
071:出門
一八八四年,男孩(蒼原城隍)八歲。344Please respect copyright.PENANAPN2sUn28YC
這一天,天色一發亮,母親(素娘)起床,前往廚房料理早餐。344Please respect copyright.PENANAM2e2CDvimz
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。344Please respect copyright.PENANArWQl6jkO1z
素娘:「早。」344Please respect copyright.PENANAIzUNeN2oRZ
阿嬤:「孩子還好?」344Please respect copyright.PENANAJzM4inH4Rm
素娘:「還在發燒。」344Please respect copyright.PENANAktVfa8HAk0
阿嬤用粗布防熱,提起煎藥壺。344Please respect copyright.PENANAMzXIckXj5j
素娘:「媽,我來弄就好。」344Please respect copyright.PENANAjzPA5Tz6nG
阿嬤:「我來,妳去忙吃的。」344Please respect copyright.PENANAzL1GDxApVX
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。344Please respect copyright.PENANAwpEpx6vlHj
陰暗的房間內,男孩躺在床上熟睡。344Please respect copyright.PENANACjZ35H6Acy
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。」344Please respect copyright.PENANAuJmzhszA7a
男孩醒來,睡眼矇矓好一會:「阿嬤……」344Please respect copyright.PENANAzW53mwA2Kq
阿嬤:「喝過藥,身體才會快快好起來。」344Please respect copyright.PENANAVUqxLKb8i4
就此讓阿嬤扶起,一口口啜飲苦澀的湯藥。344Please respect copyright.PENANA31xIjWV38U
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。344Please respect copyright.PENANAkY6vMLIbGZ
好不容喝完湯藥,換母親餵飯。344Please respect copyright.PENANAjrFD7z52Vo
阿嬤詢問:「素娘,明天又要出門?」344Please respect copyright.PENANAZIhIvPdRU6
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。344Please respect copyright.PENANA6jxAg1v2qw
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。344Please respect copyright.PENANAOV352HgXq9
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。」344Please respect copyright.PENANARpzikbBEKQ
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?」344Please respect copyright.PENANAV626q0rOhs
素娘:「這是為了孩子和這個家。」344Please respect copyright.PENANA7dGLffgeHN
阿嬤:「也考慮一下人家會怎麼說妳?」344Please respect copyright.PENANAtvavbXlFYy
素娘:「…………」344Please respect copyright.PENANAtqNHq46UaW
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?」344Please respect copyright.PENANAzmJWnuqoqJ
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。」344Please respect copyright.PENANAGBa7l7BjpR
阿嬤:「反正女人家少出遠門啦。」344Please respect copyright.PENANAuZ2DpSIci9
素娘:「等到把女孩買回家,我就不會再出遠門了。」344Please respect copyright.PENANA1kuJicyfbz
阿嬤:「唉……」344Please respect copyright.PENANAs24hx8KYnc
素娘也不再多說這事,只是餵孩子,和孩子說話。344Please respect copyright.PENANAtdKGBHXwEA
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。344Please respect copyright.PENANAfcDSvET3WI
他們看來都才剛成年,十幾二十歲的年輕人。344Please respect copyright.PENANA0uVAGMqitT
其中五位,阿嬤見過。另外一位,是新面孔。344Please respect copyright.PENANAsQPrz6kzqv
他們一起稱呼:「大姊好。阿嬤好。」344Please respect copyright.PENANAYurQDBv6rs
阿嬤沒有理會他們,直接前往照顧生病的孫子。344Please respect copyright.PENANA8J8sPBMpWU
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。344Please respect copyright.PENANA6h4Kus3KmX
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。344Please respect copyright.PENANAerM96BEF3g
大約五點,端進房間,給孩子餵餐。344Please respect copyright.PENANA4RbGm7uRon
阿嬤比較晚起,不過也前來房間。344Please respect copyright.PENANA0R5lIbFYod
素娘:「退燒了。身體覺得比較舒服?」344Please respect copyright.PENANAenclkwiwib
男孩:「有……」344Please respect copyright.PENANA8wFQEyqm4O
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?」344Please respect copyright.PENANA3mVWnPVlYN
男孩點頭:「嗯……」344Please respect copyright.PENANAFBzO8QI58E
素娘:「記住,不論媽媽去到多遠的地方,你永遠都在媽媽心裡。」344Please respect copyright.PENANAwIfmm413iw
再次點頭:「嗯……」344Please respect copyright.PENANAsllQGL3iHO
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。」344Please respect copyright.PENANANtvmrJWExL
阿嬤:「唉……我更希望留下來的是妳啊。」344Please respect copyright.PENANAPml0ZCYurQ
素娘不再多說,疼惜撫摸孩子的臉,就此出門離去。344Please respect copyright.PENANAUIEvPBDAFv
結果,沒有再回來了……344Please respect copyright.PENANAEfoM6uC9zU
………………344Please respect copyright.PENANAzyPJLraKYR
…………344Please respect copyright.PENANAHjXz1ZVgTj
……344Please respect copyright.PENANADZzS4txou6
344Please respect copyright.PENANAJlROMyVZeT