■■■349Please respect copyright.PENANAr7qr73QOJ0
349Please respect copyright.PENANAI7STJ3QSkk
「這樣就包紮好了,要記得這幾天別讓傷口碰到水。」349Please respect copyright.PENANAF5lAdp5RBe
349Please respect copyright.PENANAiS5mqsxIzQ
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAkFB6GMaW91
349Please respect copyright.PENANAyNQvHphI0S
349Please respect copyright.PENANAoYxPkICj3m
「……嗯。」349Please respect copyright.PENANA2UnvELHWiL
349Please respect copyright.PENANAdmuuN7SLVr
「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。」349Please respect copyright.PENANAvtDHcfU5yk
349Please respect copyright.PENANAxKqBSU19B4
大概是注意到我無精打采的樣子才會這麼說吧。349Please respect copyright.PENANAgzbjYqEzar
349Please respect copyright.PENANAOOJ4d6VQZc
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAV9l1pV5UrJ
349Please respect copyright.PENANA7i0ijxnc6V
349Please respect copyright.PENANAf4M00O0z1Z
「可是……」349Please respect copyright.PENANA1lvJvSkmG6
349Please respect copyright.PENANA1kQ39d0EcS
事情得從我逃離那個怪物以後說起。349Please respect copyright.PENANA70VjanQoBY
349Please respect copyright.PENANAfcddEIfqSl
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANA6b6Zj8opiF
349Please respect copyright.PENANAChNnpc9XjN
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAGx4PwvkuL5
349Please respect copyright.PENANAC5gvrpdxnt
349Please respect copyright.PENANASBvLaOtvqJ
其餘的什麼都沒有。349Please respect copyright.PENANA8SzDKJmmTm
349Please respect copyright.PENANAKctJJCq3GU
沒有那怪物,當然也沒有葛城老師的蹤影。349Please respect copyright.PENANAWQUPkQ5uGL
349Please respect copyright.PENANAJmRTdmOVzS
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAJF9ckqqoWg
349Please respect copyright.PENANAzFjHip7HxX
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAcZTfOtoZ52
349Please respect copyright.PENANAjEa7B82svI
唯一成為事實的只有葛城老師離奇消失這件事。349Please respect copyright.PENANAqxDDg0a4K3
349Please respect copyright.PENANAQAL3zkoq8Z
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAmYW6VBusEf
349Please respect copyright.PENANASMqwSWVzbS
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANABQt4Ze8Ymz
349Please respect copyright.PENANA1Cv8mr17pK
349Please respect copyright.PENANAOoG3wUoZzB
「無論如何,妳能沒事就好。」349Please respect copyright.PENANAHHVaUrRiRt
349Please respect copyright.PENANACuKzsG2bmo
不知道為什麼,森叔相當激動地緊緊握住我的雙手。349Please respect copyright.PENANAoM6pnMhMuw
349Please respect copyright.PENANAyWc9BjmUUg
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANA1nHGdqytGX
就在這時候,診察室外面傳來了急促的腳步聲。349Please respect copyright.PENANAVE6YNKpqiz
349Please respect copyright.PENANAR8zgQKRKaL
349Please respect copyright.PENANAmSmvMgpc8H
「來夏─!」349Please respect copyright.PENANARzOKXH9KdH
349Please respect copyright.PENANArfL4BHMll7
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAgZoyVfke6C
349Please respect copyright.PENANAPyFfRW9zyY
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAvALn0FffPP
349Please respect copyright.PENANASuAwPyZn2n
349Please respect copyright.PENANAUEuHieLsRI
「耕一……穗香……」349Please respect copyright.PENANAiBf4dWqyod
349Please respect copyright.PENANAMMeyoumwJN
感到安心的瞬間,眼淚突然就噗哧噗哧地流了下來。349Please respect copyright.PENANAQ6Hfh21msV
349Please respect copyright.PENANAR9DotoSMIL
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANA3dbDkocj9A
349Please respect copyright.PENANAOT43MWEtR2
349Please respect copyright.PENANAE4ZRTOJc4o
「小夏……怎麼會這麼嚴重,手都包成這個樣子,很痛嗎?」349Please respect copyright.PENANAcOxA4Ba2NQ
349Please respect copyright.PENANAxjvPMqHg8g
「我不要緊,只是跌倒的擦傷而已,反倒是葛城老師他……」349Please respect copyright.PENANAMCTrRYXx0o
349Please respect copyright.PENANAhoH0iEGlxo
「嗯,我們知道,森叔已經在電話裡都跟我說過了。」349Please respect copyright.PENANAJmGs6OlKbr
349Please respect copyright.PENANAUEx5JA60wB
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAgqIvILbavO
349Please respect copyright.PENANAtqoT7i2xd0
349Please respect copyright.PENANAGbnxyLUoYy
「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。」349Please respect copyright.PENANAZbLSfIzOyc
349Please respect copyright.PENANA00IyOhzyAc
我再次向森叔點頭道謝後,在穗香的陪同下步出了診療室。349Please respect copyright.PENANA4bujRn6RdX
349Please respect copyright.PENANAg8YNRmlYkX
349Please respect copyright.PENANAVJh0CJZeBF
「對了,耕一。」349Please respect copyright.PENANACUD8pIpUhe
349Please respect copyright.PENANAO0092sWrmL
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANArbUp0TXMsn
349Please respect copyright.PENANAl0gv0csbBT
349Please respect copyright.PENANAfpr7PyJodh
「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。」349Please respect copyright.PENANAhlv18QZbpB
349Please respect copyright.PENANA22NrtNfvGM
「我知道了,那麼就先告辭了。」349Please respect copyright.PENANARO8r4El3yl
349Please respect copyright.PENANAX6EqgfZ8fO
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAYz43uNq0dK
349Please respect copyright.PENANAoeW3DT6zks
349Please respect copyright.PENANATK5WRGokSr
「耕一……你和森叔今天有約嗎?」349Please respect copyright.PENANALHxBIox3PN
349Please respect copyright.PENANAhDTompQE4i
「算是吧,但不是什麼重要的事情。」349Please respect copyright.PENANA8bSk41KfSI
349Please respect copyright.PENANA5KQeO69Nse
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAWMz3T0ggIA
349Please respect copyright.PENANAdQPfCpceUk
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANA5WqzNExyYv
349Please respect copyright.PENANAmpemcCVMrk
349Please respect copyright.PENANAY8TtWLkbIa
「小夏,那個……那邊走過來的好像是村長。」349Please respect copyright.PENANAfHVixiXGgw
349Please respect copyright.PENANA4Z5LDs08cm
等到我們在門口準備撐傘的時候,穗香拉了拉我的衣角。349Please respect copyright.PENANAaoG9JNsm55
349Please respect copyright.PENANAM3QdUqKVR8
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAniyttdGXh1
349Please respect copyright.PENANABODzKxG6n4
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANA9AN3XhVdBD
349Please respect copyright.PENANA2T1ZRV1ufz
349Please respect copyright.PENANA8tqQQapnxx
「村長好。」349Please respect copyright.PENANAjh3vYuZZsO
349Please respect copyright.PENANAnqh7uqzk8o
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAkCckCkich7
349Please respect copyright.PENANACsvqHgTIXJ
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAvnfBKcO05h
349Please respect copyright.PENANAZExlN3kpWD
「村長他……剛剛是不是瞪了小夏一眼啊?」349Please respect copyright.PENANADty8MYqOyA
349Please respect copyright.PENANA1Yth7F7vW4
「別亂說話。」349Please respect copyright.PENANAbnJhOHBigs
349Please respect copyright.PENANAkU948YGbvw
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAb4Q98PDnAV
349Please respect copyright.PENANAgTo8BTcdzO
◇349Please respect copyright.PENANAtD0pcR0k5E
349Please respect copyright.PENANAq5m0SW6Dty
「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。」349Please respect copyright.PENANAagIduOFcei
349Please respect copyright.PENANA5Pjl59cxtq
途中在經過穗香家的時候,耕一罕見地像這樣主動交待著。349Please respect copyright.PENANAwMQF5WkLUD
349Please respect copyright.PENANA9me9oBj4EG
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANA13OOcWhIxX
349Please respect copyright.PENANAQB8aBNS6az
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAaWLKNNG7Mf
349Please respect copyright.PENANAFeinkFAshL
349Please respect copyright.PENANAfGK8MZtlie
「來夏,襲擊妳跟葛城的到底是什麼東西?」349Please respect copyright.PENANAq4ljlTDBw1
349Please respect copyright.PENANArCzOucAJxd
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANANCpnG4fgiq
349Please respect copyright.PENANAJmTHRx2Jpw
349Please respect copyright.PENANAbkWmgjQ1u9
「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。」349Please respect copyright.PENANAfnaHmBwsBC
349Please respect copyright.PENANAbjxEg4yIH3
「……把穗香支開就是這個原因嗎?」349Please respect copyright.PENANAToYaWRVESc
349Please respect copyright.PENANAnNlhkW6BXV
「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。」349Please respect copyright.PENANAcpjLb9MKD8
349Please respect copyright.PENANAOHoEBFAx8C
349Please respect copyright.PENANAvjSJRcDkuC
「也是……如果是耕一你的話,應該會相信吧……」349Please respect copyright.PENANA0fMoEEUZgp
349Please respect copyright.PENANAm6gEzfPoJ8
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANA5SeWujWpQB
349Please respect copyright.PENANAs6lXwikq32
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAOGDKjiOQT0
349Please respect copyright.PENANAWIBcNZIeRA
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANARWRFOgAdOZ
349Please respect copyright.PENANAY8bj085IZv
349Please respect copyright.PENANA6zpIB4ABxy
「不得不確信?」349Please respect copyright.PENANAdtGmbXaYpo
349Please respect copyright.PENANAZOei23062c
在耕一的追問之下,我才吞吞吐吐地透漏。349Please respect copyright.PENANAzjyDG0j3JV
349Please respect copyright.PENANA4glaSdlhQL
349Please respect copyright.PENANAGo9T76X70C
「那個怪物……真的……很像冬笑。」349Please respect copyright.PENANAimGbufMbd7
349Please respect copyright.PENANAQCOq4DBYtJ
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAccATG8uHGd
349Please respect copyright.PENANA2BjN2xMSmt
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAULkgROPElY
349Please respect copyright.PENANAerf27DCXwb
349Please respect copyright.PENANAeKlZgILaTT
「很像──冬笑嗎。」349Please respect copyright.PENANAQoeZhRl574
349Please respect copyright.PENANAE7jqFRPVgr
在這之前一次都沒有停頓過的耕一也不得不思索起來。349Please respect copyright.PENANAUqVH58IGB4
349Please respect copyright.PENANA29i3q2CYVI
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAdwiMtUSvVD
349Please respect copyright.PENANAHzrgUHuxSN
349Please respect copyright.PENANA92vq8MRd23
「我知道聽起來很奇怪,但是耕一……你會相信我吧?」349Please respect copyright.PENANAip8A4oEVdQ
349Please respect copyright.PENANAYTKdox4c2u
「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?」349Please respect copyright.PENANAYGIeMfzAWJ
349Please respect copyright.PENANAgLBeoaRRoS
「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──」349Please respect copyright.PENANAfEOaiKDrrk
349Please respect copyright.PENANADavZFk4rW4
「不,那還很難說吧。」349Please respect copyright.PENANA4wK1xmk7EN
349Please respect copyright.PENANAiiIgHeYnxH
「什麼……意思?」349Please respect copyright.PENANAXI9buiKaqk
349Please respect copyright.PENANAl5dC6CRFyE
周遭的雨聲彷彿突然停止了一樣。349Please respect copyright.PENANAAAhklhN7sr
349Please respect copyright.PENANAQatRCXts8u
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAJJhbuASyPV
349Please respect copyright.PENANAZZFwZ09kU0
349Please respect copyright.PENANAVfzflldYyR
「怎麼了?突然擺出那種吃到蟲子似的表情。」349Please respect copyright.PENANAokI0PQ2ZQG
349Please respect copyright.PENANA2IcnVdfrUm
「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?」349Please respect copyright.PENANAMYI3EqtsQb
349Please respect copyright.PENANAHtT5zpqTmS
「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。」349Please respect copyright.PENANAPwNjpsXUaT
349Please respect copyright.PENANAjXOJCW3IkD
「怎麼可能當作沒聽到啊!!」349Please respect copyright.PENANAnsn5twxQkM
349Please respect copyright.PENANARHDVbfGWk1
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANA0Xc0upLzpe
349Please respect copyright.PENANA9rAsyvIfSL
陷入了無聲的沉默。349Please respect copyright.PENANAPjp1PRFocJ
349Please respect copyright.PENANAtaBmF2D8PR
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAU6JiolXy3W
349Please respect copyright.PENANAnmLiO3Ikl7
349Please respect copyright.PENANAhGyQATFnH2
「……我只是推論而已,還沒有決定性的證據。」349Please respect copyright.PENANAPATWqbGkIK
349Please respect copyright.PENANANeiOGgMvSA
臉頰上的水滴滑動。349Please respect copyright.PENANAk8ovWo3OuP
349Please respect copyright.PENANAlbtpJlVfPQ
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。349Please respect copyright.PENANAsfd3WiI1zw
349Please respect copyright.PENANAiEyxAOT2Qk
349Please respect copyright.PENANAemac2zPOFb
「因為我認為──殺死冬笑的人就是葛城。」349Please respect copyright.PENANAe16DSMaWbx
349Please respect copyright.PENANAPQpU0KEzs5
349Please respect copyright.PENANAD3aDtdutyC
349Please respect copyright.PENANA5ju13dy0gl
349Please respect copyright.PENANA9V3lmGkBM6
349Please respect copyright.PENANAoTGONsgmg9