第25部分（第1页）

drainer；　where　Wendy　had　left　them　to　drip…dry。　He　snatched　the　big　Pyrex　bowl

off　the　top。　A　dish　fell　to　the　floor　and　exploded。　Ignoring　it；　he　turned　and

ran　back　through　the　office　and　up　the　stairs。

Wendy　was　standing　outside　Dannys　door；　breathing　hard。　Her　face　was　the

color　of　table　linen。　Her　eyes　were　shiny　and　flat；　her　hair　hung　damply　against

her　neck。　〃I　got　all　of　them；〃　she　said　dully；　〃but　one　stung　me。　Jack；　you　said

they　were　all　dead。〃　She　began　to　cry。

He　slipped　past　her　without　answering　and　carried　the　Pyrex　bowl　over　to　the

nest　by　Dannys　bed。　It　was　still。　Nothing　there。　On　the　outside；　anyway。　He

slammed　the　bowl　down　over　the　nest。

〃There；〃　he　said。　〃e　on。〃

They　went　back　into　their　bedroom。

〃Where　did　it　get　you？〃　he　asked　her。

〃My　。。。　on　my　wrist。〃

〃Lets　see。〃

She　showed　it　to　him。　Just　above　the　bracelet　of　lines　between　wrist　and　palm；

there　was　a　small　circular　hole。　The　flesh　around　it　was　puffing　up。

〃Are　you　allergic　to　stings？〃　he　asked。　〃Think　hard！　If　you　are；　Danny　might

be。　The　fucking　little　bastards　got　him　five　or　six　times。〃

〃No；〃　she　said；　more　calmly。　〃I　。。。　I　just　hate　them；　thats　all。　Hate

them。〃

Danny　was　sitting　on　the　foot　of　the　bed；　holding　his　left　hand　and　looking　at

them。　His　eyes；　circled　with　the　white　of　shock；　looked　at　Jack　reproachfully。

〃Daddy；　you　said　you　killed　them　all。　My　hand　。。。　it　really　hurts。〃

〃Lets　see　it；　doc　。。。　no；　Im　not　going　to　touch　it。　That　would　make　it

hurt　even　more。　Just　hold　it　out。〃

He　did　and　Wendy　moaned。　〃Oh　Danny　。。。　oh；　your　poor　hand！〃

Later　the　doctor　would　count　eleven　separate　stings。　Now　all　they　saw　was　a

dotting　of　small　holes；　as　if　his　palm　and　fingers　had　been　sprinkled　with

grains　of　red　pepper。　The　swelling　was　bad。　His　hand　had　begun　to　look　like　one

of　those　cartoon　images　where　Bugs　Bunny　or　Daffy　Duck　had　just　slammed　himself

with　a　hammer。

〃Wendy；　go　get　that　spray　stuff　in　the　bathroom；〃　he　said。

She　went　after　it；　and　he　sat　down　next　to　Danny　and　slipped　an　arm　around　his

shoulders。

〃After　we　spray　your　hand；　I　want　to　take　some　Polaroids　of　it；　doc。　Then　you

sleep　the　rest　of　the　night　with　us；　Tay？〃

〃Sure；〃　Danny　said。　〃But　why　are　you　going　to　take　pictures？〃