"Jay Lake - To Live Forever" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lake Jay)

know him if he ever came back.тАЭ

Gestas stared up at Dismas. тАЬThat is why you asked to see my feet, that day
in January Landing?тАЭ

DismasтАЩ face looked ready to dissolve into hysteria. тАЬI spent decades crafting
excuses to see the feet of tall, pale men who resembled me.тАЭ

тАЬPilots above,тАЭ whispered Ahasuerus. тАЬFather and son.тАЭ

As Gestas erupted into fierce, heaving sobs, Longines shuffled to the door of
the library.

тАЬGentleman Dismas, there is a Power loose in the city, down along the river
bank. You should go to the roof and see.тАЭ

Ahasuerus grabbed the robe laid out for Gestas. тАЬCome, boy,тАЭ he said,
dragging the sobbing man out of the tub by main force. Bloody water sluiced onto
the carpet. тАЬYou are clean enough. Let us go with your father to see what we three
have wrought.тАЭ

****
 The smoke from the burning turnip wagon drifted away to the south on the
prevailing wind, leaving their eastward view toward the city clear. Dismas leaned his
cane against the railing of the widowтАЩs walk and gazed through the brass spyglass.

тАЬWhat is it?тАЭ asked Ahasuerus. Gestas stood beside him, lost in the inner
horrors of murder of the dead and suddenly discovered family.

тАЬA water snake. Perhaps forty feet in length. It rampages along Exchange
Street.тАЭ Dismas passed the spyglass over. тАЬLook by MartinelliтАЩs. It is killing horses
very near your alleyway.тАЭ

Ahasuerus scanned the town. тАЬI see the coachworks is ablaze as well. There
has not been a Power afoot in two centuries. We have certainly opened a poorly
chosen door.тАЭ

Gestas had recovered his composure. Without speaking, he reached for the
spyglass. Ahasuerus surrendered it, and Gestas swept it across the waterfront.

The Power was a water snake, literallyтАФa tube of writhing water that lashed in
the middle of Exchange Street and crushed men, women and livestock that fled its
wrath. Its progress seemed purposeful, but Gestas feared to imagine its goal. тАЬWhat
have we done?тАЭ he whispered.

тАЬWe have begun a rebellion,тАЭ Dismas answered. тАЬA rebellion against life
everlasting.тАЭ

тАЬI donтАЩt want to live forever,тАЭ said Ahasuerus. тАЬI am tired.тАЭ