"Vonda N. McIntyre-Screwtop" - читать интересную книгу автора (McIntyre Vonda N)

"Because we want to leave Redsun?"
"Other reasons."
"Would you just think about it?"
Miria shook her head.
"I know you don't usually live in groups on Redsun," Kylis said. "But where I was born, a lot of people
did, even though my parents were alone. I remember, before I ran away, my friends were never afraid to
go home like I was. Jason spent all his life in a group family, and he says it's a lot easier to get along." She
was skipping over her own occasional doubts that any world could be as pleasant as the one Jason
described. Whatever it was like, it had to be better than her own former existence of constant hiding and
constant uncertainty; it had to be better than what Gryf told her of Redsun, with its emphasis on loyalty to
the government at the expense of any family structure too big to move instantly at the whim or order of
the rulers.
Miria did not respond.
"Anyway, three people aren't enough-- we thought we'd find others after we got out. But I think-- "
"Gryf doesn't-- " Miria interrupted Kylis, then stopped herself and started over. "They don't know you
were going to ask me?"
"Not exactly, but they both know you," Kylis said defensively. She thought Miria might be afraid Kylis'
partners would refuse her. Kylis knew they would not but could not put how she knew into proper
words.
The rain had blurred away the marks of tears on Miria's cheeks, and now she smiled and squeezed
Kylis' hand. "Thank you, Kylis," she said. "I wish I could accept. I can't, but not for the reasons you
think. You'll find someone better." She started up, but Kylis stopped her.
"No, you stay here. This is your place." Kylis stood. "If you change your mind, just say. All right?"
"I won't change my mind."
"I wish you wouldn't be so sure." Reluctantly, she started away.
"Kylis?"
"Yes?"
"Please don't tell anyone you asked me this."
"Not even Gryf and Jason?"
"No one. Please."
"All right," Kylis said unwillingly.
Kylis left Miria on the stony hillside. She glanced back once before entering the forest. Miria was
sitting on the stone again, hunched forward, her forearms on her knees. Now she was looking down at
the huge slash of clay and trash heaps, the complicated delicate cooling towers that condensed the
generators' steam, the high impervious antenna beaming power north toward the cities.
When Kylis reached the sleeping place, the sun was high. Beneath the dead fern trees it was still
almost cool. She crept in quietly and sat down near Jason without waking him. He lay sprawled in dry
moss, breathing deeply, solid and real. As if he could feel her watching him, he half opened his eyes.
Kylis lay down and drew her hand up his side, feeling bones that had become more prominent, dry
and flaking sunburned skin, and the scabs of cuts and scratches. He was bruised as though the guards
had beaten him, perhaps because of his occasional amusement at things so odd that his reaction seemed
insolence. But for now, she would not notice his new scars, and he would not notice hers.
"Are you awake?"
He laughed softly. "I think so."
"Do you want to go back to sleep?"
He reached out and touched her face. "I'm not that tired."
Kylis smiled and leaned over to kiss him. The hairs of his short beard were soft and stiff against her
lips and tongue. For a while she and Jason could ignore the heat.
Lying beside Jason, not quite touching because the afternoon was growing hot, Kylis only dozed while
Jason again slept soundly. She sat up and pulled on her shorts and boots, brushed a lock of Jason's