Energy #07 06 июля 1997

HORROR - The Story S. King's "Children of the Corn" (continued).

                 HORROR!



     Continued story by Stephen King

            "Children of the Corn"


     Before the area was only one quarter.
Before the square, the center of which stood stage, the main 
street was divided into two arms. Then they again came 
together, and Bert immediately saw the building owned by

urban authorities. He recited: Municipal Center.

     - Here's what we need - he said
aloud. Vicki kept silent.

     He stopped the car near the rotisserie.

     - Where are you? - Anxiously asked
it cost him to open the door.

     - Find out where everything is. You see, the tablet:
"Open".

     - I'm here alone did not stay.

     - And who's stopping you go with me?

     She climbed out of the car. He saw
her face sallow and he felt sorry for her. Pity that
do not need him or her.

     - Can not you hear, huh? - Asked Vicki,
when they passed.

     - Why can not I hear? - Did not understand it.

     - Nether ... No cars. No people. No
tractors. Emptiness.

     And then somewhere nearby rolled
leaping children's laughter.

     - I hear that there are children, - he said.
- Do you not?

     She frowned.

     He opened the door to the bar and immediately felt in the 
dry sauna room. The floor is covered with dust. Gloss on the 
chrome surfaces of different units dull.

Not turn wooden fan blades on the ceiling. Empty tables. Empty
stools at the counter. Drew the attention of a broken mirror 
and .......... in the first second he realized what was 
happening. All the beer taps were torn down and expanded

on the rack like a strange gift for
guests.

     Vicky's voice sounded notes
feigned cheerfulness, easily passing
hysterical:

     - Well, what you discover. "Sorry,
Sir, you tell me where ... "

     - Shut up - he threw feebly, without
former self.

     The light here seemed a sort of dusty,
breaking through a huge, long-washed
window. And once again he has the feeling
that he was watching, and he remembered
corpse in the car and shrill children
laughter. My head whirled: hidden from
foreign eyes ... hidden from
foreign eyes ...

     He glanced at the yellowed
price tag on the rack: chisburger 35_ts., pie
Rhubarb 25 centners., our specialty meat
in a pot 80 p.

     "I wonder when I last
seen in a bar these prices, "- he thought.

     Vicky like to hear his thoughts:

     - Look! - She was pointing at
wall calendar. And with a hoarse laugh
added: - It was all cooked
Twelve years ago, Bon Appetit!

     He approached the calendar. On
picture depicted two boys,
bathing in a pond, and a cute little dog
carries away in the teeth of their clothes. Under the picture
Inscription: You're breaking OLD FURNITURE AND WE E
Mend, do not miss your chance. And the month:
August 1964-th.

     - I do not understand - his voice
flinch - but one thing is sure: if we ...

     - I am sure! - Vicki raised her. - He
sure! That's it, your weak spot,
Bert. You're whole life is sure!

     He left the bar, and she followed him.

     - Now, where are you?

     - In the city center.

     - Bert, why are you so stubborn!
See also, that there is something wrong, so do
difficult to recognize it?

     - I'm not stubborn. I just want to
get rid of that lies in
trunk.

     On the street it as something in a new way
puzzled by complete silence and scents
fertilizers. When you can tear the young
cob, spread it with oil, cool
Add salt and start it strong teeth,
Who pays attention to smells? Sun,
rain, manured land - all
perceived as free
application. He grew up in rural areas,
in upstate New York, and have not forgotten
the fragrant smell of fresh manure. Yes,
Of course, there are smells poizyskannee, but
When early spring afternoon, with the recently
plowed land a familiar wind
flavors, so much happened, just nahlynet.
With all the clarity suddenly realize that
Winter has departed forever, what else
month or two, and rumble slam
doors of the school, and children as peas from
pod, jump out toward the fly. In his
memory of the smell was from neottorzhim
others quite sophisticated: timothy,
clover-stem roses, dogwood.

     What are they then fertilize the land, thought
he said. A strange smell. Sickeningly sweet.
The smell of death. As a former nurse
Vietnam War, he understood in this sense.

     Vicky was already sitting in the car, holding the front
Corn is a crucifix and examining
him in a sort of stupor. This is not
Bert liked.

     - Put it, for Christ's sake - said
he said.

     - No, - she replied, without raising
head. - You've got your game, I have my own.

     He started the engine and drove on. Y
intersection rocking in the wind
Dormant stoplight. Left
discovered a neat white church.
Mown grass around, the path lined with
flowers. Bert braked.

     - Why did you stop? - Immediately
she asked.

     - Look into the church. It seems that this
the only place in town that does not
looks like from here have gone years
decade ago. Plate, see?

     She looked closer. From carefully
cut out the white letters, covered
glass was folded: Thunderstorms and GRACE
HE WHO SERIES BYPASS. Below was the date
July 24, 1976 - last Sunday.

     - Anyone who bypasses the series - out loud
read Burt, suppresses the motor. - One of the
nine thousand names of God,
patented in Nebraska. You are with
me?

     She had not even smiled at his joke.

     - I will stay in the car.

     - Freestyle will.

     - I zareklas go to church, since
since gone from their parents ... especially in
this. Not want to see either the church or
this town. I already have bangs, go away
here!

     - I have a minute.

     - Bear in mind, Bert, I have my keys. If
Five minutes later you do not come back, I
leaving, and do everything here that you
please.

     - Ah, madam, do not get excited ...

     - That's how I do that. " If,
Of course, you never want to rob me
key strength as an ordinary thug.
However, you seem, and is capable of.

     - But do you think that before this is not
comes.

     - I think not.

     Her purse was lying between them on
seat. He quickly grabbed her. Wiki
screamed and reached for the strap, but
bag was already out of reach. To
long time to rummage among the things he simply
turned it rained napkins,
Cosmetics, bargaining fines, receipts from
shops, and amidst all this flashed
keys. Vicky tried to catch it
the first, but again he was alert and
hid it in his pocket.

     - You have no right - sob
she said. - Give.

     - No, - he said with a stiff
grin. - And do not think about it.

     - Bert, well please! I'm scared! -
She held out her hand as to beg.

     - Two minutes later, you decide that
continue to wait unnecessary.

     - It's not true ...

     - Go away and still laugh: "Will
know how to argue with me. "Do not you
made it the leitmotif of our
married life? "It will know how I
thwart! "

     He got out of the car.

     - Bert! - She rushed after him. -
Listen ... can be different ... call from
machine, eh? Look at me how many little things.
Just ... and want, we ... do not leave me
here alone, do not leave me, Bert!

     He slammed the door before her nose
and with closed eyes leaning against the
machine. Vicki beating inside of the door and
shouted his name. One can imagine
imagine what it will produce
impression on the authorities,
when he finally give the corpse of a boy with
hand to hand. Better not be.

     He went on the paved path to
church. Most likely the door will be
locked. If not, then it will be enough
two or three minutes to inspect it.

     The doors opened noiselessly immediately evident
loops are well lubricated (with a humble
reverence "- flashed through my head, and
For some reason this image has caused him
grin). He stepped into the cool, perhaps,
even coldish aisle. The eyes are not immediately
accustomed to the dim light.


     The first thing he saw were covered with
dusty plywood letters randomly
piled in a heap in the far corner. From
curiosity, he stepped closer. In contrast,
from the neat, clean aisles, to the heap
not touched, apparently, the same
as a wall calendar in
Bar & Grill. Each letter had a height
centimeters of sixty, and they, without
doubt, folded once into a coherent
proposal. He laid them on the carpet -
letters was thirty - and began
group them in different combinations.
HEAD TABLECLOTH BL BLITZ Sonia BVYA. Clearly
not the same. GREECE WAX Baptiste BOTH CALF
VOPYAK. Not much better. And if instead of
"Lawn" to try ... He put in
middle of the letter "P", but the general meaning clearer
from it did not. Stupid: he then sits on the
squat, shuffle the letters, and she in the car with
mad. He got up and was about
leave, when suddenly realize:
Baptist ... and, consequently, the second
word CHURCH. A few more permutations
and received the final version:
Baptist Church of sight. Must
believe the name is located on
entrance, in a dark corner. Then front
newly painted, and from the former label is not
disappeared.

     But why?

     The answer suggested itself: Baptist
CHURCH OF GOODWILL ceased
existence. What was its place? He
quickly rose from squatting, shaking
fingers of dust. So frustrated with the letters
pediment that special? May decide to
renamed the Church occurring
Change in honor of Reverend Flip
Wilson ...

     But what were these changes?

     He brushed aside the vexing question
and pushed the second door. Caught in the
temple, raised his eyes to the aisle, and my heart
He fell. He loudly sucked into the lungs
air, breaking the silence of a meaningful
this sacred place.

     The entire wall behind the chair occupied
giant image of Christ. "If, before the
Vicki still has somehow kept itself in the
hands - thought Bert - that from this it
'd yelled as incised.

     The Savior smiled, her lips parted in
wolf grin. His wide eyes
point-blank eyed incoming and something
unpleasantly reminiscent of Leuna Cheney
"Phantom of the Opera." E large black
pupils, bordered by a fiery raduzhnitsey,
not drowning, not burned two sinner.
But the hardest hit ... green
hair - a closer look
revealed that they are made from a variety of
tangled corn brooms.
Image rough, but impressive.
A sort of picture from the comic book, made
gifted child: the Old Testament or
Perhaps Pagan Christ, which
rather than to feed his sheep, leading
them to the slaughter.

     Before the left near the benches was
an organ, and the first moment
Burt did not see in it anything unusual.
Scary it was only when he
passed before the end of the aisle: the keys were with
tear meat, pedals thrown out, the pipes
packed dry maize leaves. On
instrument was a plate, with carefully
derived by the maxim: "Let there be music
but human speech "- The Lord of the rivers.

     Vicki law: there is something wrong. He was
would not mind returning to the car and immediately
to leave this godforsaken places, but that
say, stuck. No matter how disgusting it was
himself to admit it, he longed
shake her confidence, not very much
wanted to acknowledge publicly that
she was right.

     Okay, a couple of minutes to draw.

     He went to the pulpit, on the road
reasoning. Every day through Gatlin
passing cars. The inhabitants of the surrounding areas
surely there are friends or
relatives. From time to time the town
should patrol the state police. A
remember dormant stoplight. Not
are the same ones who provided the city
electricity, not to know that there
good twelve years there is no light. Conclusion:
nothing in the Gatlin did not happen
could.

     Why, then, goosebumps?

     He ascended the pulpit stairs,
covered with carpet, and looked
empty bench, leaving in the shade. He
felt the shoulder blades, as his gimlet this
otherworldly, not Christian sinister
look.

     At the lectern was a large Bible,
open to the thirty-eighth chapter of the book
Job. Bert read: "The Lord answered Job
of the storm and said: "Who is this that darkens
Counsel by words without knowledge? .. Where was
thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell me, if you know. "Lord. He Who
Bypasses Series. Tell me if you know. AND
We feed corn tortillas.

     Bert started flipping pages, they
overturned and dry, some
ghostly rustling - and that suitable
a place for ghosts. From the book were
cut out whole chunks. Basically, he
notice from the New Testament. Someone took the
the trouble to remove with scissors
Epistle of James.

     But the Old Testament was in one piece
preservation.

     He had already descended from the pulpit, when the
his eye caught another tome on
bottom shelf. He took him in hand with
thought that this parish book
with the dates of weddings, confirmations and
burials.

     Words on the cover, sloppy derived
in letters of gold, forced him to
wince. And the Lord said: "SREZHUT UNDER
ROOT unjust and fertilize the Earth. "

     They are here, I think, a persuasive
idea, and Bert tried not to think about
where it can make.

     He opened the book at the first
lined page. Immediately evident
recording the child does. Some places
Cleaned up neatly, and although
No spelling errors, letter
a child's large and rather drawn,
than written. Initial columns
were as follows:


           Amos Deygan (Richard)

      genus. 4 Sept.. 4 Sept. 1945. 1964


          Isaac Renfrew (William)

     born Sept. 19. 19 Sept. 1945. 1964


          Zepeniah Kirk (George)

      genus. Oct. 14. 14 October 1945. 1964


           Mary Wells (Robert)

     genus. 12 Nov. 12 Nov 1945. 1964


          Yemen Hollis (Edward)

       genus. January 5. 1946 January 5. 1965


     Burt went on with a worried look
turn the pages. The book was
filled about three-quarters
after which the right-hand column unexpectedly
stopped that:


          Rachel Stigman (Donna)

      genus. June 21, 1957 June 21, 1976


         Moses Richardson (Henry)

            genus. July 29, 1957


         Malachi Boardman (Craig)

            genus. Aug. 15. 1957


     The last was written Ruth Clawson
(Sandra), born April 30, 1961. Bert
bent down and found on the same shelf yet
two books. On the cover of the first graced
already a familiar aphorism SREZHUT under root
Unjust ... list of names showing
date of birth continued. September 6, 1964
- Job Gilman (Clayton). June 16, 1965 - Eva
Tobin (name in parentheses were absent).

     The third book was clean.


         To be continued ...