第16部分(第1/7 頁)

exactly　like　baby　aspirin　and　he　was　only　drinking　it　because　the　bartender　had　promised　him　it

was　loaded　with　caffeine　and　something　called　taurine；　which　was　guaranteed　to　keep　him

hyperawake　all　night。

All　of　a　sudden　he　noticed　a　violently　tall　woman　wearing　a　flaming　red　bouffant　wig？ithad　to　be

a　wig？neon　pink　lipstick；　andhuge　tortoise…shell　sunglasses　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　packed

room　with　her　hands　cupped　around　her　mouth。　？Daniel　Humphrey？　Calling　Daniel　Humphrey！？

she　shrieked。

It　was　Rusty　Klein。

Dan　tilted　his　head　back　and　downed　his　drink；　blinking　his　eyes　as　the　caffeine　and　whatever

else　was　in　his　drink　rushed　to　his　brain　all　at　once。　He　stumbled　over　to　the　woman；　his　heart

thumping　even　faster　than　the　music。　？I？m　Dan；？　he　croaked。

？Lookatyou　！　Our　newpoet　！　You？readorable　！Perfect　！？　Rusty　Klein　pushed　her　enormous

sunglasses　up　on　top　of　her　head　and　jangled　the　enormous　gold　bracelets　covering　her　long　bony

wrists　as　she　grabbed　Dan　and　kissed　each　of　his　cheeks。　Her　perfume　smelled　oily　and　acidic；　like

tuna　fish。　？I　love　you；　honey；？　she　purred；　squeezing　Dan　tight。

Dan　shrank　away；　unused　to　being　manhandled　by　someone　he？d　only　just　met。　He　hadn？t

expected　Rusty　Klein　to　be　soscary　。　Her　eyebrows　had　been　dyed　to　match　her　wig　and　she　was

dressed　like　a　sword　fighter；　in　a　form…fitting　black　velvet　Better　Than　Naked　puffy…sleeved　jacket

and　matching　black　velvet　bullfighting　pants。　A　rope　of　black　pearls　clung　to　her　pale；　bony

cleavage。

？I？ve　been　trying　to　write　more　poems；？　Dan　stammered。　？You　know；　for　my　book？？

？Wonderful！？　Rusty　Klein　shouted；　thrusting　her　lips　at　him　again　and