
071:出門
一八八四年,男孩(蒼原城隍)八歲。391Please respect copyright.PENANATCzftG4AjR
這一天,天色一發亮,母親(素娘)起床,前往廚房料理早餐。391Please respect copyright.PENANA7oNM8H3lB4
不多久,走入另一名老婦人,是這個家族的老阿嬤,走去查看煎藥壺。391Please respect copyright.PENANAK7SuUElzUR
素娘:「早。」391Please respect copyright.PENANA1QUDN8CdBR
阿嬤:「孩子還好?」391Please respect copyright.PENANAEW5bZDjkie
素娘:「還在發燒。」391Please respect copyright.PENANAIqkSzWhAY0
阿嬤用粗布防熱,提起煎藥壺。391Please respect copyright.PENANANbA16wTj9K
素娘:「媽,我來弄就好。」391Please respect copyright.PENANA7VYV1tqLnF
阿嬤:「我來,妳去忙吃的。」391Please respect copyright.PENANAZCYvh2kZc0
說完,藥水小心倒入大碗公,右手拿著,左手燭臺,進入男孩房間。391Please respect copyright.PENANA9zOxARzMjj
陰暗的房間內,男孩躺在床上熟睡。391Please respect copyright.PENANA8C6I9aXrXG
阿嬤坐到床沿,點燃床頭櫃上的蠟燭照明,這才輕搖男孩,口氣溫和:「喝藥了。」391Please respect copyright.PENANA1owlNZFB1D
男孩醒來,睡眼矇矓好一會:「阿嬤……」391Please respect copyright.PENANAQxPvYSd1qO
阿嬤:「喝過藥,身體才會快快好起來。」391Please respect copyright.PENANANYvHhR8fng
就此讓阿嬤扶起,一口口啜飲苦澀的湯藥。391Please respect copyright.PENANADmkBD38igU
沒多久,母親弄好早餐,端著一碗進房。白飯上面蓋著二樣青菜,一樣魚肉。因為每當這樣高燒,孩子不會有什麼體力前往廚房,只好端來房間讓他用餐。391Please respect copyright.PENANAk4GQKhN6xn
好不容喝完湯藥,換母親餵飯。391Please respect copyright.PENANAVnjQSpT9zv
阿嬤詢問:「素娘,明天又要出門?」391Please respect copyright.PENANAWbK2heplAN
昨晚睡前,蝦宜港內開旅店的老林趕來,通知阿嬤有六名外地年輕人入住旅店,都和素娘有關。391Please respect copyright.PENANAwcSfopidTx
終究是個小漁村,鎮民之間感情好的,都會第一時間私下通報消息。391Please respect copyright.PENANA9rqZcU9VYc
素娘被問,直接承認:「嗯……」沉默幾秒,「這次要去比較深山的蕃村,大概三個月才會回來。」391Please respect copyright.PENANAgfKIwJdxqv
阿嬤:「妳一個已經嫁過來的女人家,整天和幾名男人在外面走,山裡到處和蕃人打交道,這樣怎麼好?」391Please respect copyright.PENANAiVikw2Ds2H
素娘:「這是為了孩子和這個家。」391Please respect copyright.PENANAObelDOvAcB
阿嬤:「也考慮一下人家會怎麼說妳?」391Please respect copyright.PENANAPhpetQ7tGr
素娘:「…………」391Please respect copyright.PENANAnbtAPSmvUF
阿嬤:「再說,深山蕃村那種危險地方,要是妳也出事,看要怎麼辦?」391Please respect copyright.PENANABs4p4cAyi7
素娘:「那是以前,現在蕃仔沒有大家傳的那麼壞。備好禮,有話好好的說,不會有問題。」391Please respect copyright.PENANAzEFdjZy2zb
阿嬤:「反正女人家少出遠門啦。」391Please respect copyright.PENANAzI8yPO0OaP
素娘:「等到把女孩買回家,我就不會再出遠門了。」391Please respect copyright.PENANAlaRDkGRZJW
阿嬤:「唉……」391Please respect copyright.PENANAEY2SbUWylk
素娘也不再多說這事,只是餵孩子,和孩子說話。391Please respect copyright.PENANASxfwhgbnUd
果然,這天大約早上八點,六名健壯男人一起來到三合院找素娘。391Please respect copyright.PENANAN8DWUHfKNz
他們看來都才剛成年,十幾二十歲的年輕人。391Please respect copyright.PENANA2y8OtEzMyW
其中五位,阿嬤見過。另外一位,是新面孔。391Please respect copyright.PENANASM8v5YYSz1
他們一起稱呼:「大姊好。阿嬤好。」391Please respect copyright.PENANAcnKEtOb3C8
阿嬤沒有理會他們,直接前往照顧生病的孫子。391Please respect copyright.PENANAQNBFOhSYvQ
素娘對待他們如同弟弟,說說笑笑,計畫出發路線,直到傍晚,男孩們才又回到旅店休息。391Please respect copyright.PENANAITgeWx9hUR
隔天,因為六點就要出發,所以天未亮的四點,素娘就起床,連忙處理早餐。391Please respect copyright.PENANA3KhU462CdS
大約五點,端進房間,給孩子餵餐。391Please respect copyright.PENANAZ19mqEZwmq
阿嬤比較晚起,不過也前來房間。391Please respect copyright.PENANAFQ0bgVH0Lo
素娘:「退燒了。身體覺得比較舒服?」391Please respect copyright.PENANA9a50E4u2tz
男孩:「有……」391Please respect copyright.PENANAy2xlA0eb0c
素娘:「媽媽等會就要出門。這次去比較遠,三個月才會回來。不論多久,你都要乖乖聽阿嬤的話,知道嗎?」391Please respect copyright.PENANA7fTrRhm0Ek
男孩點頭:「嗯……」391Please respect copyright.PENANA4blWxxHE5b
素娘:「記住,不論媽媽去到多遠的地方,你永遠都在媽媽心裡。」391Please respect copyright.PENANAH6169Yns9E
再次點頭:「嗯……」391Please respect copyright.PENANAwGrf6FFATK
再疼惜孩子一會,素娘轉頭:「媽,我有留一筆生活費在神桌下的抽屜。」391Please respect copyright.PENANAbexguHqXnX
阿嬤:「唉……我更希望留下來的是妳啊。」391Please respect copyright.PENANAIX0jMDrJwi
素娘不再多說,疼惜撫摸孩子的臉,就此出門離去。391Please respect copyright.PENANAYKLsH5QnAI
結果,沒有再回來了……391Please respect copyright.PENANAGFPRM03YVY
………………391Please respect copyright.PENANAZ29ck5Pw1b
…………391Please respect copyright.PENANAerAblfNaWw
……391Please respect copyright.PENANAGCLysoBCww
391Please respect copyright.PENANAfXxwtIUTrm