"James Patrick Kelly - Bernardo's House" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kelly James Patrick)

тАЬWhere that go?"

The house felt as if the entire mountain were pressing down on her roof. The door had four panels, two
long on top and two short on the bottom and looked to be made of oak, although that didn't mean
anything. She fought the crushing weight of the stone with all her might. She thought she could hear her
bearing walls buckle, her mind crack. She zoomed her cams on the bronze handleset. Someone would
need a key to open that door. But there were no keys! And just who would that someone be?

The house had never seen the door before.

Fly jiggled the handleset, but the door was locked. тАЬBernardo.тАЭ She put her face to the door and called.
тАЬHey you."

The house ran a check of her architectural drawings, although she knew what she would find. The girl
turned to her and waved the house over. тАЬLouise, how you open this weewaw?"

Her plans showed no door.

The girl rapped on the door.

The house's thoughts turned to stone.

When she woke up, her body was on her Epping couch. The jacquard kimono was open and the
spaghetti straps that drew her jumpsuit tight were undone. The house had never woken up before. Oh,
she had lost that year, but still she had blurry memories of puttering around the kitchen and vacuuming
and lazing in her Kukuru chair reading romances and porn. But this was the first time she had ever been
nothing and nowhere since the day Bernardo had turned her on.

тАЬYou okay?тАЭ Fly knelt by her and rested a hand lightly on the house's forehead to see if she were running
a fever. The house melted under the girl's touch. She reached up and guided Fly's hand slowly down the
side of her face to her lips. When Fly did not resist, Louise kissed the girl's fingers.

тАЬHow old are you?тАЭ said Louise.

тАЬThirteen.тАЭ Fly gazed down on her, concern tangling with suspicion.

тАЬTwo years older than I am.тАЭ Louise chuckled. тАЬI could be your little sister."

тАЬYou dropped, bin-bam and down.тАЭ The girl's voice was thick. тАЬScared me. Lights go out and nothing
work.тАЭ Fly pulled her hand back. тАЬThought maybe you dead. And me locked in."

тАЬWas I out long?"

тАЬDink yeah. Felt like most a day."

тАЬSorry. That's never happened before."

тАЬYou said, touch no switch. So door is switch?"