
071:出門
一八八四年,男孩(蒼原城隍)八歲。326Please respect copyright.PENANAMhkoGVyxRx
這一天,天色一發亮,母親(素娘)起床,前往廚房料理早餐。326Please respect copyright.PENANA4lA1AgxZdf
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。326Please respect copyright.PENANAw3PiHrSnuh
素娘:「早。」326Please respect copyright.PENANAzuwnTD3i5x
阿嬤:「孩子還好?」326Please respect copyright.PENANALk3OgzGy5H
素娘:「還在發燒。」326Please respect copyright.PENANAuqyNeSaY5U
阿嬤用粗布防熱,提起煎藥壺。326Please respect copyright.PENANAx2XNHwbhkN
素娘:「媽,我來弄就好。」326Please respect copyright.PENANA5XgphT14WE
阿嬤:「我來,妳去忙吃的。」326Please respect copyright.PENANAoYNfFB28Ff
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。326Please respect copyright.PENANAX4waYBoC5B
陰暗的房間內,男孩躺在床上熟睡。326Please respect copyright.PENANAC9okasCdFN
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。」326Please respect copyright.PENANA64SymQ7Dfm
男孩醒來,睡眼矇矓好一會:「阿嬤……」326Please respect copyright.PENANATLxzvRiuqc
阿嬤:「喝過藥,身體才會快快好起來。」326Please respect copyright.PENANAgvNZwyw413
就此讓阿嬤扶起,一口口啜飲苦澀的湯藥。326Please respect copyright.PENANANAtZAOJLj8
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。326Please respect copyright.PENANAIK37GNH6z8
好不容喝完湯藥,換母親餵飯。326Please respect copyright.PENANAX35SwmhDTH
阿嬤詢問:「素娘,明天又要出門?」326Please respect copyright.PENANAelsPNGl0bq
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。326Please respect copyright.PENANA4tkSpUqaKB
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。326Please respect copyright.PENANAJyP0XathZz
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。」326Please respect copyright.PENANAloirjly2aD
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?」326Please respect copyright.PENANAVhN2daBnN3
素娘:「這是為了孩子和這個家。」326Please respect copyright.PENANAMJlPoDjiIq
阿嬤:「也考慮一下人家會怎麼說妳?」326Please respect copyright.PENANAkiC3bxrR3x
素娘:「…………」326Please respect copyright.PENANAi7hpxr0f8A
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?」326Please respect copyright.PENANAGBRUWUYV7M
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。」326Please respect copyright.PENANAnSZdQPeP0B
阿嬤:「反正女人家少出遠門啦。」326Please respect copyright.PENANAhLPz7mdB5E
素娘:「等到把女孩買回家,我就不會再出遠門了。」326Please respect copyright.PENANAs0z6zGM9Ax
阿嬤:「唉……」326Please respect copyright.PENANAUK2t9e6FrR
素娘也不再多說這事,只是餵孩子,和孩子說話。326Please respect copyright.PENANAcOy8F18Tnf
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。326Please respect copyright.PENANA2Xhfu9VjtI
他們看來都才剛成年,十幾二十歲的年輕人。326Please respect copyright.PENANA3DKmAoIm8U
其中五位,阿嬤見過。另外一位,是新面孔。326Please respect copyright.PENANApU6riftiFU
他們一起稱呼:「大姊好。阿嬤好。」326Please respect copyright.PENANAB567TYIEdc
阿嬤沒有理會他們,直接前往照顧生病的孫子。326Please respect copyright.PENANAcVMzEQOIH6
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。326Please respect copyright.PENANAhTUOxMVAkf
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。326Please respect copyright.PENANAgHuQalurjK
大約五點,端進房間,給孩子餵餐。326Please respect copyright.PENANAkI0VTJUnd6
阿嬤比較晚起,不過也前來房間。326Please respect copyright.PENANAbFR20U4pIw
素娘:「退燒了。身體覺得比較舒服?」326Please respect copyright.PENANAFVyvt0ZHPH
男孩:「有……」326Please respect copyright.PENANASLNOa4d3JP
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?」326Please respect copyright.PENANA87hn2VhAZ6
男孩點頭:「嗯……」326Please respect copyright.PENANA8WSra3CMcj
素娘:「記住,不論媽媽去到多遠的地方,你永遠都在媽媽心裡。」326Please respect copyright.PENANAS2rWqADGi1
再次點頭:「嗯……」326Please respect copyright.PENANAvJzq0o8l1g
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。」326Please respect copyright.PENANAKADV5AsjjO
阿嬤:「唉……我更希望留下來的是妳啊。」326Please respect copyright.PENANAEnJUxxH1wk
素娘不再多說,疼惜撫摸孩子的臉,就此出門離去。326Please respect copyright.PENANApvnbe0vBEr
結果,沒有再回來了……326Please respect copyright.PENANAHsgQrJeePz
………………326Please respect copyright.PENANAyOaxd5qCm6
…………326Please respect copyright.PENANAuCDeOdIncM
……326Please respect copyright.PENANAvUVL4mZ6Mf
326Please respect copyright.PENANA9iP25PTTtS