"Carol Emshwiller - All of Us Can Almost..." - читать интересную книгу автора (Emshwiller Carol)

I ask some of us, "Where is that cliff they say we used to soar out from?"

"Was there a cliff? Did there used to be a cliff?"

I'm sure there must have been one. How could birds the size of us get started without oneтАФa high one?
Maybe that's our problem: we've lost our cliff. We forgot where it is.

Evenings, when all are in their burrows, and my own kind, wrapped in their wings, are clustered under
the lean-tos set out for us by lesser beings, I stretch and flap. Reach. Jump. Only the nightingale sees me
flop. It's a joy to be up to hear her and to be flipping and flopping.

I'll take that pesky little one all the way to wherever that cliff of ours is. Wouldn't that be something? See
the sights? Be up in what we always call "Our element."

But there's a male, has his eye on me. Has had for quite some time. That's another good reason to take
off. I'd like to get out of here before the time is ripe.

Or perhaps he's heard the little one yelling, "Whee, Whee," and likes the idea of me with one of those
little ones on my back. Easy pickin's, both of us. Little one for one purpose and me for another. I can
just see it, me distracted, defending the little, and the big taking care of both things while I struggle, front
and back.

He may be the biggest, but I don't want him. Maybe that's how we got too big to fly: we kept mating with
the biggest. It's our own fault we got so big. I'm not going to do that. Well, also the big ones are the
strongest. This biggest could slap down all the other males.

If not for the fact that we hardly speak to each other, we females could get together and stop it. Go for
the small and the nice. If there are any nice. Not a single one of us is noted for being nice.

I hate to think what mating will be like with one so huge. I'd ask other females if we were the kind who
asked things of each other.

He keeps following me around. I don't know how I'm going to avoid him if he's determined. I won't get
any help from any of the others. They'll just come and watch. Probably even squawk him onward. I've
done it myself.

I'm thinking of ways to avoid that male, so when that little one comes to ask, yet again, "Why wait for
next moon?" I say, "You're right. We'll do it now, but I have to find our platform."

"Why?"

"Have you ever seen any of us take off from down here? Of course you haven't. I need a place to soar
from."

"Can't we start flying from right here so everybody can see me?"

"No. I have to have a place to take off from. Get on my back. I'll take you there."
"I can walk faster than this all by myself."

"I know, but bear with me."