
071:出門
一八八四年,男孩(蒼原城隍)八歲。310Please respect copyright.PENANAllzCzb8Go1
這一天,天色一發亮,母親(素娘)起床,前往廚房料理早餐。310Please respect copyright.PENANA6si9jFgIOy
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。310Please respect copyright.PENANA5FWLbF6w5e
素娘:「早。」310Please respect copyright.PENANAi3z6iTFbkV
阿嬤:「孩子還好?」310Please respect copyright.PENANARBp3IT7V1n
素娘:「還在發燒。」310Please respect copyright.PENANAkFSLqff5Uy
阿嬤用粗布防熱,提起煎藥壺。310Please respect copyright.PENANA6RDdq2yD7y
素娘:「媽,我來弄就好。」310Please respect copyright.PENANAYAYp7WCPl0
阿嬤:「我來,妳去忙吃的。」310Please respect copyright.PENANAGjNWw29pLB
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。310Please respect copyright.PENANAE3wRMNdw2v
陰暗的房間內,男孩躺在床上熟睡。310Please respect copyright.PENANAUBSMwywrhG
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。」310Please respect copyright.PENANAdRVgf6P8Ki
男孩醒來,睡眼矇矓好一會:「阿嬤……」310Please respect copyright.PENANAWOQFG25hrg
阿嬤:「喝過藥,身體才會快快好起來。」310Please respect copyright.PENANAgQHmeIAMvb
就此讓阿嬤扶起,一口口啜飲苦澀的湯藥。310Please respect copyright.PENANAHOglfXTTfo
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。310Please respect copyright.PENANAteZS6VpnWX
好不容喝完湯藥,換母親餵飯。310Please respect copyright.PENANArxXdMKEzs8
阿嬤詢問:「素娘,明天又要出門?」310Please respect copyright.PENANA7IVlcXvHgO
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。310Please respect copyright.PENANAHNfTQ7jDbJ
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。310Please respect copyright.PENANA6jpqpulGAm
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。」310Please respect copyright.PENANA4y31VoTIQ3
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?」310Please respect copyright.PENANAoUWtk2Xipk
素娘:「這是為了孩子和這個家。」310Please respect copyright.PENANA0qNMwnPNPK
阿嬤:「也考慮一下人家會怎麼說妳?」310Please respect copyright.PENANAek3AmSiErV
素娘:「…………」310Please respect copyright.PENANAK6zxw9qD6n
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?」310Please respect copyright.PENANALyXeXoRJfQ
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。」310Please respect copyright.PENANAUX7uOWO9dS
阿嬤:「反正女人家少出遠門啦。」310Please respect copyright.PENANAQHBHZP42uo
素娘:「等到把女孩買回家,我就不會再出遠門了。」310Please respect copyright.PENANAlgE2Vmj6i3
阿嬤:「唉……」310Please respect copyright.PENANAoMx47f7p5Z
素娘也不再多說這事,只是餵孩子,和孩子說話。310Please respect copyright.PENANA4uhumXRCk5
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。310Please respect copyright.PENANA9GaF1X2kYU
他們看來都才剛成年,十幾二十歲的年輕人。310Please respect copyright.PENANAKpZbDnigGy
其中五位,阿嬤見過。另外一位,是新面孔。310Please respect copyright.PENANABxJVQmXpGa
他們一起稱呼:「大姊好。阿嬤好。」310Please respect copyright.PENANAxJAiUqUiS4
阿嬤沒有理會他們,直接前往照顧生病的孫子。310Please respect copyright.PENANAE6mSCUzyJq
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。310Please respect copyright.PENANAkeljvmso4c
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。310Please respect copyright.PENANAOWRRvr4LCT
大約五點,端進房間,給孩子餵餐。310Please respect copyright.PENANAp89zCBDSVl
阿嬤比較晚起,不過也前來房間。310Please respect copyright.PENANAZOEYnMgUqK
素娘:「退燒了。身體覺得比較舒服?」310Please respect copyright.PENANAMC4uqLwGhI
男孩:「有……」310Please respect copyright.PENANA3As1OFz4pl
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?」310Please respect copyright.PENANA2QD8dw747j
男孩點頭:「嗯……」310Please respect copyright.PENANAsYcmIMrDXN
素娘:「記住,不論媽媽去到多遠的地方,你永遠都在媽媽心裡。」310Please respect copyright.PENANAJ5dsyYpIQB
再次點頭:「嗯……」310Please respect copyright.PENANApOGhuHeD6n
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。」310Please respect copyright.PENANAj7t286pIpm
阿嬤:「唉……我更希望留下來的是妳啊。」310Please respect copyright.PENANAhTmxtVr8I9
素娘不再多說,疼惜撫摸孩子的臉,就此出門離去。310Please respect copyright.PENANAIUGn2SbiJ2
結果,沒有再回來了……310Please respect copyright.PENANAlZaEjUJWRw
………………310Please respect copyright.PENANAWHv0Eis0ZL
…………310Please respect copyright.PENANAc2NlCDToAx
……310Please respect copyright.PENANAypJYPK26pS
310Please respect copyright.PENANAOFtr5zL0HF