
071:出門
一八八四年,男孩(蒼原城隍)八歲。438Please respect copyright.PENANAIik7LdnuKu
這一天,天色一發亮,母親(素娘)起床,前往廚房料理早餐。438Please respect copyright.PENANAgGEdhfdRdk
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。438Please respect copyright.PENANA6t3G8NyZUZ
素娘:「早。」438Please respect copyright.PENANAuqEEy6P05q
阿嬤:「孩子還好?」438Please respect copyright.PENANAdPUZZho8o8
素娘:「還在發燒。」438Please respect copyright.PENANA1sRAYZu4fJ
阿嬤用粗布防熱,提起煎藥壺。438Please respect copyright.PENANAqshISk7RRN
素娘:「媽,我來弄就好。」438Please respect copyright.PENANAx0CtTh5EN9
阿嬤:「我來,妳去忙吃的。」438Please respect copyright.PENANArugMwBU5hQ
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。438Please respect copyright.PENANA1NqoYuzTXt
陰暗的房間內,男孩躺在床上熟睡。438Please respect copyright.PENANAlx0IDnfOwh
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。」438Please respect copyright.PENANAxiqqxDpPBF
男孩醒來,睡眼矇矓好一會:「阿嬤……」438Please respect copyright.PENANABkdLohpPOg
阿嬤:「喝過藥,身體才會快快好起來。」438Please respect copyright.PENANARk7YMlu8j6
就此讓阿嬤扶起,一口口啜飲苦澀的湯藥。438Please respect copyright.PENANAjQQ4KF9eTF
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。438Please respect copyright.PENANAj3fQfccqCH
好不容喝完湯藥,換母親餵飯。438Please respect copyright.PENANAAo4mAZtTLk
阿嬤詢問:「素娘,明天又要出門?」438Please respect copyright.PENANAO0xFuSFh0U
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。438Please respect copyright.PENANAXEiHhLho8O
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。438Please respect copyright.PENANAQzYo3wlg75
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。」438Please respect copyright.PENANAlLijp6zPuq
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?」438Please respect copyright.PENANApbiwBTtnPU
素娘:「這是為了孩子和這個家。」438Please respect copyright.PENANA2NIet7pi2s
阿嬤:「也考慮一下人家會怎麼說妳?」438Please respect copyright.PENANAsGX8YxLnXG
素娘:「…………」438Please respect copyright.PENANAG554QiRD6W
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?」438Please respect copyright.PENANAsqErzwsOrb
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。」438Please respect copyright.PENANACxBOwIsoTy
阿嬤:「反正女人家少出遠門啦。」438Please respect copyright.PENANAi9VG7CsaAJ
素娘:「等到把女孩買回家,我就不會再出遠門了。」438Please respect copyright.PENANAjbTJiIRNoy
阿嬤:「唉……」438Please respect copyright.PENANAkDFQmKDfvf
素娘也不再多說這事,只是餵孩子,和孩子說話。438Please respect copyright.PENANADIuYhi2ERV
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。438Please respect copyright.PENANAxyc0gB0vvb
他們看來都才剛成年,十幾二十歲的年輕人。438Please respect copyright.PENANAWcpqcd9myh
其中五位,阿嬤見過。另外一位,是新面孔。438Please respect copyright.PENANAEPeumRXRd6
他們一起稱呼:「大姊好。阿嬤好。」438Please respect copyright.PENANADadk9HbmNX
阿嬤沒有理會他們,直接前往照顧生病的孫子。438Please respect copyright.PENANAa0FfyV2hHn
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。438Please respect copyright.PENANAoeLeTY4tsb
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。438Please respect copyright.PENANAoeiJgbM2LE
大約五點,端進房間,給孩子餵餐。438Please respect copyright.PENANAR7UmAKJYNe
阿嬤比較晚起,不過也前來房間。438Please respect copyright.PENANAWkw6GcNSkO
素娘:「退燒了。身體覺得比較舒服?」438Please respect copyright.PENANAKtWLrIFtzn
男孩:「有……」438Please respect copyright.PENANAm6ycYBNXew
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?」438Please respect copyright.PENANAetCozPugMx
男孩點頭:「嗯……」438Please respect copyright.PENANAUZoThTPza5
素娘:「記住,不論媽媽去到多遠的地方,你永遠都在媽媽心裡。」438Please respect copyright.PENANAbyhXojwovT
再次點頭:「嗯……」438Please respect copyright.PENANAgb48cnv45O
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。」438Please respect copyright.PENANAzmTEoweedv
阿嬤:「唉……我更希望留下來的是妳啊。」438Please respect copyright.PENANASltm4TLp69
素娘不再多說,疼惜撫摸孩子的臉,就此出門離去。438Please respect copyright.PENANAiBxNNx2oqN
結果,沒有再回來了……438Please respect copyright.PENANAqsyCXjY9gt
………………438Please respect copyright.PENANAA4hnPE5iyu
…………438Please respect copyright.PENANA2r6lBjyv8Z
……438Please respect copyright.PENANAGEnpS2v5yf
438Please respect copyright.PENANA2lt7eD1EWt