■■■167Please respect copyright.PENANAj4oZD5L333
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「這樣就包紮好了,要記得這幾天別讓傷口碰到水。」167Please respect copyright.PENANAQCpx7wze2T
167Please respect copyright.PENANAhfKz1JmSlD
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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAFsoUAPHCYr
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「……嗯。」167Please respect copyright.PENANAO5wWNiezkL
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「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。」167Please respect copyright.PENANAChmPLGX4in
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大概是注意到我無精打采的樣子才會這麼說吧。167Please respect copyright.PENANAJob3ZBXXkC
167Please respect copyright.PENANA7YS5RW6Mn5
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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAgXW2ua641w
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「可是……」167Please respect copyright.PENANAJkUgmMXJus
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事情得從我逃離那個怪物以後說起。167Please respect copyright.PENANA5YUrBREsOr
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAEoYxAp7UCi
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANATzyH8F0EIe
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其餘的什麼都沒有。167Please respect copyright.PENANANSSXyht9Tf
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沒有那怪物,當然也沒有葛城老師的蹤影。167Please respect copyright.PENANAbV41YuMWkM
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAmCsWoOLAqC
167Please respect copyright.PENANA4k9ARJnpve
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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAc1ekvMNIwg
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唯一成為事實的只有葛城老師離奇消失這件事。167Please respect copyright.PENANAiZ6ix7nF8B
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAFPwIWe6Zpl
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAYaq5g5CG1S
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「無論如何,妳能沒事就好。」167Please respect copyright.PENANAqnXzc4pCy0
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不知道為什麼,森叔相當激動地緊緊握住我的雙手。167Please respect copyright.PENANAAbA43Dire2
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAmfZ9iwD5aF
就在這時候,診察室外面傳來了急促的腳步聲。167Please respect copyright.PENANA3PH5FwMdCC
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「來夏─!」167Please respect copyright.PENANAC3bIVphTvK
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAfV8HCPyPGO
167Please respect copyright.PENANAn5WYmLkMEF
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。167Please respect copyright.PENANA31kaO7l4JD
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167Please respect copyright.PENANAR9W8A6FGaE
「耕一……穗香……」167Please respect copyright.PENANA7WaGchWNKV
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感到安心的瞬間,眼淚突然就噗哧噗哧地流了下來。167Please respect copyright.PENANAuJkXhDuZaF
167Please respect copyright.PENANAvGqfoNU0b3
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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAgsNiGrv10A
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「小夏……怎麼會這麼嚴重,手都包成這個樣子,很痛嗎?」167Please respect copyright.PENANANQWVBhQ0Qv
167Please respect copyright.PENANAqpgxG0iCPL
「我不要緊,只是跌倒的擦傷而已,反倒是葛城老師他……」167Please respect copyright.PENANAFRm7ghgDyk
167Please respect copyright.PENANAYVSmnWGhRL
「嗯,我們知道,森叔已經在電話裡都跟我說過了。」167Please respect copyright.PENANAlhWW9oHTgb
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAlLuqk19JX5
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「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。」167Please respect copyright.PENANATaGFG2UkMf
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我再次向森叔點頭道謝後,在穗香的陪同下步出了診療室。167Please respect copyright.PENANAKcLqwSzY9R
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「對了,耕一。」167Please respect copyright.PENANAIuAVCytlb1
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANADugVG61ABQ
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「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。」167Please respect copyright.PENANATjsz3yuAXf
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「我知道了,那麼就先告辭了。」167Please respect copyright.PENANAle3xx77fEM
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAZQJrFXnwHV
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「耕一……你和森叔今天有約嗎?」167Please respect copyright.PENANASJiG4V1qKJ
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「算是吧,但不是什麼重要的事情。」167Please respect copyright.PENANArzM1ZjLzOA
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAcaplmqLp2g
167Please respect copyright.PENANAW54wJ3uknt
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。167Please respect copyright.PENANApKuhWonBJg
167Please respect copyright.PENANAAi4xmxTLtz
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「小夏,那個……那邊走過來的好像是村長。」167Please respect copyright.PENANA51ef5GAJd3
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等到我們在門口準備撐傘的時候,穗香拉了拉我的衣角。167Please respect copyright.PENANAJZ9peAgIJs
167Please respect copyright.PENANAoow9erZrti
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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAYtxMMbNFWL
167Please respect copyright.PENANAjqOFcN43ih
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。167Please respect copyright.PENANATxzaDsvWmG
167Please respect copyright.PENANA1yL6ZBjhAW
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「村長好。」167Please respect copyright.PENANAwuH93mTTWb
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAvS4u0COtXu
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAcMNgKoHeIW
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「村長他……剛剛是不是瞪了小夏一眼啊?」167Please respect copyright.PENANAT1OJELHsSn
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「別亂說話。」167Please respect copyright.PENANAewt2POw5Rc
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAUmTV5zkeo3
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「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。」167Please respect copyright.PENANAD7q4Dilh6z
167Please respect copyright.PENANApmauaNzc7x
途中在經過穗香家的時候,耕一罕見地像這樣主動交待著。167Please respect copyright.PENANAA1SSr0Ehik
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANApBLzDkJFH2
167Please respect copyright.PENANAyLvdYeGavF
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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAwscQmjkdL7
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「來夏,襲擊妳跟葛城的到底是什麼東西?」167Please respect copyright.PENANA8ie6VG6EXV
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAuqTXl7QlNZ
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「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。」167Please respect copyright.PENANAO98W1vqWCX
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「……把穗香支開就是這個原因嗎?」167Please respect copyright.PENANAE5Hoj8wPB7
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「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。」167Please respect copyright.PENANAHcjBmI5dbb
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「也是……如果是耕一你的話,應該會相信吧……」167Please respect copyright.PENANAq0t82d5TUa
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAEOArRSrME0
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAixAgs9oWXg
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANA8P9dYAfVKq
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「不得不確信?」167Please respect copyright.PENANAbPr5pKJ4Lk
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在耕一的追問之下,我才吞吞吐吐地透漏。167Please respect copyright.PENANAonIRdVIaJJ
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「那個怪物……真的……很像冬笑。」167Please respect copyright.PENANAcSLkbPZeC7
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAkwyC9GsAYD
167Please respect copyright.PENANAlb9j1xxkLp
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。167Please respect copyright.PENANApIJCQI2FFv
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「很像──冬笑嗎。」167Please respect copyright.PENANAuh7mcLZUKa
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在這之前一次都沒有停頓過的耕一也不得不思索起來。167Please respect copyright.PENANALT3ELv8j1q
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANArEwPm67KIN
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「我知道聽起來很奇怪,但是耕一……你會相信我吧?」167Please respect copyright.PENANA4T4bUgvpag
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「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?」167Please respect copyright.PENANAo0TwG8ROzz
167Please respect copyright.PENANAtEj9SKmi9e
「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──」167Please respect copyright.PENANAXJR9T9kZDa
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「不,那還很難說吧。」167Please respect copyright.PENANAKh3uADnlmN
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「什麼……意思?」167Please respect copyright.PENANAmdFZat9Txk
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周遭的雨聲彷彿突然停止了一樣。167Please respect copyright.PENANAwTd9jIb7s4
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAnJ4bBkcGJU
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「怎麼了?突然擺出那種吃到蟲子似的表情。」167Please respect copyright.PENANAACPREMuehi
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「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?」167Please respect copyright.PENANAy8Uscgvuaj
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「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。」167Please respect copyright.PENANAJ5MgFNWwAg
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「怎麼可能當作沒聽到啊!!」167Please respect copyright.PENANA6tlYDHbb6w
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAUyWrq089X3
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陷入了無聲的沉默。167Please respect copyright.PENANAgM3LWMj1m3
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANA3ZfcVhMRC9
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「……我只是推論而已,還沒有決定性的證據。」167Please respect copyright.PENANA6zx2fszF7g
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臉頰上的水滴滑動。167Please respect copyright.PENANAmyOSRXnkw1
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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。167Please respect copyright.PENANAlRu3ke3bZO
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「因為我認為──殺死冬笑的人就是葛城。」167Please respect copyright.PENANAIdMcco6Zbt
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