「噹啷噹啷!」350Please respect copyright.PENANAOICA3tzpOS
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踩地的咯噠聲一停止,繫在粗繩上的銅鈴立刻發出了聲響,緊接著是衣服與地面的沙沙摩擦。350Please respect copyright.PENANAtqSbu9vLwb
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紅白相間的粗繩下方,泛灰的綠檀木捐獻箱前,一女子頭戴斗笠,荼白輕紗半掩,枯茶色破舊草屐與之形成對比。她雙膝跪地,張開雙臂,後復收攏胸前作合掌之姿:縞素大袖隨之伸展、摺疊,老銀手環亦叮咚作響。隔著面上那層薄霜,依稀能見女子雙目輕闔,似是微睡。350Please respect copyright.PENANA7TGnRDUE6l
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霎時,开字形牌坊兩側的杉林陷入寂靜,本來喧囂的鳥雀皆停止歌唱,風不再遞送芬芳,地面開始嗡嗡作響;照當地人的說法,那是因為神明來了。350Please respect copyright.PENANAxeXm29f2iv
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但,女子僅擺出祈禱的姿勢,自始至終未曾拍手。350Please respect copyright.PENANACTRAcwp6vH
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既然沒有誠心呼喚,那來者會是誰?350Please respect copyright.PENANAZ0oMmm8Qmc
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地鳴逐漸接近,在即將佔據聽覺時向另一邊遠去,把碎裂的嘈雜歸還山林。女子昂首,再度睜眼,視線正對上了木造建築深處的神龕。狹小的神龕裡,一把未出鞘的武器橫臥架上,左右乍看無多餘空間,彷彿直接嵌入兩壁;想必那就是此處供奉的神體。350Please respect copyright.PENANA01k8vvT0JV
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「不拍手嗎?旅行的小姐?」350Please respect copyright.PENANAAR4Ik8LUze
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了無生氣的院落忽然響起有血有肉的聲音,像本來就在那裡似的。可在此前除女子之外,並無別的腳步。她循聲側頭,只是面無表情盯著憑空冒出的高大身影:官服、官帽、一點瀏海、三隻眼睛……350Please respect copyright.PENANAEyvBvRBZc1
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良久,才幽幽答道:「我不信神。」350Please respect copyright.PENANAAZ3WLRzOzw
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雖這麼說,她還是保持跪姿,視線則從陌生的來者移回神體。難道女子沒發現任何異狀嗎?不,她確實清楚看見,那來者多出的眼豎於眉心上方,如細長寶石般晶瑩透亮。350Please respect copyright.PENANAVwu7B40VZ9
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「不信神的話,又為何祈禱呢?」陌生的影子瞅著她,似是覺得有趣。350Please respect copyright.PENANABhwGHOgFs4
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「我喜歡安靜。」350Please respect copyright.PENANAQo44zqKz5u
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「是嗎?但這兒可是全世界最吵的地方啊!」350Please respect copyright.PENANA9fejQ6h0eX
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話音甫落,大地以萬籟俱寂應答,此間只剩白衣摩娑,以及女子的呼吸、脈搏。樹影輕盈搖曳,落葉無聲飄抵歸處。什麼都沒有,整個世界像是陷入水中,耳邊迴旋著無法觸及的流動。350Please respect copyright.PENANAxwSk7KHdYy
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「聽不見嗎?這些來自遐邇的祈禱,經歲月之輪輾碎,囚禁於狹縫反覆摩擦的回聲。」350Please respect copyright.PENANA0mDHVbL5p3
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那人伸展了官服的寬袖,身影似乎在一瞬間高大起來,說出口的句子成了水的一部份,遙遠、純粹、絕對。女子不動如山,面紗和幾綹未束起的髮迎著風,像堅定逆流而上的巡禮者。350Please respect copyright.PENANAYnbmsLiOVr
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「那不過是願望淘選後留下的砂,終將沉澱為路徑;路徑不會吵鬧,只有心會揚起塵埃。」若隱若現的面容在光線下潤澤如珠,月季的唇瓣低聲訴說,一開一闔,花開花落,「我,將前去踏平那些徬徨的土石。」350Please respect copyright.PENANAoZiMxh6xhQ
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「啊,原來是辭別嗎?可是遠方?」350Please respect copyright.PENANAEr0K2uYHGM
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「嗯。」350Please respect copyright.PENANAqsbXbRmIbL
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三隻眼睛的人垂下肩膀,似乎些許放鬆,他朝女子前進幾步,略略低頭:「可惜,現在還不到季節。如妳所見,這裡沒什麼能為妳餞行,還請見諒。」350Please respect copyright.PENANAMuURdW8Pyn
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「無妨。」350Please respect copyright.PENANAxZkK3G6a7O
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見女子打算起身,穿著官服的陌生人立刻向後一退,翻身踮上參道旁的石燈,在女子身側居高臨下。而她站直後雙手交疊,逕自朝神龕走去,每一步都像竹林的落淚。那人看著她摘下紗笠,越過結界、跨過木籬,心中暗驚,卻也不打算阻止。不,該說他正要開口之際,便被某物安穩放下的聲音打斷,沉甸甸的。350Please respect copyright.PENANA3VtCkEaZ8X
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「那是……」350Please respect copyright.PENANAdnQgQ9ZHAl
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「放這裡可以嗎?」女子背對著,看不見表情。350Please respect copyright.PENANAmNYJPa4pmE
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「什麼?」350Please respect copyright.PENANAEKU2LrEk3o
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「供品,」她的聲音從陰影處傳來,「本就是參拜之人該帶的東西。」350Please respect copyright.PENANAZGQdr6kSBI
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「啊,也是。」350Please respect copyright.PENANALf6imyUXnU
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待她自陰影處走出,他才看見神體前方溫暖的金屬反光,是一條串著許多垂墜的老銀手環,不久前還戴在她手上。月暈的色澤訴說斑駁的歷史,承載著眾多生靈的祈願,一代接著一代吶喊著。他覺得耳邊益發嘈雜了。350Please respect copyright.PENANAkpjjl3M2Vj
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「真的可以嗎?那是很貴重的東西吧?」打算把那東西送給荒野的神明嗎?她是認真的?350Please respect copyright.PENANAJcWyrVPg0L
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女子再度戴上紗笠,無聲的唇拼成「是」的嘴型,餘下的語聲細細呢喃:「離開就不需要了。」一面繫緊腰帶,一面整理著成對的素袖。350Please respect copyright.PENANAb5Xs3OZFTI
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樹影之外,陰翳漸漸浮上穹頂,潮濕的吐息亦悄悄漫成可見的實體。女子壓低斗笠,大袖再度展開,這次她終於重重拍手,颳起一道巨大響亮的掌風。本來靜寂的樹林再度甦醒,枝幹與葉不安躁動。350Please respect copyright.PENANAJ0rCYQh8ra
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「不想收的話,就當作幫忙保管吧。」350Please respect copyright.PENANAEi9CZsHB06
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「要走了?」350Please respect copyright.PENANA6WSmAMJhxz
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「嗯,現在。」350Please respect copyright.PENANAWO1tmKrTEC
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「那就不送妳啦!一直以來只有別人送我,沒有我送別人。」350Please respect copyright.PENANALKaxpJm9U8
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風起了,女子朝陌生人處回頭。眨眼的瞬間,本來站在眼前的人影驟然消失;石燈的頂端,只有一隻蜻蜓孤伶伶停著,拍了拍翅膀便離去。350Please respect copyright.PENANA1C02h9Lvu0
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——要記得啊,蜻蜓離開水域太久是活不下去的。350Please respect copyright.PENANACzFaxlhcFC
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真是多餘的擔心。350Please respect copyright.PENANAmkS98tdfkX
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「如果是蜻蜓的話,就算只剩一片翅膀,也可以飛行。」既然能飛的話,有朝一日必定能找到新的水域。女子壓著斗笠搖搖頭,向手環發出閃光的地方看去。350Please respect copyright.PENANAc30otjIzo9
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「……就怕你不肯收呢,所以我還準備了另一個。」350Please respect copyright.PENANACfhk0kHQRK
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語畢,女子展臂原地旋舞,衣袖翻動,靈動如蛺蝶,淒婉似仙鶴。周圍草木彷彿有所感應,羽葉紛飛同風扶搖;以女子為軸心的旋風中,漸漸混入一抹淺桃,女子的身影則越來越稀薄。350Please respect copyright.PENANAvUDZVKsebU
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末了,只見花瓣紛飛。參道上,再也尋不著伊人倩影。350Please respect copyright.PENANAZGFqXRhHHD
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「後會有期。」350Please respect copyright.PENANA4jhVnkwlKP
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