
071:出門
一八八四年,男孩(蒼原城隍)八歲。439Please respect copyright.PENANA9Cf4rS7e6f
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.PENANA3GsJQVU7SB
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.PENANAiRTr5atNmG
素娘:「早。」439Please respect copyright.PENANAy0fEE981Nm
阿嬤:「孩子還好?」439Please respect copyright.PENANATIiEfVZ6Pd
素娘:「還在發燒。」439Please respect copyright.PENANAVKIYUwhlD2
阿嬤用粗布防熱,提起煎藥壺。439Please respect copyright.PENANA3zhtoO9qgM
素娘:「媽,我來弄就好。」439Please respect copyright.PENANAwZH93Gfc18
阿嬤:「我來,妳去忙吃的。」439Please respect copyright.PENANAMxiuSQBstG
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.PENANAMRTi9UQe2J
陰暗的房間內,男孩躺在床上熟睡。439Please respect copyright.PENANAp87KHittsX
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.PENANAuTz7O5VBJS
男孩醒來,睡眼矇矓好一會:「阿嬤……」439Please respect copyright.PENANAWrhgRjKDNK
阿嬤:「喝過藥,身體才會快快好起來。」439Please respect copyright.PENANAdUbXrE5qbX
就此讓阿嬤扶起,一口口啜飲苦澀的湯藥。439Please respect copyright.PENANA4gszSX41gf
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.PENANA7gV4eSCu3l
好不容喝完湯藥,換母親餵飯。439Please respect copyright.PENANAdOKl4BqZer
阿嬤詢問:「素娘,明天又要出門?」439Please respect copyright.PENANADrCnyBwSpH
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.PENANAomf8FZA3Rb
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.PENANAfOyawFDxLr
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.PENANAFy1xg1xaSz
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.PENANArYMTnK7GYX
素娘:「這是為了孩子和這個家。」439Please respect copyright.PENANArIDI1TPkWA
阿嬤:「也考慮一下人家會怎麼說妳?」439Please respect copyright.PENANANTK366sx5L
素娘:「…………」439Please respect copyright.PENANAFh0mLisHiJ
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.PENANAiBPqD8v9MX
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.PENANAaPZ93j5p6y
阿嬤:「反正女人家少出遠門啦。」439Please respect copyright.PENANAi98C5sQv0n
素娘:「等到把女孩買回家,我就不會再出遠門了。」439Please respect copyright.PENANAS6G7Dj8crG
阿嬤:「唉……」439Please respect copyright.PENANAuodIENnAsj
素娘也不再多說這事,只是餵孩子,和孩子說話。439Please respect copyright.PENANAdJCePJKFPT
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.PENANABuUIQQbw9M
他們看來都才剛成年,十幾二十歲的年輕人。439Please respect copyright.PENANASNPLmh3Knh
其中五位,阿嬤見過。另外一位,是新面孔。439Please respect copyright.PENANA8fIHA4SuuX
他們一起稱呼:「大姊好。阿嬤好。」439Please respect copyright.PENANAIouShlG9Sj
阿嬤沒有理會他們,直接前往照顧生病的孫子。439Please respect copyright.PENANANDiqAB9DEK
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.PENANAd194SZXhe5
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.PENANACVmXiHM2dE
大約五點,端進房間,給孩子餵餐。439Please respect copyright.PENANAVtvJ10F9g3
阿嬤比較晚起,不過也前來房間。439Please respect copyright.PENANAi9XEVWBGvH
素娘:「退燒了。身體覺得比較舒服?」439Please respect copyright.PENANAHL5x4xSAwQ
男孩:「有……」439Please respect copyright.PENANAQBbb7mjQv4
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.PENANA4Q1GSihqjN
男孩點頭:「嗯……」439Please respect copyright.PENANAnTMErI3jE2
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.PENANA9bUEdWTlVA
再次點頭:「嗯……」439Please respect copyright.PENANAiBRGSIeDSX
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.PENANAv08O2Tjv9L
阿嬤:「唉……我更希望留下來的是妳啊。」439Please respect copyright.PENANABQ1n32yCfk
素娘不再多說,疼惜撫摸孩子的臉,就此出門離去。439Please respect copyright.PENANAAXpZOimTyy
結果,沒有再回來了……439Please respect copyright.PENANAV1Kj749pAv
………………439Please respect copyright.PENANAms0nGBxKvo
…………439Please respect copyright.PENANA4EgujG7Zy7
……439Please respect copyright.PENANAoeZbFeO0VU
439Please respect copyright.PENANA43UfGtUobQ