第68部分(第1页)
with tuneless monotony on the Buicks big wheels。
The turnpike was a mess。 Even with the chains he could go no faster than
thirty。 Cars had gone off the road at crazy angles; and on several of the grades
traffic was barely struggling along; summer tires spinning helplessly in the
drifting powder。 It was the first big storm of the winter down here in the
lowlands (if you could call a mile above sealevel 〃low〃); and it was a mother。
Many of them were unprepared; mon enough; but Hallorann still found himself
cursing them as he inched around them; peering into his snow…clogged outside
mirror to be sure nothing was
(Dashing through the snow 。。。)
ing up in the left…hand lane to cream his black ass。
There was more bad luck waiting for him at the Route 36 entrance ramp。 Route
36; the Denver…Boulder turnpike; also goes west to Estes Park; where it connects
with Route 7。 That road; also known as the Upland Highway; goes through
Sidewinder; passes the Overlook Hotel; and finally winds down the Western Slope
and into Utah。
The entrance ramp had been blocked by an overturned semi。 Bright…burning
flares had been scattered around it like birthday candles on some idiot childs
cake。
He came to a stop and rolled his window down。 A cop with a fur Cossack hat
jammed down over his ears gestured with one gloved hand toward the flow of
traffic moving north on I…25。
〃You cant get up here!〃 he bawled to Hallorann over the wind。 〃Go down two
exits; get on 91; and connect with 36 at Broomfield!〃
〃I think I could get around him on the left!〃 Hallorann shouted back。 〃Thats
twenty miles out of my way; what youre rappin!〃
〃Ill rap your friggin head!〃 the cop shouted back。 〃This ramps closed!〃
Hallorann backed up; waited for a break in traffic; and continued on his way
up Route 25。 The signs informed him it was only a hundred miles to Cheyenne;
Wyoming。 If he didnt look out for his ramp; hed wind up there。
He inched his speed up to thirty…five but dared no more; already snow was
threatening to clog his wiper blades and the traffic patterns were decidedly
crazy。 Twenty…mile detour。 He cursed; and the feeling that time was growing
shorter for the boy welled up in him again; nearly suffocating with its urgency。