"David Marusek - The Wedding Album" - читать интересную книгу автора (Marusek David)

"Please delete me."

"Yes, Mother," Anne said and turned to Ben. "WeтАЩve always thought she had a bad death and
hoped it might improve over time."

"ThatтАЩs crazy," snapped the young Anne. "ThatтАЩs not why I kept this sim."

"Oh, no?" said Anne. "Then why did you keep it?" But the young sim seemed confused and
couldnтАЩt articulate her thoughts. "You donтАЩt know because I didnтАЩt know at the time either," said
Anne. "But I know now, so IтАЩll tell you. YouтАЩre fascinated with death. It scares you silly. You wish
someone would tell you whatтАЩs on the other side. So youтАЩve enlisted your own sweet mama."

"ThatтАЩs ridiculous."

Anne turned to the deathbed tableau. "Mother, tell us what you saw there."

"I saw nothing," came the bitter reply. "You cast me without my eyeglasses."

"Ho ho," said Anne. "Geraldine was nothing if not comedic."

"You also cast me wretchedly thirsty, cold, and with a bursting bladder, damn you! And the pain! I
beg you, daughter, delete me."

"I will, Mother, I promise, but first you have to tell us what you saw."

"ThatтАЩs what you said the last time."

"This time I mean it."

The old woman only stared, her breathing growing shallow and ragged. "All right, Mother," said
Anne. "I swear IтАЩll delete you."

Geraldine closed her eyes and whispered, "WhatтАЩs that smell? ThatтАЩs not me?" After a pause she
said, "ItтАЩs heavy. Get it off." Her voice rose in panic. "Please! Get it off!" She plucked at her covers,
then her hand grew slack, and she all but crooned, "Oh, how lovely. A pony. A tiny dappled
pony." After that she spoke no more and slipped away with a last bubbly breath.

Anne paused the sim before her mother could return for another round of dying. "See what I
mean?" she said. "Not very uplifting, but all-in-all, I detect a slight improvement. What about you,
Anne? Should we settle for a pony?" The young sim stared dumbly at Anne. "Personally," Anne
continued, "I think we should hold out for the bright tunnel or an open door or bridge over
troubled water. What do you think, sister?" When the girl didnтАЩt answer, Anne said, "Lock file and
eject." The room turned once again into the media room, and Anne placed the ejected chip by
itself into a tray. "WeтАЩll have another go at it later, mum. As for the rest of these, who needs
them?"
"I do," snapped the girl. "They belong to me as much as to you. TheyтАЩre my sim sisters. IтАЩll keep
them until you recover."

Anne smiled at Ben. "ThatтАЩs charming. IsnтАЩt that charming, Benjamin? My own sim is solicitous of