"Orson Scott Card - Ender's Saga 01 - Ender's Game" - читать интересную книгу автора (Card Orson Scott)

"Don't take off the mask," Peter said.

Ender pulled the mask down into place, took his hands away.

Peter pressed with his foot. Pain shot through Ender; he doubled up.

"Lie flat, bugger. We're gonna vivisect you, bugger. At long last we've got
one of you alive, and we're going to see how you work."

"Peter, stop it," Ender said.

"Peter, stop it. Very good. So you buggers can guess our names. You can make
yourselves sound like pathetic, cute little children so we'll love you and be
nice to you. But it doesn't work. I can see you for what you really are. They
meant you to be human, little Third, but you're really a bugger, and now it
shows."

He lifted his toot, took a step, and then knelt on Ender, his knee pressing
into Ender's belly just below the breastbone. He put more and more of his weight
on Ender. It became hard to breathe.

"I could kill you like this," Peter whispered. "Just press and press until
you're dead. And I could say that I didn't know it would hurt you, that we were
just playing, and they'd believe me, and everything would be fine. And you'd be
dead. Everything would be fine."

Ender could not speak; the breath was being forced from his lungs. Peter might
mean it. Probably didn't mean it, but then he might.

"I do mean it," Peter said. "Whatever you think. I mean it. They only
authorized you because I was so promising. But I didn't pan out. You did better.
They think you're better. But I don't want a better little brother, Ender. I
don't want a Third."

"I'll tell," Valentine said.

"No one would believe you."

"They'd believe me."

"Then you're dead, too, sweet little sister."

"Oh, yes," said Valentine. "They'll believe that. 'I didn't know it would kill
Andrew. And when he was dead, I didn't know it would kill Valentine too.'"

The pressure let up a little.

"So. Not today. But someday you two won't be together. And there'll be an
accident."