車子在夜空下行駛,帶領眾人駛向命運的終點,經過街道歡鬧的人們,朝陰冷漆黑的東方山區前進。他們像是脫離人世的異類,在本應充滿歡笑的節慶之日,裝載著武器與沉重的心情衝向死亡之地。415Please respect copyright.PENANAvcayn8GPb9
415Please respect copyright.PENANA9oyGZZZOEH
所有人不發一語,深怕破壞了最後的安寧。415Please respect copyright.PENANADEMpkzSved
415Please respect copyright.PENANA9jAmk5j6h7
美軍靜候多時,在晦暗的山林間以燈光作為暗號朝著他們招呼,湯姆跟著為首的長官與一行人會合,軍人們武裝戒備,手持步槍聽從上司的命令行動,他們不知道接下來將會面臨多麼不合常理的敵人,臉上神情明顯比緊繃的六人鬆懈不少。415Please respect copyright.PENANAYmqIAR3edt
415Please respect copyright.PENANAZjSb6DgFLj
「我是亨利,梅德溫少校指派我來協助你們。」位階最高的男子說道,「我們會護送你們前行,請待在小隊中間。」415Please respect copyright.PENANAKwnTXLNMnB
415Please respect copyright.PENANA5XGMGGciyq
前往星之池的道路蜿蜒漫長,踩踏爬滿苔蘚的濕滑土壤、穿過高聳入天的樹林,甚至必須扶著裸露石壁走過狹長的傾斜山徑。時間一分一秒過去,當他們差點陷入迷路的恐慌時,唐娜率先上前引領隊伍。415Please respect copyright.PENANALMFFzjPs5F
415Please respect copyright.PENANATGXakrqcuW
她想起了某些事情,面前的一景一物變得莫名熟悉,她走進一條隱密的樹叢,不是尋常人會行走的道路,她卻懷著自信大步向前。灌木叢在人們經過時傳來沙沙聲響,周圍的枝幹出現焦黑的痕跡,女子的心底敲響警鈴;忽然,手電筒的光線照射到一個異常的物體,一具化為焦炭的屍體,以扭曲的祈禱姿態蜷縮在寬大的樹葉之下。415Please respect copyright.PENANAvVOglv2TTy
415Please respect copyright.PENANAh0bKLjoInr
唐娜忍住驚叫,假裝沒有注意到異狀,繼續帶領後方的人向前邁進。415Please respect copyright.PENANAEckTLVPdPO
415Please respect copyright.PENANAM8yzEuUnoh
記憶逐漸浮現在腦海之中,那是被慘遭火舌吻燙的焦屍,高溫燒去了衣物與髮膚,難以識別身分,灼熱的痛楚與絕望在此時順著思緒的浪潮拍打向她。415Please respect copyright.PENANAlPY58YnwzL
415Please respect copyright.PENANAVbrrCCDaBa
唐娜﹒斯特林已經死了,那是她的遺體,女子清楚意識到這點。415Please respect copyright.PENANAfFm90YjLjQ
415Please respect copyright.PENANAA1OjRPhi8v
這項事實沒有困擾她太久,是早已預料到的真相,死亡不會影響她即將做的決定和想實現的願望,於是她繼續前進。415Please respect copyright.PENANAGRXVT4pBAu
415Please respect copyright.PENANAx4q8Rn6PdA
唐娜在一棵老樹前停下,困惑的眉眼張望遭植被覆蓋的路徑。415Please respect copyright.PENANAhDVtGxtmso
415Please respect copyright.PENANA2za7rmRjCE
「換我來帶路吧。」蓋伊說道。415Please respect copyright.PENANAhT0PAk3ZyM
415Please respect copyright.PENANAYDOGGK8P9L
青年代替斯特林千金的位置邁開步伐,出於未知的原因,喚醒的記憶牽引著他的腳步,宛如某種來自心靈的感應,他毫無畏懼地走入揭開內幕的布幔背後。他看見某些東西,漆黑土壤被七彩的圓潤物品點綴出繽紛的指標,散落的雷根糖即便沾上塵土依舊清晰可見,他不想讓這些東西被其他人發現,經過時刻意將這些糖果深深踩進泥地裡。415Please respect copyright.PENANAnpL0gAY9p6
415Please respect copyright.PENANAQz3SE8GmfQ
他明確知曉,這是自己曾經擁有的物品,是他隨身攜帶要給與前輩的點心。蓋伊小心翼翼地不讓手電筒的光源映照出不該被前輩看到的事物,而青年也確實在一處隱蔽的樹枝上瞧見一個破碎的望遠鏡,德克﹒凱斯勒贈與他的禮物,兩人成對的工作用品。415Please respect copyright.PENANAZu6jFBVSOo
415Please respect copyright.PENANAR8O21qA5DG
乾涸的血漬沁染樹下地面,蓋伊抬手阻止其他人跟隨自己,獨自向前查看。在濃密的枝葉間,懸掛一具破碎的殘骸,他看見一張臉,一張屬於蓋伊﹒藍道的臉孔——415Please respect copyright.PENANAu6FVGYiwHR
415Please respect copyright.PENANAV4R0B32rS0
青年深吸一口氣,平靜地接受殘酷的事實。他不會陷入絕望,因為他知道,想要保護的重要之人,此刻仍然活著、心臟鮮活地跳動著,自己的死亡並不會影響到任何事情。415Please respect copyright.PENANAXR2P7ZDv67
415Please respect copyright.PENANAx4b6c9msQI
重要的事物從一開始就已經決定好了。415Please respect copyright.PENANAmAi3Z37Uss
415Please respect copyright.PENANAHVjgzHmr5Q
於是他回到原路,繼續前進。415Please respect copyright.PENANAQrmV2gPWAh
415Please respect copyright.PENANAO0d80DOM2S
彷彿某種不需言語的默契,每當一個人迷失方向,就會有下一個人接替。這次,輪到艾咪﹒拉克蘭。415Please respect copyright.PENANAVY5mZ8HcUN
415Please respect copyright.PENANAI43kofknAf
女記者來到一片空地,拔起的樹幹留下一個深邃的孔洞,碎裂的巨木癱倒在路旁,表層鐫刻駭人的齒痕,大量血液噴濺在四面八方。詭譎的景象令一無所知的美軍們開始產生不安的臆測,他們交頭接耳,交換彼此的意見。415Please respect copyright.PENANAxoQDok5NHI
415Please respect copyright.PENANAYCEeuZz0zf
艾咪蹲下身子,從染黑的地面拾起一本髒兮兮的筆記,逐頁翻看。415Please respect copyright.PENANAKdEoL3VxKI
415Please respect copyright.PENANAW6qwJKCGZv
上頭記載了他們來到海地的每一天,最後的日期停留在十月二十七日,他們前往星之池的那一天。女記者闔上自己的筆記,不敢停留,地上的血跡再再警示著一個恐怖真相,而她拒絕深入探查。415Please respect copyright.PENANAErU9hLCohY
415Please respect copyright.PENANAcSXULUbhQj
手上染血的紙張已經證明了所有。415Please respect copyright.PENANACp24kyqnfq
415Please respect copyright.PENANAJkk6JZVHAP
但接下來的畫面卻由不得她忽視逃避。415Please respect copyright.PENANA59SqDJ5DL0
415Please respect copyright.PENANAA6JdKUylcg
詹姆士帶著眾人來到接近出口的林地,眼前是一片難以直視的殘骸,腥臭的味道刺入鼻端,早已看不出完整人形的碎塊悽慘地躺在路面中央,一隻熟悉的斷腳映入實業家眼裡,他崩潰大叫,腦海閃過被撕裂的回憶,肢體被剝離的感覺宛若真實重現,侵蝕他的意志與心靈。415Please respect copyright.PENANA83jkN21rif
415Please respect copyright.PENANAnWoE0VQfr1
那隻腳的主人不是別人,更不是來自他的兒子,而是他自己的殘肢,是他被某個難以用言語形容的龐大怪物撕碎的屍塊。415Please respect copyright.PENANAk1YBFIDybt
415Please respect copyright.PENANA8osM7b48t5
「快逃!快逃!不能再往前走了!都回去吧!」詹姆士一把抓住唐娜和尚恩,往回程的來路撤離,他完全失控,失去之前曾有的餘裕,陷入強烈的瘋狂與恐懼。415Please respect copyright.PENANALdaTMQXpTi
415Please respect copyright.PENANAVYn0hnnIwy
血腥的景象和歇斯底里的喊叫讓艾咪深受影響,她雙腿軟倒,跪伏在地上啜泣,「為什麼是你?為什麼不是他活下來?為什麼會是你?」女記者無法自拔地喃喃自語,她想起很多事情,一景一幕都是她不願接受的事實。415Please respect copyright.PENANAOIX6oNjW5P
415Please respect copyright.PENANAzrxNn5p1re
「My king,冷靜點!」415Please respect copyright.PENANAzKMrKAEimz
415Please respect copyright.PENANAEvXZYciTTl
「艾咪,妳還好嗎?」415Please respect copyright.PENANAZizW6OHi7N
415Please respect copyright.PENANAAYfhJO2ScE
尚恩和唐娜的呼喊不約而同響起。保鑣掙脫斯特林的箝制,反身抱住情緒潰堤的男人,低聲安撫。他從懷中掏出雪茄,塞往不斷蹦出尖叫的嘴,讓一旁無所適從的湯姆替他點燃菸頭。415Please respect copyright.PENANAsQ2MwLYCEu
415Please respect copyright.PENANA7h8Ldm6gWY
起初,掙扎的身驅喘著紊亂氣息,無法順利吐吶燃起的菸草,一直到瓦解的心緒重新組合,一直到哆嗦的四肢停止顫動,詹姆士才從熟悉的味道中恢復理智,汲取雪茄逸散的香氣。415Please respect copyright.PENANANVU5WfMvA7
415Please respect copyright.PENANAl4DYWwZOGj
「我們要繼續前進了,可以嗎?」年輕海軍問道,語氣滿是關懷。415Please respect copyright.PENANALgJijE6elB
415Please respect copyright.PENANA6uhYu8cePh
艾咪點頭,在友人的扶持下起身。415Please respect copyright.PENANA4V38VMGI1X
415Please respect copyright.PENANAwRXgI6YuDf
剩下的路他們全都回想起來了,德克引領大家走完最後一段路程,偵探沈默不語,他有意識地迴避路上瞥見的屍體,沒想到仍是迎面撞上不想直視的景象。蓋伊的那點小心思又怎能騙過偵探銳利的耳目,他早已猜到助手想隱藏的祕密。415Please respect copyright.PENANA0Sb99fuXYt
415Please respect copyright.PENANAatlgdAVk1T
他不願多想,但接踵而至的事實不允許擅自逃離,他的雙腳行走在臨界點邊緣,隨時面臨崩塌的危險,唯一支撐繼續前進的,是青年輕撫他背脊的溫暖手心,給予自己邁步向前的勇氣。415Please respect copyright.PENANAcWjPACkDdM
arrow_back
群星燃焰The Burning Stars
more_vert
-
info_outline Info
-
toc Table of Contents
-
share Share
-
format_color_text Display Settings
-
exposure_plus_1 Recommend
-
Sponsor
-
report_problem Report
-
account_circle Login
Search stories, writers or societies
Continue ReadingClear All
What Others Are ReadingRefresh
X
Never miss what's happening on Penana!
群星燃焰The Burning Stars
Author:
冰藍
ISSUE #23
星之池(一)
LIKES 0
READS 411
BOOKMARKS 1
campaign
Request update 0
Sponsor
Login with Facebook
or Sign up/Login to comment or bookmark! Click to load the next chapter
X
After each update request, the author will receive a notification!
smartphone100
→ Request update
X
Sponsor again
Click to login
Login first to show your name as a sponsor.
Thank you for supporting the story! :)
Please Login first.
×
Write down what you like about the story
×
Reading Theme:
Font Size:
Line Spacing:
Paragraph Spacing:
Load the next issue automatically
Reset to default
×
People Who Like This
x
Before You Publish
Please ensure your story does not contain illegal, hateful, inciting, or violence-promoting content, or any infringing, plagiarized, or spam material, and that it complies with Penana’s Terms of Use.
Penana reserves the right to remove any content that violates these rules or causes legal or community risk, and to suspend or terminate related accounts.

