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

fiacre. As his cloak billowed behind him, the copper glove on his right hand was
clearly visible to the others for the first time.

Longines jumped down next to him, stumbling. тАЬGentleman Gestas, I counsel
you do not approach too close to the Power.тАЭ

тАЬReally, Longines?тАЭ Gestas reached toward Longines with the copper glove
and the Child trap within. Longines flinched, as his right eye wept blood.

Dismas and Ahasuerus stepped around the lathered horses to stand behind
Longines. Longines glanced over his shoulder at Dismas, then back at Gestas.
тАЬThere is no point. It will not speak with you. It cannot. It is a Power, a blind force
of the nature of this world.тАЭ
 Gestas flexed his copper glove. тАЬAnd where, Longines, would I go to find a
Child of Gol Goth with which to speak?тАЭ With his gloved hand, he swiped the Child
trap across LonginesтАЩ face, barely scraping the manтАЩs cheek.

Longines shrieked, then stumbled backward to a sitting position. Gestas
watched LonginesтАЩ scalp sag, as his right eye melted into a flow of blood. More
blood pooled onto the cobbles from his groin. Black threads peeked from his
wounds. The color of his skin changed as the Children withdrew their protection.

тАЬGhosts of the Pilots,тАЭ said Dismas from behind in an awed voice. тАЬMerry
Jack Battiste. My sisterтАЩs lover has returned as an immortal Deadwalker.тАЭ

тАЬShould then I call you Uncle, Merry Jack?тАЭ Gestas. He had slipped beyond
any sense of consequence. With his left hand he grabbed the front of Merry JackтАЩs
shirt, pulling him back to his feet. Gestas was tall and thin, strong enough to dangle
the other man, whose left leg hung lax and bent at the knee while his right scrabbled
vaguely for purchase.

тАЬYou may call us Child.тАЭ Merry Jack grinned. His remaining eye gleamed as it
filmed over with writhing black threads. More threads extended from the guttered
socket of his right.

тАЬCome see your handiwork, Father,тАЭ called Gestas. тАЬThe Children repaired
him for their use.тАЭ

тАЬWe return him to you now.тАЭ Merry JackтАЩs voice had expanded to a vast
hollow rushing. It sounded as if the black threads had filled his lungs. тАЬYou would
reject our gifts of life and health.тАЭ

тАЬNo one wants to live forever!тАЭ Gestas shook Merry Jack. тАЬWe are human.
We live on through our sons and daughters, whom you have taken from us.тАЭ

The horses whinnied and began to back in their traces as the three men
surrounded Merry Jack.

тАЬNo, we go on through your sons and daughters. We go on through you all.тАЭ
Merry Jack threw back his head and howled. Gestas dropped the screaming, broken