
阿圭是個木訥的孩子,話不多,笑容不多。他感到孤獨,想要找個朋友,但也沒勇氣多做一步。身邊人彷彿對他有無盡惡意——學校操場上,體育老師當眾痛罵阿圭手腳不靈活,像龜。走廊裡,學長嘲諷阿圭膽小怕事,像龜。家,父母的話題圍繞著他的長相,說他眼距過寛,像龜。阿圭心裡不是滋味,卻選擇啞忍,像龜。205Please respect copyright.PENANA4lgimUCTBn
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某天,上學途中,阿圭發現一間新開張的水族店。咦?別的店家開張時定會大鑼大鼓,怎麼這店會那麼靜悄悄的、死氣沉沉的?詭秘感覺油然而生,令人不寒而慄。205Please respect copyright.PENANAOlLLtWWL2Z
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阿圭打算轉身離開之際,店裡有道稚嫩童音叫住他:「有興趣進來看看嗎?」205Please respect copyright.PENANACitskD9yI6
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阿圭止住腳步,心生猶豫,仔細打量無門的店面。店面沒啥特別,與一般水族店無異。惟定睛瞇眼細望,隱約看見門前有一幅無形水簾。夏風吹過,簾上泛漣,波光粼粼。205Please respect copyright.PENANAdS0rm9gI9v
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幻覺?205Please respect copyright.PENANAt4rBC1U7Ar
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阿圭不敢貿然內進,佇立原地,向內裡的稚童喊問:「這店有沒有甚麼特別的?」205Please respect copyright.PENANAzaILuivvHA
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「有一隻龜精。」稚童笑說。205Please respect copyright.PENANA1VjPCq3fP9
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阿圭被嚇得心頭一顫,扭頭就走。
翌日,上學路上,阿圭再次走經水族店門前。稚童再次喊話:「有興趣進來看看嗎?」205Please respect copyright.PENANAdUsndKsBQr
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「不了。我不喜歡龜。」阿圭本可不予理會,逕自走過,但他卻莫名其妙地停下步伐,應答稚童。205Please respect copyright.PENANAjyQ7g7osIO
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「其實我也不喜歡龜,奈何我偏偏與龜有緣。」稚童慨嘆。205Please respect copyright.PENANA4s3EzVhsRz
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「我也是。」阿圭苦笑,邁步踏進店門。205Please respect copyright.PENANAkLRxqls3rd
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店面盡處有一櫃枱,枱上有一隻小龜和一隻老龜。阿圭與小龜四目交投,彼此眼神如出一轍。阿圭笑了,隨手將一把硬幣置於枱上,然後抱走老龜。205Please respect copyright.PENANAVcTMG9TA3d
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踏出店面,世界重歸吵鬧。阿圭驀地記不起自己為何會買下老龜,但時間不容許他再作多想——快要遲到了!他只得帶著老龜回校。205Please respect copyright.PENANAobw8FdkZvX
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阿圭甫進入學校範圍,學長馬上察覺老龜的存在,上前向阿圭索龜把玩。阿圭不依,對方乾脆強搶。阿圭身細力弱,眼巴巴看著老龜被帶至不知何處去。205Please respect copyright.PENANAQ3rjt4Llkz
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午飯時間,學長笑咪咪的告訴阿圭,老龜正在操場等待他。阿圭心叫不妙,馬上衝往操場。205Please respect copyright.PENANAYjzGUn1uei
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沿路上,同學們不懷好意地或瞟或瞥,背著阿圭竊竊私語。阿圭心急如焚,急步走遍操場每一角落,尋找老龜影蹤。205Please respect copyright.PENANAi4muZRjSlU
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不果。205Please respect copyright.PENANAYiJGNQSeTX
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午餐時段即將完結,飢腸轆轆的阿圭乏力跌坐種在場邊的槐樹下。綠葉繁盛,樹影婆娑,或搖或擺的斑駁葉影令人眼花撩亂,但阿圭從中看出異樣。205Please respect copyright.PENANAs10xJSYEkG
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他不敢置信的抬頭一望——205Please respect copyright.PENANA9CNLIDsRd3
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老龜的長頸被魚絲緊緊套勒著,懸吊空中,隨風擺、隨風轉,像片葉。205Please respect copyright.PENANAJU4MUFrd8x
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葉莖斷,葉身落;龜頸斷,龜身落。205Please respect copyright.PENANAPPakaBUAAk
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落地有聲。卜。清脆利落。
「不用那麼在意吧!學長跟你開玩笑而已。」老師暗責阿圭不懂寬容。205Please respect copyright.PENANAftDKWrYQnA
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「何必在乎一隻龜?反正花不了多少錢就可以再買一隻。」父母沒興趣關心阿圭,正如他們不認為老龜被殘殺有甚麼大不了。205Please respect copyright.PENANAiQkDguIsiO
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阿圭默不作聲,像龜。205Please respect copyright.PENANAKNxsShi69L
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翌日,上學路上,阿圭再次走經水族店門前。小童再次喊話:「有興趣進來看看嗎?」205Please respect copyright.PENANAYoHbmYmmXS
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阿圭不假思索,大步邁進。店內,無數龜隻被魚絲懸吊著,身首狀態介於「連」與「斷」之間。店面盡處的櫃枱上還是那隻小龜。阿圭與小龜四目交投,彼此眼神如出一轍。小龜笑了,背起阿圭,一同潛入位於櫃後的深水池中。205Please respect copyright.PENANAifIod3BG85
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龜的世界。上學的龜,逛店的龜,回家的龜。殘忍的龜,懦弱的龜,無情的龜。殘忍的龜將人類吊死水草上,懦弱的龜懊悔自責卻不敢反抗,無情的龜漠不關心。205Please respect copyright.PENANAnhLqLZqwFi
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小龜帶阿圭回到店內,說:「其實我不喜歡龜,奈何我偏偏與龜有緣。」205Please respect copyright.PENANArzGkkyPvw0
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阿圭說:「其實我不喜歡人,奈何我偏偏與人有緣。」205Please respect copyright.PENANAj4lyr40bmC
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阿圭與小龜四目交投,彼此眼神如出一轍。
阿圭在龜的世界開設寵物店,將父母、老師和學長誘騙到店裡來,再將他們販賣出去。205Please respect copyright.PENANAUZvQnqbj9F
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真期待他們被吊死水草上的畫面。
註:此篇另收錄於短篇小說集《雜念集》。若此舉違規,煩請創挑主通知,願刪文。
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