首发偶发空缺 (临时空缺)-第44章
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where the bank met the eroded side of the hill； which hung like an earthy； rocky cliff in a sheer face above the fast…flowing green water。
The narrowest lip of slippery； crumbling bank ran along the bottom of the hillside。 The only way of navigating it； if your feet had grown to be twice the length they had been when they had first made the trip； was to edge along sideways； pressed to the sheer face； holding tight to roots and bits of protruding rock。
The mulchy green smell of the river and of wet soil was deeply familiar to Andrew； as was the sensation of this narrow ledge of earth and grass under his feet； and the cracks and rocks he sought with his hands on the hillside。 He and Fats had found the secret place when they were eleven years old。 They had known that what they were doing was forbidden and dangerous； they had been warned about the river。 Terrified； but determined not to tell each other so； they had sidled along this tricky ledge； grabbing at anything that protruded from the rocky wall and； at the very narrowest point； clutching fistfuls of each other’s T…shirts。
Years of practice enabled Andrew； though his mind was barely on the job； to move crab…wise along the solid wall of earth and rock with the water gushing three feet beneath his trainers； then with a deft duck and swing； he was inside the fissure in the hillside that they had found so long ago。 Back then； it had seemed like a divine reward for their daring。 He could no longer stand up in it； but； slightly larger than a two…man tent； it was big enough for two teenage boys to lie； side by side； with the river rushing past and the trees dappling their view of the sky； framed by the triangular entrance。
The first time they had been here； they had poked and dug at the back wall with sticks； but they had not found a secret passageway leading to the abbey above； so they gloried instead in the fact that they alone had discovered the hiding place； and swore that it would be their secret in perpetuity。 Andrew had a vague memory of a solemn oath； spit and swearwords。 They had called it the Cave when they had first discovered it； but it was now； and had been for some time past； the Cubby Hole。
The little recess smelt earthy； though the sloping ceiling was made of rock。 A dark green tidemark showed that it had flooded in the past； not quite to the roof。 The floor was covered in their cigarette butts and cardboard roaches。 Andrew sat down； with his legs dangling over the sludge…green water； and pulled his cigarettes and lighter out of his jacket； bought with the last of his birthday money； now that his allowance had been stopped。 He lit up； inhaled deeply； and relived the glorious encounter with Gaia Bawden in as much detail as he could ring out of it： narrow waist and curving hips； creamy skin between leather and T…shirt； full； wide mouth； ‘oh； hi’。 It was the first time he had seen her out of school uniform。 Where was she going； alone with her leather handbag？ What was there in Pagford for her to do on a Saturday morning？ Was she perhaps catching the bus into Yarvil？ What did she get up to when she was out of his sight； what feminine mysteries absorbed her？
And he asked himself for the umpteenth time whether it was conceivable that flesh and bone wrought like that could contain a banal personality。 It was only Gaia who had ever made him wonder this： the idea of body and soul as separate entities had never once occurred to him until he had clapped eyes on her。 Even while trying to imagine what her breasts would look and feel like； judged by the visual evidence he had managed to gather through a slightly translucent school shirt； and what he knew was a white bra； he could not believe that the allure she held for him was exclusively physical。 She had a way of moving that moved him as much as music； which was what moved him most of all。 Surely the spirit animating that peerless body must be unusual too？ Why would nature make a vessel like that； if not to contain something still more valuable？
Andrew knew what naked women looked like； because there were no parental controls on the puter in Fats’ conversion bedroom。 Together they had explored as much online porn as they could access for free： shaven vulvas； pink labia pulled wide to show darkly gaping slits； spread buttocks revealing the puckered buttons of anuses； thickly lipsticked mouths； dripping semen。 Andrew’s excitement was underpinned； always； by the panicky awareness that you could only hear Mrs Wall approaching the room when she reached the creaking halfway stair。 Sometimes they found weirdness that made them roar with laughter； even when Andrew was unsure whether he was more excited or repulsed （whips and saddles； harnesses； ropes； hoses； and once； at which even Fats had not managed to laugh； close…ups of metal…bolted contraptions； and needles protruding from soft flesh； and women’s faces frozen； screaming）。
Together he and Fats had bee connoisseurs of silicone…enhanced breasts； enormous； taut and round。
‘Plastic；’ one of them would point out； matter of factly； as they sat in front of the monitor with the door wedged shut against Fats’ parents。 The on…screen blonde’s arms were raised as she sat astride some hairy man； her big brown…nippled breasts hanging off her narrow rib cage like bowling balls； thin； shiny purple lines under each of them showing where the silicone had been inserted。 You could almost tell how they would feel； looking at them： firm； as if there were a football underneath the skin。 Andrew could imagine nothing more erotic than a natural breast； soft and spongy and perhaps a little springy； and the nipples （he hoped） contrastingly hard。
And all of these images blurred in his mind； late at night； with the possibilities offered by real girls； human girls； and the little you managed to feel through clothes if you managed to move in close enough。 Niamh was the less pretty of the Fairbrother twins； but she had been the more willing； in the stuffy drama hall； during the Christmas disco。 Half hidden by the musty stage curtain in a dark corner； they had pressed against each other； and Andrew had put his tongue into her mouth。 His hands had inched as far as her bra strap and no further； because she kept pulling away。 He had been driven； chiefly； by the knowledge that somewhere outside in the darkness； Fats was going further。 And now his brain teemed and throbbed with Gaia。 She was both the sexiest girl he had ever seen and the source of another； entirely inexplicable yearning。 Certain chord changes； certain beats； made the very core of him shiver； and so did something about Gaia Bawden。
He lit a new cigarette from the end of the first and threw the butt into the water below。 Then he heard a familiar scuffling； and leaned forward to see Fats； still wearing his funeral suit； spread…eagled on the hill wall； moving from hand…hold to hand…hold as he edged along the narrow lip of bank； towards the opening where Andrew sat。
‘Fats。’
‘Arf。’
Andrew pulled in his legs to give Fats room to climb into the Cubby Hole。
‘Fucking hell；’ said Fats； when he had clambered inside。 He was spider…like in his awkwardness； with his long limbs； his skinniness emphasized by th
