards. Carelessly he began tracing the rim of the cup with his finger, following its shape. A moment later, he spoke. "I remember something else from that day." / ³ì±a¤F¤@¨Ç¥Lªº©@°Ø°ã¶¼,Åý²GÅé·Å·x¥Lªº«|³ï¡A¥Lªº innards ¡C ¤£ª`·N¦a¥L¶}©l¥Î¥Lªº¤â«ü°lÂܪM¤lªºÃä½t¡A¸òÀH¥¦ªº§Îª¬¡C ¤@¤ù¨è¤§«á¡A¥L»¡¡C "§Ú±q¨º¤Ñ°_°O±o§OªºªF¦è" ¡C
Ken felt his back stiffen. He tensed hard, causing his wrist to throb. A silent nod told Joe that he was listening. / ·Pı¥Lªº­I³¡ªÖ®¦°íµw¡C ¥L§V¤O¦a©Ôºò, ¾É­P¥Lªº¤âµÃ±ª°Ê¡C ¨HÀqªºÂIÀY§i¶D¤F³ì¥L¥¿¦bÅ¥¡C
"There was a moment missing from the picture. A fragment of time between the explosion and Nambu's coming for me. I couldn't place it until today." He turned to look at Ken, but found his expression unreadable. His eyes, however, shone with a curious yet troubled light. / "¦³¤ù¨è±q·Ó¤ù¥¢¥h¡C ¬°§Úªº¦bÃz¬µ©M Nambu's ªº¨ÓÁ{¤§¶¡ªº¤@­Ó®É¶¡ªº¸H¤ù¡C §ÚµLªk§â¥¦©ñª½¨ì¤µ¤Ñ¡C"¥L·Ç³Æ¬ÝªÖ®¦, ¦ý¬Oµo²{¥Lªºªí¹FµLªkŪ¨úªº¡C ¥Lªº²´·ú¡AµM¦Ó¡A·ÓÄ£¥Ñ©ó¤@¦n©_ªº¤´µM²V¶Ã¥ú¡C
"When?" he asked, despite somehow knowing the answer. / "¦ó®É"? ¥L°Ý,¤£¦b¥G¤£ª¾¦ó¬Gª¾¹Dµª®×¡C
Joe's face went blank for a few seconds, flashes of a child not much older than his younger self leaping, timing a dive, breaking cleanly through the water's surface; those same images replaced by the form of a young man, but the same person. / Áy¥hªº³ì¯dªÅ¥Õ¼Æ¬í, ¤£¬O¤ñ¥Lªº¸û¦~»´ªº¦Û¤v¸õÅD¦~ªø³\¦hªº¤@­Ó«Ä¤lªº°{¥ú, ®É¶¡ÂI¼ç¤ô, °®²b¥´¯}¸g¹L¤ôªºªí­±; ¨º¨Ç³Q¦~»´ªº¨k¤H§Î¦¡ , ¦ý¬O¬Û¦Pªº¤H´À´«ªº¬Û¦P¼v¹³¡C
"When I saw you dive into the water." / "·í§Ú¬Ý¨£ªº®É­Ô , §A¸õ¤J¤ô" ¡C
No reaction. Ken was completely frozen. Again, Joe could only tell from his eyes : confusion crept in, hard concentration, deep effort. The internal emotions soon surfaced on his features, twisting his face into a look of lost. / ¨S¦³¤ÏÀ³¡C ªÖ®¦§¹¥þ¦a³Q­áµ²¡C ¦A¤@¦¸¡A³ì¥u¥i¥H±q¥Lªº²´·ú§i¶D : ³Qª¦ªº²V¶Ã¦b,Ãøªº¶°¤¤¡A²`ªº§V¤O¡C ¤º¦bªº±¡ºü«Ü§Ö¦b¥Lªº¯S¼x¤W¤É¦Ü¤ô­±,¥¢¥h§áÂà¥LªºÁy¶i¯«±¡¤§¤º¡C
He took his own cup of coffee into his hands, sipping slowly. / ¥L®³©@°Øªº¥L¦Û¤vªM¤l¶i¥Lªº¤â¤§¤º,ºCºC¦a°ã¶¼¡C
"Maybe, Joe," he began, "Maybe you should tell me first, what you remember from that day that occurred to you today. Because I'm not sure what to think right now." / "¤]³\,³ì",¥L¶}©l ",¤]³\§AÀ³¸Ó­º¥ý§i¶D§Ú,§A±q¤µ¤Ñ¹ï§Aµo¥Íªº¨º¤Ñ¨º¨à©Ò°O±oªº¡C ¦]¬°§Ú¤£¬O½T«H¸Ó¥ß¨è·Q¤°»ò¡C"
Without hesitation or pause, Joe told him what he felt - no, knew! had happened that fateful day : the tide, the shadow, the dive, the voice. / ¨S¦³¼È°±©Î¤¤¤î¡A³ì§i¶D¥L¤°»ò¥L·Pı -¤£,ª¾¹D! ¨º­Ó±J©Rªº¤é¤l¤w¸gµo¥Í : ¼é¡A¼v¹³¡A¼ç¤ô,Án­µ¡C
The fuzzy images, living speaking ghosts of the day. / ¼Ò½k¼v¹³,»¡¨º¤Ñªº°­ ¥Í¬¡¡C
"... And the accent was unmistakable. When I first heard your voice during our first meeting, I thought it sounded familiar. Whenever we swim at the lake, I can never help but to watch the way you dive into the water, because it bugged me that I've seen it before." / ".¡C¡C ¦Ó¥B¤f­µ¬O©úÅ㪺¡C ·í§Ú³Ìªì¦b§Ú­Ìªº²Ä¤@­Ó·|ij´Á¶¡Å¥¨ì¤F§AªºÁn­µ®É­Ô,§Ú·Q¤F¥¦Å¥°_¨Ó¼ô±x¡C µL½×¦ó®É§Ú­Ì¦b´ò´åªa, §ÚµLªkÀ°§U¦ý¬O¬Ý§A¸õ¤J¤ôªº¤è¦¡,¦]¬°¥¦·ÐÂZ¤F§Ú§Ú¥H«e¦³¬Ý¨ì¥¦¡C"
Ken couldn't help but feel very threatened at that moment. / ªÖ®¦¦b¨º¤ù¨èµLªk¤£·Pı«D±`³Q«Â¯Ù¡C
Everything felt wrong. The more Joe spoke, the more excited the steel-blue eyes became, the brighter the tone of voice; he in contrast grew more and more edgy, his sense of fear and doubt escalating with every passing minute. / ¨C¥ó¨Æª«Ä±±o¿ù»~¡C ³ì»¡·U¦h, ¨ë¿Eªº¿û- ÂŦ⪺²´·ú¤]·UÅܦ¨, ¤ñ¸û©ú«G¤HÁn­µªº©ú·t; ¥L¦b®t§O¤¤ÅܶV¨Ó¶V¤M¤f¾U§Q, ¥Lªº®£Äß·P¦Ó¥BÃhºÃÂX¤j¥Ñ©ó¨C¥Ø«eªº¤ÀÄÁ¡C
"You're saying that it took the memory of your parents' deaths to lead you to this one last piece. And that I'm this one last piece," he said flatly. / "§A¥¿¦b»¡¥¦±a¤F§Aªº¤÷¥À¦º¤`ªº°O¾Ð³Ì«á¤Þ¾É§A¨«¦V³o¤@­Ó¶ô¡C ¦Ó¥B§Ú³Ì«á¬O³o¤@­Ó¶ô,"¥L¥­¥­¦a»¡¡C
"Like putting two pieces of a puzzle together," Joe agreed, not noticing his companion's troubled glance. "It's as if that memory told me that there was still something missing. And it took that little escapade to bring it back." A light tinkling noise distracted him. Looking down, he saw Ken's slender fingers tampering with his bracelet, a sign he recognized as pure anxiety of every kind. Joe felt that this would be a good time to drop a big question. / "³ßÅw±N¤@­ÓÁ¼ÃDªº¤G¶ô¶°¦X°_¨Ó ",³ì¦P·N, ¤£ª`·N¥LªºªB¤Í²V¶Ãªº¤@¿h¡C " ¥¦¬O¦n¹³¨º°O¾Ð§i¶D¤F§Ú¤´µM¦³¬Y¨Æ¥¢¥h¡C ¦Ó¥B¥¦®³¤p²§±`¥X­yªº¦æ¬°§â¥¦±a¦^¨Ó¡C" ¤@­Óµo¥X tinkle ªºÁnÅT¾¸­µ ªº¥ú¤À¤ß¤F¥L¡C ¬Ý¤U¨Ó,¥L¬Ý¨£ªÖ®¦ªº­]±ø¤â«ü¤z¹w¥Lªº¤âÅN, ¤@­Ó²Å¸¹¥L¿ë»{¥X¦p¨C­ÓÃþ«¬ªº¯ÂºéµJ¼{¡C ³ì·Pı¤F³o±N·|¬O¦nªº®É¶¡©ñ±ó¤@­Ó¤jªº°ÝÃD¡C
"Ken, have you ever been to Italy?" / "ªÖ®¦, ´¿¸g§A¤£¶Ü¬O¹ï¸q¤j§Q"?
Ken drew back. "I suppose you mean BC Island in particular...." / ªÖ®¦­Ë°h¡C "§Ú±À·Q§A·N¿×¶µ¥Øªº¦è¤¸«e®q...."
Joe didn't nod, but meant yes. He trapped Ken in his gaze. / ³ì¨S¦³ÂIÀY, ¦ý¬O·N¿×¬Oªº¡C ¥L§x¦í¤F¥Lªºª`µøªÖ®¦¡C
For the longest time, Ken said nothing. His mind raced, trying to recall anything of the like, anything that happened ten years ago. He found himself actually struggling to remember. Damn, and he had a photographic memory! Intricate details never fazed him! Pinpointing was like second nature! Why couldn't he remember this? / ³Ìªøªº®É¶¡¥H¨Ó¡AªÖ®¦¤°»ò¤]¤£»¡¡C ¥Lªº¤ß¤ñÁÉ, ¹Á¸Õ¦PÃþ¡A¦b¤Q¦~¥H«eµo¥Íªº¥ô¦ó¨Æ¨ú®ø¥ô¦ó¨Æ¡C ¥Lµo²{¥L¦Û¤v¹ê»Ú¤W¾Ä°«°O±o¡C ¶A©G¡A¦Ó¥B¥L¦³¤F·Ó¬Ûªº°O¾Ð! ½ÆÂøªº²Ó¸`±q¤£ fazed ¥L! ºë½T¦a§ä¨ì¹³²Ä¤G¦ÛµM! ¥L¬°¤°»òµLªk°O±o³o?

Before he even realized it, he had pushed his mind so hard that his temples began to throb, his face devoid of all color. He fell back against the soft sofa, resting his head there, breathing deeply. / ¥L¬Æ¦Ü¤F¸Ñ¤F¥¦¤§«e¡A¥L¤w¸g±À°Ê¦p¦¹ªºÃø¥H­P©ó¥Lªº¦x¼q¶}©l±ª°Êªº¥L¤ß¡A¯Ê¥F©Ò¦³ÃC¦âªº¥LÁy¡C ¥LºM°h¹ï§Ü³nªº¨Fµo,¥ð®§¥LªºÀY¨º¸Ì¡A²`²`¦a©I§l¡C
"I... I don't remember..." / "§Ú¡C¡C¡C §Ú¤£°O±o¡C¡C¡C"
It was Joe's turn to feel confused. "You don't?" / ½ü¨ì³ìı±o§x´b¡C " §A¤£"?
Ken shook his head heavily. "I... can't recall anything like that. I would have to have been nine, and I would've already been under Hakase's guardianship." / ªÖ®¦«Ü­«¦a·nÀY¡C "§Ú¡C¡C¡C ¤£¯à¹³¨º¤@¼Ë¨ú®ø¥ô¦ó¨Æ¡C §Ú±N·|¥²¶·¤w¸g¬O¤E, ©M§Ú would've ¤w¸g¬O¦b Hakase's ªººÊÅ@¤§¤U¡C"
"That means you could've followed him there." / " ¨º·N¿×§A could've ¦b¨º¸Ì¸òÀH¥L".
The frustration of not being able to recall, especially something that was this important to his friend, grew within him. He kept forcing himself back, over and over again, but nothing came. "I don't understand it. / ¯à°÷¨ú®øªº¤£¦s¦bªº®À§é, ¤×¨ä³oªº¬Y¨Æ­«­nªº¹ï¥LªB¤Í,¦b¥L¸Ì­±¦¨ªø¡C ¥LÄ~Äò±j­¢¥L¦Û¤v­I­±,¤@¦A¦a¡A¦ý¬O¨S¨Æ¨Ó¡C "§Ú¤£¤F¸Ñ¥¦¡C
Why can't I remember?" / §Ú¬°¤°»ò¤£°O±o?"
Joe wanted to drink a little more of his coffee, but he found the cup already empty. "Talk about role reversal. Now you've got mind problems." / ³ì·Q­n³Ü¥Lªº©@°Ø¤p¤pªº§ó¦h¡A¦ý¬O¥Lµo²{ªM¤l¤w¸g²MªÅ¡C "½Í½×¨¤¦â¤ÏÂà¡C ²{¦b§A¤w¸g±o¨ì¤ß°ÝÃD¡C"
"It's not funny, Joe," he said sharply. / "¥¦¤£¬O¦n¯ºªº,³ì",¥L¾U§Q¦a»¡¡C
He said nothing more. Several minutes passed before Joe could ask for another question. "What reason would there have been if you had followed / ¥L»¡²@¤£§ó¦h¡C ¦b³ì¥i¥H­n¨D¥t¤@­Ó°ÝÃD¤§«e , ¦n´X¤ÀÄÁ³q¹L¡C " »¡ªAªº±N·|¤w¸g¦³¦pªG°²¦p§A¸òÀH
Hakase to BC Island?" / ¨ì¦è¤¸«e®qªº Hakase?"
Ken relaxed a bit, not feeling the tightness in his body anymore. / ªÖ®¦©ñÃP¤@ÂI, ¤£¤£¦A·Pı¥Lªº¨­Åé°í©T¡C
Slowly, he tried to deduce an answer. "I would've been nine; that would make / ºCºC¦a¡A¥L¸ÕµÛ±À½×¤@­Óµª®×¡C " §Ú would've ¬O¤E; ¨º±N·|»s³y
Kikei 17. That summer Kikei had gone to the police training academy. That would've left me alone with Mother. She couldn't have been able to look after me so she left me with Hakase until Kikei got back. If he had to go to / Kikei 17. ¨º®L¤Ñ Kikei ¤w¸gµ¹±Ð¨|¾Ç°| ªºÄµ¹î¡C ¨º would've ©M¥À¿Ë§OºÞ§Ú¡C ª½¨ì Kikei ¦^¨Ó¡A¦o¥i¥H¨S¦³¯à°÷·Ó®Æ§Ú¡A¦p¦¹¦o¥Î Hakase ¯d¤U§Ú¡C ¦pªG¥L¥²¶·¥h¨ì
BC Island, then...." He paused for the longest time. Apprehension flickered upon his face. What am I saying? That I saved Joe when he was nine? When his parents died? I was there? / ¦è¤¸«e®q,µM«á...."¥L¬°³Ìªøªº®É¶¡¼È°±¡C ²z¸Ñ¦b¥LªºÁy¤§¤W°{°Ê¡C §Ú¥¿¦b»¡¤°»ò? ­þ¤@·í¥L¬O¤Eªº®É­Ô¡A§Ú¸Ñ±Ï¤F³ì? ¥Lªº¤÷¥À¦ó®É¦º? §Ú¦b¨º¸Ì?
"You did go along with him, didn't you?" / "§A½T¹ê°t¦X¥L,§A¤£¨S¦³¶Ü"?
In a voice barely above a whisper, he replied, "Yes. I was on BC / ¦b¤@ºØÁn­µ¤¤´X¥G¦b¦Õ»y¤W­±¡A¥LµªÂÐ,"¬Oªº¡C §Ú¬O¦b¦è¤¸«e¤§¤W
Island." / ®q¡C"


to be continued... / ³QÄ~Äò¡C¡C¡C


Ali gxan@tm.net.my gxan@hotmail.com


~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Before you decide to fade away / ¦b§A¨M©w¿Æ¦âÂ÷¶}¤§«e
Before you throw it all away / ¦b§A¥þ³¡¥á¥¦Â÷¶}¤§«e
Before you make a decision you may regret / ¦b§A§@¨M©w§A¤§«e¥i¯à·P¨ì¿ò¾Ñ
Think : / ·Q :
"Burn. Live. Thrive." / "¿N¶Ë¡C ©~¦í¡C Ácºa¡C"

'The River Casts Shadows' (continued) / 'ªeºt­û°}®e¼v¹³'(Ä~Äò)


"But you don't remember what happened?" / "¦ý¬O§A¤£°O±oµo¥ÍªºªF¦è "?
"No." Ken had given up trying to remember. It was too hard. Nothing could click, his focus messed up so badly concentrating became optional. / "¸¹½X" ªÖ®¦¤w¸g©ñ±ó¹Á¸Õ°O±o¡C ¯u¬O¤ÓÃø¡C ¨S¨Æ¥i¥H«ö,¶°¤¤ªº¦p¦¹ÄY­«³Q§ËÁVªº¥LµJÂIÅܦ¨¥i¿ï¾Ü¡C
"Why don't you tell me what happened." / " §A¦ó¤£§i¶D§Ú¤°»òµo¥Í".
"That's not the point," Joe argued. "You have to remember. Like how you made me remember. Ken, it's not easy missing a piece of your life like that." / "¨º¤£¬OÂI",³ìª§½×¡C "§A¥²¶·°O±o¡C ¬Û¦üªº§A¦p¦ó¨Ï§Ú°O±o¡C ªÖ®¦,¥¦¤£¬O®e©öªº¥¢¥h¤@¤ù§Aªº¥Í¬¡¦PÃþ¨º¡C"
"It doesn't bother me, Joe," he shot back. "I'm not getting nightmares because of it. I'm not hurting because I can't remember. It doesn't affect me. I can leave it alone." / "¥¦¤£·ÐÂZ§Ú,³ì",¥L¦V«á¦a®gÀ»¡C "§Ú¨S¦³¦b¦]¬°¥¦±o¨ì¹ÚÆL¡C ¦]¬°§Ú¤£¯à°O±o¡A©Ò¥H§Ú¨S¦³¦b¶Ë®`¡C ¥¦¤£¼vÅT§Ú¡C §Ú¯à§OºÞ¥¦¡C"
Joe's anger flared. He was being stubborn. "No you can't. You don't see it, do you? It *is* bothering you." / ³ìªº©Á«ã·n¦²¡C ¥L¬O¹x©T¡C " ¨S¦³§A¤£¯à¡C §A¨S¬Ý¨£¥¦,§A¤£¶Ü? ¥¦ *¬O*·ÐÂZ§A¡C"
"It isn't," Ken replied indignantly. "How would you know?" / " ¥¦¬O¤£",ªÖ®¦¼««ã¦aµªÂСC "§A¦p¦ó±N·|ª¾¹D"?
"What are the most important rules of survival that you know, Ken?" / "§Aª¾¹Dªº¥Í¦s³Ì­«­n³W«h¡AªÖ®¦¬O§@¤°»òªº"?
he asked. / ¥L°Ý¡C
Ken was thrown by the question at first. But setting it aside he answered, "Focus. Balance. Timing. Judgement." / ªÖ®¦°_¥ý³Q°ÝÃD¥á¤F¡C ¦ý¬O³]©w¥¦®Ç¥Õ¥L¦^µª,"µJÂI¡C ¥­¿Å¡C ®É¶¡ÂI¡C ¼f§P¡C"
"And right now, even as you're sitting there, all of them are falling apart." / "¦Ó¥B¥ß¨è¡A¥¿·í§A¦b¨º¸Ì§¤,¥L­Ì¥þ³¡³£¥¿¦b¤À§O¦a¸¨¤U" ¡C
Fist clenched, Ken was about to pounce on him when Joe spoke again. / ®±ÀYºò´¤,·í³ì¦A¤@¦¸»¡ªº®É­Ô¡AªÖ®¦¥¿­n¦b¥L¨­¤WÅ̦í¡C
"I said it wouldn't bother me, either. Look at what happened to me. / "§Ú»¡¤F¥¦¤]±N¤£·ÐÂZ§Ú¡C ¬Ý§Úµo¥Í¤F¤°»ò¨Æ¡C
Look at how I nearly got you killed. Look at how I nearly resigned myself to being left behind in the flames." He saw the clarity in Ken's eyes, the intensity returning. "That could've been you. And you in turn could've been someone else. Jinpei, Ryu... maybe Jun. Do you see now why I'm asking you to remember?" / ¬Ý§Ú¦p¦ó´X¥GÅý§A°e©R¡C ¬Ý§Ú¦p¦ó´X¥GÃ㾤F§Ú¦Û¤v¨ì¦b¤õµK¤¤³Q¯d¤U¡C"¥L¬Ý¨£ªÖ®¦ªº²´·ú²M·¡,±j¯PÂkÁÙ¡C "¬O§Aªº¨º could've¡C ¦Ó¥B§A¦b±ÛÂà could've ¤¤¬O¨ä¥L¤H¡C Jinpei ¡A Ryu¡C¡C¡C ¤]³\¤»¤ë¡C §A²{¦b¬Ý¨£§Ú¬°¤°»ò¥¿¦b­n¨D§A°O±o¶Ü?"
Ken sank back into the sofa. Joe was right. He had a responsibility, one beyond his years, one his body and mind had trained themselves to carry out. The slightest glitch on his part could mean anything ranging from failure to death. It nearly happened once, not long after his father died. / ªÖ®¦¨I¸¨ªð¦^¨Fµo¡C ³ì¬O¥¿½Tªº¡C ¥L¦³¤F³d¥ô, ¤@¶W¹L¥Lªº¼Æ¦~¡A¤@­Ó¥Lªº¨­Åé©M¤ß¤w¸g°V½m¥L­Ì¦Û¤v¹ê¦æ¡C ¦b¥Lªº³¡¥÷¤Wªº³Ì·L¤pªº¹L¥¢¥i¥H·N¿×¥ô¦ó¨Æ±q¥¢±Ñ¨ì¦º¤`±Æ¦C¡C ¥¦´X¥Gµo¥Í´¿¸g¡A¦b¥Lªº¤÷¿Ë¦º¤§«á¤£´÷±æ¡C
What happened then? Hadn't he sworn to never let it happen again? At all costs? / ¤°»òµM«áµo¥Í? ¥LÁÙ¨S±q¤£«OÃÒÅý¥¦¦A¤@¦¸µo¥Í? ¤£±¤¥ô¦ó¥N»ù ?
Snapping out of it, he said, "Let me run through this again." / «rÂ_Â÷¥¦,¥L»¡,"Åý§Ú¦A¤@¦¸¶]¹L³o".
Joe smiled silently, satisfied. / ³ìÀqÀq¦a·L¯º,º¡·N¡C
"The blast caught you, as the bullet, and you fell back into the water. The tide ws coming in, and being an islsnd, BC Island had rough tides. You were swept away, and you were drowning. You surfaced long enough to see *me* run off the pier, jump in after you and grab you. I swam back to shore with you in tow. We got to the shore, and I checked to see if you were alive. I went to get Hakase." / "¯e­·®·®»¤F§A,¦p¤l¼u¡A¦Ó¥B§A¶i¤J¤ô¤§¤ººM°h¡C ¶i¨Ó ªº¼é ws, ¦Ó¥B§@¬° islsnd,¦è¤¸«e®q¦³¤F²ÊÁW¼é¡C §A³Q±½±¼¡A¦Ó¥B§A¥¿¦b²T¦º¡C §A¤É¦Ü¤ô­±¤Fªøªº¥R¨¬¬Ý¨£ *§Ú*¶]¦b½XÀY¥~, ¸õÅD¦b§A¤§«á¦Ó¥B§ì¨ú§A¡C §Ú¦V«á¦a´åªa¦b©ì¤¤©M§A¤ä¼µ¡C §Ú­Ì¨ì¹F®ü©¤¡A¦Ó¥B§ÚÀˬd¬Ý¬Ý¬O§_§A¦³¬¡¤O¡C §Ú¥h±o¨ì Hakase ¡C"
He turned to face Joe. Joe nodded, agreeing with the run-through. / ¥L·Ç³Æ­±¹ï³ì¡C ³ìÂIÀY, ¦P·N³e³q¡C
Sighing, Ken tried to remember any part of his life that matched the description. There were very vague images this time, not exactly complete emptiness like before. There was some definite truth in Joe's theory, but / ¼Û®§,ªÖ®¦¸ÕµÛ°O±o¥ô¦ó¥Lªº»P´y­z¬Û°t¤Fªº¥Í¬¡³¡¥÷¡C ¨º¸Ì«D±`§t½k¼v¹³³o¦¸,¤£§¹¥þ¥H«e§¹¦¨ªÅµê¦PÃþ¡C ¦³³ìªº²z½×¤@¨Ç©ú½Tªº¨Æ¹ê,¦ý¬O
Ken needed to know one other thing. / ªÖ®¦»Ý­nª¾¹D¨ä¥L¤@¨Æª«¡C
"Why can't I remember this?" / "§Ú¬°¤°»ò¤£°O±o³o"?
"Yeah, that kinda bugs me too," Joe voiced. "It's a big event, y'know. Rescuing a brat of a Sicilian from certain death." / "¬Oªº,¨º¦³¤@ÂI¤]·ÐÂZ§Ú",³ì«Å­z¡C "¥¦¬O¤@¥ó¤jªº¨Æ¥ó¡A y'know ¡C ±Ï¥X¨Ó¦Û¯S©wªº¦º¤`¦è¦è¨½¤Hªº¤@­Ó¨Å¯ä¥¼°®ªº¤p«Ä¡C"
Joe suddenly realized that Ken was studying him very hard. His eyes were boring into him, as though he was searching for the answers there instead. The obvious disappointment that surfaced not long after told him that there were still no answers. / ³ì¬ðµM¤F¸Ñ¤FªÖ®¦¥¿¦b«D±`§V¤O¦a¾Ç²ß¥L¡C ¶i¤J¥L¤§¤º¥Lªº²´·ú¬OµL²áªº,¦n¹³¥L¥¿¦b§ï¬°¦b¨º¸Ì´M§äµª®×¡C ¦b§i¶D¥L¤§«á¡A¤É¦Ü¤ô­±ªº©úÅ㥢±æ¤£´÷±æ¤´µM¦³¤£¥ô¦óµª®×¡C
"I guess I only have one other option," he said finally. "There's only one explanation I can give to this." / " §Ú¥u²q´ú§Ú¦³¨ä¥L¤@¿ï¾Ü",¥L³Ì«á»¡¡C "¥u¦³§Ú¯àµ¹³oªº¤@ºØ¸ÑÄÀ" ¡C
Joe got curious. "What?" / ³ì¦n©_¤F¡C "¤°»ò"?
Ken got up from the sofa, leaving his cup of cold coffee behind. / ªÖ®¦±q¨Fµo°_§É,§Ñ°O¥LªºªM¤l´H§N©@°Ø¡C
"Follow me." / "¸òÀH§Ú" ¡C


"We're going back to Shadow Mountain?" / " §Ú­Ì¥¿¦b¦^¥h¾B½ª¤s"?
He nodded, but his expression was fixed. "What I need is there." / ¥LÂIÀY¡A¦ý¬O¥Lªºªí¹F³Q­×²z¡C "§Ú»Ý­nªº¦b¨º¸Ì" ¡C
They moved to the center of the study, standing at their places on the floor. / ¥L­Ì·h¨ì¬ã¨sªº¤¤¤ß,¦b¦aªO¤Wªº¥L­Ì¦a¤è¯¸¥ß¡C
Ken spoke first. "Eagle, go." / ªÖ®¦­º¥ý»¡¡C "ÆN,¥h" ¡C
"Condor, go." / "¨rÆN,¥h" ¡C
The floor vanished beneath their feet, dropping them into the vacuum transport tubes that carried them to Shadow Mountain. / ¦aªO®ø¥¢¥L­Ìªº¸}¤§¤U,­°§C¥L­Ì¶i¯uªÅ¶Ç°eÄâ±a¤F¥L­Ì¾B½ª¤sªººÞ¤§¤º¡C
The vacuum transport tubes were ten feet in diameter, giving them a lot of room to fly comfortably in any way they chose as the vacuum system sped them towards the base. Joe floated effortlessly on his back, lounging his way there, while Ken, tense, spead his form like a descending angel, legs tight against each other, arms pulled back at a small angle. It occurred to Joe for the first time that Ken was blessed with unmatchable / ¯uªÅ¶Ç°eºÞ¬Oª½®|ªº¤Q§`, µ¹¥L­Ì³\¦h©Ð¶¡µÎªA¦a¥H¥ô¦ó¤è¦¡­¸·í¯uªÅ¨t²Î¦V°ò¦¥[³t¤F¥L­Ìªº®É­Ô¡A¥L­Ì¿ï¾Ü¡C ³ì®e©ö¦a¦b¥Lªº­I³¡¤WÄƯB, lounging ¥Lªº¤èªk¦b¨º¸Ì, ·íªÖ®¦¡A®ÉºA¡A spead ¹³¤@¦ì­°¤Ñ¨Ï¤@¼Ëªº¥L§Î¦¡ªº®É­Ô, »Lºòºò¦a¤Ï¹ï©¼¦¹¡A¤â¦V«á¦a¥H¤@­Ó¤pªº¨¤«×©Ô¡C ²Ä¤@¦¸³ì©¿µM·Q°_¨º¤@­ÓªÖ®¦·P¨ì¨ü¯¬ºÖ¤£¯à¤Ç¼Äªº

grace, a form of a fighter that would move without thought but with instinctive fluidity. / Àu¶®¡A±N·|¤£»Ý­n·Qªk´N²¾°Êªº°«¤h¤@ºØ§Î¦¡¦ý¬O©M¥»¯àªº¬y°Ê©Ê¡C
In watching him, he was more certain than ever that it had been Ken who had saved his life. In truth, he realized, he shouldn't be owing every part of his existence to Nambu alone; his ward had given him a second chance to begin with. / ¦b¬Ý¥L¤è­±¡A¥L´¿¸g¤ñ¥¦¤w¸g¬O¤w¸g¸Ñ±Ï¥Lªº¥Í¬¡ªÖ®¦½T©w¡C ¦b¨Æ¹ê¤¤¡A¥L¤F¸Ñ,¥L¿W¦Û¦a¤£À³¸Ó¬O¹ï Nambu ªº¥L¦s¦bªº¥¼¥I¨C­Ó³¡¥÷; ¥Lªº¦u½Ã¤w¸gµ¹¥L¤@­Ó²Ä¤G­Ó¾÷·|¶}©l¡C
Seeing the end of the tunnel coming upon them, they realigned their forms to prepare for the drop into the main chamber of Shadow Mountain. The portals opened, and they dropped from ten feet above ground, landing neatly with trained precision. / ¬Ý¨£°¸µM¸I¨ì¥L­Ì ªºÀG¹Dµ²§ô,¥L­Ì­«·s¾ã»ô¤F¥L­Ìªºªí®æ·Ç³Æ¤U­°¶i¼v¹³¤sªº¥D­n·|ij«Ç¤§¤º¡C ¤J¤f¥´¶}¡A¦Ó¥B¥L­Ì±q¦b¦a­±¤W­±ªº¤Q§`±¼¸¨,¾ã¼ä¦a¥H°V½mªººë±Kµn³°¡C
The landing had jarred Ken's wrist; he dropped on one knee, the pain soaring through him. / µn³°¤w¸g¾_ÅåªÖ®¦ªº¤âµÃ; ¥L¦b¤@­Ó½¥¤W­°§C,¸g¹L¥Lªº¤W¤Éµh­W¡C
"Ken?" / "ªÖ®¦"?
Slowly he stood again. "I'm fine." He walked to the main console and clasped the connector cuff to his good wrist. "Hinotori, grant access." / ºCºC¦a¥L¦A¤@¦¸¯¸¥ß¡C " §Ú«Ü¦n" ¡C ¥L¨«¸ô¥h¥D­nªº±±¨îÂi¦Ó¥B¦©ºò¤F¹ï¥Lªº¦n¤âµÃªº³sµ²ªÌ³S¤f¡C "Hinotori,¤¹³\³q¸ô" ¡C
Hinotori appeared on the screen and smiled. "Access granted." Three fiber-optic nerves shot into the cuff, initiating the access. "Identified. / Hinotori ¦b¿Ã¹õ¤W¥X²{¨Ã¥B·L¯º¡C "³q¸ô¤¹³\" ¡C ¤T¥úÅÖ¯«¸g¶i¤J³S¤f¤§¤º®gÀ»,¶}©l³q¸ô¡C "ÃѧO¡C
Ken Shimada." / ªÖ®¦ Shimada¡C"
"What exactly are we looking for here, Ken?" Joe asked as he sat down at the console next to him. / " ¤°»ò§¹¥þ¬O§Ú­Ì§ä´M³o¸Ì,ªÖ®¦"? ·í¥L¦bºò¾F¥Lªº±±¨îÂi§¤¤Uªº®É­Ô¡A³ì°Ý¡C
Ken didn't answer. He pulled out his glasses and set them on the bridge of his nose. / ªÖ®¦¨S¦³¦^µª¡C ¥L©Ô¥X¥Lªº²´Ãè¦Ó¥B¤ä¨Ï¥L­Ì¹ï¥I¥Lªº»ó¤l¾ô¡C
"My medical records." / " §Úªº¯f¾ú¥d".


to be continued... / ³QÄ~Äò¡C¡C¡C


Ali gxan@tm.net.my gxan@hotmail.com


~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Before you decide to fade away / ¦b§A¨M©w¿Æ¦âÂ÷¶}¤§«e
Before you throw it all away / ¦b§A¥þ³¡¥á¥¦Â÷¶}¤§«e
Before you make a decision you may regret / ¦b§A§@¨M©w§A¤§«e¥i¯à·P¨ì¿ò¾Ñ
Think : / ·Q :
"Burn. Live. Thrive." / "¿N¶Ë¡C ©~¦í¡C Ácºa¡C"

'The River Casts Shadows' (continued) / 'ªeºt­û°}®e¼v¹³'(Ä~Äò)


"What for?" Joe wondered, suddenly concerned. "Why your medical records?" / " ¤°»ò¬°"? ÃhºÃªº³ì,¬ðµM±¾¼{¡C " ¬°¤°»ò§Aªº¯f¾ú¥d"?
Ken didn't even glance at him. But his bodily movements could not hide a certain feeling of regret, or some kind of fear or apprehension which seemed sort of inappropriate at the moment. At least to Joe. / ªÖ®¦¤£¬Æ¦Üª`µø¥L¡C ¦ý¬O¥Lªº¨­Åé¹B°ÊµLªkÂÿò¾Ñªº¯S©w·Pı , ©Î¬YºØ®£ÄߩΦü¥GÃþ«¬ªº²z¸Ñ¤£¾A·íªº¦¹¨è¡C ¦Ü¤Ö¹ï³ì¡C
"Do you remember the date?" / "§A°O±o¤é´Á¶Ü"?
Joe blinked. "Date?" / ³ì¯w²´¡C "¬ù·|"?
"Your parents' death." / "§Aªº¤÷¥À¦º¤`".
A date he could never forget. Even if a Buick hit him head on, that would probably be the first thing to come back into his mind. "May 28 2039". / ¤@­Ó¤é´Á¥LµLªk§Ñ°O¡C §Y¨Ï³Q¥´¥Lªº Buick «e¶i¦b,¤§¤W¨º±N·|¥i¯à¬O²Ä¤@¥ó¨Æª«¶i¤J¥Lªº¤ß¤§¤º¦^¨Ó¡C "2039 ¦~¤­¤ë 28 ¤é".
He watched as Ken keyed in the date beside where he had typed / °£¤F¥L¤w¸g¥´¦r­þ¸Ì¤§¥~·íªÖ®¦¦b¤é´Á¤¤Áä¤Jªº®É­Ô¡A¥L¬Ý
'Medical File', before that his own name. / 'Âå¥ÍÀÉ®×', ¦b¨º¤§«e¥L¦Û¤vªº¦W¦r¡C
Hinotori gave him the message to wait. He did, his arms folded, his head bowed low. / Hinotori µ¹¤©¤F¥L°T®§µ¥­Ô¡C ¥L°µ,¥Lªº¤âÁuºPÅ|, ¥LªºÀYÅs¸y§C¤U¦a¡C
Joe shifted in his seat. "You didn't answer my question." / ³ì¦b¥Lªº®y¦ì¤¤§ïÅÜ¡C "§A¨S¦³¦^µª§Úªº°ÝÃD" ¡C
Ken sucked in a slow, deep breath, holding it for a while before letting it go just as slowly as he had taken it in. Joe recognized it as his personal form of balancing. It worried him. / ªÖ®¦¦bºC¤S²`ªº©I§l¤è­±§l, ¦b¨Ï¥¦¥h¤§«e´¤¦í¥¦¤@°}¤lªººCºC¦a´N¹³¥L¤w¸g±a¥¦¤@¼Ë¦h¦b¡C ³ì¿ë»{¥X¤F¥¦¦p¥Lªº­Ó¤H§Î¦¡ªº¥­¿Å¡C ¥¦¨Ï¥L¾á¼~¤F¡C
"It took me a lot to get into the condition I am in now, Joe," he began, speaking slowly, his tone of voice that light, fleeting story-teller's voice, the one that Jinpei loved to hear so much. "You won't be able to imagine what I was like before this." / "¦b²{¦b¤¤®³¤F§Ú«Ü¦h¶i¤J±¡ªp§Ú¬O,³ì",¥L¶}©l,ºCºC¦a»¡, ¥LªºÁn­µ©ú·t¥ú,¯e¹£¬G¨Æ- Á¿¸ÜµÛªºÁn­µ, ¨º¤@­Ó Jinpei ·RÅ¥¨ì°_¨Ó³o»ò¦h¡C "§A±N¤£¯à°÷·Q¹³¦b³o¤§«e§Ú¬O«ç¼Ëªº¤H" ¡C
"Before G-Force?" / " ¦b G¤§«e-¤O¶q"?
"Before Ken Shimada," he answered, a twinge of nervousness eminating from the words. "I was a very sickly child, Joe. I confess this to you now. / " ¦bªÖ®¦ Shimada¤§«e",¥L¦^µª,¨Ó¦Û¦rªº¤@­Óºò±i eminating ªº¤@°}¤@°}µh¡C "§Ú¬O«D±`¯f®zªº«Ä¤l¡A³ì¡C §Ú²{¦b¹ï§A©Ó»{³o¡C
I shouldn't even be here at all." / §ÚÀ³¸Ó¤@ÂI¤]¤£¬Æ¦Ü¦b³o¸Ì¡C"
Joe sat back in his seat, leaning hard on it. He could not stop himself from scanning Ken with his own sight : since they met Ken had grown a couple of inches taller, and he had filled out nicely. As slender as they came, his body was tightly packed with muscle, the form firm and strong, if not a bit wiry. There was nothing sickly about what sat before him. / ³ì¦b¥Lªº®y¦ì¤¤³S¤â®ÇÆ[,¦b¥¦¤W§V¤O¦a¶É±×¡C ¥LµLªkªý¤î¥L¦Û¤v¥Î¥L¦Û¤vªºµø¤O±½´yªÖ®¦ : ¦]¬°¥L­Ì¹J¨£ªÖ®¦¤w¸g®âºØ¤@¨Ç¦T¤ñ¸û°ª,¦Ó¥B¥L¤w¸g«Ü¦n¦a¶ñ¼g¡C ¹³¥L­Ì¤@¼Ë­]±ø¨Ó, ¥Lªº¨­Åéºòºò¦a³Q¸Ëº¡¦Ù¦×¡A°í©wªº©M±j§Î¦¡, ¦pªG¤£¬O¦³¤@ÂIª÷Äݽu»s¡C ¨S¦³ªF¦è¯f®zªºÃö©ó¦b¥L¤§«e§¤ªºªF¦è¡C
"I take it you don't believe me," he said in response to the silence. / "§Ú®³¥¦§A¤£¬Û«H§Ú",¥L¦^À³¨HÀq»¡¡C
"No, I don't," Joe returned. "Not coming from someone who leaps off buildings because he enjoys the thrill of free-falling, who runs as if he's chasing hurricanes and has his own trigger for adrenaline flows, who comes from Seclusion." / "¤£, §Ú¤£",³ìÂkÁÙ¡C " ¤£¨Ó¦Û¬Y¤H½Ö¸õÅD¦b«Ø¿vª«¥~¦]¬°¥L¨É¨ü¦Û¥Ñ¸¨Å骺¾_Ÿ, ¶]¦n¹³¥L¥¿¦b°lÁü­·¦Ó¥B¦³µÇ¤W¸¢¯À¬yµ{ªº¥L¦Û¤vªº¾É¤õ½u, ¨Ó¦Û¹jÂ÷".
Ken nodded, as though understanding the observation very well, as though it was something familiar to contradict. "You have your secrets. I share one of them now. I have my secrets. And you are about to share one I never wanted anyone to find out." / ªÖ®¦ÂIÀY, ¦n¹³§âÆ[¹î¤F¸Ñ±o«Ü¦n,¦n¹³¥¦¬O¼ô±xªºªF¦è¤Ï»é¡C "§A¦³§Aªº¯µ±K¡C §Ú²{¦b¤À¨É¥L­Ìªº¨ä¤¤¤§¤@¡C §Ú¦³§Úªº¯µ±K¡C ¦Ó¥B§A¥¿­n¤À¨É¤@§Ú±q¤£·Q­n¥ô¦ó¤Hµo²{¡C"
He slowly removed the glasses, putting them away. As he spoke, he refused to look at Joe, for reasons neither understood. / ¥LºCºC¦a²¾¨«¤F²´Ãè,§â¥L­ÌÃö°_¨Ó¡C ·í¥L»¡ªº®É­Ô,¥L©Úµ´¬Ý³ì,¹ï©ó¨âªÌ³£¤£¤F¸Ñªº²z¥Ñ¡C
"I was born a month premature. No one figured the complications could get so bad. They said I was a miracle, that I could never have survived. But I had. My first brush with death was when I was a day old, / "§Ú¥X¥Í¤ë¦­²£¨à¡C ¨S¦³¤Hºtºâ½ÆÂø¤Æ¥i¥HÅܦp¦¹Ãa¡C ¥L­Ì»¡¤F§Ú¬O¤@­Ó©_ÂÝ¡A§ÚµLªk¤w¸gÄ~Äò¥Í¦s¡C ¦ý¬O§Ú¦³¡C ·í§Ú¬O¤@¤Ñ¤§¤[ªº®É­Ô¡A©M¦º¤`ªº§Ú²Ä¤@¨ê¤l¬O,
Joe. I took that as a sign of things to come." / ³ì¡C §Ú±a¤F¨º¦p¤@­Ó¨Æª«ªº²Å¸¹¨Ó¡C"
Joe nodded. "Quite an accurate sign, considering where you are now." / ³ìÂIÀY¡C " ¬Û·í¤@­Ó¥¿½Tªº²Å¸¹,´N§A¬O²{¦bªº¦a¤è¦Ó½×".
Ken smiled briefly, the key word being 'briefly'. "I got sick easily. Everything seemed to go wrong with me. Kikei insisted that it wasn't my fault, that it was due to the premature birth." He paused, his features suddenly hardening. "I hated it." / ªÖ®¦Â²µu¦a·L¯º,§@¬° '²µu¦a'ªºÃöÁä¦r. "§Ú®e©ö¦a¥Í¯f¤F¡C ¨C¥ó¨Æª«¦ü¥G©M§Ú¥X¤ò¯f¡C Kikei °í«ù¤F¥¦¤£¬O§Úªº¹L¥¢¡A¥¦¬O¥Ñ©ó¦­¼ôªº¥X¥Í¡C"¥L¼È°±, ¥Lªº¯S¼x¬ðµMÅܵw¡C "§Ú¼¨«ë¥¦" ¡C
The bitterness of the sentence surprised him. He had never expected / ¥y¤lªº­W¨ý¨Ï¥L¦YÅå¡C ¥L±q¥¼´Á±æ
Ken to have so much resentment towards himself. / ªÖ®¦¦V¥L¦Û¤v¦³³o»ò¦h«è«ë¡C
"I hated it so much I made it into an enemy I would learn to defeat. / " §Ú¼¨«ë¥¦³o»ò¦h§Ú»s³y¥¦¶i§Ú±N·|¾Ç²ßÀ»±Ñªº¤@­Ó¼Ä¤H¤§¤º¡C
My health was a mocking voice that told me that I was destined to be confined to a bed forever." / §Úªº°·±d¬O¤@ºØ§i¶D¤F§Ú§Úµù©w­nªº¼J§ËÁn­µ¥Ã»·¦aª×¯f¦b§É¡C"
Joe had to gather enough nerve to ask him his question. "What was wrong with you?" / ³ì¥²¶·»E¶°¥R¨¬ªº¯«¸g°Ý¥L¥Lªº°ÝÃD¡C "§A«ç»ò¤F "?
He sighed. "An assortment of illnesses. Some I couldn't even understand. In general I was a copy of my mother. I thought I caused her illnesses because I had them too. It took a lot of talking on Hakase and / ¥L¼Û®§¡C "¤@­Ó¯e¯fªº¤ÀÃþ¡C ¤@¨Ç§ÚµLªk¬Æ¦Ü¤F¸Ñ¡C ¤jÅé¤W§Ú¬O§Úªº¥À¿Ë°Æ¥»¡C §Ú·Q¡A¦]¬°§Ú¤]¦³¤F¥L­Ì¡A§Ú¤Þ°_¤F¦oªº¯e¯f¡C ¥¦±a¤F³\¦h¦b Hakase ¤WÁ¿¸Ü©M
Kikei's behalf to get that thought out of my head." He looked at Joe for a moment, noticing that he hadn't taken his eyes off him. "If it makes you feel better, Joe, I've had a clean bill of health since I hit puberty. I won my battles with my illnesses." / Kikei's ªº§Q¯q§â¨º­Ó·Qªk»°¥X§ÚªºÀY¡C"¥L¬Ý³ì¤@·|¨à,ª`·N¥L¨S¦³²æ±¼¥Lªº²´·ú¥L¡C "¦pªG¥¦Åܱo¤ñ¸û¦n,³ì,§Ú¤w¸g¦Û±q§Ú¥H«á¦³¤@­Ó°·±dªº°®²b±b³æ¥´«ä¬K´Á¡C §Ú¥Î§Úªº¯e¯f¾Æ±o§Úªº¾Ôª§¡C"
"Which part is the secret?" / " ³¡¥÷¦a¬O¯µ±K"?
Ken had expected nothing less from Joe. "The secret is my past medical record. It has been altered for the ISO so that I appear a perfectly healthy teenager. 19 years of perfect health, not a glitch in the works. / ªÖ®¦¤w¸g±q³ì´Á±æ¤ñ¸û¤Öªº¨S¨Æ¡C "¯µ±K¬O§Úªº¹L¥h¯f¾ú¥d¡C ¥¦¬°°ê»Ú¼Ð·Ç²Õ´¤w¸g³Q§ïÅÜ¡A¥H«K§Ú¥X²{¤@­Ó«D±`°·±dªº«C¤Ö¦~¡C 19 ¦~ªº§¹¬ü°·±d, ¤£¦b¤u¼t¤¤ªº¤@­Ó¹L¥¢¡C
What you're going to see in a second is my real medical record." / §A¦b¬í¤º±N­n¬Ý¨£ªº¬O§Ú¯u¥¿ªº¯f¾ú¥d¡C"
He moved his hand to click on the mouse. A file opened for him on the screen, revealing the index pages. All along the column were listed many entries into various medical centers in various parts of the Northern / ¥L²¾°Ê¤F¥Lªº¤â¦b¦Ñ¹«¨­¤W«ö¡C ¤@­ÓÀɮצb¿Ã¹õ¤W¬°¥L¥´¶},Åã¥Ü¯Á¤Þ­¶¡C ¥þ³¡ªuµÛ±MÄæ¦b¥_¤è¤Hªº¦UºØ¤£¦P³¡¥÷¤¤³Q¦C¥X³\¦h¶i¤J¶i¦UºØ¤£¦PªºÂå¥Í¤§¤º¤¤¤ß
Region, some of them within Seclusion itself. All of them typed out scars of his life. / °Ï°ì, ¥L­Ì¨ä¤¤ªº¤@¨Ç¦b¹jÂ÷¥»¨­¸Ì­±¡C ¥L­Ì¥þ³¡³£¥´¦r¥X¥Lªº¥Í¬¡¬Í²ª¡C
Joe tried not to say anything. He didn't want to ruin anything. But he couldn't keep in three words. "Oh my God..." / ³ì¹Á¸Õ¤£­n»¡¥ô¦ó¨Æ¡C ¥L¨S¦³·Q­n·´·À¥ô¦ó¨Æ¡C ¦ý¬O¥LµLªk¦b¤T­Ó¦r¤¤«O¦s¡C " ®@§Úªº¤W«Ò¡C¡C¡C"
Ken said nothing. He simply stared at his life before him, a harsh, hard one he was proud to have left behind. / ªÖ®¦¤°»ò¤]¤£»¡¡C ¥L¥u¬O¨nµÛ¦b¥L¡A²ÊÁW«eªº¥L¥Í¬¡¬Ý, Ãøªº¥L«Üź¶Æ¤w¸g¯d¤U¡C
"Ken, I had no idea..." / "ªÖ®¦,§Ú¤£ª¾¹D¡C¡C¡C"
He nodded. "Good. No one is supposed to. Why this is a such a big secret is becuase if the ISO find out about this, I may very well be reconsidered from the team. That's my secret, Joe. Don't let me down." / ¥LÂIÀY¡C "¦nªº¡C ¨S¦³¤HÀ³¸Ó¡C ³o¬°¤°»ò¬O¤@­Ó¤@­Ó¦p¦¹¤jªº¯µ±K¬O becuase ¦pªG°ê»Ú¼Ð·Ç²Õ´µo²{¦b¥~Ãö©ó³oªº¨Æ¡A§Ú¥i¯à«D±`´é¥X±q¤p²Õ³Q¦A¦Ò¼{¡C ¨º¬O§Úªº¯µ±K¡A³ì¡C ¤£­nÅý§Ú¥¢±æ¡C"
Absently, Joe nodded. Regaining his composure, he asked, "What has this got to do with my parents' death on BC Island?" / ¤ß¤£¦b²j¦a¡A³ìÂIÀY¡C ¨ú¦^¥LªºÂíÀR,¥L°Ý," ¤°»ò³o¶}©l¤F¥H¦b¦è¤¸«e®q¤Wªº§Ú¤÷¥Àªº¦º¤`°µ"?
Ken scrolled down the screen, pinpointing the date Hinotori had highlighted for him. It wasn't the exact date but a day later. / ªÖ®¦±²°Ê¤U¨Ó¿Ã¹õ,ºë½T¦a§ä¨ì¤é´Á Hinotori ¤w¸g¬°¥L±j½Õ¡C ¥¦¤£¬Oºë½Tªº¤é´Á°£¤F¤@¤§¥~¤Ñ¤§«á¡C
"It explains why I can't remember what happened." / "¥¦¸ÑÄÀ§Ú¬°¤°»ò¤£¯à°O±oµo¥ÍªºªF¦è " ¡C
Joe read the information presented before him, and he sank back into the chair as he understood more and more of it. / ·í¥L¤F¸Ñªº®É­Ô¡A³ìŪ¦b¥L¤§«e³Q§e²{ªº¸ê®Æ¡A¦Ó¥B¥L¨I¸¨ªð¦^´È¤l¶V¨Ó¶V¦hªº¥¦¡C
A high fever. Put in the same ward as the Sicilian boy who had a bullet in his stomach. Worsening condition, taken to Intensive Care. Neither boy had seen each other after that. The high fever had pushed him into delirium. A week later he was back in Seclusion, without a shred of memory from BC Island. A week later, the Sicilian boy was transferred to a different institution where he continued to grow up, train, and live under the new name of Joe Asakura, under the beneficiary of Dr. Kozaburo Nambu. / ¤@­Ó°ª¿N¡C ´£¥X¦p¦P¦³¤F¥Lªº­G¤@­Ó¤l¼uªº¦è¦è¨½¤Hªº¨k«Ä¤@¯ëªº¦u½Ã¡C ¨Ï¥H¬°±ø¥ó§óÃa, ³ß·R¥[Å@ªvÀø¡C ¨S¦³¤@­Ó¨k«Ä¤w¸g¬Ý¨ì¦b¨º«áªº©¼¦¹¡C °ª¿N¤w¸g±À°Ê¥L¶iºë¯«¿ù¶Ã¤§¤º¡C ¤@¬P´Á¤§«á¥L¦b¹jÂ÷¤¤¦^¨Ó,¨S¦³¨Ó¦Û¦è¤¸«e®qªº¤@­Ó°O¾Ðªº¸H¤ù¡C ¤@¬P´Á¤§«á¡A¦è¦è¨½¤Hªº¨k«Ä³QÂಾ¨ì¤@­Ó¥LÄ~Äòªø¤jªº¤£¦P¾÷ºc¡A¤õ¨®, ¦Ó¥B¦b³ì Asakura ªº·s¦W¦r¤§¤U©~¦í,¦b Kozaburo ³Õ¤h Nambu ªº¨ü¯q¤H¤§¤U¡C
"I do remember losing something somewhere," Ken said finally, in an attempt to stop Joe from dwelling on it. "My father's pilot wings. He'd left them behind; it was almost all I had of him." / " §Ú½T¹ê°O±o¤w¸g¥¢¥hªF¦è¬Y³B",ªÖ®¦³Ì«á»¡, ¸Õ¹Ïªý¤î¨Ó¦Û¦b¥¦¤Wªº¦í³B³ì¡C "§Úªº¤÷¿Ë­¸¦æ­û¸Ë¥HÁl¡C ¥L¦³§Ñ°O¥L­Ì; ¥¦´X¥G©Ò¦³§Ú¥L¦³¡C"
Joe's hand felt his back pocket, where he knew his good luck charm hid. "A pair of gold wings with the initials K.S engraved in it." / ³ìªº¤â·Pı¤F¥Lªº«á­±¤f³U,¦b¥Lª¾¹D¤F³QÂ꺥L¦n¹B®ð¦N²»ª«ªº¦a¤è¡C "©M°_©l K ªº¤@Âùª÷¦âªº¯Í»H¡CS ¦b¥¦¸Ì­±¨è¡C"
Ken's brow involuntarily creased. "Yes. How'd you know?" / ªÖ®¦ªº¬Ü¤ò¤£ª¾¤£Ä±¦aºP²ª¡C "¬Oªº¡C How'd §Aª¾¹D?"
His hand reached into the pocket and presented a pair of gold wings. / ¥Lªº¤â¶i¤J¤f³U¤§¤º¨ì¹F¦Ó¥B§e²{¤F¤@Âùª÷¦âªº¯Í»H¡C
"After I recovered, I swore to myself that I would find out who this belonged to," he said, a soft set to his mouth. "Well, at least there's one promise I've fulfilled for myself." / " ¦b§Ú§ä¦^¤§«á¡A¦Û¤v«OÃÒ¡A§Ú±N·|µo²{½Ö³oÄÝ©ó",¥L»¡,¥Lªº¼L³n²Õ¡C "¶â,¦Ü¤Ö¦³§Ú¤w¸g¬°¦Û¤v¹ê²{ªº¤@­Ó¿Õ¨¥".
He tossed Ken the wings, and he caught them. He eyed them carefully, tracing the form with his finger. It felt right. It felt at though it knew him. It was the one he had always worn as a good luck charm. / ¥L§ëÂY¤FªÖ®¦¯Í»H¡A¦Ó¥B¥L®·®»¤F¥L­Ì¡C ¥L²´ªº¥L­Ì¤p¤ß¦a,¥Î¥Lªº¤â«ü°lÂܧΦ¡¡C ¥¦Ä±±o¥¿½T¡C ¥¦·Pı¦bÁöµM¥¦»{ÃѤF¥L¡C ¥¦¬O¥L¤w¸g³QÁ`¬OÀ¹¦p¦n¹B®ð¦N²»ª«ªº¨º¤@­Ó¡C
"You've kept it all this time?" / "§A¤w¸g³o¦¸¥þ³¡«O«ù¥¦"?
"My lucky charm. I don't actually believe in luck - you know I prefer skill. But that day was a blessing; anything I have from it is considered a charm." He could see how happy Ken seemed to have it back in his hands. "I suppose now it's yours again. You should keep it." / "§Úªº©¯¹B¦N²»ª«¡C §Ú¤£¹ê»Ú¤W¬Û«H¹B®ð -§Aª¾¹D§Ú°¾·R§Þ³N¡C ¦ý¬O¨º¤Ñ¬O¯¬ºÖ; ¥ô¦ó¨Æ§Ú¤w¸g±q¥¦³Q¦Ò¼{¦N²»ª«¡C"¥L¥i¥H¬Ý¨£§Ö¼ÖªºªÖ®¦¦ü¥G¦p¦ó¦b¥Lªº¤â¤¤§â¥¦¦³¦^¨Ó¡C "§Ú²{¦b±À·Q¥¦¦A¤@¦¸¬O§Aªº¡C §AÀ³¸Ó«O¦s¥¦¡C"
It surprised him when Ken shook his head and dropped the pin back in / ·íªÖ®¦·nÀY¦Ó¥B§â¤jÀY°w­°§C¦^¨Óªº®É­Ô¡A¥¦¨Ï¥L¦YÅå¦b
Joe's hand. "No. Ten years before it served me. It has changed owners. It serves you now, like it has ever since you've had it. You keep it." / ³ìªº¤â¡C " ¸¹½X¤Q¦~¦b¥¦¤§«e¬°§ÚªA°È¤F¡C ¥¦¤w¸g§ïÅܾ֦³ªÌ¡C ¥¦²{¦b¬°§AªA°È,¥Ñ¹³¥¦¦Ü¤µ§A¦³¤w¸g¦³¥¦¶Ü¡C §A«O¦s¥¦¡C"
"Ken..." "I promised myself that I would return it to him if I ever found him. Something like your own promise. But I can't fulfill mine any more. / "ªÖ®¦¡C¡C¡C" "§ÚµªÀ³¤F§Ú¦Û¤v¡A¦pªG§Ú´¿¸gµo²{¥L¡A§Ú±N·|ÂkÁÙ¥¦µ¹¥L¡C ¬Y¨Æ³ßÅw§A¦Û¤vªº¿Õ¨¥¡C ¦ý¬O§Ú¤£¯à¦A¹ê²{§Úªº¡C
Keep it; it'll serve you well." / «O¦s¥¦; ¥¦±N«D±`§AªA°È¡C"
They sat in silence for a long while, before deciding to leave. Joe rigidly replaced the pin in his pocket as Ken shut off his connection to / ¥L­Ì¦b¨HÀq¤è­±§¤¦³«Ü¤[ªº®É¶¡,¦b¨M©wÂ÷¶}¤§«e¡C ³ìµw¦a¦b¥Lªº¤f³U¤¤´À´«¤jÀY°w·í°µ¦bÃö¤Wªº¥LÃöÁp¥~³QªºªÖ®¦
Hinotori and walked to the transport tubes. / Hinotori ¦Ó¥B¨«¸ô¥h¶Ç°eºÞ¡C
Suddenly he whipped around, a silly loopy smile on his face. / ¬ðµM¥L½Âà,·MÄøªº loopy ¦b¥LªºÁy¤W·L¯º¡C
"I'll race you back to the Residence." / "§Ú±N§â§A¤ñÁɦ^¦í¦v" ¡C
Joe broke into a run. "Eat my dust, Shimada!" / ³ìÂô¤J©b¶]¡C "¦Y§Úªº¦Ç¹Ð¡A Shimada"!
"Oh yeah?" / " ®@¬Oªº"?
They dropped into the transport tubes, commencing their race. / ¥L­Ì¶^¶i¶Ç°eºÞ,¶}©l¥L­Ìªº¤ñÁÉ¡C



to be concluded.... / ³QÁ`µ²....


Ali


gxan@tm.net.my gxan@hotmail.com


~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Before you decide to fade away / ¦b§A¨M©w¿Æ¦âÂ÷¶}¤§«e
Before you throw it all away / ¦b§A¥þ³¡¥á¥¦Â÷¶}¤§«e
Before you make a decision you may regret / ¦b§A§@¨M©w§A¤§«e¥i¯à·P¨ì¿ò¾Ñ
Think : / ·Q :
"Burn. Live. Thrive." / "¿N¶Ë¡C ©~¦í¡C Ácºa¡C"

'The River Casts Shadows' (conclusion) / 'ªeºt­û°}®e¼v¹³'(µ²½×)


They sat at the dining table, facing each other, this time opting for hot chocolate instead of coffee. Both were tense, their expressions hard. / ¥L­Ì§¤¦b¦Y¶º®à¤l«e, ­±¹ï©¼¦¹, ³o¦¸¬°¼öªº¥©§J¤O¿ï¾Ü¥N´À©@°Ø¡C ¨âªÌ³£¬Oºò±iªº,§V¤O¦aªº¥L­Ìªí¹F¡C
Ken passed his deck to Joe, and Joe split it in two, shuffling half at a time before combining the deck once again. Joe noted the size of the deck; almost as big as his own. After he was satisfied with the shuffle, he handed it back to Ken. He then passed his own deck to Ken, and allowed Ken to do the same. Only his style differed. Joe had shuffled the deck like any other; Ken was shuffling like a Las Vegas dealer. / ªÖ®¦³q¹L¥Lªº¥ÒªOµ¹³ì¡A¦Ó¥B³ì¤ÀÂ÷¥¦¦b¤G,¦b¦A¤@¦¸Áp¦X¥ÒªO¤§«e©ì¦²¦b¦¸ªº¤@¥b¡C ³ìª`·N¤F¥ÒªOªº¤j¤p; ´X¥G·í°µ¤jªº¦p¥L¦Û¤vªº¡C ¦b¥L¹ï©ìµÛ¸}¨«·P¨ìº¡·N¤§«á¡A¥L§â¥¦¶Ç»¼¦^ªÖ®¦¡C ¥LµM«á³q¹L¥L¦Û¤vªº¥ÒªOµ¹ªÖ®¦, ¦Ó¥B¤¹³\¤FªÖ®¦°µ¤@¼Ëªº¡C °ß¤@ªº¥L­·®æ¤£¤@­P¡C ³ì¤w¸g©ì¦²¥ÒªO¦PÃþ¥ô¦ó¥t¥~¦a; ªÖ®¦¥¿¦b¹³¤@­Ó©Ô´µºû¥[´µ¸g¾P°Ó©ì¦²¡C
"You gamble, Ken?" / "§A½ä³Õ,ªÖ®¦"?
Ken looked up, but his slender fingers didn't stop. "Cards or life?" / ªÖ®¦¬Ý¦b,¤W­±¦ý¬O¥Lªº­]±ø¤â«ü¨S¦³°±¤î¡C "¥d¤ù©Î¥Í¬¡"?
Joe nodded towards his hands. "Obviously cards." / ³ì¦V¥Lªº¤âÂIÀY¡C "©úÅã¦a³Æ¸m¥d¤ù" ¡C
"I picked up a few things hanging around my brother," he answered plainly. "Besides," he added as he flicked card after card between his fingers, "the Shimada Guard kids love card tricks." / "§Ú¬B°_¦b§Úªº¥S§Ìªþªñ¹C¿º ªº¤@¨Ç¨Æª«",¥L²³æ¦a¦^µª¡C "¦¹¥~" ¡A·í¥L»´¼u¤F¥d¤ùªº®É­Ô¡A¥L¼W¥[¦b¥Lªº¤â«ü¤§¶¡ªº¥d¤ù¤§«á ",Shimada ¦u½Ã«¡ÄF·R¥d¤ù¸Þ­p".
"What about life then?" / "µM«á¥Í¬¡«ç»ò¼Ë"?
Ken packed the deck together and handed it back to Joe. "Every single day, Joe. Did you know that deciding to get up in the morning every day is already considered a gamble?" / ªÖ®¦¤@°_¥]¸Ë¤F¥ÒªO¦Ó¥B§â¥¦¶Ç»¼¦^³ì¡C "¨C¤Ñ,³ì¡C §Aª¾¹D¨M©wÄw³Æ¦b¦­±á¨C¤Ñ¤w¸g³Q¦Ò¼{¤@­Ó«_ÀI?"
"You could trip over your feet and fall." / "§A¥i¥H¦b§Aªº¸}¤§¤W¶^­Ë¦Ó¥B¸¨¤U" ¡C
Ken nodded. "You could fall down the stairs and crack your skull." / ªÖ®¦ÂIÀY¡C "§A¥i¥H±q¼Ó±è¶^¸¨¦Ó¥B§Ë¸H§AªºÀY»\°©" ¡C
"Or you could have a perfectly good day at the airfield." / "©Î§A¥i¥H¦b­¸¾÷³õ¦³¤@­Ó«D±`¦nªº¤é¤l" ¡C
"Were you speaking generally or directly at me?" he asked, suspicious. / " §A¥¿¦b³q±`»¡©Îª½±µ¦a¦b§Ú"? ¥L°Ý,¥iºÃªº¡C
Joe shrugged. "Both. You took a gamble when you decided to come in after me." "I had an Ace in my sleeve." / ³ìÁqªÓ¡C "¨âªÌªº¡C ·í§A¦b§Ú¤§«á¨M©w¶i¨Óªº®É­Ô¡A§A±a¤F¤@­Ó«_ÀI¡C" "§Ú¦³¤F§Úªº³S¤@­Ó¤\ÂI" ¡C
"And what if you didn't?" / " ¦Ó¥B¤°»ò¦pªG§A¨S¦³"?
Ken froze. He eased back into his chair and replied, "Either lose or fold, isn't it?" / ªÖ®¦­áµ²¡C ¥L½w©Mªð¦^¥Lªº´È¤l¦Ó¥BµªÂÐ," ©Î¥¢¥h©ÎºPÅ|, ¥¦¤£¬O"?
"Would you have folded, when you saw me there drowning?" / "§A±N·|¤w¸gºPÅ|¶Ü,·í§A¬Ý¨£§Ú¦b¨º¸Ì·Ä¦ºªº®É­Ô"?
"I would've rather lost. Folding is running away from it, without knowing whether it was a bluff or not. Losing is going in after it, and later discover if it's for real or not." / " §Ú would've ¹ç¥i¥¢¥h¡C §éÅ|ªº¥¿¦b°kÂ÷¥¦, ¤£ª¾¹D¥¦¬O§_¬O¤@­ÓÂ_±V¡C ¥¢±Ñ¬O¦b¥¦¤§«á¶i¤J , ¦Ó¥Bµy«áµo²{¬O§_¥¦¬O¬°¯u¥¿ªº¡C"
Joe felt a small smile tug on the corner of his mouth. "Hell of a gamble." / ³ì·Pı¤F¦b¥Lªº¼L¨¤¸¨¤Wªº¤@­Ó¤pªº·L¯º¥Î¤O©Ô¡C "¤@­Ó«_ÀIªº¦aº»".
A smile had traced across Ken's face. "And look at what I won." / ¤@­Ó·L¯º¤w¸g¶V¹LªÖ®¦ªºÁy°lÂÜ¡C " ¦Ó¥B¬Ý§Ú¾Æ±oªº".
"Different gambling here, Ken," Joe reminded as he drew seven cards. / "¦b³o¸Ìªº¤£¦P½ä³Õ,ªÖ®¦",·í¥L©Ô¤C±i¥d¤ùªº®É­Ô¡A³ì´£¿ô¡C
He looked down at his hand and was rather satisfied. / ¥L©¹¤U¬Ý¥Lªº¤â¦Ó¥B¹ç¥i³Qº¡·N¡C
Ken drew his seven cards. He frowned. "I'll say. 'Magic' has its cons opposed to poker." He stared at his hand for a while before Joe asked the inevitable question. / ªÖ®¦©Ô¥Lªº¤C±i¥d¤ù¡C ¥L½K¬ÜÀY¡C "§Ú±N»¡¡C 'Å]³N' ¦³¥¦ªº¤Ï¹ï¼³§JµPªºÄF§½¡C"¦b³ì°Ý¤F¤£¥iÁקKªº°ÝÃD¤§«e , ¥L¨nµÛ¥Lªº¤â¬Ý¤@°}¤l¡C
"Ante?" / "¥I¥X"?
He sighed. "Top card." / ¥L¼Û®§¡C "¶W¶V¥d¤ù" ¡C
They drew from their decks. It was Joe's turn to frown, Ken's to smile. / ¥L­Ì±q¥L­Ìªº¥ÒªO©Ô¡C ½ü¨ì³ì½K¬ÜÀY, ªÖ®¦·L¯º¡C
Joe wanted to open his mouth to say something, but the subject of gambling had already taken place, and like hell was he going to eat his own words. / ³ì·Q­n¥´¶}¥Lªº¼L»¡ªF¦è,¦ý¬O½ä³Õªº¥DÃD¤w¸gµo¥Í¤F¡A¦Ó¥B¹³¦aº»¥L±N­n¦Y¥L¦Û¤vªº¦r¶Ü¡C
"Something wrong?" / "¦³¤ò¯f"?
He hated the mocking tone in Ken's voice; without even looking he knew his partner had a grin on his face that was anything but cherubic. "My / ¥L¼¨«ëªÖ®¦ªºÁn­µ¼J§Ë©ú·t; ¨S¦³¥­©Zªº¬Ý¥L»{ÃÑ¡A¥Lªº¦X¹Ù¤H¦³¤F¦b¥Lªº¨M¤£¤Ñ¨ÏªºÁy¤WÅS¾¦¯º¡C "§Úªº
'Lake of the Dead'," he groaned. "Aw, maannn..." / '¦º¥hªº¤H´ò',"¥L©D§u¡C "Aw ¡A maannn¡C¡C¡C"
"Oh shut up," Ken told him. "You don't even know who's gonna win yet." He presented his card to him. "My 'Knight of Valor'. Not much of a loss." With a quiet laugh, he made himself add, "I'll let you trade back your 'Lake of the Dead' if I win." / " ®@³¬¼L",ªÖ®¦§i¶D¤F¥L¡C "§A¤£¬Æ¦Üª¾¹D½Ö±N­n¤´µMűo" ¡C ¥L±N¥Lªº¥d¤ù¥X¥Üµ¹¥L¡C "§Úªº '«i®ðªºÃM¤h'. ¤£¬O³\¦h·l¥¢¡C"ÂǥѤ@Án¦wÀRªº¯º¡A¥L¨Ï¥L¦Û¤v¼W¥[ ",¦pªG§Úűo¡A§Ú±N¦V«á¦aÅý§A¥æ©ö§Aªº '¦º¥hªº¤H´ò' ¡C"
Joe snorted. "Yeah. I can magine what you want from me." / ³ì¼QµÛ®ð§ËÅT»ó¤l¡C "¬Oªº¡C §Ú±N magine §A±q§Ú³o¨à©Ò·Q­nªº¸Ë©óÅøÀY¡C"
Ken tightened his lips. / ªÖ®¦°Çºò¤F¥Lªº®B¡C
"So what would you want it for?" / " ¦p¦¹§A±N·|·Q­n¥¦¤°»ò¬°"?
He shrugged; instead he drew a card, and then laid down an Island. / ¥LÁqªÓ; ¬Û¤Ïªº¥L©Ô¤@±i¥d¤ù, µM«áªu®q¦V¤U©ñ¸m¡C
"Why don't we play first?" he said in a strangely soft voice. "I haven't played in a while. I want to see how it goes and not make guesses, not think about later, but now." / "§Ú­Ì¦ó¤£­º¥ýª±"? ¥L¦b¤@ºØ©_§®³nªºÁn­µ¤¤»¡¡C "§Ú¨S¦³¦b¤@·|¨à¤è­±ª±¡C §Ú·Q­n¬Ý¨£¥¦¦p¦ó¥h¦Ó¥B¤£»s³y²q´ú, ¤£·Q¤ñ¸û¿ðªº, ¦ý¬O²{¦b¡C"
Joe didn't immediately understand why he felt his body stiffen. His thoughts wandered. Ken, are you talking about our 'Magic' duel right here or about life itself? Was there a revelation in our unintentional meeting as kids that gave you a different outlook on things? What has changed now that we both share each other's secrets, the vital ones no less? / ³ì¤£¥ß¨è¤F¸Ñ¥L¬°¤°»ò·Pı¥Lªº¨­Åé°íµw¡C ¥Lªº·Qªk¹C¿º¡C ªÖ®¦, ¬O§A´N¦b³o¸Ì©ÎÃö©ó¥Í¬¡¥»¨­ªº¨Æ½Í½×§Ú­Ìªº 'Å]³N' ¨M°«? ¦³¦pµ¹¤©¤F§A¦b¨Æª«¤Wªº¤£¦P´º¦âªº¤p«Ä§Ú­ÌªºµL¤ß·|ijªº´¦ÅS¶Ü? ¤°»ò¤w¸g²{¦b§ïÅܧڭ̭dz£¤À¨É©¼¦¹¯µ±K¡A¨S¦³¤ñ¸û¤Ö¶qªº­«­n¤@¨Ç?
"I said 'Clairvoyance', Joe, " Ken's voice intruded his mind. / "§Ú»¡¤F '³zµø' ¡A³ì ",ªÖ®¦ªº³QÂô¤J¥Lªº¤ßÁn­µ¡C
"What?" / "¤°»ò"?

Ken tapped his finger on the table. "'Clairvoyance'. Let me see your cards." / ªÖ®¦»´¥´¤F¦b®à¤l¤Wªº¥L¤â«ü¡C "'³zµø'. Åý§Ú¬Ý¨£§Aªº¥d¤ù¡C"
Joe looked at the table; Ken had tapped his Island and cast a / ³ì¬Ý®à¤l; ªÖ®¦¤w¸g»´¥´¥Lªº®q¦Ó¥B§ë¤@
'Clairvoyance' spell, allowing him to see his hand. Through clenched teeth, he cursed and showed Ken the cards in his hand. / '³zµø' ²Å©G, ¤¹³\¥L¬Ý¨£¥Lªº¤â¡C ¸g¹Lºò´¤¤ú¾¦¡A¥L¶A©G¦Ó¥Bµ¹ªÖ®¦¬Ý¥Lªº¤â¥d¤ù¡C
With a nod, the game went on with Joe's turn. / ÂÇ¥ÑÂIÀY¡A¤ñÁÉÄ~Äò³ìªº±ÛÂà¡C
'Clairvoyance'. To know what is ahead. To see the incidents and predict the next course of action to prevent a mistake - a misjudgement from happening. A perfectly good reason : preservation of self and team.A form of protection. / '³zµø'. ª¾¹D¶i¦æªºªF¦è¡C ¬Ý¨£¨Æ¥ó¦Ó¥B¹w´ú¦æ°Êªº¤U½Òµ{ÁקK¤@­Ó¿ù»~ -±qµo¥Íªº§PÂ_¿ù»~¡C ¤@­Ó«D±`¦nªº²z¥Ñ : «O¦s¦Û¤vªº©M¤p²Õ¡C¤@ºØ«OÅ@ªº§Î¦¡¡C
Joe noticed that, but Ken didn't. He probably wasn't even aware of what he had done, subconsciously or not. / ³ìª`·N,¦ý¬OªÖ®¦¨S¦³¡C ¥L¥i¯àª¾¹D¥L¤w¸g°µªº, ¼ç¦b·NÃÑ¡C
He drew a card, then laid down a Plains. Without much thought, he tapped it and laid down a spell card : 'Death Ward'. / ¥L©Ô¤@±i¥d¤ù, µM«á©ñ¤U¤@¤ù¥­­ì¡C ¨S¦³«Ü¦hªº·Qªk¡A¥L»´¥´¤F¥¦¦Ó¥B©ñ¤U¤@±i²Å©G¥d¤ù : '¦º¤`¦uÅ@'.
Ken wanted to say something like "You can't do that; you have no creatures out and you haven't suffered any damage yet; it's pointless", but nothing came out. His eyes were riveted to the card. 'Death Ward'. / ªÖ®¦·Q­n»¡¬Y¨Æ¬Û¦üªº "§A¤£¯à°µ¨º; §A¨S¦³¥Íª«¥~­±¡A¦Ó¥B§A¨S¦³¤´µM¾D¨ü¥ô¦óªº·l®`; ¥¦¬O¤£¦yªº",¦ý¬O¨S¨Æ¥X¨Ó¡C ¥Lªº²´·ú³Q¥Î¹g°v©T©w¨ì¥d¤ù¡C '¦º¤`¦uÅ@'.
And Joe saw the hands tremble. / ¦Ó¥B³ì¬Ý¨£¤â¾Ô·X¡C
'Death Ward'. To prevent the end. To bring back to life. To give a second chance. Stay alive. Don't lose out. Don't you dare leave us. A promise. / '¦º¤`¦uÅ@'. ÁקKµ²§ô¡C ¹ï¥Í¬¡¦^´_¡C ´£¨Ñ¤@­Ó²Ä¤G­Ó¾÷·|¡C ¥Í¦s¡C ¤£­n¥¢¥h¥X¡C ¤£§A´±Â÷¶}§Ú­Ì¡C ¤@­Ó¿Õ¨¥¡C
Ken dropped his cards. Then he leaned back on the chair, his head falling back over the seat. "I think," he said, barely audibly, "we've had too many revelations in one day." / ªÖ®¦­°§C¤F¥Lªº¥d¤ù¡C µM«á¥L¦b´È¤l¤W¦V«á¦a­Ê¾a,¥Lªº¹M¤Î®y¦ìºM°h ªºÀY¡C "§Ú·Q",¥L»¡, ´X¥G¥iÅ¥¨£¦a ", §Ú­Ì¦b¤@¤Ñ¤º¤w¸g¦³¤Ó¦h´¦ÅS".
Joe threw his hand down as well. 'Lake of the Dead'. 'Knight of / ³ì¤U¨Ó¤]¥á¥Lªº¤â¡C '¦º¥hªº¤H´ò'. ' ÃM¤h
Valor'. 'Clairvoyance'. 'Death Ward'. / «i®ð'. '³zµø'. '¦º¤`¦uÅ@'.
"It has been a long strange day, Ken. Why don't we turn in?" / "¥¦¤w¸g¬O¤@­Óªøªº©_©Ç¤é¤l¡AªÖ®¦¡C §Ú­Ì¦ó¤£¤W§ÉºÎı?"
He saw a shake of his head. "I'm not tired." / ¥L¬Ý¨£¥LªºÀY·n°Ê¡C "§Ú¤£¯h²Ö" ¡C
After a long period of silence, Ken flicked on the stereo Joe had lugged down from his room and slipped in a CD, one of his favorites from the 1990s. The lingering tones of Richard Marx's 'My Confession' filled the room, and without any exchange of words or glances, the two friends reshuffled each other's decks and started a new game. / ¦b¤@°}ªø®É´Áªº¨HÀq¤§«á¡A¦b¥ßÅ骺³ì¨­¤Wªº»´¼uªÖ®¦¤w¸g±q¥Lªº©Ð¶¡¬`¤U¨Ó¦Ó¥B¦b¤@­Ó CD ¤¤·Æ­Ë,±q 1990 ¦~¥N°_ªº¥L³ßÅwªº¨Æª«¤§¤@¡C ²z¬d°¨§J«ä '§Úªº¦Û»{' ªº³r¯d©ú·t¸Ëº¡¤F©Ð¶¡¡A¦Ó¥B¨S¦³¥ô¦ó¦rªº¥æ´«©Î¤@¿h¡A¤G¦ìªB¤Í§ï²Õ¤F©¼¦¹¥ÒªO¦Ó¥B¶}©l¤F¤@³õ·sªº¤ñÁÉ¡C
It was close to dawn when they decided to call it a night. They returned to their rooms, leaving their 'Magic' decks and the stereo behind to be dealt with later. As they changed clothes, they both opened their windows, and for some reason, even though 'Ki's Flow' was a distance away, they could hear the river's splashing voice. It spoke of memories. / ·í¥L­Ì¨M©wºÙ¥¦¬°¤@­Ó©]±ßªº®É­Ô¡A¥¦¾aªñ¯}¾å¡C ¥L­Ì¦^¨ì¥L­Ìªº©Ð¶¡,Â÷¶}¥L­Ìªº 'Å]³N' ¸Ë¹¢©M«á­±­µÅT¦bµy«á³Q³B²z¡C ·í¥L­Ì§ïÅܤF¦çªAªº®É­Ô,¥L­Ì­Ç³£¥´¶}¤F¥L­Ìªºµ¡¤á, ¦Ó¥B¹ï©ó¤@¨Ç²z¥Ñ¡A§Y¨Ï 'Ki's ªº¬yµ{' ¬O¶ZÂ÷¤§»·¡A¥L­Ì¥i¥HÅ¥¨ìªeÂqÀãÁn­µ¡C ¥¦½Í¨ì°O¾Ð¡C
And what they brought back. / ¦Ó¥B¥L­Ì©Ò¦^´_ªº¡C
What they forged. / ¥L­Ì©Ò°°³yªº¡C


The End / µ²§ô


Next for the GML -- ... I haven't the slightest clue yet... / ¬° GML ªº¤U¤@­Ó -- ¡C¡C¡C §Ú¤£¤w¸g¤´µMªº³Ì·L¤pªº½u¯Á¡C¡C¡C

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