
071:出門
一八八四年,男孩(蒼原城隍)八歲。342Please respect copyright.PENANAFKyDjRZ0Rq
這一天,天色一發亮,母親(素娘)起床,前往廚房料理早餐。342Please respect copyright.PENANAg4iroryRQM
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。342Please respect copyright.PENANAruSFQ4yCuB
素娘:「早。」342Please respect copyright.PENANA4ul9ZLv6Jv
阿嬤:「孩子還好?」342Please respect copyright.PENANAgKNL6JDdtF
素娘:「還在發燒。」342Please respect copyright.PENANAM4P8kw60Wn
阿嬤用粗布防熱,提起煎藥壺。342Please respect copyright.PENANAwJvlpGlaAs
素娘:「媽,我來弄就好。」342Please respect copyright.PENANAv3dBCJ1VzE
阿嬤:「我來,妳去忙吃的。」342Please respect copyright.PENANAxYEwvQ3kh6
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。342Please respect copyright.PENANAD76Dwix0U5
陰暗的房間內,男孩躺在床上熟睡。342Please respect copyright.PENANAy5Z79x0Dor
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。」342Please respect copyright.PENANAe5KScvgUd6
男孩醒來,睡眼矇矓好一會:「阿嬤……」342Please respect copyright.PENANAzMreAlXASv
阿嬤:「喝過藥,身體才會快快好起來。」342Please respect copyright.PENANADSU8CKn2iP
就此讓阿嬤扶起,一口口啜飲苦澀的湯藥。342Please respect copyright.PENANACiPGESOW0W
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。342Please respect copyright.PENANAxmGGnnnZgQ
好不容喝完湯藥,換母親餵飯。342Please respect copyright.PENANAF7bs0sF0dR
阿嬤詢問:「素娘,明天又要出門?」342Please respect copyright.PENANAdBmU5SbihO
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。342Please respect copyright.PENANASJaNdn5pXR
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。342Please respect copyright.PENANACOQD0fhrU7
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。」342Please respect copyright.PENANA9m4Khd4kjQ
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?」342Please respect copyright.PENANAG12oNkYuya
素娘:「這是為了孩子和這個家。」342Please respect copyright.PENANAF3Je3dTTtT
阿嬤:「也考慮一下人家會怎麼說妳?」342Please respect copyright.PENANAkNeqth0vcr
素娘:「…………」342Please respect copyright.PENANAJzTcuBRH0r
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?」342Please respect copyright.PENANAT6aEYYuzrP
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。」342Please respect copyright.PENANAb1meQ8Flc2
阿嬤:「反正女人家少出遠門啦。」342Please respect copyright.PENANAo1KnKC779i
素娘:「等到把女孩買回家,我就不會再出遠門了。」342Please respect copyright.PENANAR8bITqfa7r
阿嬤:「唉……」342Please respect copyright.PENANAc6LFePMpUk
素娘也不再多說這事,只是餵孩子,和孩子說話。342Please respect copyright.PENANAmZLRavQI4n
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。342Please respect copyright.PENANAveJskaVZvN
他們看來都才剛成年,十幾二十歲的年輕人。342Please respect copyright.PENANAUL9MKWohXI
其中五位,阿嬤見過。另外一位,是新面孔。342Please respect copyright.PENANAJZitIZGtSS
他們一起稱呼:「大姊好。阿嬤好。」342Please respect copyright.PENANAIBxG1yxJ8K
阿嬤沒有理會他們,直接前往照顧生病的孫子。342Please respect copyright.PENANAUijSuzd4OZ
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。342Please respect copyright.PENANARuxYVzDwQd
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。342Please respect copyright.PENANAzT20p4KwrP
大約五點,端進房間,給孩子餵餐。342Please respect copyright.PENANAJZrXRdRxpk
阿嬤比較晚起,不過也前來房間。342Please respect copyright.PENANAGW6prRhGbN
素娘:「退燒了。身體覺得比較舒服?」342Please respect copyright.PENANAENbvv11tiM
男孩:「有……」342Please respect copyright.PENANAp47HmvC2Fo
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?」342Please respect copyright.PENANArYfNoCBdvs
男孩點頭:「嗯……」342Please respect copyright.PENANAKJbX2LflA0
素娘:「記住,不論媽媽去到多遠的地方,你永遠都在媽媽心裡。」342Please respect copyright.PENANAShDnMIQnPV
再次點頭:「嗯……」342Please respect copyright.PENANAwD8wGMfCNK
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。」342Please respect copyright.PENANAy4jsiVvlHi
阿嬤:「唉……我更希望留下來的是妳啊。」342Please respect copyright.PENANABsXNOzAFXX
素娘不再多說,疼惜撫摸孩子的臉,就此出門離去。342Please respect copyright.PENANA87HDV5OzaO
結果,沒有再回來了……342Please respect copyright.PENANAWIOtOriVCu
………………342Please respect copyright.PENANAwmQ23CDuC7
…………342Please respect copyright.PENANAVBD9maV4Yt
……342Please respect copyright.PENANAPTZD7217NN
342Please respect copyright.PENANA3andwixjMP