"Patrick O'Leary - The Dream of Vibo" - читать интересную книгу автора (O'leary Patrick)

The Dream of Vibo
Patrick OтАЩLeary


In a sad year that no one thought would ever end, Vibo, Third Ruler of The Great Empire, fell into a
deep sleep from which he could not be woken. His attendants lit candles for every hour he slept, and at
the end of his dream journey, he yawned, his eyelids fluttered, and he sat up in the great golden bed of his
chamber to find the room swimming in light.

Vibo had a strong long triangular face, like an arrowhead pointing to the ground. And his attendants
watched as he shook it, violently back and forth, as if to clear his mind of a nightmare or a wicked
thought. It frightened them to watch in the candlelight for it looked to them as if Vibo, their great ruler,
was becoming many men, many versions of himself. Multiple faces appeared in his shivering visage, and
his wide beautiful eye sockets trembled like the wings of the legendary butterfly.

Finally, the shaking stopped and their ruler was returned to them.

тАЬI have had a dream,тАЭ said Vibo the Third in a great booming voice. тАЬIt is a big dream. I must tell it to my
son.тАЭ

His son stepped out of the dancing lights, a pale boy, just growing into the crown of his brow, who
handed his white candle to his attendant and sat beside his father on the golden bed.

тАЬLeave us alone,тАЭ said Vibo.

And when the attendants and lessers and majors and all his wives had left the chamber, and they could
hear their footsteps like giant beetles scuttling down the hall, Great Vibo took the boy into his arms and
said, тАЬI have learned a great secret, my son.тАЭ

His son was a wise lad, who only spoke after he had considered several angles of thought-a skill his
father had taught him. Yet being young, he was not afraid to question.

тАЬIn a dream?тАЭ

тАЬYes,тАЭ Vibo said. тАЬExcept it didnтАЩt feel like a dream. Strange. It felt like a memory. Someone elseтАЩs
memory. And it happened long ago. There were cars.тАЭ

тАЬCars?тАЭ his son said. Recalling his lesson on those ancient vehicles of transport. The lessons of the
poisons people used to breathe. Poisons that sickened the world, and caused generations of mutation
and strife. Their dark history.

тАЬYes, cars. And birds.тАЭ

тАЬBirds?тАЭ His son asked in wonder. As distant to his mind as dinosaurs: flying creatures who once roamed
the skies. When skies were blue. Birds. The stuff of legend.

тАЬAnd everything was dying,тАЭ Vibo cried. тАЬAnd nobody knew it.тАЭ

His son rubbed his shoulder as the Great Ruler wept.