
071:出門
一八八四年,男孩(蒼原城隍)八歲。411Please respect copyright.PENANAHVdrssvrF0
這一天,天色一發亮,母親(素娘)起床,前往廚房料理早餐。411Please respect copyright.PENANAiXkXkGdR4a
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。411Please respect copyright.PENANAkVx6OiRSYu
素娘:「早。」411Please respect copyright.PENANA0Wr4xOPLNt
阿嬤:「孩子還好?」411Please respect copyright.PENANApwCguzrLyw
素娘:「還在發燒。」411Please respect copyright.PENANAklSAhUjXN4
阿嬤用粗布防熱,提起煎藥壺。411Please respect copyright.PENANAN0mQjYpIzK
素娘:「媽,我來弄就好。」411Please respect copyright.PENANAmqT2RgnJhi
阿嬤:「我來,妳去忙吃的。」411Please respect copyright.PENANAJ1JGXgKNMk
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。411Please respect copyright.PENANAskUtFQyE6S
陰暗的房間內,男孩躺在床上熟睡。411Please respect copyright.PENANAdCr2g0aPFN
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。」411Please respect copyright.PENANA9uixqKdq6s
男孩醒來,睡眼矇矓好一會:「阿嬤……」411Please respect copyright.PENANAfJuz1YKMGv
阿嬤:「喝過藥,身體才會快快好起來。」411Please respect copyright.PENANAOG8IiWRXnE
就此讓阿嬤扶起,一口口啜飲苦澀的湯藥。411Please respect copyright.PENANAl96GtKF27X
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。411Please respect copyright.PENANA8gxiKD6Ly5
好不容喝完湯藥,換母親餵飯。411Please respect copyright.PENANA76ooKgxD6n
阿嬤詢問:「素娘,明天又要出門?」411Please respect copyright.PENANAZ1PhM24tNe
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。411Please respect copyright.PENANAXjuvwtEK7b
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。411Please respect copyright.PENANAcQcaFZgRKr
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。」411Please respect copyright.PENANAmYjieLZh1A
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?」411Please respect copyright.PENANAWA3gddd7ID
素娘:「這是為了孩子和這個家。」411Please respect copyright.PENANAF58Fh6I17U
阿嬤:「也考慮一下人家會怎麼說妳?」411Please respect copyright.PENANAzK8qmlODhb
素娘:「…………」411Please respect copyright.PENANAHxD2NOo0mG
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?」411Please respect copyright.PENANA2n6XeKZJZ1
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。」411Please respect copyright.PENANAZbzW7pFUqE
阿嬤:「反正女人家少出遠門啦。」411Please respect copyright.PENANAwXQ9hmACu8
素娘:「等到把女孩買回家,我就不會再出遠門了。」411Please respect copyright.PENANAQ05qXPBFHx
阿嬤:「唉……」411Please respect copyright.PENANA4o7Qhlguh8
素娘也不再多說這事,只是餵孩子,和孩子說話。411Please respect copyright.PENANAAPv1gUwSnY
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。411Please respect copyright.PENANAOoCpmH35D3
他們看來都才剛成年,十幾二十歲的年輕人。411Please respect copyright.PENANA3aIAoym2OO
其中五位,阿嬤見過。另外一位,是新面孔。411Please respect copyright.PENANAeQi7r0vQzl
他們一起稱呼:「大姊好。阿嬤好。」411Please respect copyright.PENANAClqWkquW7B
阿嬤沒有理會他們,直接前往照顧生病的孫子。411Please respect copyright.PENANAkMnZe1tuo2
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。411Please respect copyright.PENANAenlKzWUxuh
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。411Please respect copyright.PENANA32y8V4vfdE
大約五點,端進房間,給孩子餵餐。411Please respect copyright.PENANAOjBXyeW5sU
阿嬤比較晚起,不過也前來房間。411Please respect copyright.PENANAj1VmHNQL3a
素娘:「退燒了。身體覺得比較舒服?」411Please respect copyright.PENANApEzp3jqH5H
男孩:「有……」411Please respect copyright.PENANA54w7hb0b3P
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?」411Please respect copyright.PENANAO21dKNsZ5I
男孩點頭:「嗯……」411Please respect copyright.PENANAd7vfCKe6dp
素娘:「記住,不論媽媽去到多遠的地方,你永遠都在媽媽心裡。」411Please respect copyright.PENANAoFc3A38pXS
再次點頭:「嗯……」411Please respect copyright.PENANAKequLMytc3
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。」411Please respect copyright.PENANA9v2vv8wEcJ
阿嬤:「唉……我更希望留下來的是妳啊。」411Please respect copyright.PENANA32CAhWA6UZ
素娘不再多說,疼惜撫摸孩子的臉,就此出門離去。411Please respect copyright.PENANAr8TCxcoZyX
結果,沒有再回來了……411Please respect copyright.PENANAQw4KbS8vhT
………………411Please respect copyright.PENANAhB2BKskGhS
…………411Please respect copyright.PENANANbMvOzWysK
……411Please respect copyright.PENANADE7atEFO7O
411Please respect copyright.PENANAAfAorvkfTT