"James Herbert - Soul Catcher" - читать интересную книгу автора (Herbert James)

Soul Catcher.

***
David, his mind still drugged with sleep, came wide awake as he stepped out the door into
the cold night. Shivering, he stared at the man who had awakened him -- the Chief.

"What is it, Chief?"

"Shhhh." Katsuk touched the roll of clothing. "Get dressed."

More from the cold than any other reason, David obeyed. Tree branches whipped in the wind
above the cabin, filled the night with fearful shapes.

"Is it an initiation, Chief?"

"Shhh, be very quiet."

"Why?"

"We were photographed together. We must become spirit brothers. There is a ceremony."

"What about the other guys?"

"You have been chosen."

Katsuk fought down sudden pity for this boy, this Innocent. Why pity anyone? He realized
the moonlight had cut at his heart. For some reason, it made him think of the Shaker
Church where his relatives had taken him as a child -- hoquat church! He heard the voices
chanting in his memory: "Begat, begat, begat. . . ."

David whispered: "I don't understand. What're we doing?"

The stars staring down at him, the wind in the trees, all carried forboding. He felt
frightened. A gap in the trees beyond the porch revealed a great bush of stars standing
out against the night. David stared into the shadows of the porch. Why wasn't the Chief
answering?

David tightened his belt, felt the knife in its sheath at his waist. If the Chief were
planning something bad, he'd have removed the knife. That was a real weapon. Daniel
Boone had killed a bear with a blade no bigger than this one.

"What're we going to do?" David pressed.

"A ceremony of spirit brotherhood," Katsuk said. He felt the truth in his words. There
would be a ceremony and a joining, a shape that occurred out of darkness, a mark on the
earth and an incantation to the real spirits.

David still hesitated, thinking this was an Indian. They were strange people. He thought
of Mrs. Parma. Different Indian, but both mysterious.