071:出門
一八八四年,男孩(蒼原城隍)八歲。281Please respect copyright.PENANAT9u2jVNbLK
這一天,天色一發亮,母親(素娘)起床,前往廚房料理早餐。281Please respect copyright.PENANA3uz6l5qLl5
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。281Please respect copyright.PENANAVmejPnTgP9
素娘:「早。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAl34FemnFfz
阿嬤:「孩子還好?」281Please respect copyright.PENANAxVmGFpKkwJ
素娘:「還在發燒。」281Please respect copyright.PENANANixXFzS8oc
阿嬤用粗布防熱,提起煎藥壺。281Please respect copyright.PENANAAsXLKvunog
素娘:「媽,我來弄就好。」281Please respect copyright.PENANApV21XsxQpj
阿嬤:「我來,妳去忙吃的。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAzubXN4qsYC
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。281Please respect copyright.PENANAsl5inN7tt4
陰暗的房間內,男孩躺在床上熟睡。281Please respect copyright.PENANAnNtDutnMio
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。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAOYAgvZDEh1
男孩醒來,睡眼矇矓好一會:「阿嬤……」281Please respect copyright.PENANAYLm2IiEuVX
阿嬤:「喝過藥,身體才會快快好起來。」281Please respect copyright.PENANASqPQW8OukB
就此讓阿嬤扶起,一口口啜飲苦澀的湯藥。281Please respect copyright.PENANAL2kTaYA4Cf
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。281Please respect copyright.PENANAIN5aVcv0Ev
好不容喝完湯藥,換母親餵飯。281Please respect copyright.PENANAq0Myz7odSH
阿嬤詢問:「素娘,明天又要出門?」281Please respect copyright.PENANAgfpPBIRrbB
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。281Please respect copyright.PENANAg54xMAyfJU
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。281Please respect copyright.PENANA5vlmPbdn6Z
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。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAEl63L4bc13
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?」281Please respect copyright.PENANAQnEbiswovJ
素娘:「這是為了孩子和這個家。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAaNFrQY0Oqv
阿嬤:「也考慮一下人家會怎麼說妳?」281Please respect copyright.PENANADXEyabPwj9
素娘:「…………」281Please respect copyright.PENANAuaBeqFQyP7
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?」281Please respect copyright.PENANANyyk7bMurQ
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。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAJSfEMs4BoP
阿嬤:「反正女人家少出遠門啦。」281Please respect copyright.PENANA18xdTOY8vB
素娘:「等到把女孩買回家,我就不會再出遠門了。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAs02mxA2EXz
阿嬤:「唉……」281Please respect copyright.PENANAq6Oi3OeK9l
素娘也不再多說這事,只是餵孩子,和孩子說話。281Please respect copyright.PENANANiNfP8IbHH
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。281Please respect copyright.PENANAHJHPEoiyZb
他們看來都才剛成年,十幾二十歲的年輕人。281Please respect copyright.PENANAXR0nHgJEXn
其中五位,阿嬤見過。另外一位,是新面孔。281Please respect copyright.PENANAAmrL9VkzRN
他們一起稱呼:「大姊好。阿嬤好。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAWswSYrKKBD
阿嬤沒有理會他們,直接前往照顧生病的孫子。281Please respect copyright.PENANATsuoPpUJm2
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。281Please respect copyright.PENANATra1Qbb7jo
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。281Please respect copyright.PENANASBsZuln74B
大約五點,端進房間,給孩子餵餐。281Please respect copyright.PENANA4nMzaYldN6
阿嬤比較晚起,不過也前來房間。281Please respect copyright.PENANA6mPXXvmpWR
素娘:「退燒了。身體覺得比較舒服?」281Please respect copyright.PENANAIhbjFYa8an
男孩:「有……」281Please respect copyright.PENANA5QdsPT6J46
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?」281Please respect copyright.PENANAxRmF8CDbQM
男孩點頭:「嗯……」281Please respect copyright.PENANAeDgIhK2SRl
素娘:「記住,不論媽媽去到多遠的地方,你永遠都在媽媽心裡。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAT9TZYDJ4wM
再次點頭:「嗯……」281Please respect copyright.PENANAevqqVuiiIk
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。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAaLt43Yo1qD
阿嬤:「唉……我更希望留下來的是妳啊。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAjm5djpb7Pk
素娘不再多說,疼惜撫摸孩子的臉,就此出門離去。281Please respect copyright.PENANANv5RXRtEvV
結果,沒有再回來了……281Please respect copyright.PENANAt9DWmxeXMd
………………281Please respect copyright.PENANAQxngwwAl9q
…………281Please respect copyright.PENANA8nFZxGNnaR
……281Please respect copyright.PENANAyE8MeBWllL
281Please respect copyright.PENANAurXZPoOagr