资源描述：
《Rollins， James - 2009 - Altar of Eden.pdf》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在学术论文-天天文库。
1、ALTAROFEDENJAMESROLLINSTomysisterLaurieweallloveyouAndBabylonshallbecomeheaps,adwellingplacefordragons,anastonishment,andanhissing,withoutaninhabitant.JEREMIAH51:37Andwhatroughbeast,itshourcomeroundatlast,slouchestowardsBethlehemtobeborn?W.B.YEATSThestudyofNaturemakesamanatlastasremorsel
2、essasNature.H.G.WELLSMAPPROLOGUEAPRIL2003BAGHDAD,IRAQThetwoboysstoodoutsidethelion’scage.“Idon’twanttogoinside,”thesmalleronesaid.Hekeptclosetohisolderbrotherandclaspedtightlytohishand.Thetwowerebundledinjacketstoolargefortheirsmallforms,facesswathedinscarves,headswarmedbywoolencaps.Atth
3、isearlyhour,withthesunnotyetup,thepredawnchillhadcreptdowntotheirbones.Theyhadtokeepmoving.“Bari,thecageisempty.Stopbeingashakheef.Look.”Makeen,theolderofthetwo,pushedtheblackirongatewiderandrevealedthebareconcretewallsinside.Afewoldgnawedboneslaypiledinadarkcorner.Theywouldmakeanicesoup
4、.Makeenstaredoutattheruinsofthezoo.Herememberedhowithadoncelooked.Halfayearago,forhistwelfthbirthday,theyhadcomeheretopicnicattheAl-ZawraaGardenswithitsamusement-parkridesandzoo.Thefamilyhadspentalongwarmafternoonwanderingamongthecagesofmonkeys,parrots,camels,wolves,bears.Makeenhadevenfe
5、doneofthecamelsanapple.Hestillrememberedtherubberylipsonhispalm.Standingherenow,hestaredacrossthesameparkwitholdereyes,farolderthanhalfayearago.Theparksprawledoutwardinaruinofrubbleandrefuse.Itwasahauntedwastelandoffire-blackenedwalls,fetidpoolsofoilywater,andblastedbuildings.Amonthago,M
6、akeenhadwatchedfromtheirapartmentneartheparkasafirefightblazedacrossthelushgardens,wagedbyAmericanforcesandtheRepublicanGuard.Thefiercebattlehadbegunatdusk,withtherattleofgunfireandtheshriekofrocketscontinuingthroughoutthenight.Butbythenextmorning,allhadgonequiet.Smokehungthicklyandhidth
7、esunfortheentireday.Fromthebalconyoftheirsmallapartment,Makeenhadspottedalionasitlopedoutoftheparkandintothecity.Itmovedlikeaduskyshadow,thenvanishedintothestreets.Otheranimalsalsoescaped,butoverthenexttwodays,hordesofpeoplehadswarmedbackintothepark.Looters,hisfatherhadna
