Fifteen Hours(科幻战争)-第36部分

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in　his　ear　became　a　jumble　of　incoherent　screams；　he　made　a　decision。　Turning　in　the　direction　the
lasfire　had　come　from　he　ran　towards　it；　jumping　and　stumbling　over　the　ork　corpses　littering　his
path　as　he　raced　to　help　the　pleading　trooper。　Seeing　two　shapes　coming　together　in　the　darkness
ahead　of　him；　Larn　ran　closer；　only　to　find　a　scene　of　horror。　He　saw　Zeebers；　arms　flailing　in
useless　spasms；　belly　ripped　open　and　guts　hanging　out；　held　like　a　limp　puppet　in　the　hand　of　an
enormous　ork　while　with　its　other　hand　the　creature　used　a　whirring　circular　blade　to　further
eviscerate　Zeebers’　screaming　flesh。　Then；　tossing　Zeebers’　rag　doll　body　aside；　the　ork　turned　to
look　at　Larn　and　began　to　advance　towards　him。
It　was　huge；　wearing　a　bloodstained　apron　across　its　body　and　a　thick…lensed　monocular　over
one　of　its　eyes。　Seeing　the　cruel　curiosity　written　in　the　creature’s　monstrous　inhuman　features；　Larn
knew　at　once　it　must　be　one　of　the　ork　surgeons　Scholar　had　mentioned。　Instinctively　raising　his
lasgun　to　ward　off　its　advance；　he　fired；　the　first　blast　flying　wide　to　hit　one　of　the　corpses　lying　on
the　ground　behind　it。　Adjusting　his　aim；　Larn　fired　again；　hitting　the　monster　in　the　stomach。　Then
again。　The　chest。　Again。　The　shoulder。　Again。　The　face。　The　lasbeam　briefly　flaring　brighter　as　it
burned　through　the　lens　of　the　monocular。　Tearing　the　melted　mounting　of　the　device　away　uncaring
from　the　scorched　socket　of　its　now…blind　eye；　the　ork　kept　coming　no　matter　how　many　times　Larn
hit　it。　It　seemed　unstoppable：　as　inured　to　the　pain　of　its　own　flesh　as　it　was　to　the　agonies　of　others。
All　the　time；　the　whining　blade　in　its　hand　grew　closer　and　closer；　as　eager　as　its　master　to　test　its
edge　against　the　outlines　of　Larn’s　body。
Then；　incredibly；　salvation　came　from　an　unlikely　source。　As　if　from　nowhere；　Larn　saw　Zeebers
appear　in　the　darkness　behind　the　ork　and　jump　screaming　onto　the　creature’s　back　to　wrap　his　arms
about　its　throat。　Horribly　wounded；　the　spool　of　his　intestines　unravelled　in　the　mud　behind　him；　as
the　ork　tried　to　pull　him　off；　Zeebers　briefly　smiled　towards　Larn　in　pain…fuelled　madness；　before
raising　a　hand　above　his　head　and　letting　out　a　bloody…mouthed　and　psychotic　roar　of　triumph。
Seeing　the　gleam　of　a　half…dozen　rings　around　Zeebers’　fingers；　Larn　realised　the　madman　must
have　pulled　the　pins　from　every　grenade　on　his　belt。
Knocked　on　his　back　as　Zeebers　and　the　ork　disappeared　in　the　roar　and　flash　of　the　resulting
explosion；　Larn　staggered　to　his　feet　once　more　and　became　aware　the　volume　of　firing　about　him
had　risen　dramatically。　All　around　him　no…man’s　land　was　alive　with　bullets　as；　fully　roused　now
from　sleep；　the　orks　fired　blindly　from　their　lines　in　search　of　targets。　A　last　glance　confirming　there
was　no　more　he　could　do　for　Zeebers；　Larn　turned　to　run　for　the　human　lines　in　the　hope　of　safety。
Only　to　trip；　not　realising　at　first　he　had　been　shot；　before　he　could　go　even　a　dozen　steps。
The　sun　was　rising　in　the　west；　the　first　red　fingers　of　dawn　revealing　the　brooding　and　foreboding
shape　of　Broucheroc　on　the　horizon。　And　still　lying　wounded　in　no…man’s　land　in　the　same　place
where　he　had　fallen；　Larn　looked　up　at　the　brightening　sky　above　him　and　knew　he　should　fear　the
110
sun。　With　the　gathering　of　the　light　soon　the　orks　would　be　able　to　see　him　from　their　lines。　But
where　once　he　would　have　felt　anxiety；　even　perhaps　terror　at　that　prospect；　now　all　those　things　had
left　him。　Instead；　he　lay　on　his　back　watching　the　sun　slowly　rise　and　he　felt　peace。　He　watched　it
and　he　knew　contentment。
I　have　made　it　past　fifteen　hours；　he　thought；　at　last　given　answer　by　the　coming　of　the　dawn　to
the　question　that　had　plagued　him　throughout　the　night。　More　than　that　even；　now　the　sun　is　rising。
And　with　it　I　have　proved　the　others　wrong。　I　have　beaten　the　odds。　I　have　survived　this　place。　I
have　passed　the　test。　The　orks　cannot　kill　me　now。　The　laws　that　rule　this　monstrous　city　will　not　let
them。
Certain　now　that　his　fate　had　been　decided　in　his　favour　and　it　was　only　a　matter　of　time　before
someone　came　to　rescue　him；　Larn　settled　calmly　down　to　wait。　All　the　fear　had　passed　through　him
now。　All　the　loneliness。　The　desperation。　The　despair。　They　were　gone；　replaced　instead　by　a
growing　sense　of　detached　serenity。
Over　the　last　fifteen　hours　he　had　faced　the　worst　this　city　could　throw　at　him。　It　was　over　now
and　with　it　he　was　forever　free。　Free　from　doubt。　Free　from　worry。　Free　from　his　fears。　He　did　not
even　feel　the　cold　anymore。　He　felt　safe　and　warm。　He　felt　whole。　He　had　survived　his　fifteen　hours。
He　had　lasted。　He　had　proved　himself。　This　place　could　no　longer　hurt　him　and　with　that　last　happy
thought；　Larn　smiled　and　closed　his　eyes。　Closed　his　eyes　to　drift　away　to　dreamless　sleep；　the　last
shreds　of　his　consciousness　flying　away　from　him　like　dead　leaves　on　the　wind　as　the　relentless
babble　of　his　mind　gradually　gave　way　to　silence。　Drawing　a　last　contented　breath；　his　beating　heart
slowed　and　stilled。
Then；　finally；　there　was　only　darkness。



　　　　　　　　　　　（The　End）



。　…　。………【gzbysh】整理