"Ellen Gilchrist - Black Winter" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gilchrist Ellen)

University. He drew us maps. We were looking for a place to begin a
monastery. Are there other caves nearby that you have found?тАЭ They were
standing in a circle now.
тАЬCome inside,тАЭ I said. тАЬHave tea with us. We have tea we found in a
canoe shop. We don't like to stay outside unless it's necessary. Come in.
Tell us about the town.тАЭ
тАЬThere was much rioting and disorder. People were living in the
basements of buildings on the campus, afraid to go outside. We went with
the people we were staying with, a doctor and his wife, to live in the
basement of the physical science building. Some people with guns guarded
the doors. The mayor and the head of the university were there with their
families. The doctor who was our host went out each day to the hospital to
care for people. There were many suicides, all during a week when the
earth was dark.тАЭ
тАЬWhat did you hear of the rest of the United States?тАЭ
тАЬThere are people in the west who survived. Ham radio operators have
sent messages. There is not much left east of the Mississippi. Not many
cities left.тАЭ
тАЬWhat of the radiation clouds?тАЭ Mort asked. тАЬDo you have information
about them?тАЭ
тАЬThe worst went north-north-east, but there has been sickness many
places. No one has invaded the country. There are still missiles in silos
that could be sent against invaders. They say the nuclear submarines are
still running. The NATO commanders command them now. The
headquarters are in France. This is the news we heard.тАЭ
тАЬWhy did you leave?тАЭ
тАЬIt was time for us to go and be alone. We have much to meditate
upon.тАЭ
 тАЬStay with us,тАЭ we said, almost in a breath. тАЬThere is food here. Did you
bring food?тАЭ
тАЬWe have flour and oil. We will make bread for you in our skillet.тАЭ One
of the young monks pulled a copper skillet out from the folds of his robe. It
was about six inches across, with a steel handle. I imagined the sweet flat
bread being lifted from it. My heart went crazy at the thought of bread.
We sat in a circle and talked for many hours. Mort told them we were
going to the equator. They listened very intently to all we told them.
тАЬWe're going to Mayan country,тАЭ I put in. тАЬThe Mayans might be
cousins of yours.тАЭ I thought suddenly of my cousins. Of my family. It is not
always possible to keep from thinking about them. Jimmy, Teddy,
Malcolm, Little Rhoda, the names rang in my head.
тАЬI will tell you a story,тАЭ Gangkar Tulku said, as if he were reading my
mind. He looked directly at me and stood up and began to play little
cymbals on his fingers. тАЬOnce, long ago, mankind lived on another planet.
On that planet he did not need to eat meat or vegetables. When he needed
nourishment he looked up into the stars and the starlight fed him. At that
time we were rainbows and could travel any distance in a few seconds.
Some of us came to earth and saw the other creatures here eating and
drinking meat and vegetables and we ate and drank with them to be
polite. Because of this we became earthbound. Now only our minds are
rainbows. Now our bodies cannot travel in the ether. Still, at Drepung