Book1:TeDream-Maker (第139/166页)

therosegarden．Afterawhiletiredofhisgamehethrewawayhisstidwanderedaroundlookingforotheramusements．Itseemedthattheruinsofthisformerlyluxurioushomewashisparadise．Whenhefoundapraphicmagazineamidtheruins，heughedgleefullyaedlyandsatdownoepsoftheporchasheflippedthroughthepages，whilemakinglovewithMrs.Thumbandherfhters．AnimalneedandinstincthadionswhatevertohisIQ．

    Justthen，amelodiousvoicecalledout，"Mark!Mark!Whereareyou?"aifulyounggirlmadeherwaythroughthefallenrosesandleavestowardstheruinedhouse．ItwasLaverne,Mark’sstepsister，bothresidentsofthenearbydistrict．Whenshesawhimilydoinghisjobwhilestaringatthepicturesinthemagazine,sheblushedinmaidenlymodestyandshynessandturnedherbacksaying，

    "Hurry!It’ste!Wehavetogohome.”Then,throwinganexquisitelyembroideredesesilkhandkerchiefathim,sheadded,"Wipeyourselfwhenyou’rethrough.”Whenhewasdohetwosiblingswalkedarminarmpasttherosegardenandmadetheirwaytowardstheirhome．Theskieswerestillblue．

    Thehouseinthenearbyprimeresidentialdistrictwasanaverageoheirfather，Mr.JohnJohnson，hadnotbeeoworkatterhisstroke，sothefamilyfinanceshaddeteriorateddrasticallyandthehouselookedrundown．OldMr．Johnsonwaswalkingboriouslyinthegardenwiththehelpofhisstick，eachstepseemedtobeheavyasathousandpounds．Thestrenuous,strugglingexpressiononhisface,togetherwiththedeepwrinklesmadeohinkthatanotherprecioushumanlifewasabouttoperishfromthisearth．LaverneandMarksprangforwardtohelphimtoachairwhentheirmother’svoicewasheardcallingtoLaverne．Sheanswered，"ing!"auroherbrotherwhohadthemelononhisshoulderandtheman’smagazineinhishandsaying,

    "Putthemelonintotherefrigeratoandtakeashower．Don’tpywithitanymoreorIwon’tfrysteakforyoutonight.”Markmadeafaceatherandrantowardsthebathroom．

    Lavernewalkedintothehouseandthrewthewetandstickysilkhandkerchiefintothewashingmaetosoakforawhilebeforewashingitbyhand．Itwasherfavorite．Shewasworriedthatherbrother，whohadretlydiscoveredthejoysofmasturbation，wasenjoyingitwithabandon，randomlywastinghisvitality．Shefeltsomethingshouldbedoopreventhimfromgoingohislesthisvitalitywouldbeexhausted；butashisstepsister，shefeltshewasnotinapositiontoteachhimsexeducation．However，ahumanbeinglikeMark，wholivedinhisownworld,freefromworries,actuallylivedahappierlifethanhisnormalterparts．Mrs．Johnson’svoicebrokeintohermusings．Shepulledherselfbacktorealityandhurriediher’sbedroom．

    Thickcurtainsblockedoutalllightandtheroomwasdimlylitbythefaintbedsidemp．Theroomwasfullofthepusmellofalcohol，allofwhichgaveoheimpressionthatitwastheroomofasickperson．Mrs．Johnsonyinbed，pletelyparalyzed．Herinnerbodyhadlostallitspowersexceptthatofspeech，sosheironicallycalledherselfa"speakingdeadbody"．Everytwohoursshehadtobeturnedovertopreventbedsoresfrandtokeepherbloodrunningwell．WhensheheardLaverne’sfootstepsingintotheroom,shesaid．

    "Laverne,wouldyoupleaseeoverforamoment?Ithinkthereisanantonmyface．Ifeelitchy.”LaveroverandwasabouttokilltheantwhenMrs.Johnsonstoppedhersaying，

    "No，it’salittlelifetoo．Don’tkillit．Justblowitaway.”SoLaverheantawaygently．Shewasmovedthatev