071:出門
一八八四年,男孩(蒼原城隍)八歲。284Please respect copyright.PENANAGnR7J4Orqt
這一天,天色一發亮,母親(素娘)起床,前往廚房料理早餐。284Please respect copyright.PENANAPXStQ33bRB
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。284Please respect copyright.PENANAXC53uv1X07
素娘:「早。」284Please respect copyright.PENANAhU0PHUBK2J
阿嬤:「孩子還好?」284Please respect copyright.PENANADEIDNKZLXB
素娘:「還在發燒。」284Please respect copyright.PENANAhKB2kNWqDE
阿嬤用粗布防熱,提起煎藥壺。284Please respect copyright.PENANA2BLaEpOwrP
素娘:「媽,我來弄就好。」284Please respect copyright.PENANAPl80EX34EV
阿嬤:「我來,妳去忙吃的。」284Please respect copyright.PENANA6iG0RcF4Yt
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。284Please respect copyright.PENANAYjkwlHOnzr
陰暗的房間內,男孩躺在床上熟睡。284Please respect copyright.PENANAVVICZ85E4F
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。」284Please respect copyright.PENANAysXZjtgbE1
男孩醒來,睡眼矇矓好一會:「阿嬤……」284Please respect copyright.PENANATuolOghWcg
阿嬤:「喝過藥,身體才會快快好起來。」284Please respect copyright.PENANAH4tT8h7Epi
就此讓阿嬤扶起,一口口啜飲苦澀的湯藥。284Please respect copyright.PENANAR71x92zQn0
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。284Please respect copyright.PENANAd6oppGkUaW
好不容喝完湯藥,換母親餵飯。284Please respect copyright.PENANA3ObVNpxDAS
阿嬤詢問:「素娘,明天又要出門?」284Please respect copyright.PENANAO97RROs4Oh
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。284Please respect copyright.PENANA2Ynn6od8Ww
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。284Please respect copyright.PENANAq04ZAi3vyY
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。」284Please respect copyright.PENANArBtFAZcLWR
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?」284Please respect copyright.PENANAUM7wnUPzQ8
素娘:「這是為了孩子和這個家。」284Please respect copyright.PENANAVymcW9Fsd6
阿嬤:「也考慮一下人家會怎麼說妳?」284Please respect copyright.PENANA56Cua8R6xO
素娘:「…………」284Please respect copyright.PENANAgJezEjcZba
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?」284Please respect copyright.PENANAQ8kzWO3Erx
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。」284Please respect copyright.PENANAwMJR6URmn2
阿嬤:「反正女人家少出遠門啦。」284Please respect copyright.PENANA3EbQN0SErM
素娘:「等到把女孩買回家,我就不會再出遠門了。」284Please respect copyright.PENANAmK4oDz9U8G
阿嬤:「唉……」284Please respect copyright.PENANAspy461JBmY
素娘也不再多說這事,只是餵孩子,和孩子說話。284Please respect copyright.PENANAMQbZiOfoAr
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。284Please respect copyright.PENANA0PLSNNtNQi
他們看來都才剛成年,十幾二十歲的年輕人。284Please respect copyright.PENANAFhwlgOFaH8
其中五位,阿嬤見過。另外一位,是新面孔。284Please respect copyright.PENANAat3ehKMZlI
他們一起稱呼:「大姊好。阿嬤好。」284Please respect copyright.PENANAY7FVE400CZ
阿嬤沒有理會他們,直接前往照顧生病的孫子。284Please respect copyright.PENANATBlhOXdJ2P
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。284Please respect copyright.PENANAlR8DREqj3K
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。284Please respect copyright.PENANASsUpNwrgru
大約五點,端進房間,給孩子餵餐。284Please respect copyright.PENANAQBf5yBUxAH
阿嬤比較晚起,不過也前來房間。284Please respect copyright.PENANAv33KY232Zl
素娘:「退燒了。身體覺得比較舒服?」284Please respect copyright.PENANAjAGpsNGEHi
男孩:「有……」284Please respect copyright.PENANAjXxZIBptwv
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?」284Please respect copyright.PENANADXKYLeeDHD
男孩點頭:「嗯……」284Please respect copyright.PENANAPd4Ds2bdcD
素娘:「記住,不論媽媽去到多遠的地方,你永遠都在媽媽心裡。」284Please respect copyright.PENANA84Di7COZfP
再次點頭:「嗯……」284Please respect copyright.PENANAbxW9Tqmyvz
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。」284Please respect copyright.PENANAbYpf13PF0t
阿嬤:「唉……我更希望留下來的是妳啊。」284Please respect copyright.PENANAHP5ktjxTSO
素娘不再多說,疼惜撫摸孩子的臉,就此出門離去。284Please respect copyright.PENANAho3rG9wBAo
結果,沒有再回來了……284Please respect copyright.PENANAxZXriNr7XZ
………………284Please respect copyright.PENANAOJrSo6pEww
…………284Please respect copyright.PENANAzMTmhpcIVN
……284Please respect copyright.PENANAqQw1NzXROW
284Please respect copyright.PENANAZvGhj1uIeX