"Monica Hughes - Devil On My Back" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hughes Monica)

"But if Learning is an infinite series we're never going to catch up and all the time we've spent in ArcOne
will be a waste... my Lord," he added politely.
 "We must hope that is not the case." The pale blue eyes were veiled by lids as wrinkled as
crushed paper. The sharing was over.
"Yes, my Lord," said Tomi obediently.
"Yes, my Lord," echoed Denn.
"Well, well. You have both had a shock at the loss of two close friends. I shall prescribe a few
hours in Recreation to forget all about it."
Recreation, thought Tomi in disgust. As if a chess game with the computer would be enough to
drown the sound of Grog's screams or wipe away the memory of the mad glare of Farfat's eyes.
Lord Vale smiled, just as if he'd read my thoughts, Tomi thought uneasily. "You have attained
Access today, Young Lords, and I think you might be considered men, fit to enjoy adult recreation. You
may go to Dreamland."
He typed a command into the console. "Off with you, then. Happy dreaming!"
As they walked down the corridor Denn whispered, "I can't believe it. I thought you were going
to get us into big trouble with your crazy questions. And now Dreamland! I've heard my Lord father
speak of it, but I never expected that I..."
Tomi kicked at the white plastic wall, "Access to Dreamland won't make me forget Farfat, or
Grog either. What does Lord Vale take us for?"
"Of course not," Denn agreed hastily. "I won't forget them either. But... well... Dreamland! Think
how we'll be able to lord it over the others!"
Though he was ashamed of such selfish thoughts Tomi couldn't help agreeing, nor could he
prevent the sense of excitement as they turned down the corridor that led to Dreamland, At the same
time he had the uneasy feeling that he and Denn were being bribed to forget Grog's and Farfat's pain, the
way a baby is bribed to stop crying with a sucrostik.
A soldier bumped into them outside the entrance to Dreamland. His eyes were misty; there was a
smile on his lips. He started. "I beg your pardon, Young Lords. I did not see..."
Tomi waved away the Three-eyes apology and wondered what his dream had been like, to
make the hard face as soft as melted plastic. He slipped his identicard into the slot in the door and Denn
did the same. The door swung invitingly open. The boys looked at each other.
"Well?"
"Come on then."
There was thick carpet on the floor, an agreeable scent in the air and soft music. The boys
looked around curiously. Through a shadowed arch a young worker entered the room. In the pink light
she seemed quite pretty, with hazel eyes and a neatly shaped head; but apart from her lifepak, she wore
on her neck only one thin pak. Quite brainless, poor thing, thought Tomi pityingly.
"Welcome, Young Lords," she said in a small flat voice, as if she were reading the words off a
screen inside her head. "I see this is your first visit to Dreamland. Do you wish to dream together or
separately?"
Tomi and Denn looked at each other.
"Together," said Denn.
"An adventure," added Tomi.
"Naturally the Young Lords would like an adventure. I can offer you adventures in the prehistoric
past, in historic times, in the present or the future. In North America or Darkest Africa, Old Europe or
the glamorous East. What is your choice?"
"Choices? I don't know..."
"I do. Denn, I've always wondered what its really like Outside nowadays." He turned to the
worker. "Could we have an adventure out there?"
"Certainly, Young Lords. An adventure in North America, present time. Come this way, please."
She led them soft-footed down a dimly lit hall and into a small room, empty except for two