
071:出門
一八八四年,男孩(蒼原城隍)八歲。357Please respect copyright.PENANAxfMQE83Y91
這一天,天色一發亮,母親(素娘)起床,前往廚房料理早餐。357Please respect copyright.PENANA5XqbGYzh6V
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。357Please respect copyright.PENANAl9qGM6930O
素娘:「早。」357Please respect copyright.PENANADT9Yuf6RK6
阿嬤:「孩子還好?」357Please respect copyright.PENANArXhb7n6HzP
素娘:「還在發燒。」357Please respect copyright.PENANAMwF3l92wrk
阿嬤用粗布防熱,提起煎藥壺。357Please respect copyright.PENANAVAek2cBmMC
素娘:「媽,我來弄就好。」357Please respect copyright.PENANA9JPF83Pddl
阿嬤:「我來,妳去忙吃的。」357Please respect copyright.PENANAmJgSseXJZR
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。357Please respect copyright.PENANAmtIWmPv5LJ
陰暗的房間內,男孩躺在床上熟睡。357Please respect copyright.PENANAvsQd1Cip3H
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。」357Please respect copyright.PENANAdwzzwen2NK
男孩醒來,睡眼矇矓好一會:「阿嬤……」357Please respect copyright.PENANAPLS5ftTHVX
阿嬤:「喝過藥,身體才會快快好起來。」357Please respect copyright.PENANACsYPg57kQT
就此讓阿嬤扶起,一口口啜飲苦澀的湯藥。357Please respect copyright.PENANAJt5lsmn71P
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。357Please respect copyright.PENANASoyRFPNnwn
好不容喝完湯藥,換母親餵飯。357Please respect copyright.PENANAocESBJY8LS
阿嬤詢問:「素娘,明天又要出門?」357Please respect copyright.PENANAXrVAotqfhf
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。357Please respect copyright.PENANAqw3tFqxYmc
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。357Please respect copyright.PENANAgpWCZiXMH9
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。」357Please respect copyright.PENANAWqjBdg7G31
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?」357Please respect copyright.PENANA4aIjXLygZX
素娘:「這是為了孩子和這個家。」357Please respect copyright.PENANAVTcgJF4CVH
阿嬤:「也考慮一下人家會怎麼說妳?」357Please respect copyright.PENANAz7dOh0f8Vm
素娘:「…………」357Please respect copyright.PENANAOkkDqbWcuX
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?」357Please respect copyright.PENANA78wPzI4MIL
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。」357Please respect copyright.PENANAOY4aRc35cY
阿嬤:「反正女人家少出遠門啦。」357Please respect copyright.PENANAYGCQ9edkNV
素娘:「等到把女孩買回家,我就不會再出遠門了。」357Please respect copyright.PENANA9aCP5106te
阿嬤:「唉……」357Please respect copyright.PENANAOs1lPDFQin
素娘也不再多說這事,只是餵孩子,和孩子說話。357Please respect copyright.PENANADy7MIRwsAo
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。357Please respect copyright.PENANAoaOR1xzhUN
他們看來都才剛成年,十幾二十歲的年輕人。357Please respect copyright.PENANAcEIShP6YCL
其中五位,阿嬤見過。另外一位,是新面孔。357Please respect copyright.PENANAcKAzUcC4gO
他們一起稱呼:「大姊好。阿嬤好。」357Please respect copyright.PENANAUoKeMCbVe7
阿嬤沒有理會他們,直接前往照顧生病的孫子。357Please respect copyright.PENANAgeyyAcK8kI
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。357Please respect copyright.PENANAryRJURVqer
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。357Please respect copyright.PENANAhCFefJk1jU
大約五點,端進房間,給孩子餵餐。357Please respect copyright.PENANAgnvoIj3M6b
阿嬤比較晚起,不過也前來房間。357Please respect copyright.PENANAbWbrUBp3H6
素娘:「退燒了。身體覺得比較舒服?」357Please respect copyright.PENANAjSsyxSMktf
男孩:「有……」357Please respect copyright.PENANAsMhdvCaLIC
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?」357Please respect copyright.PENANAJpRWIIrf70
男孩點頭:「嗯……」357Please respect copyright.PENANA2ryB46Kbtx
素娘:「記住,不論媽媽去到多遠的地方,你永遠都在媽媽心裡。」357Please respect copyright.PENANARhne9IDX1S
再次點頭:「嗯……」357Please respect copyright.PENANAzyDJ6dQVXg
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。」357Please respect copyright.PENANAo5Kv6H07lW
阿嬤:「唉……我更希望留下來的是妳啊。」357Please respect copyright.PENANA5Y7yjKW8cZ
素娘不再多說,疼惜撫摸孩子的臉,就此出門離去。357Please respect copyright.PENANAtsfLuFt9aU
結果,沒有再回來了……357Please respect copyright.PENANAtaiWtlL70U
………………357Please respect copyright.PENANAmgBO76J8sd
…………357Please respect copyright.PENANAIFIEygz1GI
……357Please respect copyright.PENANAg0dfe2wxzu
357Please respect copyright.PENANAuOZgflAniH