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1、TurtleMoonbyAliceHoffmanBerkleyPublishingGroupCopyright1993ISBN:042513699XPARTONE.ThelastmajorcrimeinthetownofVeritywasin1958,whenoneofthePlattsshothisbrotherinanargumentoveraChevyNomadtheyhadboughttogetherontime.Usuallyit'ssoquietyoucanhearthestranglerfigsdroppingtheirfrilitonthehoodsofp
2、arkedcars,leavingbehindpulpandtinyblackseeds.SinceVerityisthemosthumidspotineasternFlorida,localpeopleknowenoughtodrinktheircoffeeicedinthemorning.Theairallaroundthetownlimitsissothickthatsometimesasoulcannotriseandinsteadattachesitselftoastranger,landingrightbetweentheshoulderbladeswitha
3、thudthatcarriesnomoreweightthanahummingbird.CharlesVerity,whofoundedthetown,afterkillingoffasmanynativepeopleashecould,issaidtohavediscoveredthisthehardway.Hecouldn'tgetridofthespiritsofallthemenhe'dmurdered;theyperchedupanddownhisspineandontopofhiscookstove,untilhecaughttheminasugarbowl,
4、thentiedthelidclosedwiththickbrownstringsotheycouldn'tescape.CharlesVeritysworehewouldliveforever.Everynighthedrankabitterteamadefromthebarkoftheparadisetreetoensurehisgoodhealth,butasitturnedouthewaseatenbyanalligatorupbythepondwherethemunicipalgolfcoursewaslaterbuilt.Eachyear,onCharlesV
5、erity'sbirthday,childrenparadedownMainStreettotheparkinglotofthemedicalcenter,whereamudpitringedwithropesissetup.Fortendollars,anyonecanwrestleapapier-mache'alligatorandraisefundsfortheburnward.UpuntiltheearlysixtiestherewerealligatorfarmsallaroundtheoutskirtsofVerity.Atleastonceayearther
6、ewouldbeabigescape,andHalfMoonRoad,whichisnowpartoftheInterstate,wouldbegreenandslitheryfordays,untilapossewentoutwithshotgunsandfishingnets.Whenbreedingforprofitbecameafederaloffense,Verityturneditspastaroundtosuititself,namingthehighschoolfootballteamtheGators,andfeaturingAlligatorSalad
7、inmostrestaurants,amixtureofspinach,greenpepper,avocado,andchoppedeggtintedwithgreenfoodcoloring.PeopleinVerityliketotalk,buttheonethingtheyneglecttomentiontooutsidersisthatsomethingiswrongwiththemonthofMay.Itisn'tthehumidity,oreventheheat,whichissofierceandsuddenit
