"William W. Johnstone - Ashes 07 - Smoke from the Ashes" - читать интересную книгу автора (Johnstone William W)

Hell, they're just as crazy as she is! the young
man thought.
Poor, misguided, foolish people.
The young man looked at the new additions to his
mother's army. Those scabby, savage motorcyclists
who had come roaring in from the west, after being soundly
defeated by General Raines. He had listened to his
mother speak to them when they first arrived.
Same old shit.
The young man backed further away from the mob
and shook his head sadly. He thought: You made a
mistake, Mother, when you insisted I be educated.
When you insisted I learn languages and study the
writings of the ancient intellectuals. Patrick
Henry said it, Mother: I have but one lamp by which my
feet are guided, and that is the lamp of
experience. I know no way of judging the future but
by the past.
And if I stay with you, Mother, I'll soon be as
crazy as you are. And you, Mother, your babblings, are not
the answer. Your hate has consumed you.
He saw movement to his right and just to his rear.
He cut his eyes. An old man motioned to him.
He walked to the old man.
"I see your motorcycle is ready for the
road," the old man said. "You've made up your
mind then?"
"Yes."
"Good. It's past time for you to get away from your
mother, before she poisons you, like she has done so many."
"I fear I shall never see you again, old man."
"You won't. The cancer is growing. Sometimes the
pain is almost too much to bear. I think I only
lived this long to see you gone and free from your mother."
"Is he really my father, old man?"
"Yes. Of that I am certain. You have his eyes,
his intelligence, his bullheadedness, and his drive
to organize; to pull something better for all out of the
ashes of this horror we've been living in for
years."
"Should I, when we meet, tell him the
entire truth, old man?"
"Oh, yes. Don't try to lie to him. He'd
see through that instantly."
"Is he really a god?"
The old man hesitated. "I... don't know.
I rather doubt it; but I can't be sure." He
gripped the young man's thick, strong arm. "Go now,
boy. Turn away
and never look back. And may the true and only