071:出門
一八八四年,男孩(蒼原城隍)八歲。260Please respect copyright.PENANAdO77MZcWYJ
這一天,天色一發亮,母親(素娘)起床,前往廚房料理早餐。260Please respect copyright.PENANAS1CLgssj0W
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。260Please respect copyright.PENANAT0FOItkl60
素娘:「早。」260Please respect copyright.PENANAgxMxbFSZc0
阿嬤:「孩子還好?」260Please respect copyright.PENANAwCMlhG3MkO
素娘:「還在發燒。」260Please respect copyright.PENANAZ0IUJ2phC9
阿嬤用粗布防熱,提起煎藥壺。260Please respect copyright.PENANA2Z7P8JvfkQ
素娘:「媽,我來弄就好。」260Please respect copyright.PENANArW9a3ZSS8W
阿嬤:「我來,妳去忙吃的。」260Please respect copyright.PENANAGPfzbTi426
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。260Please respect copyright.PENANA0qLiIqCgMA
陰暗的房間內,男孩躺在床上熟睡。260Please respect copyright.PENANAuZ3O9OePoq
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。」260Please respect copyright.PENANA8OQQiGzmK9
男孩醒來,睡眼矇矓好一會:「阿嬤……」260Please respect copyright.PENANAtPpLE7am9F
阿嬤:「喝過藥,身體才會快快好起來。」260Please respect copyright.PENANAZgn87aKiEp
就此讓阿嬤扶起,一口口啜飲苦澀的湯藥。260Please respect copyright.PENANAmydUZMkr1X
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。260Please respect copyright.PENANAw6vD1tHo04
好不容喝完湯藥,換母親餵飯。260Please respect copyright.PENANAxemdkdd6GO
阿嬤詢問:「素娘,明天又要出門?」260Please respect copyright.PENANA0n3a8VERBK
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。260Please respect copyright.PENANAIL8NHdMaTe
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。260Please respect copyright.PENANARPybzORCDr
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。」260Please respect copyright.PENANA4QDU0FsUQy
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?」260Please respect copyright.PENANA7YthmrQQwf
素娘:「這是為了孩子和這個家。」260Please respect copyright.PENANA2RBfOyihJd
阿嬤:「也考慮一下人家會怎麼說妳?」260Please respect copyright.PENANA8h7y10M720
素娘:「…………」260Please respect copyright.PENANAA8DTxkbBgd
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?」260Please respect copyright.PENANAEQOB21xj09
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。」260Please respect copyright.PENANADEJlHq4Fi1
阿嬤:「反正女人家少出遠門啦。」260Please respect copyright.PENANAkAAcJN4nGq
素娘:「等到把女孩買回家,我就不會再出遠門了。」260Please respect copyright.PENANAYcut5Lpu24
阿嬤:「唉……」260Please respect copyright.PENANAwPvI8ru6mv
素娘也不再多說這事,只是餵孩子,和孩子說話。260Please respect copyright.PENANAnGBiItIl1c
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。260Please respect copyright.PENANAtrSnpYEoP5
他們看來都才剛成年,十幾二十歲的年輕人。260Please respect copyright.PENANAAhZo9ymTrw
其中五位,阿嬤見過。另外一位,是新面孔。260Please respect copyright.PENANAg10sASiazx
他們一起稱呼:「大姊好。阿嬤好。」260Please respect copyright.PENANAiJvq0SC6KW
阿嬤沒有理會他們,直接前往照顧生病的孫子。260Please respect copyright.PENANANCCaDig9Yq
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。260Please respect copyright.PENANAvZH76RPqJo
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。260Please respect copyright.PENANAa3fDmoIRlz
大約五點,端進房間,給孩子餵餐。260Please respect copyright.PENANAR39VKYn0qN
阿嬤比較晚起,不過也前來房間。260Please respect copyright.PENANAqh9t7vKi0Y
素娘:「退燒了。身體覺得比較舒服?」260Please respect copyright.PENANApjZBKx6OUb
男孩:「有……」260Please respect copyright.PENANAlxJCOKa4v1
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?」260Please respect copyright.PENANA6uR1W2vJCh
男孩點頭:「嗯……」260Please respect copyright.PENANAiu4hrHa0R6
素娘:「記住,不論媽媽去到多遠的地方,你永遠都在媽媽心裡。」260Please respect copyright.PENANAI9e49rLSOC
再次點頭:「嗯……」260Please respect copyright.PENANA5ntF0dutBv
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。」260Please respect copyright.PENANAEXliVLz0U1
阿嬤:「唉……我更希望留下來的是妳啊。」260Please respect copyright.PENANALoMqGWkHSi
素娘不再多說,疼惜撫摸孩子的臉,就此出門離去。260Please respect copyright.PENANADJsDzHoH6S
結果,沒有再回來了……260Please respect copyright.PENANAPsWNvqTps9
………………260Please respect copyright.PENANAYCyCp6ILz0
…………260Please respect copyright.PENANAVB8uNSVhBu
……260Please respect copyright.PENANAXIrDjBa0Eo
260Please respect copyright.PENANAULS0uQlFGb