
071:出門
一八八四年,男孩(蒼原城隍)八歲。456Please respect copyright.PENANAITwAGpQS40
這一天,天色一發亮,母親(素娘)起床,前往廚房料理早餐。456Please respect copyright.PENANAVcjXy8ahTa
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。456Please respect copyright.PENANAU0xFCHyxbu
素娘:「早。」456Please respect copyright.PENANAIcmGrAZcyM
阿嬤:「孩子還好?」456Please respect copyright.PENANACuJYjZMFXu
素娘:「還在發燒。」456Please respect copyright.PENANAP4I5ua0ahZ
阿嬤用粗布防熱,提起煎藥壺。456Please respect copyright.PENANA6f0Ae0LOt5
素娘:「媽,我來弄就好。」456Please respect copyright.PENANAxjMej3jybG
阿嬤:「我來,妳去忙吃的。」456Please respect copyright.PENANA5z3RN2nMHO
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。456Please respect copyright.PENANA8UZXqlM5LG
陰暗的房間內,男孩躺在床上熟睡。456Please respect copyright.PENANAVxLKEhIB9d
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。」456Please respect copyright.PENANASyVmh3xrgv
男孩醒來,睡眼矇矓好一會:「阿嬤……」456Please respect copyright.PENANANXXnUle6zf
阿嬤:「喝過藥,身體才會快快好起來。」456Please respect copyright.PENANA7X1PKMOBB9
就此讓阿嬤扶起,一口口啜飲苦澀的湯藥。456Please respect copyright.PENANAcx3GjGTWud
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。456Please respect copyright.PENANAiYOWbq4M5d
好不容喝完湯藥,換母親餵飯。456Please respect copyright.PENANAl0nal8tf92
阿嬤詢問:「素娘,明天又要出門?」456Please respect copyright.PENANAEpvlzlxt3Q
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。456Please respect copyright.PENANAB33Sp49cxE
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。456Please respect copyright.PENANAkbvPmGDLNd
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。」456Please respect copyright.PENANAmFg8ywz2Tj
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?」456Please respect copyright.PENANAWVRpRULtBf
素娘:「這是為了孩子和這個家。」456Please respect copyright.PENANAie4R4sEPUE
阿嬤:「也考慮一下人家會怎麼說妳?」456Please respect copyright.PENANAJVFJWamXwD
素娘:「…………」456Please respect copyright.PENANAWrCOfGOCYB
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?」456Please respect copyright.PENANAJvzZoh5mIY
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。」456Please respect copyright.PENANAD33MwVxYWO
阿嬤:「反正女人家少出遠門啦。」456Please respect copyright.PENANAzmPghjUwot
素娘:「等到把女孩買回家,我就不會再出遠門了。」456Please respect copyright.PENANARjJectguvk
阿嬤:「唉……」456Please respect copyright.PENANAjtucYDl7f0
素娘也不再多說這事,只是餵孩子,和孩子說話。456Please respect copyright.PENANAWAMdCxnjhJ
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。456Please respect copyright.PENANAXOFbECi5sv
他們看來都才剛成年,十幾二十歲的年輕人。456Please respect copyright.PENANAbud9Oo4ENm
其中五位,阿嬤見過。另外一位,是新面孔。456Please respect copyright.PENANA0nZrdoB4Ke
他們一起稱呼:「大姊好。阿嬤好。」456Please respect copyright.PENANAplUVlB7TF4
阿嬤沒有理會他們,直接前往照顧生病的孫子。456Please respect copyright.PENANA8n8C98NyKi
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。456Please respect copyright.PENANAbi9KiZbL2g
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。456Please respect copyright.PENANAbisF8qAZA2
大約五點,端進房間,給孩子餵餐。456Please respect copyright.PENANA6zLKPeswwN
阿嬤比較晚起,不過也前來房間。456Please respect copyright.PENANA8a9rn278DM
素娘:「退燒了。身體覺得比較舒服?」456Please respect copyright.PENANAWeafDJxRrh
男孩:「有……」456Please respect copyright.PENANArpU59hPVpK
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?」456Please respect copyright.PENANAHFInxeIUto
男孩點頭:「嗯……」456Please respect copyright.PENANAjeB52IxFq9
素娘:「記住,不論媽媽去到多遠的地方,你永遠都在媽媽心裡。」456Please respect copyright.PENANAySkc0Dhwig
再次點頭:「嗯……」456Please respect copyright.PENANA4L5PKLkpvF
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。」456Please respect copyright.PENANAdwYRTvv0lv
阿嬤:「唉……我更希望留下來的是妳啊。」456Please respect copyright.PENANApmmFzgjlz9
素娘不再多說,疼惜撫摸孩子的臉,就此出門離去。456Please respect copyright.PENANAckbIsYK358
結果,沒有再回來了……456Please respect copyright.PENANALidGmTUanY
………………456Please respect copyright.PENANAeUgcdwJWsO
…………456Please respect copyright.PENANASmiFCqyUdL
……456Please respect copyright.PENANAwzRryYslos
456Please respect copyright.PENANAQhbp1uurFe