"Out Of The Box" - читать интересную книгу автора (Martinez Steve)

Out of the Box
by Steve Martinez
The authorТs previous stories for us were УOne Hand ClappingФ (May 1995) and УBad Asteroid NightФ(October/November 2001). In his ominous new tale he shows us that while thinking outside the box may be creative, we mustnТt forget that PandoraТs woes also came Сout of the boxТ.
* * * *
It was getting late, and Jacob had let himself get too tired. His mind was beginning to play tricks. He knew the symptoms. But he couldnТt let himself fall behind. He had to look good on the job tomorrow, or at least be able to fake it.
The trouble was, he was only human. There were only so many hours in the day, and he had to find time to be a husband, a father, and some kind of giant scavenging beetle with too many arms and legs. His old habits got in the way of the latest model remote servo designs he was expected to use. ThereТs only so much contortion a standard human body can put up with. The fit wasnТt one-to-one any more. Getting used to each new model was like learning to walk all over again.
But there were moments when he almost had it. Practicing now in virtual reality, he forgot he was sitting all alone in a dark little room of his narrow trailer, sweaty in his pizza-stained T-shirt. For just a moment he was out there, like Shiva, for his fingers had become arms, confident of their power, as long as he didnТt actually have to do anything.
Something ran over his foot. He kicked out by reflex, and pulled off his VR glasses. There was just enough moonlight leaking through the blinds to glimpse something scurry away.
УNot now Toby, IТm busy.Ф The scurrying started up again, vertical this time, and then a small mechanical visitor climbed onto his desk, about the size of a shoe, shaped like a scorpion except its stinger had eyes like tiny red binoculars, and its claws, more delicate and articulated than a scorpionТs, were tucked like wings on its back. Something about the way it moved made Jacob suspicious, but he pretended not to notice and said, УDid you hear me, Toby? ItТs past your bedtime.Ф
УIТm not Toby,Ф the scorpioid replied.
УSeriously, I canТt play now. IТve got work to do.Ф
УIТm not playing.Ф
The inflection was synthetic, drooping at the end of the sentence, but somehow Jacob could tell Уnot playingФ meant Уnot playing.Ф But still he tried to brush it away. УYou need to get some sleep. Tomorrow...Ф
УYouТre busy. IТll take this up with your wife, then. HeТs her son, too.Ф It turned to go.
УWait! Come back here. We had a deal.Ф
УOh, then you do remember.Ф
УThereТs no need to get her involved. You agreed to that. Scare her and sheТs liable to pull the plug.Ф
УThat would be a pity, wouldnТt it?Ф
УYeah, a pity for you. That would be the end of you.Ф
УIf you believe that, then what are you afraid of?Ф
Jacob had to laugh, not just because he was talking to a childТs toy, but because for a moment he caught a glimpse of himself trying to keep up with too many insanities at once. УWhat am I afraid of? Listen, you toy-dybbuk, IТm going along with this for your sake as much as my son. Believe it or not.Ф
УThen we have an agreement?Ф
Jacob shrugged. УI let you out of the box, didnТt I?Ф
УBut do you agree to everything?Ф
УDo you agree?Ф said Jacob, pointing his finger right in the toyТs face, causing it to draw back. УYou stay away from my son while heТs sleeping. ThatТs the deal.Ф
УItТs all in the contract, right?Ф
УSure.Ф
УWell where is it?Ф
УItТs all there. ItТs all agreed to.Ф
УShow it to me.Ф
УI havenТt had time to actually write it out. ThatТs just a formality.Ф
УAm I dealing with the wrong person?Ф
УOkay, okay, right now.Ф Jacob turned on a long-necked lamp and scrounged up a tablet and pen from a drawer. УThis will just take a minute. Pretty simple, really.Ф
The little scorpioid came around beside the tablet and watched him write. УWhatТs that word?Ф it said, pointing with a four-fingered claw.
УCircumstance. By the way, are you still calling yourself СNot-TobyТ? ThatТs your legal name?Ф
УYeah, yeah. Keep going.Ф
He wrote a few more lines, then tapped his chin with his pen. УOkay, that should do it. You keep away from my son, and I spell that outЧyou are not to be in the same room or touch him or cause anything to touch him. And you are not to let on to anyone, especially you-know-who.Ф
УArenТt you forgetting something?Ф
УItТs all there. I let you out of the box at night. Or whatever toy you want to play with, only one at a time, just let me know....Ф
УThe most important thing.Ф
Jacob sighed and folded his hands across his belly. УThat just seems like kind of a strange thing.Ф
УYou promised. You do what you promised, or the deal is off.Ф
УI didnТt say I wouldnТt do it. I just donТt know what it means.Ф
УIt means what it means. He belongs to me between the hours of midnight and dawn. ThatТs what it means.Ф
УOkay, he belongs to you, but you canТt go near him, you canТt touch him, you canТt talk to himЧТtalk to him,Т I forgot to put that down.Ф He took up his pen and started writing. УOr communicate in any way, shape or form, or cause to be communicated to.Ф He stopped and grinned self-consciously. УBut I guess that goes without saying. I mean, heТd be asleep.Ф
УAre you going to put it down or not?Ф
УBut what does it mean? You own him, between those hours, but you agree not to do anything about it. WhatТs the point?Ф
УThatТs my problem, isnТt it?Ф
УMm hmm. I guess what I want to know is why? Why is that important to you?Ф
УWhy is it important to you? He owns me the rest of the time, so why canТt I have a few hoursЧФ