Hal’s righteous indignation at the incompetence of the driver mounts as he moves towards the front of the bus and he is ready to begin shouting (speaking English very slowly and clearly so the foreign man can understand – as all foreign people understand English if spoken in this manner) when he realizes the poor man is beyond caring.
The sight of the driver’s body rocks Hal back on his heels. He jams he fist into his mouth to stifle a scream. Despite the gruesome sight Hal struggles to tear his eyes away, as fascinated as he is horrified. In his books Hal has described the aftermath of many a grisly murder but this is first time in the presence of a dead person.
A door that has been locked for many months eases open. Only the slightest of slight crack, enough for light from beyond to bleed into the darkness, enough for words to form in Hal’s mind, indistinct and almost random to begin with. Their vigour and meaning strengthen quickly until a virtual torrent of words are flowing and a beautifully crafted description of the scene emerges fully realized in the forefront of Hal’s mind.
The effect on Hal is more profound than the crash or even the sight of the near mutilated driver, from whom he can finally look away. A new purpose has gripped Hal with a ferocity that will tolerate no resistance. Nothing must stand in its way. Almost drunkenly Hal makes his way back towards the rear of the bus in search of that which has become most precious to him – his notebook. The words must be captured. They burn brightly, hypnotically in his mind’s eye, but even now Hal is aware of them beginning to dim.
No comments:
Post a Comment