晚空下著毛毛細雨,密麻麻的大樓仍然燈火通明,行人道和白天一樣車水馬龍,這座城市就是一台永不停歇的工作機器。寬敞的馬路上,一式一樣的電動車無聲地行駛。自動駕駛的電動車互相協調,每一輛車都能以最有效率的路線行進,因而沒有爭路問題。391Please respect copyright.PENANAsXw6NGuWU2
391Please respect copyright.PENANAFVPPasqGdL
形似特大型麵包機的電動車之中,其中一輛載著慶壽。他身穿黑色西裝,繞起二郎腿,對窗外的烏藍夜景發呆。鄰座是他的女兒妃童,一樣的金髮藍瞳,正用手指數窗上的雨點。391Please respect copyright.PENANACvZZ8GQh2U
391Please respect copyright.PENANAGqi9uL0aSU
「爸爸玩雨滴賽跑!」妃童大叫。391Please respect copyright.PENANAEJklIdyiZc
391Please respect copyright.PENANAh2jz9D52U9
「我選這個。」慶壽隨手往窗上一指。
妃童點了另一顆雨滴,對著玻璃興奮的加油打氣。慶壽低頭看手機,輸入道:『我們快到龕場了。』391Please respect copyright.PENANAvg6rH38yk4
391Please respect copyright.PENANAdL32bfDQZd
「快點快點!要到終點了!」391Please respect copyright.PENANAn0ZpRfenyF
391Please respect copyright.PENANAXXTbvcuDqB
慶壽冷不防敲打車窗,玻璃滑落大片雨水。391Please respect copyright.PENANAx2ffYiIzKx
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「是我贏了。」391Please respect copyright.PENANAUqJ88XgF4p
391Please respect copyright.PENANA4GVfnUgL6I
「爸爸耍詐!」391Please respect copyright.PENANAswElU0iuy1
391Please respect copyright.PENANAFp2s53OMr2
電動車在路邊停下,車頭玻璃上跳出虛擬視窗,提示已到達目的地及車費金額。慶壽舉起手機對準視窗,姆指一撥像把東西彈出去,視窗顯示已收款,妃童旁邊的車門自動滑開,潮熱的空氣立即吹進車廂。391Please respect copyright.PENANAWnxUsg5jHJ
391Please respect copyright.PENANAdFJ3XOzVi5
「下雨!」妃童興奮的尖叫。391Please respect copyright.PENANACmmytp2Bzr
391Please respect copyright.PENANAXKqo6oQtKX
「我們沒有帶傘。」慶壽說,「快跑!」391Please respect copyright.PENANAqHbQ6HQy4F
391Please respect copyright.PENANAIe3ssxuY1O
一大一小先後衝出電動車,狼狽的以手擋雨,跑進對面的建築裡。此建築只有兩層,與兩旁的高樓形成一個誇張的『凹』字。紅色的外牆沒有窗戶,四角突出的綠色圓柱雕繪各路神佛,龍飛鳳舞。前門上方掛著牌匾,白色大字『淨靈堂』。391Please respect copyright.PENANA0gADXJTh6L
391Please respect copyright.PENANAX3NUMsZ0xe
龕場内部裝潢簡潔得多,白色的牆和地板。然而此白又不同於純白,是稍偏黃,帶著老舊的米白。
慶壽前往電子服務台,指尖正要點下去。391Please respect copyright.PENANAWbHflxkPbw
391Please respect copyright.PENANA5LthaNSlvK
「爸爸,叔叔在B-3。」妃童指著太陽穴說。391Please respect copyright.PENANA0RM4bisYDN
391Please respect copyright.PENANAvVsjG9BjA1
「既視感來得正是時候,我們走吧。」391Please respect copyright.PENANAr9x3668cHq
391Please respect copyright.PENANAJVnBWpcged
慶壽牽著妃童的手往内部走,他數著牆上的大字,A-1、A-2、A-3﹐直到找到B-3﹐拐過轉角。兩旁的牆由每格三十平方厘米的純白方塊密舖而成。寬闊的走道上聚集了十多男女,所有人統一黑色裝扮,神情凝重,肅立於原地靜候,慘白的燈光讓每張臉都少了幾分血色。
他們在人群後與義彌會合,妃童向他招手,義彌亦招手回應。慶壽跨張的張口皺眉,伸手捏著義彌衣服的肩線,「我不敢相信,你居然直接穿制服過來。」391Please respect copyright.PENANAUlORYAiZgE
391Please respect copyright.PENANAnmGx8domWt
「有何不可,反正是黑色的。」義彌聳肩,「回家換衣服太費時間。」391Please respect copyright.PENANAynEfNhWv2B
391Please respect copyright.PENANA3s0v57n2j4
「我想她不會介意的,因為你是她老公嘛。」第三把聲音插話道。391Please respect copyright.PENANA6f5wMk6LCe
391Please respect copyright.PENANASZrqO9TY6E
「藍道,一年沒見了。」慶壽向插話的男子伸手。391Please respect copyright.PENANAU1IMqKsW6G
391Please respect copyright.PENANAG1G4D7lbV1
被稱作藍道的男子禮貌地與慶壽握手,他有一頭油光的黑髮,臉方下巴厚。他向妃童揮手,妃童躲到父親身後不說話。391Please respect copyright.PENANAEBNZJDMhgk
391Please respect copyright.PENANAjr33THbjbI
「時間差不多,缺席的人是不會來的了。」義彌低頭看手機,「今年就只剩我們。」391Please respect copyright.PENANAl1CatobSY0
391Please respect copyright.PENANAOWuyedInW9
「連救命恩人的忌日也不出席,該說他們忘恩負義還是鐵石心腸更適當。」藍道憤慨的說。391Please respect copyright.PENANA24gJjlqQt7
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「前來渡念的人也是一年比一年少。」慶壽說。391Please respect copyright.PENANAVxhIP4Q2in
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「我不在意。」義彌把手機放到耳邊,「我是B-3的義彌,現在可以開始了。」391Please respect copyright.PENANAydH2HZ8ECF
391Please respect copyright.PENANAjyhyp5thRh
掛掉電話的同時,燈光轉暗。牆壁由上到下第三格亮起白光,方格中央顯示一張女性的黑白照,清湯掛麵,大眼,小嘴,瓜子臉,典型的美人胚子。391Please respect copyright.PENANAIaJYKor9rH
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『葵薇 20XX年7月13日-20XX年6月3日』391Please respect copyright.PENANAXpeVUFal1V
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義彌把手機放在嘴前,聲音經揚聲器放大:「各位的時間都很寶貴,我們節省程序,一起鞠躬三次,然後牽花吧。」391Please respect copyright.PENANAwLJuf4QfgU
391Please respect copyright.PENANAATEVQOKk7D
眾人沒有反對,一同向方格連續三次鞠躬,然後滑弄手機,伴隨清脆的提示音,鮮花的圖像於相片旁圍成花圈。接下來是默哀時間,眾人的臉無不神情哀傷,唯有義彌面無表情,不表露任何情緒。391Please respect copyright.PENANAid4vfxtFNa
391Please respect copyright.PENANAW1Jwmh12Xo
相片旁跳出不識趣的倒計時,餘下的時間約有四分鐘。群眾陸續散去,離開前皆與義彌點頭示意。而他還是那副撲克臉,機械式的點頭回應。391Please respect copyright.PENANAHvZD1HTTK7
391Please respect copyright.PENANAKgQKpyGxpS
「吃過晚飯了嗎?」慶壽低聲說,「待會,一起吃飯?」391Please respect copyright.PENANAdHLoIqMnrH
391Please respect copyright.PENANA9aJ4epq8lY
義彌疑惑的抬起半邊眉,「不用回去陪老婆嗎?」391Please respect copyright.PENANAtndxK9LKWp
391Please respect copyright.PENANAGB4AZNpon4
「加班。」慶壽舉手往空中比了比,他把手搭在妃童肩上,把她從身後拉出來,「一起來嘛,妃童也會高興的。」妃童抗議的拍打慶壽大腿。391Please respect copyright.PENANA6jwRzazljH
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「好。」義彌微笑說。391Please respect copyright.PENANAprvoQW78GF
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慶壽的笑容從義彌眼中消散,取而代之是一連串映像快轉掠過腦海。391Please respect copyright.PENANAuetqOmJqEh
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「看到了嗎?」義彌低聲嘀咕。391Please respect copyright.PENANACkzkLA8u9m
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「看到了。」391Please respect copyright.PENANA4xroAUH6tx
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藍道輕聲呼叫義彌。兩人一同轉身,藍道板直了腰,表情嚴肅的點頭。391Please respect copyright.PENANAZlEijPxKmo
391Please respect copyright.PENANAD8FgnGijLC
「對於你太太被選為指定犧牲者一事,我依然耿耿於懷。相隔五年至今,每當我想起自己還能活著,都拜葵薇女士無私的奉獻,我只感到無上的感恩。」藍道的雙瞳閃過淚光,鼻頭赤紅,「葵薇女士跟隨既視感的指示搶先搭乘墜樓的升降機,拯救了包括我在内九人的生命,其勇氣是世人不應忘記的。」391Please respect copyright.PENANARrwMOcMGHB
391Please respect copyright.PENANAEvXYqzT9WW
義彌別開視線,臉頰不自然的顫動。藍道深吸紅鼻子,繼續說:「葵薇女士是我們的英雄,然而她英勇的事蹟正被世人淡忘。」藍道雙手遞上卡片,是某電影公司導演的名片。「這位導演聽聞葵薇女士的故事後大受感動,他想將事件拍成電影,將她的故事宣揚,給予社會上其他迷惘的人勇氣。」391Please respect copyright.PENANAfWPAL5CAsQ
391Please respect copyright.PENANAmm6Z2ZZOlE
慶壽雙手抱胸,鼻抬得比頭還高,冷漠的用鼻孔看他。391Please respect copyright.PENANAD8yUcN8ESJ
391Please respect copyright.PENANA2LkQ7KWbQK
藍道搭上義彌的肩,像對知心好友般說:「並不會對你做成滋擾,只需要進行一場訪問,之後會付給你一筆可觀的酬金。」藍道靠得很近,義彌能感受到他的鼻息。「請問你意下如何?」391Please respect copyright.PENANAJTVQXtrjDt
391Please respect copyright.PENANAnHKujdivLj
義彌直視藍道紅熱的眼眶,情緒抑壓到頂,不禁啞然失笑。藍道收回搭肩的手,表情顯得不知所措。391Please respect copyright.PENANAL8FgD0Q5rn
391Please respect copyright.PENANAf4AxiVN1yE
「你的悲傷過於有戲,反倒顯得可笑。」義彌說,「葵薇不是甚麼英雄,『英勇』一詞亦與她無關。」391Please respect copyright.PENANAwLpku4tDDi
391Please respect copyright.PENANAUqAIBvu2UP
牆上的倒計時剛好數到零,格子回歸一片空白,走道重新亮燈。391Please respect copyright.PENANAUawSPiBbQG
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「下年再見。」義彌大動作的揮手道別,大步離開。391Please respect copyright.PENANAFBxNCy9Jfx
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藍道死心不息還想追上去糾纏。慶壽上前擋住去路,在他的紅鼻子面前豎起食指警告。391Please respect copyright.PENANA34pTCr9Ygr
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「知難而退。」391Please respect copyright.PENANA7eeoLSxBNh
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說罷便抱起妃童,跟上義彌離開。391Please respect copyright.PENANAAl9WKokKiK