■■■318Please respect copyright.PENANApk1udmTut6
318Please respect copyright.PENANANiqbhlCKjd
「這樣就包紮好了,要記得這幾天別讓傷口碰到水。」318Please respect copyright.PENANAnpE9G49ak5
318Please respect copyright.PENANAp8Vl8wK6iU
在替我受傷的手掌套上了網狀繃帶後,梳著西裝髮型的森叔再三叮嚀起應該要注意的事項。318Please respect copyright.PENANAy43G7tXoP4
318Please respect copyright.PENANAgudKzKtC0o
318Please respect copyright.PENANAtDPotURjXf
「……嗯。」318Please respect copyright.PENANAZXGJrhYQNQ
318Please respect copyright.PENANAsEG0uE01Ww
「用不著擔心葛城老師的事情,村長已經派大家去搜索周圍了,相信最晚到了明天就會有結果了。」318Please respect copyright.PENANAmC5990ov7R
318Please respect copyright.PENANArtFjSl5CKc
大概是注意到我無精打采的樣子才會這麼說吧。318Please respect copyright.PENANAaXF0vcwKoa
318Please respect copyright.PENANA4Zn44IZglx
身為村裡唯一的醫生,森叔一直都非常關心對我們這些從小看到大的孩子。318Please respect copyright.PENANAT8ulrxCkQA
318Please respect copyright.PENANAoEhH0ZCaQI
318Please respect copyright.PENANAfIAxt9bJgz
「可是……」318Please respect copyright.PENANAlSqvCG8Wsa
318Please respect copyright.PENANAJRTMG3LAqW
事情得從我逃離那個怪物以後說起。318Please respect copyright.PENANAnyv0o99sJB
318Please respect copyright.PENANA3ndpyXhNnl
好不容易在跌跌撞撞的情況下衝到派出所裡面,驚醒正昏昏欲睡的老員警後,我帶著村裡面聚集起來的長輩們一同返回出事的地點。318Please respect copyright.PENANAt7iJdMVT27
318Please respect copyright.PENANAM4VEe1u6CS
然而,就在到達那裡以後,等待著我們的只有我在慌忙之中所遺留下的書包而已。318Please respect copyright.PENANAHJfi5e788l
318Please respect copyright.PENANA4ZAhuXUNty
318Please respect copyright.PENANA3AHKQSJMx0
其餘的什麼都沒有。318Please respect copyright.PENANA3mwcvmK4As
318Please respect copyright.PENANAp8v1Mtxmld
沒有那怪物,當然也沒有葛城老師的蹤影。318Please respect copyright.PENANAQPzs468ld2
318Please respect copyright.PENANAsVYPPIWnMS
更令人難以置信的是,不論是掉落在地上的殘肢,甚至噴濺了一地的鮮血,所有能夠證明那怪物存在過的跡象都憑空消失。318Please respect copyright.PENANABEqmgcgrIj
318Please respect copyright.PENANA04RHg8wGJ5
一切就像是從未發生過似地,只有一陣接著一陣的風雨不斷地掃過街燈所照亮的地面。318Please respect copyright.PENANABw2qAmU7dM
318Please respect copyright.PENANA5n9MLXhKE6
唯一成為事實的只有葛城老師離奇消失這件事。318Please respect copyright.PENANAJHEfKarHSH
318Please respect copyright.PENANA77cIJaFVVj
不管大家找遍了整個村子附近,都還是無法找到他的身影,這也是我最後得知的消息。318Please respect copyright.PENANAT3lnU7ymuY
318Please respect copyright.PENANAUnGR0fOepi
接下來,等我回過神來的時候,人就已經在森叔的診所這裡進行治療。318Please respect copyright.PENANASRPxTVLe6m
318Please respect copyright.PENANAERIk8QKNJ2
318Please respect copyright.PENANAw1L8GVf0VQ
「無論如何,妳能沒事就好。」318Please respect copyright.PENANAONtm61AQkZ
318Please respect copyright.PENANAQdt4paoyij
不知道為什麼,森叔相當激動地緊緊握住我的雙手。318Please respect copyright.PENANA3ZUlZLvm2A
318Please respect copyright.PENANAs1NmpU4so8
我垂下臉盯著包覆著米白色紗布的手掌和膝蓋,而傷口像是在提醒我那份真實感似地,仍不斷傳來燙熱的刺痛感。318Please respect copyright.PENANAcwDdxQuITe
就在這時候,診察室外面傳來了急促的腳步聲。318Please respect copyright.PENANA2VLPdVOD2g
318Please respect copyright.PENANAl6p4hKKEdx
318Please respect copyright.PENANAlEjkl4mbCO
「來夏─!」318Please respect copyright.PENANAzJ9Par62ps
318Please respect copyright.PENANAWv5lMTUhfG
匆匆忙忙拉開門的人是耕一,而穗香隨後也氣喘呼呼地從他身後出現。318Please respect copyright.PENANAaZWKzQE2sM
318Please respect copyright.PENANAejAJwhBfH4
大概是很急著趕過來的吧,他們兩個的瀏海都因為淋濕而顯得有些凌亂不堪,褲管也都是濕答答的。318Please respect copyright.PENANAWt5LKycFG6
318Please respect copyright.PENANAo2ICaLDOj3
318Please respect copyright.PENANAF7gneaN7vi
「耕一……穗香……」318Please respect copyright.PENANA0NcC6J0lcf
318Please respect copyright.PENANAmNxlFESZuy
感到安心的瞬間,眼淚突然就噗哧噗哧地流了下來。318Please respect copyright.PENANAu4YfmC7lbT
318Please respect copyright.PENANAFeLRCYD89Z
被我這樣子給嚇到的耕一,似乎將原本想說的話給吞了回去,任由跟著流淚的穗香詢問著我身體的狀況。318Please respect copyright.PENANAeA3AanE3aO
318Please respect copyright.PENANA9T7SXlazGg
318Please respect copyright.PENANAj5AUx2Pt4g
「小夏……怎麼會這麼嚴重,手都包成這個樣子,很痛嗎?」318Please respect copyright.PENANAfE13LlQQD9
318Please respect copyright.PENANAqTcWaUHBTL
「我不要緊,只是跌倒的擦傷而已,反倒是葛城老師他……」318Please respect copyright.PENANAtuaFUQXe51
318Please respect copyright.PENANAA30G3RPama
「嗯,我們知道,森叔已經在電話裡都跟我說過了。」318Please respect copyright.PENANAtqkDqdaD5w
318Please respect copyright.PENANAQRYuNGXCMl
由於森叔交代過先別引起不必要的恐慌,因此耕一所得到的資訊,大概就是我們被熊襲擊而已。雖然欺騙並非我的本意,但我也能理解森叔目前的顧慮。318Please respect copyright.PENANAOsCfuzuMT7
318Please respect copyright.PENANAOUHwl2Bt4R
318Please respect copyright.PENANAl7Br4SiktG
「時間也不早了,現在先讓來夏回去休息吧,有消息我會馬上聯絡妳們。」318Please respect copyright.PENANAjMbIUYK1SX
318Please respect copyright.PENANAnICeKhzg5u
我再次向森叔點頭道謝後,在穗香的陪同下步出了診療室。318Please respect copyright.PENANA6ekgEnQzo3
318Please respect copyright.PENANAoa9CyGIKQQ
318Please respect copyright.PENANArGjku70gTG
「對了,耕一。」318Please respect copyright.PENANAsRULwPfAgs
318Please respect copyright.PENANABYoEOtfE2U
然而,在我們離開之前,森叔突然出聲叫住了正準備拉上門的耕一。318Please respect copyright.PENANAH3O9O8a2l1
318Please respect copyright.PENANAyZCtTb1c4I
318Please respect copyright.PENANAGTbwIyf1Bx
「今天的那個就先延後吧,這陣子可能會比較忙,時間的話……哎,過陣子再找時間吧。」318Please respect copyright.PENANAaQsFp1kHCz
318Please respect copyright.PENANACdq4t31uXR
「我知道了,那麼就先告辭了。」318Please respect copyright.PENANAAkx6heghoi
318Please respect copyright.PENANAJUKKFwfJLV
耕一向著燈光充足的診療室裡面行了一禮,接著關門跟了上來。318Please respect copyright.PENANAZwXn5TVZzz
318Please respect copyright.PENANAhDLMDIhaDz
318Please respect copyright.PENANAzEDctbj935
「耕一……你和森叔今天有約嗎?」318Please respect copyright.PENANAfMGP2T8G0T
318Please respect copyright.PENANAgrNnmOu94G
「算是吧,但不是什麼重要的事情。」318Please respect copyright.PENANADnCEptHTsH
318Please respect copyright.PENANAmA2Gk214wm
對於我的提問,耕一似乎沒有想要回答的意思,大概真的如他所說不是很重要吧。318Please respect copyright.PENANAlkmv12SOWw
318Please respect copyright.PENANACgs4IHvvy9
外面的雨下得很大,再加上走廊並沒有開燈的緣故,在聽覺和視覺雙雙受到干擾的限制下,我們彼此都不發一語地穿越長長地木造走廊。318Please respect copyright.PENANAxFj9l6SL0O
318Please respect copyright.PENANAxblHvUKoOU
318Please respect copyright.PENANABmYXMZ3bTb
「小夏,那個……那邊走過來的好像是村長。」318Please respect copyright.PENANA8AV2zQdE2U
318Please respect copyright.PENANALBbByRgvuS
等到我們在門口準備撐傘的時候,穗香拉了拉我的衣角。318Please respect copyright.PENANAbL8NlE8rNw
318Please respect copyright.PENANAro3025WBan
遠遠就看到滂沱的雨勢中有兩個披著深色簑衣的人影走了過來,就如同穗香所說的,是我們神命村的村長和他身旁的助理。318Please respect copyright.PENANAz7ixaDCkfZ
318Please respect copyright.PENANAw4jBvQ6ZTB
年紀約莫七十多歲的村長留著長至喉結的灰色鬍鬚,一隻眼睛因為白內障而呈現混濁不清,滿是皺紋的臉上總是維持著冷峻的表情,是村人們都相當敬畏的存在,尤其是身為晚輩的我們,不巧遇到的話只有低頭行禮的份。318Please respect copyright.PENANAA6ozVon1dZ
318Please respect copyright.PENANAwqEmekbrjE
318Please respect copyright.PENANAD6xwfHYciH
「村長好。」318Please respect copyright.PENANAkZpxIYy9uA
318Please respect copyright.PENANA94bm65LDgJ
我趕緊將眼角的淚痕擦了擦,經過如同往常般不被理睬的行禮,村長和助理逕自往診所內走去。318Please respect copyright.PENANA0n9SPhEAUp
318Please respect copyright.PENANAb5puo6gBGG
然而,不知道自己的是不是錯覺,在抬起臉的瞬間,似乎和那蟲類般無機質的視線交錯而過。318Please respect copyright.PENANAfDbCCqXJW3
318Please respect copyright.PENANAZvaYAR7QMf
「村長他……剛剛是不是瞪了小夏一眼啊?」318Please respect copyright.PENANAjDd0Vr8AML
318Please respect copyright.PENANAIqVjN503Gg
「別亂說話。」318Please respect copyright.PENANABL70hGT3Ev
318Please respect copyright.PENANAHoznoIhuzr
在耕一不悅地指正穗香的同時,我望著身後那兩件簑衣漸漸沒入走廊盡頭的黑暗中。318Please respect copyright.PENANAx4oOWgaGAl
318Please respect copyright.PENANAZqPokc9enT
◇318Please respect copyright.PENANAYvT2003dXr
318Please respect copyright.PENANANeiy6T47yS
「那麼,我先陪來夏回去拿她的東西,穗香妳就先幫她放點熱水吧。」318Please respect copyright.PENANAolWUTA0YDH
318Please respect copyright.PENANAE8X3n1Z4rG
途中在經過穗香家的時候,耕一罕見地像這樣主動交待著。318Please respect copyright.PENANAHIZjCPwztH
318Please respect copyright.PENANA7FuXmTeXQw
而一向聽他話的穗香自然只有默默點頭的份,我在將整個淋濕的書包先交給她以後,和耕一一人一把傘並肩走在渠道旁的碎石子小路上。318Please respect copyright.PENANAXxo0xoj7kE
318Please respect copyright.PENANA3AJvD09WQ0
傾盆的毫雨沒有任何減緩的跡象,遠方的景色皆瀰漫著濃密的雨霧。耕一在走了一小段路後停下腳步,望了望四周確定沒有人以後,以稍微大過雨聲的音量問起我來。318Please respect copyright.PENANAmZttCL1imr
318Please respect copyright.PENANAfQ6xTbDlNX
318Please respect copyright.PENANAKxNQRU2Hpm
「來夏,襲擊妳跟葛城的到底是什麼東西?」318Please respect copyright.PENANAI93RIMTpw8
318Please respect copyright.PENANAYDwVyDGJls
那是相當冷靜地,彷彿任何謊言都能看穿的眼神,他果然早就發現了吧。318Please respect copyright.PENANARpN3zr8tYE
318Please respect copyright.PENANAz2O0Gy8HPD
318Please respect copyright.PENANA1AjATJ8cg3
「還有,為什麼這麼晚了妳還跟葛城在外面,我希望妳能將一切都老實地對我說。」318Please respect copyright.PENANAQq8Sui2A5w
318Please respect copyright.PENANA0l3G3PVbm4
「……把穗香支開就是這個原因嗎?」318Please respect copyright.PENANAMrvSKRvgE1
318Please respect copyright.PENANAGfTCh7ns0R
「嗯,以她的個性最好什麼都不要知道比較好,而我這邊希望了解事情的全貌,才能知道有沒有幫得上妳的忙。」318Please respect copyright.PENANAsC6ocaaQI5
318Please respect copyright.PENANAqXlnOPnUKl
318Please respect copyright.PENANAcAJaej9HDL
「也是……如果是耕一你的話,應該會相信吧……」318Please respect copyright.PENANAvBxKHagkXW
318Please respect copyright.PENANAgqWqllnI0L
於是,我將那在不久前發生的,完全不符常理的經過都告訴耕一。318Please respect copyright.PENANABfPAjZKlsV
318Please respect copyright.PENANAnRhzUakvZk
體育倉庫的事、遇到怪物的事,甚至葛城老師在我面前被殺害的細節,毫無保留地全都讓他知道。318Please respect copyright.PENANAFjnnd24Qm0
318Please respect copyright.PENANA12vR9WJvc9
只是最後……明明毫無根據,卻讓我不得不確信的那個,從那時候起就讓我一直猶豫該不該說出口。318Please respect copyright.PENANAFZcelq2Ps9
318Please respect copyright.PENANAruzJ4JSMQU
318Please respect copyright.PENANAUPcrboiD6V
「不得不確信?」318Please respect copyright.PENANARSArnED3Du
318Please respect copyright.PENANAhGnivZBxn1
在耕一的追問之下,我才吞吞吐吐地透漏。318Please respect copyright.PENANAHkdylHSaaK
318Please respect copyright.PENANALbR8AY04Hj
318Please respect copyright.PENANA9fRsnQscks
「那個怪物……真的……很像冬笑。」318Please respect copyright.PENANAsxA7rxnLMV
318Please respect copyright.PENANAAK0ZTtl9U4
當時那佇立在原地看著我的模樣,和死去的冬笑簡直一模一樣。318Please respect copyright.PENANAZkCcyZ7CeS
318Please respect copyright.PENANApSKlNryhTK
太過荒誕的想法,我先前並沒有讓大人們知道,不然他們肯定會認為我在精神狀況上出了什麼問題。318Please respect copyright.PENANA4dMi2U9gsV
318Please respect copyright.PENANA8KrBTiNWi2
318Please respect copyright.PENANA2zbxd6hrz4
「很像──冬笑嗎。」318Please respect copyright.PENANAQCnKXC0kMz
318Please respect copyright.PENANADG9D1cMQ86
在這之前一次都沒有停頓過的耕一也不得不思索起來。318Please respect copyright.PENANAMiQuzghKqm
318Please respect copyright.PENANADagRQk7SxN
那也是當然的吧,不管是誰,在聽到與不應出現在此的死者牽扯上關係,都會多少質疑那其中的合理性。318Please respect copyright.PENANALBotebsGmP
318Please respect copyright.PENANAcGpafYIE3w
318Please respect copyright.PENANAjJIy7CCvZP
「我知道聽起來很奇怪,但是耕一……你會相信我吧?」318Please respect copyright.PENANAPQAlJxZ54M
318Please respect copyright.PENANAfvhkgbFgcl
「沒什麼好質疑的,畢竟說是開玩笑也太超過了。只是關於最後妳所說的讓我有點在意……但既然沒有攻擊妳的意思,難道冬笑的目的是要回來復仇嗎?」318Please respect copyright.PENANABzYIIf9KQx
318Please respect copyright.PENANAxBYhXx2hvW
「我不知道。但冬笑就算憎恨村子,也沒有任何要報復村子的理由,更何況也不可能只針對葛城老師──」318Please respect copyright.PENANAp52KjLUybd
318Please respect copyright.PENANAp6eHpnPUcM
「不,那還很難說吧。」318Please respect copyright.PENANAzceyCxM56X
318Please respect copyright.PENANA08ojGAD8E6
「什麼……意思?」318Please respect copyright.PENANAknBCdYrbqO
318Please respect copyright.PENANAu2GGR8i0qj
周遭的雨聲彷彿突然停止了一樣。318Please respect copyright.PENANAnys9BUrWk7
318Please respect copyright.PENANAoeh5aVOImE
明明是耕一極小聲地自言自語,一字一句在我耳裡聽起來卻格外地清晰。318Please respect copyright.PENANA3pc3PBZNMQ
318Please respect copyright.PENANAeZU8mpAd7y
318Please respect copyright.PENANAjGNO1OLFTs
「怎麼了?突然擺出那種吃到蟲子似的表情。」318Please respect copyright.PENANAZ3DIdJrh5r
318Please respect copyright.PENANAAFGhw54hs6
「我在問你是什麼意思……為什麼你會認為冬笑找葛城老師復仇是很正常的事情?」318Please respect copyright.PENANA1wArhCcRaM
318Please respect copyright.PENANARxancduqN9
「啊……抱歉,是我不好,能先當作沒聽到嗎,因為還不到能說的時候。」318Please respect copyright.PENANAHphqehS1xy
318Please respect copyright.PENANAKwW0EGaNAK
「怎麼可能當作沒聽到啊!!」318Please respect copyright.PENANAOtuB7Ke0cS
318Please respect copyright.PENANA1qFTDSIvfn
我雙手用力地抓住耕一的肩膀,彼此的雨傘雙雙掉落到地上。318Please respect copyright.PENANAbDc3HtAdMc
318Please respect copyright.PENANAcMCdlB5MHZ
陷入了無聲的沉默。318Please respect copyright.PENANAbF0eqyrQNi
318Please respect copyright.PENANAJ5RwY4RqEH
我們的身體就這樣任憑雨水無情地拍打,不到幾秒的時間,撐傘這個行為就變得一點意義都沒有。318Please respect copyright.PENANADgw3CJYDu0
318Please respect copyright.PENANA3IdLsdfl8g
318Please respect copyright.PENANAfUTrEoKSQF
「……我只是推論而已,還沒有決定性的證據。」318Please respect copyright.PENANAHgLwteWeJC
318Please respect copyright.PENANAo0viROjpX2
臉頰上的水滴滑動。318Please respect copyright.PENANA6zuZADVGkd
318Please respect copyright.PENANAuJUODNhoyG
耕一像是犯錯的孩子似地別了開臉,而我則是加重了手指的力道示意他繼續說下去。318Please respect copyright.PENANAyzLyrEIQzr
318Please respect copyright.PENANA33KluT2QbN
318Please respect copyright.PENANAqnjNRtYHMN
「因為我認為──殺死冬笑的人就是葛城。」318Please respect copyright.PENANAedcIzSIMWf
318Please respect copyright.PENANAHKh3Q8Tq4a
318Please respect copyright.PENANACXLYam9poB
318Please respect copyright.PENANArG1pqDPGs0
318Please respect copyright.PENANAfICFeVgcRi
318Please respect copyright.PENANAE8vFR0jRMB