第10部分(第2/7 页)

im；　it　was　over。

Love；　life；　meaning　over。

I　walked　and　walked。　Time　made　no　sense　as　I　pushed　slowly　through　the　thick

undergrowth。　It　was

hours　passing；　but　also　only　seconds。　Maybe　it　felt　like　time　had　frozen

because　the　forest　looked　the

same　no　matter　how　far　I　went。　I　started　to　worry　that　I　was　traveling　in　a

circle；　a　very　small　circle　at

that；　but　I　kept　going。　I　stumbled　often；　and；　as　it　grew　darker　and　darker；　I

fell　often；　too。

Finally；　I　tripped　over　something—it　was　black　now；　I　had　no　idea　what　caught

my　foot—and　I　stayed

down。　I　rolled　onto　my　side；　so　that　I　could　breathe；　and　curled　up　on　the　wet

bracken。

As　I　lay　there；　I　had　a　feeling　that　more　time　was　passing　than　I　realized。　I

couldn't　remember　how　long　it

had　been　since　nightfall。　Was　it　always　so　dark　here　at　night？　Surely；　as　a

rule；　some　little　bit　of　moonlight

would　filter　down　through　the　clouds；　through　the　chinks　in　the　canopy　of

trees；　and　find　the　ground。

Not　tonight。　Tonight　the　sky　was　utterly　black。　Perhaps　there　was　no　moon

tonight—a　lunar　eclipse；　a

new　moon。

A　new　moon。　I　shivered；　though　I　wasn't　cold。

It　was　black　for　a　long　time　before　I　heard　them　calling。

Someone　was　shouting　my　name。　It　was　muted；　muffled　by　the　wet　growth　that

surrounded　me；　but　it

was　definitely　my　name。　I　didn't　recognize　the　voice。　I　thought　about

answering；　but　I　was　dazed；　and　it

took　a　long　time　to　e　to　the　conclusion　that　I　should　answer。　By　then；　the

calling　had　stopped。

Sometime　later；　the　rain　woke　me　up。　I　don't　think　I'd　really　fallen　asleep；　I

was　just　lost　in　an　unthinking