"Bruce McAllister - Poison" - читать интересную книгу автора (Mcallister Bruce)

There was a vegetable garden he did not remember, and a stone
path wandering from the hutтАЩs doorway into the grass, where it ended. He
began toward itтАФunder the trees, past a green lizard that watched him from
a tree trunk, through the grass that reached his bare knees, through sudden
yellow wildflowers, to the start of the path, its first flat stone, where he
stopped. His heart jumped once in what felt like fear; but the sun was bright,
and he clenched the paper bag, feeling his courage.

тАЬStrega!тАЭ he wanted to shout, because it was true, but instead he said
courteously, with only a little anger, тАЬSignora!тАЭ

No one appeared in the doorway, which seemed smallтАФeven for a
witch. Now he shouted it:

тАЬSignora!тАЭ

He rattled the bag just a little. The body was stiff now, and he didnтАЩt
want to do it; but maybe the old woman, because she was a witch, would
hear it and know the reason he was hereтАФeven if she wanted to ignore him.

тАЬAddesso!тАЭ he said, rattling the bag again, wondering how long it took
maggots to grow.

тАЬVoglio parlare con Lei, Signora!тАЭ I wish to speak to you!

Had Gian Felice been with him, they would never have come this
close. TheyтАЩd have stayed out under the nearest treeтАФor the second or
third or fourth nearestтАФand thrown stones at the hut to get her attention, or
shouted at her from a very safe distance. But he was too angry for that, and
anger could make you feel safe. Gian Felice would have let his fear keep
them in the trees, and the witch would know it, and it would give her
courageтАФwhich the boy did not want. Witches had enough as it was.

Besides, he would not be able to see her hand if he stayed in the
trees.

****

Something stirred in the darkness just inside the doorway, as he had
known it would. This is what witches do, he told himself. They stir in the
darknessтАФto scare you.

It was silly, the stirring. тАЬCome out!тАЭ he shouted, in her language. тАЬI
am here to do business with you. Have the courage to come out, Signora!тАЭ

Had he really shouted that in her language? Had he really known what
words to use? Yes, because he heard himself shouting it again:

тАЬViene qui! Corraggio, Signora!тАЭ