"Marc Laidlaw - The Black Bus" - читать интересную книгу автора (Laidlaw Marc)

into DriverтАЩs eyes. тАЬI canтАЩt stop it тАФ make it stop! I always forget!тАЭ

Driver flinched away from the apparition, anxious to avoid contact. The kid
reached toward him, then drew back himself, his eyes already wandering. тАЬNo,тАЭ he
muttered, and Driver knew he was in the depths of some drug-inspired nightmare.
There were people in these crowds whose minds had cracked and would never heal.
People who appeared only in this context, screaming prophesy, gripped by visions,
having no relation to the outside world, the world of day. This one sank to his knees,
forcing the heels of his hands up into his eye sockets, wrenching them violently as if
pushing something in or jarring something loose. тАЬNo, this is the first time,тАЭ he said.
Then he staggered upright again and stumbled on, chewed up in the mill of flesh. To
Driver he was vaguely familiar; he had probably glimpsed him rushing through the
crowds on his stoned jeremiad on other nights, during other shows.

By now Sonora had noticed Driver, and she pointed him out to the others,
who drew him into their midst in a sheltered spot they had made of their bodies, a
haven woven of flesh and bone. It was difficult to hear them in the din, for the music
was building now, cresting toward some peak he did not wish to witness. But they
made him welcome with looks and gestures and squeezes on his arms and
shoulders. No doubt they thought he was becoming one of them, that the music had
finally done its trick and lured him in. In a spirit of companionship, Sonora put her
mouth to his ear and said, тАЬTry this.тАЭ

She opened her palm under his eyes, and in it was a little foil pack. She
opened that, and in among the silver creases he saw a thing like a stylized teardrop
the color of blood, a three-dimensional paisley, gelatinous, specks of light sculling
through it. She lifted it by the curled tail, like a tadpole, and laid it on his palm. He
could sense what was in it, and instantly panicked, gripping the droplet as if to crush
it.

тАЬWe all did it,тАЭ she reassured him. тАЬItтАЩs just coming on, we wonтАЩt be too far
ahead of you.тАЭ

тАЬNo,тАЭ he said. And then, because it didnтАЩt register, he screamed it.

She drew back slightly to show her amusement. тАЬItтАЩs not what you think,тАЭ she
shouted. тАЬThis is new.тАЭ
 He shook his head firmly. тАЬThe bus is dead. We need a decent mechanic
тАФwe need parts, and a ride to find them. We need help. Help!тАЭ

While he was shouting, Sonora peeled back the fingers of his hand one by
one; he ignored her silly game until he had finished shouting, and then, because she
was staring at his palm, he too looked down and saw the small reddish stain where
the teardrop had been. Even as he looked, it squirmed away into his skin, drunk in as
if the flesh were dry earth touched by rain.

At the sight, he began to forget his errand. He forgot where he was, who he
was. тАЬWhyтАЭ became the real concern, but when he asked it of Sonora and the others
тАФ Chad and Parky, Selene and Yvette and Dietch тАФ they stilled him with their
hands and buffeted him into the dance, until he no longer questioned anything. He