"Jay Lake - Green" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lake Jay)

One day my father came into the field where Endurance watched over me and
called my name. Laughing, I ran from a stand of banana trees, a hard green crescent
in each hand. My hair trailed behind me, tugged by sun and wind, and there was
warm mud caked upon my feet.

He had a man with him, pale as a maggot and taller than a gatepost with hair
like straw and eyes the color of a lime. Father bent and said some words to me that I
can no longer recall. Then he placed my hand in the maggot manтАЩs hand, kissed my
forehead, and walked quickly away.

The last thing I remember of that time in my life, like the first, is the clop of
EnduranceтАЩs wooden bell as the ox shook his head and snorted to warn me back.

****

тАЬYou are coming to Copper Downs,тАЭ the maggot man told me. After
spending a day walking together, we were in a little house on a giant boat upon the
sea. His words were thick and muddled, as if he had only just learned to talk. He
smiled to make up for his poor mouth.

тАЬDonтАЩt want to go to Copper Downs.тАЭ I knew I was supposed to be nice, but
that was difficult. тАЬWant to go home.тАЭ

His smile shrank. тАЬCopper Downs is your home now.тАЭ

I considered this. We had not brought my silk with my thousand bells. тАЬPapa
will be there, and Endurance, and my aunties?тАЭ

тАЬYour new home.тАЭ

At that lie I ran, ducking between his legs and out the door of the little house. I
was fast, for a girl, and more strong than the maggot man knew. The floor of the
boat was big, covered with ropes and boxes and tall trees hung with great white
cloths, and most of all, shouting men. I raced through everything heading for the
edge.

We could not be too far from my home.

But when I vaulted the little wall at the edge of the floor and dove for the sea, I
saw there was no land nearby. Water was water, I could swim here as well as in a
ditch at home, but the other side was too far to reach.

Then I was in the sea. It was colder than I had thought, and stung my mouth
terribly. The water was dark and gray. I found the surface and began to swim away
from the boat.

Behind me they shouted. I rolled to my back and looked as I swam. Angry
men lined the little wall at the side of the boat, pointing and yelling. I smiled at their
discomfort even as one raised a great spear and aimed it at me.