
071:出門
一八八四年,男孩(蒼原城隍)八歲。410Please respect copyright.PENANA72CV9r5zO3
這一天,天色一發亮,母親(素娘)起床,前往廚房料理早餐。410Please respect copyright.PENANAsjKP05Xt5r
不多久,走入另一名老婦人,是這個家族的老阿嬤,走去查看煎藥壺。410Please respect copyright.PENANAY8pRLRPdlH
素娘:「早。」410Please respect copyright.PENANA3qGWE16P6T
阿嬤:「孩子還好?」410Please respect copyright.PENANAzbm8tEUTdH
素娘:「還在發燒。」410Please respect copyright.PENANAxiBHHMul0b
阿嬤用粗布防熱,提起煎藥壺。410Please respect copyright.PENANA7YIwtNGuWC
素娘:「媽,我來弄就好。」410Please respect copyright.PENANAzR8f7lFJkb
阿嬤:「我來,妳去忙吃的。」410Please respect copyright.PENANAcfuOspLFS0
說完,藥水小心倒入大碗公,右手拿著,左手燭臺,進入男孩房間。410Please respect copyright.PENANAcYHLuHqqHW
陰暗的房間內,男孩躺在床上熟睡。410Please respect copyright.PENANArOL3tLlF3v
阿嬤坐到床沿,點燃床頭櫃上的蠟燭照明,這才輕搖男孩,口氣溫和:「喝藥了。」410Please respect copyright.PENANAJqOp42X9xW
男孩醒來,睡眼矇矓好一會:「阿嬤……」410Please respect copyright.PENANALHJRdz0GkH
阿嬤:「喝過藥,身體才會快快好起來。」410Please respect copyright.PENANA75NMOuzpRl
就此讓阿嬤扶起,一口口啜飲苦澀的湯藥。410Please respect copyright.PENANAnpy7zwquGB
沒多久,母親弄好早餐,端著一碗進房。白飯上面蓋著二樣青菜,一樣魚肉。因為每當這樣高燒,孩子不會有什麼體力前往廚房,只好端來房間讓他用餐。410Please respect copyright.PENANAiwaYN4OeLK
好不容喝完湯藥,換母親餵飯。410Please respect copyright.PENANAicKtpRClIc
阿嬤詢問:「素娘,明天又要出門?」410Please respect copyright.PENANAmSmkl2wH9l
昨晚睡前,蝦宜港內開旅店的老林趕來,通知阿嬤有六名外地年輕人入住旅店,都和素娘有關。410Please respect copyright.PENANAqMUtb3A9Wo
終究是個小漁村,鎮民之間感情好的,都會第一時間私下通報消息。410Please respect copyright.PENANAwb3JyFKM9u
素娘被問,直接承認:「嗯……」沉默幾秒,「這次要去比較深山的蕃村,大概三個月才會回來。」410Please respect copyright.PENANAkWDFtN0lUy
阿嬤:「妳一個已經嫁過來的女人家,整天和幾名男人在外面走,山裡到處和蕃人打交道,這樣怎麼好?」410Please respect copyright.PENANALQsfntmPCe
素娘:「這是為了孩子和這個家。」410Please respect copyright.PENANAZtmIAuZR61
阿嬤:「也考慮一下人家會怎麼說妳?」410Please respect copyright.PENANA45wQlmKWp4
素娘:「…………」410Please respect copyright.PENANAqrxZOymv2L
阿嬤:「再說,深山蕃村那種危險地方,要是妳也出事,看要怎麼辦?」410Please respect copyright.PENANAcMrsarigci
素娘:「那是以前,現在蕃仔沒有大家傳的那麼壞。備好禮,有話好好的說,不會有問題。」410Please respect copyright.PENANA2IQZ7mNrDY
阿嬤:「反正女人家少出遠門啦。」410Please respect copyright.PENANA3Wvp26mtQr
素娘:「等到把女孩買回家,我就不會再出遠門了。」410Please respect copyright.PENANAzZwciuLTJR
阿嬤:「唉……」410Please respect copyright.PENANAaBwnj5iKyA
素娘也不再多說這事,只是餵孩子,和孩子說話。410Please respect copyright.PENANAesPKVOmi8z
果然,這天大約早上八點,六名健壯男人一起來到三合院找素娘。410Please respect copyright.PENANAA33YJcG7bs
他們看來都才剛成年,十幾二十歲的年輕人。410Please respect copyright.PENANAMpQXGWqS7A
其中五位,阿嬤見過。另外一位,是新面孔。410Please respect copyright.PENANAzjA7tFNBZa
他們一起稱呼:「大姊好。阿嬤好。」410Please respect copyright.PENANAxs4a3hrSJb
阿嬤沒有理會他們,直接前往照顧生病的孫子。410Please respect copyright.PENANAd6Lx49xZaL
素娘對待他們如同弟弟,說說笑笑,計畫出發路線,直到傍晚,男孩們才又回到旅店休息。410Please respect copyright.PENANArU3w87hYnZ
隔天,因為六點就要出發,所以天未亮的四點,素娘就起床,連忙處理早餐。410Please respect copyright.PENANA3wPQOCPf0W
大約五點,端進房間,給孩子餵餐。410Please respect copyright.PENANAIxBlBXFT9s
阿嬤比較晚起,不過也前來房間。410Please respect copyright.PENANAYczcmvrmy3
素娘:「退燒了。身體覺得比較舒服?」410Please respect copyright.PENANAumZ8LEQixw
男孩:「有……」410Please respect copyright.PENANA6TV6ZSOeas
素娘:「媽媽等會就要出門。這次去比較遠,三個月才會回來。不論多久,你都要乖乖聽阿嬤的話,知道嗎?」410Please respect copyright.PENANARCPO4Vw7r3
男孩點頭:「嗯……」410Please respect copyright.PENANAFK6x6AligV
素娘:「記住,不論媽媽去到多遠的地方,你永遠都在媽媽心裡。」410Please respect copyright.PENANArLXP3UQWdJ
再次點頭:「嗯……」410Please respect copyright.PENANA7y0nguPQDE
再疼惜孩子一會,素娘轉頭:「媽,我有留一筆生活費在神桌下的抽屜。」410Please respect copyright.PENANAmDeSS9pSk3
阿嬤:「唉……我更希望留下來的是妳啊。」410Please respect copyright.PENANA8lMJSMo6aa
素娘不再多說,疼惜撫摸孩子的臉,就此出門離去。410Please respect copyright.PENANAKockSO0Dpr
結果,沒有再回來了……410Please respect copyright.PENANA7yu8iND7cN
………………410Please respect copyright.PENANAUybhXDlF8z
…………410Please respect copyright.PENANABEmAxFvxsG
……410Please respect copyright.PENANAjmhqwPLikI
410Please respect copyright.PENANAf1mta3qjsa