
071:出門
一八八四年,男孩(蒼原城隍)八歲。439Please respect copyright.PENANA4enj27Xp3F
這一天,天色一發亮,母親(素娘)起床,前往廚房料理早餐。439Please respect copyright.PENANAlUPi6aMr6A
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。439Please respect copyright.PENANAOoCj207zgm
素娘:「早。」439Please respect copyright.PENANAECAHiWacNA
阿嬤:「孩子還好?」439Please respect copyright.PENANAUuFYfUpyaH
素娘:「還在發燒。」439Please respect copyright.PENANAeNhHvSf3io
阿嬤用粗布防熱,提起煎藥壺。439Please respect copyright.PENANA0iiISHfSJJ
素娘:「媽,我來弄就好。」439Please respect copyright.PENANAVhD5FfnT7b
阿嬤:「我來,妳去忙吃的。」439Please respect copyright.PENANAPPXJLY1sqX
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。439Please respect copyright.PENANAzNBsykoZfy
陰暗的房間內,男孩躺在床上熟睡。439Please respect copyright.PENANAFKJoZXsoLf
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。」439Please respect copyright.PENANAEbuS1s4wHt
男孩醒來,睡眼矇矓好一會:「阿嬤……」439Please respect copyright.PENANALyPPWO5OHE
阿嬤:「喝過藥,身體才會快快好起來。」439Please respect copyright.PENANAplP4UH71S5
就此讓阿嬤扶起,一口口啜飲苦澀的湯藥。439Please respect copyright.PENANAKmvXjkZld4
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。439Please respect copyright.PENANAUIrndunSTV
好不容喝完湯藥,換母親餵飯。439Please respect copyright.PENANAmhhTPZlH0X
阿嬤詢問:「素娘,明天又要出門?」439Please respect copyright.PENANACuI0ZqIQdN
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。439Please respect copyright.PENANAo8zMy0a61t
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。439Please respect copyright.PENANAe4PXNlaZXl
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。」439Please respect copyright.PENANALV2j5HS8cV
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?」439Please respect copyright.PENANAz7V57I8fsT
素娘:「這是為了孩子和這個家。」439Please respect copyright.PENANAahQVwxaMMp
阿嬤:「也考慮一下人家會怎麼說妳?」439Please respect copyright.PENANArkqNy4Whnn
素娘:「…………」439Please respect copyright.PENANAv28I1ubLJ9
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?」439Please respect copyright.PENANAlHz5VQyms7
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。」439Please respect copyright.PENANA6P9xQNN9QK
阿嬤:「反正女人家少出遠門啦。」439Please respect copyright.PENANA8Iguyvbi3X
素娘:「等到把女孩買回家,我就不會再出遠門了。」439Please respect copyright.PENANARKlhHv4NfM
阿嬤:「唉……」439Please respect copyright.PENANAmyFBtYrUez
素娘也不再多說這事,只是餵孩子,和孩子說話。439Please respect copyright.PENANAlWOWlCUEjo
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。439Please respect copyright.PENANALjKGJdOHa5
他們看來都才剛成年,十幾二十歲的年輕人。439Please respect copyright.PENANAfAZ6AOoV7M
其中五位,阿嬤見過。另外一位,是新面孔。439Please respect copyright.PENANASbtLs7HVxI
他們一起稱呼:「大姊好。阿嬤好。」439Please respect copyright.PENANAxkfwKXGPAI
阿嬤沒有理會他們,直接前往照顧生病的孫子。439Please respect copyright.PENANA13NzGLXvva
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。439Please respect copyright.PENANAlhE0kvSSib
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。439Please respect copyright.PENANAfG477YCy7j
大約五點,端進房間,給孩子餵餐。439Please respect copyright.PENANAFSQf1CEswg
阿嬤比較晚起,不過也前來房間。439Please respect copyright.PENANAMmRe11XHd5
素娘:「退燒了。身體覺得比較舒服?」439Please respect copyright.PENANATUoNt44ld5
男孩:「有……」439Please respect copyright.PENANA1r0LoSq7v6
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?」439Please respect copyright.PENANAzItHjY18OE
男孩點頭:「嗯……」439Please respect copyright.PENANA96zAsfJSrq
素娘:「記住,不論媽媽去到多遠的地方,你永遠都在媽媽心裡。」439Please respect copyright.PENANA2l39rQwZZR
再次點頭:「嗯……」439Please respect copyright.PENANAa0XKNeMPDa
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。」439Please respect copyright.PENANAyUIeIv16Wh
阿嬤:「唉……我更希望留下來的是妳啊。」439Please respect copyright.PENANA5lGgEqiJ0p
素娘不再多說,疼惜撫摸孩子的臉,就此出門離去。439Please respect copyright.PENANAg0kkEEUiM0
結果,沒有再回來了……439Please respect copyright.PENANATPWOHN6kIG
………………439Please respect copyright.PENANAYUk05kndRz
…………439Please respect copyright.PENANAtpqIK6Tr0Y
……439Please respect copyright.PENANACg8vna0dWe
439Please respect copyright.PENANAKyt4AIQCNX