第六章,同伴
列车在另一个编号为「044」的小站短暂停靠时,发生了一点小意外,也为这单调的旅程增添了一点人味;站台比077站更小更破败,只有孤零零的一间木屋,积雪几乎要淹没它的门槛;乘客们照例下车活动僵硬的身体,在站台边缘几个同样简陋的摊子前逡巡;瑞克正站在一个卖热饮的小摊前,打算买一杯据说能驱寒的、味道刺鼻的草药茶暖手;就在他付钱的时候,眼角的余光瞥见一个穿着单薄、冻得瑟瑟发抖的年轻人,正被两个同样乘客打扮、但眼神不善的大汉堵在站台角落的阴影里,似乎在低声争执什么,其中一人还用力推搡了那年轻人一把;瑞克皱了下眉,他不想惹麻烦,尤其是在这种荒僻之地,但看着那年轻人惊慌又无助的眼神,他想起自己在伦纳德街头也曾有过类似的狼狈;他深吸了一口冰冷的空气,端着那杯滚烫的草药茶,装作不经意地朝那个方向走了几步,然后「不小心」脚下一滑,手中的热茶脱手飞出,不偏不倚地泼在了离他最近的那个大汉的裤腿上!「噢!我的老天!真是万分抱歉,先生!」 瑞克立刻用伦纳德市学来的那种夸张的礼貌语气叫了起来,声音大到足够吸引附近几个乘客的注意,「这该死的冰面!您没烫伤吧?我真是太笨拙了!请务必接受我的歉意!」 他一边说着,一边手忙脚乱地试图掏出手帕,虽然那点布根本擦不掉什么;被泼到的大汉猝不及防,烫得嗷了一声,怒骂着跳开,低头去拍打裤腿;另一个大汉也被这突如其来的变故弄得一愣,警惕地看向瑞克和周围投来的目光;那个被堵住的年轻人趁机挣脱出来,迅速跑到了人群这边。两个大汉见事不可为,狠狠地瞪了瑞克和那年轻人一眼,嘴里骂骂咧咧地快速走开了,消失在站台另一侧。「谢…谢谢您,先生!」 年轻人跑到瑞克身边,惊魂未定,脸色冻得发青,说话都带着颤音,「我叫卡尔…卡尔·弗罗斯特…他们…他们想抢我的怀表,那是我父亲留下的唯一东西了……」 他紧紧捂着胸口的口袋。瑞克摆摆手,示意他不用在意,「举手之劳,卡尔。我叫瑞克。在这种地方,谨慎点总没错。你也是去史密斯?」 卡尔用力点点头,眼睛里带着一种混合着后怕和希望的亮光:「是的,先生!听说斯诺登那边新建的矿场需要很多工人,给的工钱还不错!南方…南方实在待不下去了。」「叫我瑞克就行,」 瑞克看着这个和自己境遇相似的年轻人,感到一丝同病相怜,「正好,旅途漫长,多个伴儿说话也好。」 列车即将启动的哨音响起,两人随着人流匆匆返回车厢。卡尔的位置就在瑞克隔壁的隔间,接下来的旅程,两人自然而然地坐到了一起。卡尔是个健谈的小伙子,来自更南边一个饱受虫害的小农场,他的经历比瑞克更窘迫,言语间充满了对北方新生活的憧憬,虽然有些天真,但那份朴素的希望也多少感染了瑞克。他们分享着各自带的干粮,卡尔带的黑面包硬得像石头,瑞克分了他一点肉干,谈论着南方的生活不易,猜测着北方可能遇到的困难。卡尔对瑞克在伦纳德市的经历充满了好奇,瑞克则被卡尔描述的南方农场生活逗乐了几次。在这片似乎被世界遗忘的寒冷旅途中,两个同样背井离乡、寻找生路的年轻人,因为一次小小的意外相助,成为了彼此暂时的依靠。瑞克觉得,至少抵达史密斯的时候,不再是孤身一人了。这让他心里踏实了一点。
Chapter Six, Companions
When the train made a brief stop at another small station numbered "044", a minor accident occurred, adding a touch of human warmth to this monotonous journey. The platform is smaller and more dilapidated than Station 077. There is only a solitary wooden house, and the snow almost covers its threshold. Passengers, as usual, got off the train to stretch their stiff bodies and strolled around several equally shabby stalls at the edge of the platform. Rick was standing in front of a small stand selling hot drinks, planning to buy a cup of herbal tea that was said to keep warm and had a pungent smell to warm his hands. Just as he was about to pay, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a young man dressed thinly and shivering with cold, being blocked in the shadow at the corner of the platform by two big men dressed as passengers but with unfriendly eyes. They seemed to be whispering something, and one of them even pushed the young man hard. Rick frowned. He didn't want to cause any trouble, especially in such a remote place. But looking at the young man's panicked and helpless eyes, he recalled that he had also been in a similar predicament on the streets of Leonard. He took a deep breath of the cold air, held the cup of steaming hot herbal tea, and pretended to casually walk a few steps in that direction. Then, "accidentally", he slipped and the hot tea in his hand flew out, landing precisely on the trouser leg of the nearest big man! "Oh!" Oh my goodness! I'm extremely sorry, Sir! Rick immediately shouted in the exaggerated polite tone he had learned in Leonard City, loud enough to draw the attention of a few nearby passengers, "This damn ice!" You didn't get burned, did you? I'm so clumsy! Please do accept my apology!" As he spoke, he hurriedly tried to take out a handkerchief, although that little cloth couldn't wipe off anything at all. The big man who was splashed was caught off guard. He let out a cry of heat, jumped away angrily and lowered his head to pat his trouser legs. Another big man was also taken aback by this sudden change and looked warily at Rick and the glances cast around him. The young man who was blocked seized the opportunity to break free and quickly ran to the side of the crowd. The two big men, seeing that nothing could be done, glared fiercely at Rick and the young man, cursing and swearing, and quickly walked away, disappearing on the other side of the platform. "Thanks..." Thank you, Sir!" The young man ran to Rick's side, still in a state of shock, his face turning blue the cold, and his voice trembling as he spoke, "My name is Carl..." Carl Frost... They... They wanted to snatch my pocket watch. It was the only thing my father left behind... He held the pocket on his chest tightly. Rick waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need to worry. "It's just a small favor, Carl." My name is Rick. In a place like this, it's always right to be cautious. Are you going to Smith too? Carl nodded vigorously, his eyes shining with a mixture of fear and hope: "Yes, Sir!" I heard that the newly-built mine on Snowden's side needs a lot of workers and the wages they offer are quite good! South... I really can't stay in the south any longer. "Just call me Rick," Rick looked at the young man whose situation was similar to his, feeling a sense of empathy. "It's just right. The journey is long. It's good to have more companions to talk to." The whistle blew as the train was about to start, and the two hurried back to the carriage along with the crowd. Carl's seat was in the cubicle next to Rick's. For the rest of the journey, the two naturally sat together. Carl was a talkative young man a small farm further south that was plagued by pests. His experience was even more difficult than Rick's. His words were filled with the anticipation of a new life in the north. Although he was a bit naive, that simple hope also somewhat influenced Rick. They shared the dry food they had brought. Carl's black bread was as hard as a stone. Rick gave him a little dried meat. They talked about the hardships of life in the south and guessed the possible difficulties they might encounter in the north. Carl was full of curiosity about Rick's experiences in Leonard City, while Rick was amused several times by Carl's description of the farm life in the south. On this cold journey that seems to have been forgotten by the world, two young people who both left their hometowns in search of a way to make a living became each other's temporary support because of a small accidental help. Rick felt that at least by the time he reached Smith, he would no longer be alone. This made him feel a little more at ease.