
071:出門
一八八四年,男孩(蒼原城隍)八歲。348Please respect copyright.PENANA2iOhTPYDyW
這一天,天色一發亮,母親(素娘)起床,前往廚房料理早餐。348Please respect copyright.PENANAloZpJHqWvh
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。348Please respect copyright.PENANAfzLZlt9Wxb
素娘:「早。」348Please respect copyright.PENANAvUaMkd42h1
阿嬤:「孩子還好?」348Please respect copyright.PENANAAkcdZbUxkA
素娘:「還在發燒。」348Please respect copyright.PENANAgpLqFQaNSr
阿嬤用粗布防熱,提起煎藥壺。348Please respect copyright.PENANAd4WGgwVOrM
素娘:「媽,我來弄就好。」348Please respect copyright.PENANALZIYI4w0zK
阿嬤:「我來,妳去忙吃的。」348Please respect copyright.PENANATgcgS6QMkA
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。348Please respect copyright.PENANAPR7d29vxiC
陰暗的房間內,男孩躺在床上熟睡。348Please respect copyright.PENANAMDX8haBV5b
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。」348Please respect copyright.PENANATqS2P75cNr
男孩醒來,睡眼矇矓好一會:「阿嬤……」348Please respect copyright.PENANANmJU1RJSOc
阿嬤:「喝過藥,身體才會快快好起來。」348Please respect copyright.PENANAvMrdY9P3T9
就此讓阿嬤扶起,一口口啜飲苦澀的湯藥。348Please respect copyright.PENANAmgoP5I0ivF
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。348Please respect copyright.PENANAtn3xh8PRHC
好不容喝完湯藥,換母親餵飯。348Please respect copyright.PENANAxlhbcF1nGV
阿嬤詢問:「素娘,明天又要出門?」348Please respect copyright.PENANAK8CHYUiKfp
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。348Please respect copyright.PENANAdTan2J1cME
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。348Please respect copyright.PENANAhwzM9XgygC
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。」348Please respect copyright.PENANAc1x2XCTjfK
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?」348Please respect copyright.PENANAXqTQVzxc7v
素娘:「這是為了孩子和這個家。」348Please respect copyright.PENANA9wyhvkOVtI
阿嬤:「也考慮一下人家會怎麼說妳?」348Please respect copyright.PENANAyrIKzgk4o8
素娘:「…………」348Please respect copyright.PENANADtxjQMEioi
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?」348Please respect copyright.PENANA7Z7DBoZ8Hu
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。」348Please respect copyright.PENANAALzR9w3jVE
阿嬤:「反正女人家少出遠門啦。」348Please respect copyright.PENANADz45FvL6oV
素娘:「等到把女孩買回家,我就不會再出遠門了。」348Please respect copyright.PENANAXi3ytSwivp
阿嬤:「唉……」348Please respect copyright.PENANARWTNvXfb6O
素娘也不再多說這事,只是餵孩子,和孩子說話。348Please respect copyright.PENANAHoyIcNKoCY
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。348Please respect copyright.PENANACmlxAwGDhs
他們看來都才剛成年,十幾二十歲的年輕人。348Please respect copyright.PENANAzHxdCp0KFJ
其中五位,阿嬤見過。另外一位,是新面孔。348Please respect copyright.PENANAVStifRqqmK
他們一起稱呼:「大姊好。阿嬤好。」348Please respect copyright.PENANA2jP0nQAk3X
阿嬤沒有理會他們,直接前往照顧生病的孫子。348Please respect copyright.PENANAjM5XdHrCVd
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。348Please respect copyright.PENANA2o1Z8U6kJO
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。348Please respect copyright.PENANA5mWVcLnHRK
大約五點,端進房間,給孩子餵餐。348Please respect copyright.PENANAX4MCpyffwi
阿嬤比較晚起,不過也前來房間。348Please respect copyright.PENANAOCMe8UJUr5
素娘:「退燒了。身體覺得比較舒服?」348Please respect copyright.PENANAEXKy6qd7bo
男孩:「有……」348Please respect copyright.PENANAPJvA6mtNp0
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?」348Please respect copyright.PENANAssLhPFkQXR
男孩點頭:「嗯……」348Please respect copyright.PENANAY1ZhCzgDeq
素娘:「記住,不論媽媽去到多遠的地方,你永遠都在媽媽心裡。」348Please respect copyright.PENANAdB7OU3FrwE
再次點頭:「嗯……」348Please respect copyright.PENANA7hwXwdtr76
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。」348Please respect copyright.PENANAVITBfhi7vG
阿嬤:「唉……我更希望留下來的是妳啊。」348Please respect copyright.PENANAVwlFazgGDj
素娘不再多說,疼惜撫摸孩子的臉,就此出門離去。348Please respect copyright.PENANALGkqxvdBqz
結果,沒有再回來了……348Please respect copyright.PENANABePFp6Qz1U
………………348Please respect copyright.PENANAlEckcPwGrJ
…………348Please respect copyright.PENANAqx6lfNA3b9
……348Please respect copyright.PENANA3U8x4y7Q9Y
348Please respect copyright.PENANAEIZ4Ja4Mga