"Kristine Kathryn Rusch - The Room of Lost Souls" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rusch Kristine Kathryn)

I can lie and say I hadnтАЩt thought about any of it. I can be blunt and say
that I want nothing to do with the Room of Lost Souls.

Or I can be truthful and say that her words have played through my
head for the last three days. Tempting me. Frightening me.

Intriguing me.

At odd moments, I find myself wondering how I would see the place
after all my years of wreck diving, after all the times IтАЩve risked my life, after
all the hazards IтАЩve survived.

тАЬYou have,тАЭ she says with something like triumph.

I continue to eat, but IтАЩm no longer savoring the taste. I almost push
my plate awayтАФitтАЩs a crime not to taste this squidтАФbut I donтАЩt.

I donтАЩt want her to see any emotion from me at all.

тАЬBut you have questions,тАЭ she says as if IтАЩm actually taking part in this
conversation. тАЬYou want to know how I found you.тАЭ
 The hell of it is that I do want to know that. Hardly anyone knows I
survived the Room of Lost Souls. I canтАЩt say that no one knows because
the crew on my fatherтАЩs ship knew. And I have no idea what happened to all
of them.

тАЬI have people who can find almost anything,тАЭ she says.

People. She has people. Which means sheтАЩs rich.

тАЬIf you have people,тАЭ I say with an emphasis on that phrase, тАЬthen
have them go to the Room themselves and have them тАШrecoverтАЩ your
father.тАЭ

Her cheeks flush. She looks away, but only for a minute. Then she
takes a deep breath, as if she needs courage to dive back into this
conversation.

тАЬThey donтАЩt believe that anyone can get out. They think thatтАЩs as much
a myth as the Room itself.тАЭ

I donтАЩt know how I got out. My memory is fluid and try as I might to
recover that moment, I canтАЩt.

When it becomes clear that I am not going to confirm or deny what
happened to me, she says, тАЬYour father is still alive.тАЭ

I jolt. I had no idea the old man had made it this long.

тАЬHave you ever asked him about the Room?тАЭ