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

ThereтАЩs the first evolutionary stage, the reptile or R-complex, the
crocodile brain whose realm is sexual, aggressive, and ritual
behavior. Then when mammals evolved from reptiles, they
developed the limbic system, which meant they perceived the world
differentlyтАФin terms of signs and vividly sensory and emotional
images. To do this, they had to bypass the crocodile brain, suppress
it. They couldnтАЩt ignore it altogether, though, because it controlled
a lot of the bodyтАЩs physical functions: the urge to fuck and fight
and eat.тАЭ
тАЬWhat does all this have to do with where you were last
night?тАЭ
тАЬIтАЩm getting there. Anyway, mammals found a way to turn the
R-complex, the crocodile brain back on, harmlessly, during sleep.
Which means, of course, that our dreams are the crocodileтАЩs
dreams: sex and food and fighting.тАЭ Her eyes were bright. тАЬHavenтАЩt
you ever wondered why we get clitoral erections during dreams?тАЭ
тАЬNo.тАЭ
тАЬThen some mammals developed the neocortex. We became
self-conscious. Ever wondered why you canтАЩt read or do math in
your dreams?тАЭ
Jane opened her mouth to say she had never noticed whether
or not she could, then remembered countless dreams of opening
books only to be frustrated by meaningless squiggles.
Cleis noticed and nodded. тАЬThe neocortex handles analytic
recollections. ItтАЩs usually turned off when we dream. ThatтАЩs why
dreams are so hard to remember. When I change, I become a
mammal with no neocortex. My waking state is like a dream state.
When I change back, when I wake, I remember very little. So, in
answer to your question: I donтАЩt know where IтАЩve been.тАЭ
There was a bubble of unreality around JaneтАЩs head, around
the whole room. She concentrated on her hands, neatly folded
together before her on the table. My hands are real. тАЬWhat are you
trying to tell me?тАЭ
Cleis reached out and touched those neatly folded hands. тАЬI
think you already know.тАЭ
Jane felt very calm. She pulled the six-fronded leaf from her
pocket. тАЬYou believe in this.тАЭ
Cleis said nothing.
тАЬYou thinkтАж you think that those glyphs on the purdah wall
are true. That the ritual wounding has purpose.тАЭ She remembered
Ixbalum shaking the leaf in her face. тАЬYou think your accident
wasnтАЩt an accident. That Ixbalum infected you with some kind of, I
donтАЩt know, changing agent, a catalyst. That you can becomeтАж that
you change into a jaguar.тАЭ
Now laugh. Tell me it isnтАЩt true. But Cleis just nodded. тАЬYes.тАЭ
тАЬDo you know how that sounds?тАЭ Her voice was very even,
but her heart felt as though it was swelling; so big it pushed at her
stomach, making her feel ill.
тАЬYouтАЩve seen the evidence with your own eyesтАФтАЭ
тАЬIтАЩve seen nothing! A wall, some pictures, some leaves. You