"Nicola Griffith - Ammonite" - читать интересную книгу автора (Griffith Nicola)

often.тАЭ
тАЬThe response to the peptides is low-levelтАФтАЭ
Marghe would hate to see an acute response.
тАЬWhatтАЩs happening now is partly due to the adjuvants I added to the FN-17.тАЭ
Marghe looked blank. тАЬThe combination of chemicals which enhance the immune
response and help maintain a slow and steady release of antigen.тАЭ
Marghe struggled against dizziness. Adjuvant. Chemicals. тАЬTheyтАЩre toxic?тАЭ
Hiam nodded. тАЬCumulatively so. Which is why six months is the absolute limit
for the vaccine.тАЭ
Toxic, тАЬWhy didnтАЩt you tell me this before?тАЭ
тАЬI didnтАЩt think there was any need.тАЭ
Doctors know best. Marghe felt angry and uncertain; she did not know whether or
not to believe Hiam. About the vaccine, about the Kurst. She did not want to talk
anymore. тАЬFeel sick. Bye.тАЭ She felt for the comm switch, could not find it, pushed
the off switch instead. The screen died and the whole room went black.
She squeezed her way through the sticky blackness to her bed. Behind her eyelids
gaudy colors swam and burst. She dozed.
In her dreams her head still hurt, but it was Hiam who was going down to Jeep to
test the vaccine. That seemed logical; a doctor would be the best person. Then Hiam
was in D Section, saying, тАЬBut how does it all work? And why arenтАЩt the daughters
identical copies of their mothers?тАЭ She got angry when Marghe could not tell her. A
tree grew from the floor of D Section, a tree heavy with apples, mangoes,
cantaloupes. Marghe reached for a grape the size of her fist, realized it was poisoned
just as she woke to a voice calling her from the ceiling.
тАЬтАжup, Marghe. Wake up.тАЭ
 She tried to say something but her throat was too dry.
тАЬGood,тАЭ Hiam said. тАЬI want you to get off the bed. Come on, thatтАЩs it. Good.
Now get a drink of water. A whole glass. Drink it all. Slowly, Marghe, slowly.тАЭ The
room swooped. тАЬFill the glass up again. Take it to the bed. Sit down. Good. Sip it
slowly.тАЭ
Marghe did. The warm water tasted metallic.
тАЬYour reaction was more severe than IтАЩd anticipated. I was beginning to wonder
if IтАЩd have to put a hood on you.тАЭ
Marghe looked over at the medical hood. тАЬIтАЩm glad you didnтАЩt.тАЭ Speaking made
her breathless and hurt her throat.
тАЬI still might have to if you get any more dehydrated.тАЭ
Marghe sipped until her glass was empty.
тАЬIf you feel up to it, go to the slot and eat what you find there.тАЭ
An apple. Marghe stared at it, confused. Had Hiam been inside her dream? She
picked it up. It was cool. She felt deathly tired, too tired for subterfuge. тАЬAre you
trying to poison me?тАЭ
тАЬOh, Marghe. No, IтАЩm not poisoning you. Try and eat the apple.тАЭ

She woke up thirsty but clear-headed. тАЬHow long this time?тАЭ she asked the
ceiling.
тАЬAlmost seventeen hours.тАЭ
She sat up cautiously. She still felt a little dizzy, but that could be lack of food.
The food slot hissed. It contained a glass of water and one watery pink softgel.
She opened her mouth to protest, then closed it. It was her choice; nobody had
forced her to come here. The slot closed automatically when she lifted out the glass