
071:出門
一八八四年,男孩(蒼原城隍)八歲。432Please respect copyright.PENANAjYXdbtu3kp
這一天,天色一發亮,母親(素娘)起床,前往廚房料理早餐。432Please respect copyright.PENANANOeMj8mmsM
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。432Please respect copyright.PENANAz8rqLeLr4U
素娘:「早。」432Please respect copyright.PENANAe1fDAu1X7j
阿嬤:「孩子還好?」432Please respect copyright.PENANAMZvj1vctyJ
素娘:「還在發燒。」432Please respect copyright.PENANAqa6tz1CbMC
阿嬤用粗布防熱,提起煎藥壺。432Please respect copyright.PENANAkuwhYOOV6U
素娘:「媽,我來弄就好。」432Please respect copyright.PENANAjetVD9sRFO
阿嬤:「我來,妳去忙吃的。」432Please respect copyright.PENANAv1xxcaQQfF
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。432Please respect copyright.PENANAUfLsCG9xUx
陰暗的房間內,男孩躺在床上熟睡。432Please respect copyright.PENANAO2vKaUAopv
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。」432Please respect copyright.PENANAQ5jaSNdVyd
男孩醒來,睡眼矇矓好一會:「阿嬤……」432Please respect copyright.PENANA5owJqGCRHl
阿嬤:「喝過藥,身體才會快快好起來。」432Please respect copyright.PENANAz95uu2DgC2
就此讓阿嬤扶起,一口口啜飲苦澀的湯藥。432Please respect copyright.PENANAwXuX5q9T5o
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。432Please respect copyright.PENANAutQws3mjob
好不容喝完湯藥,換母親餵飯。432Please respect copyright.PENANAI13uOtrztQ
阿嬤詢問:「素娘,明天又要出門?」432Please respect copyright.PENANAg1EkZYQiRx
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。432Please respect copyright.PENANAcZkRSaL509
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。432Please respect copyright.PENANAdnZRqVhBoC
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。」432Please respect copyright.PENANACXq551M7eU
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?」432Please respect copyright.PENANAeLz2wbnnbN
素娘:「這是為了孩子和這個家。」432Please respect copyright.PENANA0LIQRspb6m
阿嬤:「也考慮一下人家會怎麼說妳?」432Please respect copyright.PENANA5Lex7HzPFh
素娘:「…………」432Please respect copyright.PENANAXbGXf7mYi0
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?」432Please respect copyright.PENANAlyJGr0OPO1
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。」432Please respect copyright.PENANAFokMFnlENn
阿嬤:「反正女人家少出遠門啦。」432Please respect copyright.PENANA2QH0drD5Lx
素娘:「等到把女孩買回家,我就不會再出遠門了。」432Please respect copyright.PENANAZezKu4ILRq
阿嬤:「唉……」432Please respect copyright.PENANA864AbAuusF
素娘也不再多說這事,只是餵孩子,和孩子說話。432Please respect copyright.PENANAt2EPseVtBW
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。432Please respect copyright.PENANAzo5DdAHt5I
他們看來都才剛成年,十幾二十歲的年輕人。432Please respect copyright.PENANAnY3TlWf2ru
其中五位,阿嬤見過。另外一位,是新面孔。432Please respect copyright.PENANAvFcp0MO4k9
他們一起稱呼:「大姊好。阿嬤好。」432Please respect copyright.PENANASK9L3bafis
阿嬤沒有理會他們,直接前往照顧生病的孫子。432Please respect copyright.PENANAsbkh39u0VN
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。432Please respect copyright.PENANAh3vNWnSw7n
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。432Please respect copyright.PENANAVIrd0pF7xW
大約五點,端進房間,給孩子餵餐。432Please respect copyright.PENANAMXrpsoQX15
阿嬤比較晚起,不過也前來房間。432Please respect copyright.PENANA2yM2vuvDsI
素娘:「退燒了。身體覺得比較舒服?」432Please respect copyright.PENANAFDxwU7lGNf
男孩:「有……」432Please respect copyright.PENANAlg9qYyUKlk
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?」432Please respect copyright.PENANA3mFj8iYIDq
男孩點頭:「嗯……」432Please respect copyright.PENANAlHZ68fAxYj
素娘:「記住,不論媽媽去到多遠的地方,你永遠都在媽媽心裡。」432Please respect copyright.PENANA5raxSfnbTu
再次點頭:「嗯……」432Please respect copyright.PENANAXTq6maSjot
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。」432Please respect copyright.PENANAsiGzDoH2dH
阿嬤:「唉……我更希望留下來的是妳啊。」432Please respect copyright.PENANAMDrzF0m7m3
素娘不再多說,疼惜撫摸孩子的臉,就此出門離去。432Please respect copyright.PENANAYTbDLIGzG1
結果,沒有再回來了……432Please respect copyright.PENANAYnfoUXYr5s
………………432Please respect copyright.PENANA6BMuAukPn0
…………432Please respect copyright.PENANAyAdTknbxBF
……432Please respect copyright.PENANAum1h19TGZU
432Please respect copyright.PENANA92ZRnhSLPb