
二十年前——394Please respect copyright.PENANAuCXgErFSDo
394Please respect copyright.PENANAjylQXNiAXN
小荷是個人見人愛的六歲小女孩,胖胖白白的臉配上一雙水靈大眼。她每天穿著荷媽親手做的一雙由彩色布碎拼湊而成的小鞋子到處玩耍,有時會跟同村的孩子們跑上山頭採菇,有時會為獨居老人送上新鮮採摘的漂亮花朵,有時會在湖邊遊蕩。394Please respect copyright.PENANA4I4xDkQZKT
394Please respect copyright.PENANA9ta4HLsL8Z
荷媽曾多次提醒她切勿走近湖邊,但小荷偏偏喜歡看蓮花,說蓮花是仙女的化身。荷媽忙著預備晚餐,不甚耐煩地反譏小荷幼稚。小荷不堪被譏諷,激動嚷著會帶蓮花仙女回家,然後頭也不回衝出家門。394Please respect copyright.PENANACyzzx6Xv59
394Please respect copyright.PENANAevusyrU4ns
傍晚,晚餐備好了,小荷還沒有回家。荷媽心緒不寧,深怕小荷遇上意外。她挑燈外出,急步走往湖邊。394Please respect copyright.PENANAVnt2wPzVhb
394Please respect copyright.PENANAUd58sfsk6u
小荷不在。394Please respect copyright.PENANAf3JVOGATB6
394Please respect copyright.PENANAfTUvzz3eqj
荷媽的心頭涼了大截,連忙前去村長家求助。沒多久,大伙兒在湖邊叢林間搜索。394Please respect copyright.PENANAQluUgMqvtO
394Please respect copyright.PENANAxQrHK89jEY
無發現。394Please respect copyright.PENANASLLp2ivAbk
394Please respect copyright.PENANATSTmTujzHp
村長打算重新部署搜索行動之際,有人指著湖中央的一朵蓮花大叫:「看!湖中那朵蓮花上有一隻鞋!」394Please respect copyright.PENANAqVicPGL1Ga
394Please respect copyright.PENANAYvGbqWwtOx
大伙兒定睛細看,卻因光線不足而未能確定那是否一隻鞋。荷媽救女心切,不理眾人勸阻跳入湖中游向那朵蓮花。游著、游著,她的身影突然消失了。394Please respect copyright.PENANAw7iZeExCU9
394Please respect copyright.PENANAj8agfsYkQ3
為免有更多人命犧牲,村民只得待天亮才落水找荷媽。不出所料,荷媽的腳踝被水草纏住,溺斃湖底。村民認得蓮花上的鞋子確是屬於小荷,但找遍湖底亦找不到她的身影。唯有繼續在林間搜索。無果。個多月後,眾人認為找到小荷的機會渺茫,於是停止搜索。394Please respect copyright.PENANA6BsASQFl1O
394Please respect copyright.PENANAGAyc00kEH6
村裡開始流傳蓮花仙女帶走小荷的傳聞……394Please respect copyright.PENANA2xZuXhBmAN
394Please respect copyright.PENANArebP4h5g9N
「那是在你出生前發生的事情?」阿夏一邊聽得著迷,一邊望著車窗外的油油綠草地,驚嘆著這寧靜山村背後竟有這種可怕事。394Please respect copyright.PENANA4GLqo8sJJL
394Please respect copyright.PENANAPlZZjSrDJM
「不。當年我十歲,和小荷挺熟絡。」芙兒沒心情欣賞風景,逕自倚著椅背,微微仰首凝視車廂天花那色調偏冷的米光燈。394Please respect copyright.PENANAzvuOGd3vul
394Please respect copyright.PENANAEoBFs5RudJ
「小荷失蹤一事是你當警察的原因嗎?」阿夏與芙兒作伴數年,不難看出芙兒心事重重,尤其今趟「回鄉之旅」是離鄉別井十多年的芙兒主動提出,可見其別具意義。394Please respect copyright.PENANAxYa1C7LFqC
394Please respect copyright.PENANAl7RAOn3GSB
「嗯……一部份吧。不能說是完全因為她,也不能說是與這事情毫無關係。」芙兒苦笑,些許後悔無故主動提及這大煞風景的陳年往事。回鄉目的不是向各位鄉親苦老宣佈自己與阿夏的婚訊和設喜宴嗎?不是要歡天喜地、眉開眼笑嗎?394Please respect copyright.PENANAs9FkztoSuT
394Please respect copyright.PENANA7D7u9Jd3AO
「不管如何……」阿夏是個聰明人,明明對案件內容細節有興趣,但也知道要適可宜止。他輕拍芙兒的手背,安慰道:「事情已然過去,多想無益。」394Please respect copyright.PENANALndM7clCry
394Please respect copyright.PENANA9qS9tnUcY5
「是的。過去了。」芙兒吁一口氣,似是釋懷,奈何揪心的感覺難以單憑幾句安慰說話連根拔起。394Please respect copyright.PENANAdkiiYamIrV
394Please respect copyright.PENANAgtUY4Uyfa2
顛著、簸著,好不容易來到村口。大城市發展一日千里,隱世小村亦逃不過時間巨輪的輾壓,已然根據政府的規劃建議打造成「山村旅遊區」。生來就是城市人的阿夏未曾到過農村,覺得這地方別具風味,但在村內待了十多年的芙兒卻嗤之以鼻:不也就是電視劇裡的假農村嗎?394Please respect copyright.PENANAxu9wGiJmYF
394Please respect copyright.PENANAtLgshiKyo4
驀地,一個想法在芙兒腦海掠過。394Please respect copyright.PENANAY78msrQoOO
394Please respect copyright.PENANAQUqXGxR3Sv
「阿夏。」芙兒拉拉阿夏的手袖:「我們先去蓮花池那邊看看吧。」394Please respect copyright.PENANAlTFr9XQxXC
394Please respect copyright.PENANAhvoTHc9jWt
不出芙兒所料,蓮花池已面目全非。池邊的泥地與草叢變成了磚路與涼亭,上了漆的鐵製圍欄整齊繞池而立,蓮花換了個品種,顏色更亮麗奪目,尺寸亦比以往的大上數倍。唯一不變的是頭頂上的烈日,仍然熾熱得惡毒。394Please respect copyright.PENANA0IsPX1C1zT
394Please respect copyright.PENANAOQ2HCX1V2n
芙兒逕自繞著蓮花池逆時針方向拐圈踱步。時間彷彿隨著步伐逆行,日落月出,瞬間回到二十年前那個夜晚……
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