
071:出門
一八八四年,男孩(蒼原城隍)八歲。346Please respect copyright.PENANAhDVgAdGWYp
這一天,天色一發亮,母親(素娘)起床,前往廚房料理早餐。346Please respect copyright.PENANACapPDeFZ6Z
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。346Please respect copyright.PENANAVOYCVRpBbO
素娘:「早。」346Please respect copyright.PENANA0Y0kmRRCWV
阿嬤:「孩子還好?」346Please respect copyright.PENANASt1B9894U5
素娘:「還在發燒。」346Please respect copyright.PENANAS6GIW1o3oC
阿嬤用粗布防熱,提起煎藥壺。346Please respect copyright.PENANA7gztPqYvDM
素娘:「媽,我來弄就好。」346Please respect copyright.PENANA1WB9OTLvZF
阿嬤:「我來,妳去忙吃的。」346Please respect copyright.PENANAqqzECINR2L
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。346Please respect copyright.PENANAIptvot3hYB
陰暗的房間內,男孩躺在床上熟睡。346Please respect copyright.PENANAVwB2OmXfJw
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。」346Please respect copyright.PENANAcvZEgyg31L
男孩醒來,睡眼矇矓好一會:「阿嬤……」346Please respect copyright.PENANAihLgj5plLw
阿嬤:「喝過藥,身體才會快快好起來。」346Please respect copyright.PENANAPtiSIWBZtj
就此讓阿嬤扶起,一口口啜飲苦澀的湯藥。346Please respect copyright.PENANAPCHwm1C2HQ
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。346Please respect copyright.PENANAIIGpFFd6sY
好不容喝完湯藥,換母親餵飯。346Please respect copyright.PENANAgsqX960KxZ
阿嬤詢問:「素娘,明天又要出門?」346Please respect copyright.PENANAL7XYEcc3T8
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。346Please respect copyright.PENANAgTPP6DKnEz
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。346Please respect copyright.PENANAIcg1bAiVqC
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。」346Please respect copyright.PENANApwoTelYxJa
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?」346Please respect copyright.PENANAxaoc8bqEgB
素娘:「這是為了孩子和這個家。」346Please respect copyright.PENANAGvV9almazH
阿嬤:「也考慮一下人家會怎麼說妳?」346Please respect copyright.PENANAjsmtAqHwqp
素娘:「…………」346Please respect copyright.PENANAuTEX6IAEXY
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?」346Please respect copyright.PENANASWTqvjM6dP
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。」346Please respect copyright.PENANAGTzOdUYaJh
阿嬤:「反正女人家少出遠門啦。」346Please respect copyright.PENANASZmBiS4v0V
素娘:「等到把女孩買回家,我就不會再出遠門了。」346Please respect copyright.PENANAIAqIDhhWvO
阿嬤:「唉……」346Please respect copyright.PENANAw6V2Hi0LuZ
素娘也不再多說這事,只是餵孩子,和孩子說話。346Please respect copyright.PENANATTzdDSw85v
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。346Please respect copyright.PENANAPWIkLCILDC
他們看來都才剛成年,十幾二十歲的年輕人。346Please respect copyright.PENANARIQBdNhucI
其中五位,阿嬤見過。另外一位,是新面孔。346Please respect copyright.PENANA70w8io09LH
他們一起稱呼:「大姊好。阿嬤好。」346Please respect copyright.PENANADW6uzP9z9g
阿嬤沒有理會他們,直接前往照顧生病的孫子。346Please respect copyright.PENANAU5RFUNDogI
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。346Please respect copyright.PENANATSpEGPQTO7
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。346Please respect copyright.PENANAZDbsMXhdSz
大約五點,端進房間,給孩子餵餐。346Please respect copyright.PENANAON8nmVJWHF
阿嬤比較晚起,不過也前來房間。346Please respect copyright.PENANAJllxNCK1TC
素娘:「退燒了。身體覺得比較舒服?」346Please respect copyright.PENANAdbrIfFz0IM
男孩:「有……」346Please respect copyright.PENANAojqcHbNiyz
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?」346Please respect copyright.PENANA9f9WDrgoWh
男孩點頭:「嗯……」346Please respect copyright.PENANAoGoBEqKBpM
素娘:「記住,不論媽媽去到多遠的地方,你永遠都在媽媽心裡。」346Please respect copyright.PENANALQeleiu0tH
再次點頭:「嗯……」346Please respect copyright.PENANAFd55PKud1o
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。」346Please respect copyright.PENANAtiTKnxWgKt
阿嬤:「唉……我更希望留下來的是妳啊。」346Please respect copyright.PENANAld9FPkuC3t
素娘不再多說,疼惜撫摸孩子的臉,就此出門離去。346Please respect copyright.PENANAhn2i75mjph
結果,沒有再回來了……346Please respect copyright.PENANAXC3GoOAE8l
………………346Please respect copyright.PENANAsUBAYO30ha
…………346Please respect copyright.PENANAc7kwc61YYL
……346Please respect copyright.PENANAkb0Z4s8v0r
346Please respect copyright.PENANA2mtD04WihR