依稀記得事發時正值春季,放眼盡是一片青蔥翠綠。327Please respect copyright.PENANATduHV7GcXl
327Please respect copyright.PENANAXK5XY0R5Jb
對於當時年僅八歲的湯米,獨自闖進這片渺無人煙的樹林裡,不害怕嗎?327Please respect copyright.PENANAYl9G08SmVY
327Please respect copyright.PENANA5ADSpsWfiw
害怕,但他似乎更害怕樹林外的……327Please respect copyright.PENANAj6yuM3NDRu
327Please respect copyright.PENANAVjQw8mj6VC
甚麼?樹林外有甚麼?327Please respect copyright.PENANA9gEIlIvhOk
327Please respect copyright.PENANAFABYe0rXiJ
他記不起。
湯米花了二十二年時間去回憶,卻仍然想不起自己在樹林外遇到甚麼。327Please respect copyright.PENANAYXo2EgZENf
327Please respect copyright.PENANAfZgf7TNNHG
媽媽曾提及過,搜救隊在樹林裡找到他時,他已陷入昏迷,一絲不掛,頭部重傷。原以為湯米被變態色魔拖入樹林施暴,誰料醫生檢查後卻說他身上沒有被侵犯的痕跡。加上湯米記不起進入樹林前後的遭遇,案情變得更為撲朔迷離,警方無從入手調查,只得在半年後將此案列為懸案。327Please respect copyright.PENANASL6Dc8gHqD
327Please respect copyright.PENANAhgAmor6LDf
由於受驚過度,湯米性格大變,變得陰沉。朋友不敢接近他,說他的表情很可怕。童年不再愉快。媽媽數次為他遷居、轉校,直至湯米說累了,想要安定下來。327Please respect copyright.PENANAZmqUDtMO7V
327Please respect copyright.PENANAzBiiIVrS2h
就這樣,湯米在這地方待了二十二年。327Please respect copyright.PENANAPdNWb8ZXZt
327Please respect copyright.PENANAodTDnoY134
這是一個老舊的住宅小區,居民大多是上年紀的老者。他們早上會到公園晨運散步、互相打招呼,然後會認為生活很美好。老者不需要夜生活。晚上十時許,整條大街已然烏燈黑火。327Please respect copyright.PENANAZgYyU5T6yB
327Please respect copyright.PENANAn0Pyw2VcIF
對年輕的湯米而言,這種生活平淡乏味。惟每當他對外界感到好奇或是鼓起勇氣打算到別的地區閒逛時,零碎的回憶卻同時湧上心頭,恐懼再次通體蝕骨。327Please respect copyright.PENANA6Pd0c3kUrL
327Please respect copyright.PENANA1js6xqLpW0
記起了?不。記憶過於散亂,根本沒法拼湊出事情的來龍去脈。牽制他的僅是那股莫名的恐懼。327Please respect copyright.PENANANlcbiVJinq
327Please respect copyright.PENANAga7zZcBnSC
湯米哭了,渾身顫抖。媽媽上前安慰他、擁抱他。驚恐的湯米在媽媽的懷抱裡安然入睡。
媽媽死了。327Please respect copyright.PENANAGPT3GYqJcR
327Please respect copyright.PENANAH5qcQhGf6j
湯米瑟縮被窩中,連續七日無眠。327Please respect copyright.PENANAABn16sKM8v
327Please respect copyright.PENANAbX93NbcAat
他看見那片樹林在眼前。他置身於樹林當中。他從樹梢葉子之間的隙縫間看見灰濛濛的天空。他嗅到草腥混和霧水的清新氣味。他感受到腳下有大小不一的石塊……327Please respect copyright.PENANAzUBcf9gLHk
327Please respect copyright.PENANAkXl0SIwHts
湯米知道自己快要瘋掉。327Please respect copyright.PENANAKVYQBAJSSN
327Please respect copyright.PENANAb8CDi5jzYS
他不甘心。327Please respect copyright.PENANAPpkWFUJrBv
327Please respect copyright.PENANAnf2lVEfmU2
鼓起勇氣,衝出家門。327Please respect copyright.PENANA4B7of3Bz6W
327Please respect copyright.PENANAzuM5GKpFFg
夜深,身穿酸臭睡衣的湯米在無人大街上赤腳狂奔。327Please respect copyright.PENANAnrqdRVXaYH
327Please respect copyright.PENANABlGhTomNDX
路面偶有雜物垃圾或是醉漢摔破酒瓶遺下的玻璃碎片,但在湯米眼內,那都是大小不一的石塊;馬路上車輛漸多,灰黑的廢氣在湯米鼻腔內變成了草腥混和霧水的清新氣味;連花園的住宅平房往後冉退,身邊景物換上奢華時髦的裝束,高聳入雲的參天大樓在湯米眼中成了百年老樹,閃爍繽紛的霓虹就是葉子隙縫間那片灰濛濛的天。327Please respect copyright.PENANAm6MIivJ4rD
327Please respect copyright.PENANAZ1QwSG7gbz
跑呀跑。路不盡,夢無窮。327Please respect copyright.PENANAHxK4AQP28o
327Please respect copyright.PENANAHMQtAU48wn
湯米在一片樹林前停下腳步。327Please respect copyright.PENANA5ogaTdVji7
327Please respect copyright.PENANAy5dVFKX96q
是當年那片樹林嗎?327Please respect copyright.PENANAtDc8Sj2TOW
327Please respect copyright.PENANAfDlTXLzLMx
他喘著粗氣,窮目細望夜月下的樹林輪廓。發現樹林前有一小屋,像極兒時居所。327Please respect copyright.PENANAFBdaWG6PXp
327Please respect copyright.PENANAZZAXqPT8yQ
怎麼會在這裡?幻覺嗎?327Please respect copyright.PENANAsPaIcPPoSd
327Please respect copyright.PENANA8RblVhodr0
疑惑之際,忽爾有一男孩從小屋正門蹦跳步出,熟練地拐進屋旁小徑。湯米認得那張臉——根本是八歲的自己。327Please respect copyright.PENANAi0ApfzCgga
327Please respect copyright.PENANAaaB2lmGbXy
湯米尾隨男孩去到屋後花園,誰料幼童突然剎停腳步,高喊:「媽媽!」327Please respect copyright.PENANAsjhExaOONi
327Please respect copyright.PENANAvHNUETu3r5
湯米循男孩目光望去,只見媽媽與男鄰查理叔叔擁作一團。327Please respect copyright.PENANAs5W1pGovLo
327Please respect copyright.PENANAsDuU8YU32S
「湯米!你怎會在這裡?你不是在睡覺嗎?」媽媽大驚,連忙整理衣衫。327Please respect copyright.PENANARkTZLkz1yZ
327Please respect copyright.PENANA6lyTBiimVk
「我被電話鈴聲吵醒了。」男孩打呵欠,伸懶腰。327Please respect copyright.PENANAez5pbGImvW
327Please respect copyright.PENANAx0eTzXavb5
「電話?媽媽現在去接電話。」媽媽神色慌張,與冷靜的查理叔叔形成強烈對比。327Please respect copyright.PENANAz4RagKhwsp
327Please respect copyright.PENANA7MrvDUI5ed
「不用了。我剛接聽電話了。爸爸說他忘記帶重要文件,希望你能將夾萬內的文件放到餐枱上,方便他回來拿取。」男孩聰明伶俐,卻未能看明白眼前的事——他以為擁抱是普通不過的事,就像自己高興時會跟同學擁抱,不分男女。327Please respect copyright.PENANAme4ejDhRIc
327Please respect copyright.PENANAV1b8ugfaHZ
「噢!湯米真乖!媽媽這就去辦!」媽媽匆匆帶著湯米回到屋裡去。327Please respect copyright.PENANANrqruMg0Qb
327Please respect copyright.PENANA95mBvYsccm
媽媽在睡房夾萬前忙著的時候,查理叔叔走近坐在梳化看電視的男孩:「不如一起到樹林那邊散步,好嗎?」
「不!不要!」樹林內,湯米和男孩的聲音重疊起來,同樣的語氣和音量,同樣的驚恐與無助。他只能眼巴巴看著查理叔叔如何用石塊狠砸男孩的頭部,看著後來趕到的媽媽帶淚呆站一旁,沒有任何阻止查理叔叔的舉措……327Please respect copyright.PENANAcThABvxzlT
327Please respect copyright.PENANA9nYYjoAvtw
男孩頭部受傷昏倒的一刻,男孩跟查理叔叔的身影消失了,只餘雙眼通紅的媽媽愣在原地。327Please respect copyright.PENANAudSvB9FQ7y
327Please respect copyright.PENANA8fRZ60k9Td
相顧無言,唯有淚千行。327Please respect copyright.PENANA9ZsmJhESMN
327Please respect copyright.PENANAqGkSfS0Zkj
月落日出之間的晦暗不明逐漸顯現,灰藍與橙白在天空柔和相爭。是分別時刻,無論願意不願意。327Please respect copyright.PENANAtWXndxktyx
327Please respect copyright.PENANAB1x6K1fXdL
「對不起,湯米。我是你的媽媽,我該要不顧一切保護你,我該要阻止查理……」327Please respect copyright.PENANAw04ozjuBib
327Please respect copyright.PENANAiquuHo2v4F
「但你同時是個人。在恐懼面前,人類甚麼都不是。」327Please respect copyright.PENANAhk6wrsuOUF
327Please respect copyright.PENANA36YZVIpCZQ
湯米雖失去事發時的記憶,但他清楚記得爸爸遇意外離世後,媽媽的手腳不再瘀青。327Please respect copyright.PENANAZ9rjEKFpVX
327Please respect copyright.PENANA314zh89YLt
曾有好一段日子,查理叔叔每天到來看望母子二人,會送親手栽種的盆栽給媽媽,也會為湯米帶來很多有趣的玩意。湯米雖沒有跟查理叔叔一起玩耍,但他感受到當中的關懷,打從心底喜歡查理叔叔,奈何媽媽對查理叔叔越益冷淡。327Please respect copyright.PENANAWasrC2aLSh
327Please respect copyright.PENANAC4lIJnnx1y
某日,查理叔叔要搬家到別的城鎮去。媽媽當日整天神色黯然,經常靠著窗玻璃呆望查理叔叔指揮搬運工將傢俬抬上車。湯米看不懂成人的心思,說要為查理叔叔送行。媽媽不依,只道不要妨礙人家:「媽媽已耽誤查理叔叔很多時間。」327Please respect copyright.PENANAnglvVON5Hi
327Please respect copyright.PENANAwKIsmS9fn8
傍晚,搬運工已然備好一切。查理叔叔登車前,依依不捨望向湯米和媽媽的屋。媽媽立時退後遠離窗戶,湯米則傻傻向查理叔叔揮手道別。327Please respect copyright.PENANA14gx7nheMj
327Please respect copyright.PENANAHMaqcugWq7
查理叔叔就此徹底退出母子二人的人生……
日出,光芒四射。灰藍橙白褪下舞台,柔和的金黃灑落青蔥樹林之上。327Please respect copyright.PENANAtlqgxDMkva
327Please respect copyright.PENANAK8VeejNMz2
又一個春日。又一個開始。過去就此成為過去。327Please respect copyright.PENANAQovveZ8Mdp
327Please respect copyright.PENANA3zHjMQEGSa
湯米戰戰兢兢走入樹林。他感受到腳下有大小不一的石塊。他嗅到草腥混和霧水的清新氣味。他從樹梢葉子之間的隙縫間看見天空。不是灰濛濛的,而是藍得清澄、藍得可愛的天空。