dk.coldfire-第36部分

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　Trying　to　track　down　what　sounded　like　the　cries　of　a　frightened　child；　Holly　could　not　always　proceed　erect。　She　had　to　crouch　and　squirm　through　pinched　spaces；　pushing　things　aside　when　she　could；　going　over　or　around　or　under　whenever　an　obstacle　proved　to　be　immovable。　The　neat　rows　and　aisles　of　the　plane　had　been　pulled　and　hammered　into　a　maze。　
　She　was　shaken　when　she　spotted　yellow　and　red　flickers　of　flame　along　the　perimeter　of　the　deck　and　in　the　starboard　front　corner　by　the　bulkhead　that　separated　the　passenger　cabin　from　the　cockpit。　But　the　fire　was　fitful；　unlike　the　blistering　conflagration　that　she　had　fled　moments　ago。　It　might　abruptly　flare　up；　of　course；　consuming　everything　in　its　path；　although　currently　it　seemed　unable　to　find　sufficiently　bustible　material　or　oxygen　to　do　more　than　barely　sustain　itself　Smoke　curled　around　her　in　sinuous　tendrils；　but　it　was　more　annoying　than　threatening。　Breathable　air　was　in　good　supply；　and　she　didn't　even　cough　much。　
　More　than　anything；　the　corpses　were　what　unnerved　her。　Though　the　crash　apparently　had　been　somewhat　less　severe　than　it　would　have　been　without　Jim　Ironheart's　intervention；　not　everyone　had　survived；　and　a　number　of　fatalities　had　occurred　in　the　first…class　section。　She　saw　a　man　pinned　to　his　seat　by　a　foot…long；　inch…diameter　steel　tube　that　had　pierced　his　throat；　his　sightless　eyes　were　wide　open　in　a　final　expression　of　surprise。　A　woman；　nearly　decapitated；　was　on　her　side；　still　belted　into　her　seat；　which　had　torn　free　of　the　deck　plates　to　which　it　had　been　bolted。　
　Where　other　seats　had　broken　free　and　slammed　together；　she　saw　injured　passengers　and　cadavers　heaped　on　one　another；　and　the　only　way　to　tell　the　quick　from　the　dead　was　to　listen　closely　to　determine　which　of　them　was　groaning。　
　She　blanked　out　the　horror。　She　was　aware　of　the　blood；　but　she　looked　through　it　rather　than　at　it。　She　averted　her　eyes　from　the　most　grievous　wounds；　refused　to　dwell　on　the　nightmare　images　of　the　shattered　passengers　whom　she　kept　confronting。　Human　bodies　became　abstract　forms　to　her；　as　if　they　were　not　real　but　only　blocks　of　shape　and　color　put　down　on　canvas　by　a　cubist　imitating　Picasso。　If　she　allowed　herself　to　think　about　what　she　was　seeing；　she　would　either　have　to　retrace　the　route　she　had　taken　and　get　out；　or　curl　into　a　fetal　ball　and　weep。　
　She　encountered　a　dozen　people　who　needed　to　be　extracted　from　the　wreckage　and　given　immediate　medical　treatment；　but　they　were　all　either　too　large　or　too　tightly　wedged　in　the　rubble　for　her　to　be　of　any　assistance。　
　Besides；　she　was　drawn　forward　by　the　haunting　cries　of　the　child；　driven　by　that　instinctive　understanding　that　children　were　always　to　be　saved　first：　one　of　the　major　clauses　of　nature's　genetically　programmed　triage　policy。　
　Sirens　rose　in　the　distance。　She　had　never　paused　to　think　that　professional　rescuers　would　be　on　their　way。　It　didn't　matter。　She　couldn't　O　back　and　wait　for　them　to　handle　this。　What　if　reaching　the　child　a　minute　or　two　sooner　made　all　the　difference　between　death　and　survival？　As　Holly　inched　forward；　now　and　then　glimpsing　anemic　but　worrisome　flames　through　gaps　in　the　web　of　destruction；　she　heard　Jim　Ironheart　behind　her；　calling　her　name　at　the　opening　where　the　fore　part　of　the　plane　had　been　amputated　from　the　rest　of　it。　In　the　chaos　falling　from　the　mid…section　of　the　DC…10；　they　had　apparently　emerged　from　the　smoke　at　different　places；　heading　in　opposite　directions；　for　she　had　not　been　able　to　find　him　even　though　he　should　have　been　right　behind　her。　
　She　had　been　pretty　sure　that　he　and　Casey　had　survived；　only　because　he　obviously　had　a　talent　for　survival；　but　it　was　good　to　hear　his　voice。　
　〃In　here！〃　she　shouted；　although　the　tangle　of　devastation　prevented　from　seeing　him。　
　〃What're　you　doing？〃　〃Looking　for　a　little　boy；〃　she　called　back。　〃I　hear　him；　I'm　getting　closer；　but　I　can't　see　him　yet。〃　
　〃Get　out　of　there！〃　he　shouted　above　the　increasingly　loud　wail　of　approaching　emergency　vehicles。　〃Paramedics　are　on　the　way；　they'　trained　for　this。〃　
　〃e　on；〃　she　said；　pushing　forward。　〃There're　other　people　in　here　who　need　help　now！〃　Holly　was　nearing　the　front　of　the　first…class　section；　where　the　steel　of　the　fuselage　had　broken　inward　but　not　in　such　profusion　as　in　the　area　behind　her。　Detached　seats；　carry…on　luggage；　and　other　detritus　had　flown　forward　on　impact；　however；　piling　up　deeper　there　than　anywhere　More　people　had　wound　up　in　that　pile；　too；　both　dead　and　alive。　
　When　she　shoved　a　broken　and　empty　seat　out　of　her　way　and　paused　to　get　her　breath；　she　heard　Jim　clawing　into　the　wreckage　behind　her。　
　Lying　on　her　side；　she　squirmed　through　a　narrow　passage　and　into　a　pocket　of　open　space；　ing　face　to　face　with　the　boy　whose　cries　she　had　been　following。　He　was　about　five　years　old；　with　enormous　dark　eyes。　
　He　blinked　at　her　in　amazement　and　swallowed　a　sob；　as　if　he　had　never　really　expected　anyone　to　reach　him。　
　He　was　under　an　inverted　bank　of　five　seats；　in　a　peaked　space　formed　by　the　seats　themselves；　as　if　in　a　tent。　He　was　lying　on　his　belly；　looking　out；　and　it　seemed　as　if　he　ought　to　be　able　to　slither　into　the　open　easy　enough。　
　〃Something's　got　my　foot；〃　he　said。　He　was　still　afraid；　but　manageably　so。　He　had　cast　off　the　greater　part　of　his　terror　the　moment　he　had　seen　her。　Whether　you　were　five　years　old　or　fifty；　the　worst　thing　always　was　being　alone。　〃Got　my　foot；　won't　let　go。〃　
　Coughing；　she　said；　〃I'll　get　you　out；　honey。　You'll　be　okay。〃　
　Holly　looked　up　and　saw　another　row　of　seats　piled　atop　the　lower　bank。　
　Both　were　wedged　in　by　a　mass　of　twisted　steel　pressing　down　from　the　caved…in　ceiling；　and　she　wondered　if　the　forward　section　had　rolled　once　before　ing　to　rest　right…side　up。　
　With　her　fingertips　she　wiped　the　tears　off　his　cheeks。　〃What's　your　name；　honey？〃　〃Norwood。　Kids　call　me　Norby。　It　don't　hurt。　My　foot；　I　mean。〃　
　She　was　glad　to　hear　that。　
　But　then；　as　she　studied　the　wreckage　around　him　and　tried　to　figure　out　what　to　do；　he　said；　〃I　can't　feel　it。〃　
　〃Feel　what；　Norby？〃　〃My　foot。　It's　funny；　like　something's　holding　it；　'cause　I　can't　get　loose；　but　then　I　can't　feel　my　foot…you　know？…like　it　maybe　isn't　there。〃　
　Her　stomach　twisted　at　the　image　his　words　conjured　in　her　mind。　
　Maybe　it　wasn't　that　bad。　Maybe　his　foot　was　only　pinched　between　two　surfaces；　just　numb；　but　she　had　to　think　fast　and　move　fast　because　he　might　be　losing　blood　at　an　alarming　rate。　
　The　space　in　which　he　lay　was　too　cramped　for　her　to　squeeze　in　past　him；　find　his　foot；　and　disentangle　it。　Instead；　she　rolled　onto　her　back；　bent　her　legs；　and　braced　the　soles　of　her　shoes　against　the　seats　that　peaked　over　him。　
　〃Okay；　honey；　I'm　going　to　straighten　my　legs；　try　to　shove　this　up　a　little；　just　a　couple　inches。　When　it　starts　lifting；　try　to　pull　your　foot　out　of　there。〃　
　As　a　snake　of　thin　gray　smoke　slipped　from　the　dark　space　behind　Norby　and　coiled　in　front　of　his　face；　he　wheezed　and　said；　〃There's　d…ddead　people　in　here　with　me。〃　
　〃That's　okay；　baby；〃　she　said；　tensing　her　legs；　flexing　them　a　little　to　test　the　weight　she　was　trying　to　lever　off　him。　〃You　won't　be　there　for　long；　not　for　long。〃　
　〃My　seat；　then　an　empty　seat；　then　dead　people；〃　Norby　said　shakily。　
　She　wondered　how　long　the　trauma　of　this　experience　would　shape　his　nightmares　and　bend　the　course　of　his　life。　
　〃Here　goes；〃　she　said。　
　She　pressed　upward　with　both　feet。　The　pile　of　seats　and　junk　and　bodies　was　heavy　enough；　but　the　half　collapsed　section　of　the　ceiling；　pushing　down　on　everything　else；　did　not　seem　to　have　any　give　in　it。　
　Holly　strained　harder　until　the　steel　deck；　covered　with　only　a　thin　carpet；　pressed　painfully　into　her　back。　She　let　out　an　involuntary　sob　of　agony。　
　Then　she　strained　even　harder；　harder；　angry　that　she　could　not　move　it；　furious　and　…it　moved。　
　Only　a　fraction　of　an　inch。　
　But　it　moved。　
　Holly　put　even　more　into　it；　found　reserves　she　did　not　know　she　possessed；　forced　her　feet　upward　until　the　pain　throbbing　in　her　legs　was　markedly　worse　than　that　in　her　back。　The　intruding　tangle　of　ceiling　plates　and　struts　creaked　and　bent　back　an　inch；　two　inches；　the　seats　shoved　up　just　that　far。　
　〃It's　still　got　me；〃　the　boy　said。　
　More　smoke　was　oozing　out　of　the　lightless　space　around　him。　It　wes　not　pale…gray　but　darker　than　before；　sootier；　oilier；　and　with　a　new　foul　stench。　She　hoped　to　God　the　desultory　flames　had　not；　at　last；　ignited　the　upholstery　and　foam　padding　that　formed　the　cocoon　from　which　the　boy　was　struggling　to　emerge。　
　The　muscles　in　her　legs　were　quivering。　The　pain　in　her　back　had　seeped　all　the　way　through　to　her　chest；　each　heartbeat　was　an　aching　thud；　each　inhalation　was　a　torment。　
　She　did　not　think　she　could　hold　the　weight　any　longer；　let　alone　lift　it　higher。　But　abruptly　it　jolted　up　another　inch；　then　slightly　more。　
　Norby　issued　a　cry　of　pain　and　excitement。　He　wriggled　forward。　〃I　got　away；　it　let　go　of　me。〃　
　Relaxing　her　legs　and　easing　the　load　back　into　place；　Holly　realized　that　the　boy　had　thought　what　she；　too；　might　have　tho