"Richard Paul Russo - The Second Descent" - читать интересную книгу автора (Russo Richard Paul)

than it had been in the morning when theyтАЩd started.

They tried once more. They resumed their climb, doing everything
they could to keep the city in sight, getting steadily closer to its gates, but at
midafternoon they were forced once again to scramble across a stretch of
loose rock beneath a dark outcropping that blocked their view of the city.
When they saw Kuma-Shan again, it was, if anything, even farther up the
mountain from them than ever.

They didnтАЩt even need to discuss the matter. By mutual silent
agreement, the three climbers turned around and headed back down the
mountain.

****

Rafael sits in a green plastic chair and watches his family in the
backyard garden. A clear day, late spring, sun high and hot. In baggy shorts
and hiking boots and a gray sweatshirt with the sleeves cut off, Kiyoko
stands with a claw tool in her right hand, contemplating the bed she has just
finished weeding. Columbines in sprays of blue and white, yellow and white,
and purple and white frame her. The sun casts her shadow across the
ragged stone wall.

On the small patch of grass, Leila squats beside a large potted cala,
focused intently on a shiny blue-black beetle scuttling across the dirt.
CyrusтАФsixty-five pounds of golden lab and pit bullтАФlies at RafaelтАЩs feet,
across his feet and against his shins as though holding him in place; the
dogтАЩs eyes are closed and he sighs loudly, an almost human sound. Rafael
raises a cold bottle of beer to his mouth and drinks deeply, sets it on the
stump beside him. He is as content as he has ever been.

****

That night, in the tent, Rafael asked Yusuf, тАЬWhy is it that we canтАЩt
ever reach Kuma-Shan?тАЭ

Rafael could just make out YusufтАЩs eyes in the moonlight that filtered
through the nylon dome. Eyes that stared at him with a surprising intensity.

тАЬWhy do you ask me?тАЭ Yusuf said.

тАЬFather Dominic said I should.тАЭ

тАЬThe priest.тАЭ A slight shake of the head. тАЬWhy does he think I would
know?тАЭ

тАЬBecause...тАЭ Rafael began. He stopped. Was it possible that Yusuf
didnтАЩt know he was dead? What would happen if Rafael told him?

тАЬI donтАЩt know,тАЭ Rafael finally said. тАЬHe seemed to think you knew more