
071:出門
一八八四年,男孩(蒼原城隍)八歲。380Please respect copyright.PENANAw6tsR4TtsL
這一天,天色一發亮,母親(素娘)起床,前往廚房料理早餐。380Please respect copyright.PENANATp0UACaEOs
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。380Please respect copyright.PENANAbGBgXiIfBE
素娘:「早。」380Please respect copyright.PENANAuvs8AMBUX4
阿嬤:「孩子還好?」380Please respect copyright.PENANAFGE81B2aQ5
素娘:「還在發燒。」380Please respect copyright.PENANAtCZeqGJhom
阿嬤用粗布防熱,提起煎藥壺。380Please respect copyright.PENANAyykXmX1wei
素娘:「媽,我來弄就好。」380Please respect copyright.PENANAEKooEVfXHw
阿嬤:「我來,妳去忙吃的。」380Please respect copyright.PENANAJsRCGesGgJ
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。380Please respect copyright.PENANA9ailbmbynK
陰暗的房間內,男孩躺在床上熟睡。380Please respect copyright.PENANAXEQlWwsPbU
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。」380Please respect copyright.PENANAN5IrR9AkAl
男孩醒來,睡眼矇矓好一會:「阿嬤……」380Please respect copyright.PENANAag1xpTKINl
阿嬤:「喝過藥,身體才會快快好起來。」380Please respect copyright.PENANApe0gL40v84
就此讓阿嬤扶起,一口口啜飲苦澀的湯藥。380Please respect copyright.PENANAZ4w6CCAsik
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。380Please respect copyright.PENANAwhpN9p9L0Y
好不容喝完湯藥,換母親餵飯。380Please respect copyright.PENANAG8TmzgLJT7
阿嬤詢問:「素娘,明天又要出門?」380Please respect copyright.PENANA8GFCxPjy5w
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。380Please respect copyright.PENANA3vYNnsdHqK
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。380Please respect copyright.PENANALzzLesTjss
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。」380Please respect copyright.PENANAVMppjZqSYh
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?」380Please respect copyright.PENANAnvRjuT6MKB
素娘:「這是為了孩子和這個家。」380Please respect copyright.PENANAgahxUJ4bLM
阿嬤:「也考慮一下人家會怎麼說妳?」380Please respect copyright.PENANAdWwtRXvzbq
素娘:「…………」380Please respect copyright.PENANANaLB0xccb0
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?」380Please respect copyright.PENANANO55mym9DY
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。」380Please respect copyright.PENANAJGSK2ibQ5G
阿嬤:「反正女人家少出遠門啦。」380Please respect copyright.PENANAOgP2uHWk65
素娘:「等到把女孩買回家,我就不會再出遠門了。」380Please respect copyright.PENANAxgImpn5yoJ
阿嬤:「唉……」380Please respect copyright.PENANAh0PACGdbVL
素娘也不再多說這事,只是餵孩子,和孩子說話。380Please respect copyright.PENANAERrxFTQZpZ
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。380Please respect copyright.PENANAt3ZsyIXxY4
他們看來都才剛成年,十幾二十歲的年輕人。380Please respect copyright.PENANA6NjHTNkmVy
其中五位,阿嬤見過。另外一位,是新面孔。380Please respect copyright.PENANAZ4QnEOdLhG
他們一起稱呼:「大姊好。阿嬤好。」380Please respect copyright.PENANAtSfTPVVYZP
阿嬤沒有理會他們,直接前往照顧生病的孫子。380Please respect copyright.PENANACs8T0zXcQI
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。380Please respect copyright.PENANAORDeHWwIJU
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。380Please respect copyright.PENANAowHp5WyZ7G
大約五點,端進房間,給孩子餵餐。380Please respect copyright.PENANANwWYVjgIRl
阿嬤比較晚起,不過也前來房間。380Please respect copyright.PENANAHWX5nmszvL
素娘:「退燒了。身體覺得比較舒服?」380Please respect copyright.PENANAJgPtgJZdrA
男孩:「有……」380Please respect copyright.PENANAssbE9NtHgi
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?」380Please respect copyright.PENANAKS1QF9p7c0
男孩點頭:「嗯……」380Please respect copyright.PENANAarendHBDoq
素娘:「記住,不論媽媽去到多遠的地方,你永遠都在媽媽心裡。」380Please respect copyright.PENANAwFLommgZAR
再次點頭:「嗯……」380Please respect copyright.PENANAKsUfVsNLUT
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。」380Please respect copyright.PENANA8b2IZfenmZ
阿嬤:「唉……我更希望留下來的是妳啊。」380Please respect copyright.PENANAbqeqL41E5a
素娘不再多說,疼惜撫摸孩子的臉,就此出門離去。380Please respect copyright.PENANAX5BXnQWhsh
結果,沒有再回來了……380Please respect copyright.PENANAZb1dUrmAc5
………………380Please respect copyright.PENANA4pACQlejR7
…………380Please respect copyright.PENANA2oRNH3KX5Z
……380Please respect copyright.PENANA8I3SjVCHDL
380Please respect copyright.PENANAJ0qdh6Cm8w