"Nina Kiriki Hoffman - What used To Be Audrey" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hoffman Nina Kiriki)

"If you're really upset, I guess you tie it to the bedposts and
go get a priest," I said. Audrey-had made me watch The Exorcist
on the Movie Channel three times, even though she knew it gave
me nightmares. "I don't know, Mom. I think I like Wutba better
than I like Audrey."
Mom stepped away from me, snatching her hand away from my head.
She stared at me, eyes wide, and then turned and ran down the
corridor to the master bedroom. I went back to the kitchen.
"Whatever did happen to Audrey?" I asked Wutba. I put some
water in the teakettle for cocoa and got down two mugs and
chocolate powder.
"She's somewhere inside me," said Wutba. It leaned over and
picked up the knife Mom dropped on the floor. Then it held out
a lock of Audrey's hair and chopped at it. "No edge left," it
said, when the knife didn't even nick Audrey's hair. "The blade
is distempered."
"How come -- how come you came?"
"A way opened," said Wutba. Its face sobered; its eyes were
still gold. "I waited on the other side of shadow until the way
opened." It reached up and touched Audrey's cheeks. It smiled,
and then put its hand over the smile and felt the shape of its
lips. "Your sister made an opening inside her, and I came to
fill it."
"Are you evil?" I said. The water boiled and I poured it on the
instant cocoa in the mugs.
"I don't know. I only know I am addicted to life, little
Sherry." It smiled. It made Audrey's face look beautiful.
I took the cocoa mugs to the table and gave one to Wutba. I sat
down.
Mom came back into the room, holding a large plastic crucifix
with a glow-in-the-dark Jesus. She waved it at Wutba. Wutba
smiled and sipped its cocoa. Mom pressed the cross to Wutba's
forehead, but nothing happened -- no sizzle, no stench of
burned flesh, hot even a cringe from Wutba. Mom dropped the
cross on the table and sat down. She put her elbows on the
table and rested her face on her open hands.
"Want cocoa, Mom?" I asked, pushing back my chair.
"Coffee, please," she said. Her hands formed fists, scrubbed
her eyes, smearing her green eyeshadow. She took a deep breath
and looked at Wutba. "What do you want?"
Wutba laid its left arm on the table, and then stroked its
right hand up and down its arm, very slowly. It closed its
eyes. I could almost hear it purr. "Sensations," it whispered.
Mom leaned forward. "Find an orphan to possess. I want my
daughter. Give me Audrey, abomination."
"Your desire is strong, but so is Sherry's," said Wutba,
opening its eyes.
Mom turned to look at me. I tucked the coffee measuring spoon
under the rubber band around the jar. "Are you responsible for
this?" she asked me.