2157年9月8日,下午兩點,仙境大樓,七層491Please respect copyright.PENANAaNnJHE7Ofz
491Please respect copyright.PENANAhwbp0OvQ27
491Please respect copyright.PENANA4tKWDMJn2N
李晴煬去謝氏的這段時間,留在仙境大樓的尼可拉斯也發生不少事。這一切,要從某個寧靜的下午說起。491Please respect copyright.PENANAEhhQIzAJU6
491Please respect copyright.PENANACaEaMA8Tqw
這一天,尼可拉斯在自己房間睡午覺,床旁邊擺了一張嬰兒床,裡面躺著他的妹妹──安琪.懷特,或者「檸檬」,雪檸生前為她取的小名。491Please respect copyright.PENANApWDL0mQEX4
491Please respect copyright.PENANAD1ZNwf1NSM
尼可拉斯答應里奧,他會扮演「討厭的哥哥」照顧檸檬。檸檬的個性是里奧的複製貼上,而且,她大部分時候都在睡覺,非常乖,照顧起來並不困難。491Please respect copyright.PENANAOFMzYFhF5T
491Please respect copyright.PENANAFEH4V5dXSe
「……。」491Please respect copyright.PENANAVl28iU0VtI
491Please respect copyright.PENANAIR934TKvTG
尼可拉斯睡得很熟,而檸檬,她的眉頭從兩分鐘前就一直皺著,發出細微的呻吟。491Please respect copyright.PENANAmmBt2HihAp
491Please respect copyright.PENANAhD4MirScVX
「嗚嗚……嗚嗚嗚……!」491Please respect copyright.PENANAchostnATDh
491Please respect copyright.PENANAQnKkETtLbC
如果把所有嬰兒的哭聲理成一個光譜,檸檬絕對是最安靜的那一邊,但尼可拉斯還是醒了。491Please respect copyright.PENANA7XQcJ6ejWy
491Please respect copyright.PENANAVy4ReGv9jc
「吵死了。」491Please respect copyright.PENANAz6aI2Zh5eI
491Please respect copyright.PENANA6KDFdAYsEC
嘴上這麼說,尼可拉斯還是把檸檬抱到懷裡,一邊哼歌,一邊拍檸檬的背。哥哥的存在讓檸檬安心,靠著尼可拉斯的胸膛,她很快就安靜下來、再次陷入睡眠,變回乖孩子。491Please respect copyright.PENANAIxIrqYG5ze
491Please respect copyright.PENANAPE5Q1Lqw9x
把妹妹放回嬰兒床,尼可拉斯覺得奇怪,明明剛餵完奶,尿布也沒狀況,尼可拉斯不懂檸檬為什麼在哭,或許被什麼嚇到……難不成做了惡夢?491Please respect copyright.PENANA2yzDxyUleZ
491Please respect copyright.PENANArip0rOaaz4
他打電話給葛蕾絲,希望媽媽能分享她的育兒經驗。491Please respect copyright.PENANALPtyD0mKQJ
491Please respect copyright.PENANAg11cwsq1zb
「喂?」491Please respect copyright.PENANA8N9il7kFI7
491Please respect copyright.PENANAjuHVPZOw8j
「媽,是我。」尼可拉斯向電話另一邊的年輕聲音詢問:「里奧在妳旁邊嗎?」491Please respect copyright.PENANAOhE0xN7w8Z
491Please respect copyright.PENANAk0wobDFtp4
「在喲。」491Please respect copyright.PENANAaLF9XXjY4v
491Please respect copyright.PENANAJyTidDYfSB
「幫我問他,檸檬最近有沒有異常?」491Please respect copyright.PENANA9pWamQOKUL
491Please respect copyright.PENANA1uqwXaSLUn
「你這孩子真奇怪,直接打給他不就得了,還要我幫你問!」491Please respect copyright.PENANAOZy701TJlz
491Please respect copyright.PENANA2PejqjJCDx
嘴上這麼說,尼可拉斯還是聽見葛蕾絲與里奧的說話聲。葛蕾絲回答:「沒什麼,很常做惡夢而已。」491Please respect copyright.PENANAMjVVktL0q2
491Please respect copyright.PENANAs9a9GOy6OP
「有多常?」尼可拉斯皺眉。491Please respect copyright.PENANAxgXZNRt8UD
491Please respect copyright.PENANAAJw2S1cXq7
「每天晚上。」葛蕾絲說:「這沒什麼吧?你小時候也會做惡夢。」491Please respect copyright.PENANAS4IPEqEnTi
491Please respect copyright.PENANAY8jhPJsGl2
「頻率太高了。」尼可拉斯反問:「你們不覺得奇怪嗎?」491Please respect copyright.PENANAtRMRVW5Meo
491Please respect copyright.PENANAbgi3tQDVg1
「哎,你就睡前給她換新的尿布,這樣她就會睡得很舒服啦。」491Please respect copyright.PENANAYfp8OYGOmE
491Please respect copyright.PENANAgGQclXA8I5
尼可拉斯無法反駁葛蕾絲的媽媽經,但作為醫生,直覺檸檬這樣的作夢頻率很不對勁。491Please respect copyright.PENANACB5XMVkQhz
491Please respect copyright.PENANAMPloFTTsR2
「媽,把電話給里奧,我要問他……!」491Please respect copyright.PENANAhfiLUwqQQI
491Please respect copyright.PENANAz4oS1Gm33T
「啊!敵人來了,媽先掛斷囉,拜!」491Please respect copyright.PENANAF19druRmjI
491Please respect copyright.PENANAXzzHNf5U4g
語畢,葛蕾絲匆忙結束通話,留下一臉疑惑的尼可拉斯。491Please respect copyright.PENANASR8fBj6D3f
491Please respect copyright.PENANAbUDBkbT5f9
「……。」491Please respect copyright.PENANAAUoolpCHQP
491Please respect copyright.PENANAgiuCH0ltO3
別忘了,尼可拉斯在成為神與畜前,有輕微的被害妄想症,這使他對人的行為舉止十分敏感。哪怕是自己人,尼可拉斯也覺得葛蕾絲……不,整個神與畜在某些時刻,言行舉止很奇怪。491Please respect copyright.PENANAGlXMcIuvaX
491Please respect copyright.PENANA8IeO4eyAhV
扣掉活在自己世界的MIO與李博洋,從高宇維到里奧、葛蕾絲、赫密士,這些元老級人物都像在隱瞞什麼。李晴煬是人渣,但尼可拉斯和他相處最自在,因為李晴煬跟他都沒有祕密。491Please respect copyright.PENANA1l6LuFleRG
491Please respect copyright.PENANAgiDtgBHqx0
看著睡著的檸檬,尼可拉斯回想,前陣子的里奧像著了魔般,時時刻刻守在檸檬身邊。尼可拉斯可以理解他的喪妻之痛,但除了里奧,葛蕾絲、赫密士,甚至高宇維,他們都對這個孩子異常偏執。尼可拉斯早就猜到原因──檸懷特的血統。就像李博洋當初不擇手段,也要把自己帶出監獄一樣。491Please respect copyright.PENANA8TWGrAIzHq
491Please respect copyright.PENANAJJ8GuQThfj
神與畜重視血統,他們都是第一代水果塔的後裔,其中懷特的地位最高,其次是李。既然有天賦的後代得加入神與畜,身為懷特第三代的檸檬自然不能缺席,儘管,連她有沒有天賦都是未知數。491Please respect copyright.PENANAN6qKkrZTf8
491Please respect copyright.PENANA7MgMElgZ9F
「……。」491Please respect copyright.PENANAaxBQIbTvJG
491Please respect copyright.PENANAveQSeKOsko
尼可拉斯嘆氣。說實在,他不相信血統,但尼可拉斯不討厭這個體系,因為他是既得利益者,也認同高宇維「維持艾莉絲體系」和「照顧夥伴後代」的行為。高宇維不極權、專制,尼可拉斯反而覺得他重情重義。把自己連人帶命地栽進艾莉絲體系,這樣的高宇維毫無疑問,是好的領導。491Please respect copyright.PENANAMbqVc0UHNe
491Please respect copyright.PENANA5laQMZSFNi
但他們的領導並不誠實。491Please respect copyright.PENANAH6Ql9WwoYX
491Please respect copyright.PENANA6cTy6Di1rJ
高宇維在隱瞞什麼,尼可拉斯不是要找出他的把柄。唯有完全了解高宇維、了解神與畜、了解艾莉絲體系後,尼可拉斯才能向他們付出忠心,而不是因為血統,被綁在這裡、當神與畜的家庭醫生。491Please respect copyright.PENANACFnavuA1nP
491Please respect copyright.PENANAyftdjlJpVW
「……。」491Please respect copyright.PENANALryALUZw2a
491Please respect copyright.PENANAW3Zea2PuOr
想這些也沒用,當務之急是了解檸檬作惡夢的原因。尼可拉斯的專業不在小兒科,他必須去趟圖書館。把檸檬委託給赫密士照顧後,尼可拉斯披上黑色的風衣,出門。491Please respect copyright.PENANAzoqQ9p4vwg
491Please respect copyright.PENANAEGvl1lICzk
九月的商業中心B區很涼爽。尼可拉斯走在街上,他亮眼的髮色與造型吸引不少人目光。抵達地鐵站,他剛好抽完一根菸、往後一扔,菸蒂剛好掉在路燈旁的公共菸灰缸裡。身上有菸味的他走進地鐵站,旁邊的老人不給他面子地摀著鼻,尼可拉斯完全不在意。491Please respect copyright.PENANAZ6Y1Ps3pOC
491Please respect copyright.PENANAkPWU1VLtXd
進入車廂,距離區立圖書館,還得搭一段時間的車。尼可拉斯一手拉著吊環,盯著車窗的倒影發呆,沒發現有個人正在緩緩靠近。491Please respect copyright.PENANATYDtsJe9TI
491Please respect copyright.PENANA4Sk6CAjJd4
「嗨。」491Please respect copyright.PENANAClKBSi1n7N
491Please respect copyright.PENANAHzios096qb
蜜糖般的聲音在耳邊響起。尼可拉斯轉頭,一抹粉紅色刺入他的視線。紅鶴不知何時站在自己一旁,用那充滿致命吸引力的眼神看他,笑盈盈地和尼可拉斯打招呼。
arrow_back
神與畜
more_vert
-
info_outline Info
-
toc Table of Contents
-
share Share
-
format_color_text Display Settings
-
exposure_plus_1 Recommend
-
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!
神與畜
Author:
阿曦 A-Xi
ISSUE #106
夢魘症01
LIKES 2
READS 487
BOOKMARKS 183
Suggest Edits
Login with Facebook
or Sign up/Login to comment or bookmark!
Click to load the next chapter
×
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