車子在夜空下行駛,帶領眾人駛向命運的終點,經過街道歡鬧的人們,朝陰冷漆黑的東方山區前進。他們像是脫離人世的異類,在本應充滿歡笑的節慶之日,裝載著武器與沉重的心情衝向死亡之地。318Please respect copyright.PENANAEBxRZbn8E4
318Please respect copyright.PENANAfmbFMGcKUw
所有人不發一語,深怕破壞了最後的安寧。318Please respect copyright.PENANAlmDP6i5cx7
318Please respect copyright.PENANAR9lVVYd1dD
美軍靜候多時,在晦暗的山林間以燈光作為暗號朝著他們招呼,湯姆跟著為首的長官與一行人會合,軍人們武裝戒備,手持步槍聽從上司的命令行動,他們不知道接下來將會面臨多麼不合常理的敵人,臉上神情明顯比緊繃的六人鬆懈不少。318Please respect copyright.PENANAsCKNJwYw3E
318Please respect copyright.PENANAbja7TiCuAM
「我是亨利,梅德溫少校指派我來協助你們。」位階最高的男子說道,「我們會護送你們前行,請待在小隊中間。」318Please respect copyright.PENANApTaxm4PQtI
318Please respect copyright.PENANA9v0fii97No
前往星之池的道路蜿蜒漫長,踩踏爬滿苔蘚的濕滑土壤、穿過高聳入天的樹林,甚至必須扶著裸露石壁走過狹長的傾斜山徑。時間一分一秒過去,當他們差點陷入迷路的恐慌時,唐娜率先上前引領隊伍。318Please respect copyright.PENANA9CzOiMYG00
318Please respect copyright.PENANANUueBu2n0T
她想起了某些事情,面前的一景一物變得莫名熟悉,她走進一條隱密的樹叢,不是尋常人會行走的道路,她卻懷著自信大步向前。灌木叢在人們經過時傳來沙沙聲響,周圍的枝幹出現焦黑的痕跡,女子的心底敲響警鈴;忽然,手電筒的光線照射到一個異常的物體,一具化為焦炭的屍體,以扭曲的祈禱姿態蜷縮在寬大的樹葉之下。318Please respect copyright.PENANARgz9Fl5Iaz
318Please respect copyright.PENANAM8YXqhfZ5J
唐娜忍住驚叫,假裝沒有注意到異狀,繼續帶領後方的人向前邁進。318Please respect copyright.PENANADS1wqsfDPY
318Please respect copyright.PENANA2qmV3qEu2m
記憶逐漸浮現在腦海之中,那是被慘遭火舌吻燙的焦屍,高溫燒去了衣物與髮膚,難以識別身分,灼熱的痛楚與絕望在此時順著思緒的浪潮拍打向她。318Please respect copyright.PENANApx7jcSzvKo
318Please respect copyright.PENANA9CmSaoQUMa
唐娜﹒斯特林已經死了,那是她的遺體,女子清楚意識到這點。318Please respect copyright.PENANAhnWg28COiM
318Please respect copyright.PENANADiXFKKEjWE
這項事實沒有困擾她太久,是早已預料到的真相,死亡不會影響她即將做的決定和想實現的願望,於是她繼續前進。318Please respect copyright.PENANA0mhRikzi1d
318Please respect copyright.PENANAhY9wyC8kAa
唐娜在一棵老樹前停下,困惑的眉眼張望遭植被覆蓋的路徑。318Please respect copyright.PENANAH6w99JY3nF
318Please respect copyright.PENANAs3jKKygTkK
「換我來帶路吧。」蓋伊說道。318Please respect copyright.PENANAdsEERrpXKC
318Please respect copyright.PENANAiQhmwoEI1x
青年代替斯特林千金的位置邁開步伐,出於未知的原因,喚醒的記憶牽引著他的腳步,宛如某種來自心靈的感應,他毫無畏懼地走入揭開內幕的布幔背後。他看見某些東西,漆黑土壤被七彩的圓潤物品點綴出繽紛的指標,散落的雷根糖即便沾上塵土依舊清晰可見,他不想讓這些東西被其他人發現,經過時刻意將這些糖果深深踩進泥地裡。318Please respect copyright.PENANAe1KM4g1n4v
318Please respect copyright.PENANAMXWySDi62i
他明確知曉,這是自己曾經擁有的物品,是他隨身攜帶要給與前輩的點心。蓋伊小心翼翼地不讓手電筒的光源映照出不該被前輩看到的事物,而青年也確實在一處隱蔽的樹枝上瞧見一個破碎的望遠鏡,德克﹒凱斯勒贈與他的禮物,兩人成對的工作用品。318Please respect copyright.PENANABECGBOKBTR
318Please respect copyright.PENANAEBGcl8JRiB
乾涸的血漬沁染樹下地面,蓋伊抬手阻止其他人跟隨自己,獨自向前查看。在濃密的枝葉間,懸掛一具破碎的殘骸,他看見一張臉,一張屬於蓋伊﹒藍道的臉孔——318Please respect copyright.PENANASh8NtKXQ00
318Please respect copyright.PENANA3AzibYuDGR
青年深吸一口氣,平靜地接受殘酷的事實。他不會陷入絕望,因為他知道,想要保護的重要之人,此刻仍然活著、心臟鮮活地跳動著,自己的死亡並不會影響到任何事情。318Please respect copyright.PENANA9OfXCG6sB1
318Please respect copyright.PENANAosQ3UmJDrY
重要的事物從一開始就已經決定好了。318Please respect copyright.PENANAqkHOnaClOt
318Please respect copyright.PENANAHg2XBlQVH0
於是他回到原路,繼續前進。318Please respect copyright.PENANAtV6UgyfO1b
318Please respect copyright.PENANA7gWJmlH7ft
彷彿某種不需言語的默契,每當一個人迷失方向,就會有下一個人接替。這次,輪到艾咪﹒拉克蘭。318Please respect copyright.PENANAOTUbHHutd6
318Please respect copyright.PENANAaIB5VPEhgp
女記者來到一片空地,拔起的樹幹留下一個深邃的孔洞,碎裂的巨木癱倒在路旁,表層鐫刻駭人的齒痕,大量血液噴濺在四面八方。詭譎的景象令一無所知的美軍們開始產生不安的臆測,他們交頭接耳,交換彼此的意見。318Please respect copyright.PENANAAwtREFHYSl
318Please respect copyright.PENANAjy5SotKzSC
艾咪蹲下身子,從染黑的地面拾起一本髒兮兮的筆記,逐頁翻看。318Please respect copyright.PENANAcIMnh4qAqT
318Please respect copyright.PENANAu9vgvHJkI9
上頭記載了他們來到海地的每一天,最後的日期停留在十月二十七日,他們前往星之池的那一天。女記者闔上自己的筆記,不敢停留,地上的血跡再再警示著一個恐怖真相,而她拒絕深入探查。318Please respect copyright.PENANAiEgcN10qOr
318Please respect copyright.PENANApKQ8zUE7rn
手上染血的紙張已經證明了所有。318Please respect copyright.PENANAtkuo3JoyRl
318Please respect copyright.PENANA075jXx7BDF
但接下來的畫面卻由不得她忽視逃避。318Please respect copyright.PENANA243WSW8z4R
318Please respect copyright.PENANAkdNqyaEzOn
詹姆士帶著眾人來到接近出口的林地,眼前是一片難以直視的殘骸,腥臭的味道刺入鼻端,早已看不出完整人形的碎塊悽慘地躺在路面中央,一隻熟悉的斷腳映入實業家眼裡,他崩潰大叫,腦海閃過被撕裂的回憶,肢體被剝離的感覺宛若真實重現,侵蝕他的意志與心靈。318Please respect copyright.PENANAwc8wnEEqf3
318Please respect copyright.PENANAo6cm3Vn59i
那隻腳的主人不是別人,更不是來自他的兒子,而是他自己的殘肢,是他被某個難以用言語形容的龐大怪物撕碎的屍塊。318Please respect copyright.PENANAfJqFZDpTnG
318Please respect copyright.PENANAbrrhsecGU2
「快逃!快逃!不能再往前走了!都回去吧!」詹姆士一把抓住唐娜和尚恩,往回程的來路撤離,他完全失控,失去之前曾有的餘裕,陷入強烈的瘋狂與恐懼。318Please respect copyright.PENANA0XsbH9L4o3
318Please respect copyright.PENANAPEC0gHVJnE
血腥的景象和歇斯底里的喊叫讓艾咪深受影響,她雙腿軟倒,跪伏在地上啜泣,「為什麼是你?為什麼不是他活下來?為什麼會是你?」女記者無法自拔地喃喃自語,她想起很多事情,一景一幕都是她不願接受的事實。318Please respect copyright.PENANAERgnluY9Bt
318Please respect copyright.PENANAiQlXkkPr3Y
「My king,冷靜點!」318Please respect copyright.PENANAhmJwrhLwi8
318Please respect copyright.PENANAUa6Y8VPY5B
「艾咪,妳還好嗎?」318Please respect copyright.PENANANdq3lAbR8o
318Please respect copyright.PENANAHdUIgnMPf2
尚恩和唐娜的呼喊不約而同響起。保鑣掙脫斯特林的箝制,反身抱住情緒潰堤的男人,低聲安撫。他從懷中掏出雪茄,塞往不斷蹦出尖叫的嘴,讓一旁無所適從的湯姆替他點燃菸頭。318Please respect copyright.PENANA9rqQRwhhNt
318Please respect copyright.PENANApdjbbkY06j
起初,掙扎的身驅喘著紊亂氣息,無法順利吐吶燃起的菸草,一直到瓦解的心緒重新組合,一直到哆嗦的四肢停止顫動,詹姆士才從熟悉的味道中恢復理智,汲取雪茄逸散的香氣。318Please respect copyright.PENANAOtOY5UVIm8
318Please respect copyright.PENANA1UtYhMOlei
「我們要繼續前進了,可以嗎?」年輕海軍問道,語氣滿是關懷。318Please respect copyright.PENANAEuDjxASfQ1
318Please respect copyright.PENANAEXWkZSyd5u
艾咪點頭,在友人的扶持下起身。318Please respect copyright.PENANAv0OTOBfEZS
318Please respect copyright.PENANAgGnE7RQ783
剩下的路他們全都回想起來了,德克引領大家走完最後一段路程,偵探沈默不語,他有意識地迴避路上瞥見的屍體,沒想到仍是迎面撞上不想直視的景象。蓋伊的那點小心思又怎能騙過偵探銳利的耳目,他早已猜到助手想隱藏的祕密。318Please respect copyright.PENANAzWIFfSv4Dg
318Please respect copyright.PENANAOoDJcJ92rN
他不願多想,但接踵而至的事實不允許擅自逃離,他的雙腳行走在臨界點邊緣,隨時面臨崩塌的危險,唯一支撐繼續前進的,是青年輕撫他背脊的溫暖手心,給予自己邁步向前的勇氣。318Please respect copyright.PENANAu5GVxwtxdx
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群星燃焰The Burning Stars
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群星燃焰The Burning Stars
Author:
冰藍

ISSUE #23
星之池(一)
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