"Christopher Rowe - Another Word for Map is Faith" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rowe Christopher)

Carmen, naturally, had convinced the young man to demonstrate tent pitching to the others using her own
expensive rig as an example. The olive-skinned girl sat in a camp chair folding an onionskin scroll back
on itself and writing in a wood-bound notebook while the others struggled with canvas and willow poles.

"Keeping track of our progress?тАЭ Sandy asked, easing herself onto the ground next to Carmen.

"I have determined,тАЭ Carmen replied, not looking up, тАЬthat we have traveled as far from a hot water
heater as is possible and still be within Christendom."

Sandy smiled, but shook her head, thinking of the most remote places she'd ever been. тАЬDavis?тАЭ she
asked, watching her student's reaction to mention of that unholy town.

Carmen, a Californian, shuddered but kept her focus. тАЬThere's a naval base in San Franciso, s├н? They've
got all the amenities, surely."

Sandy considered again, thinking of cold camps in old mountains, and of muddy jungle towns ten daysтАЩ
walk from the closest bus station.

"Cape Canaveral,тАЭ she said.

With quick, precise movements, Carmen folded a tiny desktop over her chair's arm and spread her scroll
out flat. She drew a pair of calipers out from her breast pocket and took measurements, pausing once to
roll the scroll a few turns. Finally, she gave a satisfied smile and said, тАЬOnly fifty-five miles from Orlando.
We're almost twice that from Louisville."

She'd made the mistake Sandy had expected of her. тАЬBut Orlando, Se├▒orita Reyes, is Catholic. And we
were speaking of Christendom."

A stricken look passed over her student's face, but Sandy calmed her with exaggerated conspiratorial
looks left and right. тАЬSome of your fellows aren't so liberal as I am, Carmen. So remember where you
are. Remember who you are. Or who you're trying to become."

Another reminder issued, Sandy went to see to her own tent.
****
The Forestry student gathered their wood, brought them water to reconstitute their freeze-dried camp
meals, then withdrew to his own tent far back in the trees. Sandy told him he was welcome to spend the
evening around their fireтАФ"You built it after all,тАЭ she'd saidтАФbut he'd made a convincing excuse.

The young man pointed to the traveling shrine her students had erected in the center of their camp, pulling
a wooden medallion from beneath his shirt. тАЬThat Christ you have over there, ma'am,тАЭ he said. тАЬHe's not
this one, is he?"

Sandy looked at the amulet he held, gilded and green. тАЬWhat do you have there, Jesus in the Trees?тАЭ she
asked, summoning all her professional courtesy to keep the amusement out of her voice. тАЬNo, that's not
the Christ we keep. We'll see you in the morning."

They didn't, though, because later that night, Lucas discovered that the forest they were camped in wasn't
supposed to be there at all.
****
He'd found an old agricultural map somewhere and packed it in with their little traveling library. Later, he