"Brown,.Mary.-.Unicorn's.Ring.2.-.1994.-.Pigs.Don't.Fly" - читать интересную книгу автора (Brown Mary)

home, near tripping and losing the salt. Flinging open the door and quite
forgetting she might be sleeping, I rushed over to the bed where she sat up
against the pillows.
I grabbed her hand. "Mama, Mama, I must tell youЧMama?"
Her hand was cold, and her cheek, when I bent to lass it, was cold too. The
cottage was dark after the bright outside and I could not see her face, but I
didn't need to. She couldn't hear me, couldn't see me, would never know what I
had longed to tell her.
My mother was dead.
CHAPTER THREE
At first I panicked, backing away from the bed till I was brought up short by
the wall and then sinking to my knees and covering my head with my arms, rocking
back and forth and keening loudly. I felt as if I had been simultaneously kicked
in the stomach and bashed over the head. She couldn't be dead, she couldn't! She
couldn't leave me all alone like this! I didn't know what to do, I couldn't
cope.... Oh, Mama, Mama, come back! I won't ever be naughty again, I promise!
I'll work twice as hard, I'll never leave you, I didn't mean to upset you!
My eyes were near half-shut with tears, my nose was running, I was dribbling,
but gradually it seemed as though a little voice was trying to be heard in my
head, and my sobs subsided as I triea to listen. All at once the voice was quite
plain, sharp and clear and scolding, like Mama's, but not in sentences, just odd
words and phrases.
"Pull yourself together . . . Things to be done ... Tell them."
Of course. Things couldn't just be left. I wiped my face, took one more look
just to be sure, then ran as fast as I could back to the village. Luckily the
first man I saw was the apothecary. As shocked as a man could be,
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he hurried back with me to confirm my fears. He examined Mama perfunctorily,
asked if she had complained of pains in the chest and shook his head as I
described her symptoms of this morning, as best I could for the stitch in my
side from running.
"Mmm. Massive heart attack. Pains were a warning. Must have hit her all at once.
Wouldn't have known a thing."
Indeed, now I had lit a candle for his examination I could see her face held a
look of surprise, as though Death had walked in without knocking.
"Will tell the others. Expect us later." And he was gone.
Expect us later? What .. . ? But then the voice in my head took over again.
"Decisions ... Burial ... Prepare .., Food."
Of course. They would all come to view the body, decide how and when she should
be buried, and would expect the courtesy of food and drink. What to do first?
"Cold ... Water ..."
The fire was nearly out and there was a chill in the room. For an absurd moment
I almost apologized to Mama for the cold, then pulled myself together, and with
an economy born of long familiarity rekindled the ashes, brought in the driest
logs and set the largest cauldron on for hot water. With bright flames now
illuminating the room, I checked the food A large pie and a half should be
enough, with some of the eoat's-milk cheese and yesterday's loaf, set to crisp
on tne hearth. There were just enough bowls and platters to go round, but only