"Thomas E. Sniegoski - The Fallen" - читать интересную книгу автора (Sniegoski Thomas E)

The boy runs toward him. It seems that Aaron is suddenly visible. The boy reaches out, pleading to be
saved in the language of his people.
 This time, he understands every word. He tries to answer, but earsplitting shrieks fill the night, the
excited cries of predators that have discovered their prey.

The boy tries to run, but there are too many.

Aaron can do nothing but watch as the birdlike creatures descend from the sky, falling upon the boy, his
plaintive screams of terror drowned out by the beating of powerful wings.

AngelsтАЩ wings.

LYNN,MASSACHUSETTS

It was GabrielтАЩs powerful, bed-shaking sneeze that pulled Aaron from the dream and back to the
waking world.

AaronтАЩs eyes snapped open as another explosion of moisture dappled his face. For the moment, the
dream was forgotten and all that occupied his mind was the attentions of an eighty-pound Labrador
retriever named Gabriel.

тАЬUnnngh,тАЭ he moaned as he pulled his arm up from the warmth beneath the covers to wipe away the
newest spattering of dog spittle.

тАЬThanks, Gabe,тАЭ he said, his voice husky from sleep. тАЬWhat time is it anyway? Time to get up?тАЭ he
asked the dog lying beside him.

The yellow retriever leaned its blocky head forward to lick the back of his exposed hand, his muscular
bulk blocking AaronтАЩs view of the alarm clock.

тАЬOkay, okay,тАЭ Aaron said as he pulled his other hand out to ruffle the dogтАЩs velvety soft, golden-brown
ears, and wiggled himself into an upright position to check the time.

Craving more attention, Gabriel flipped over onto his back and swatted at Aaron with his front paws. He
chuckled and rubbed the dogтАЩs exposed belly before training his eyes on the clock on the nightstand
beside his bed.

Aaron watched the red digital readout change from 7:28 to 7:29.

тАЬShit,тАЭ he hissed.

Sensing alarm in his master, Gabriel rolled from his back to his stomach with a rumbling bark.

Aaron struggled from the bed, whipped into a frenzy by the lateness of the hour.

тАЬShit. Shit. Shit. Shit,тАЭ he repeated as he pulled off his Dave Matthews concert T-shirt and threw it onto
a pile of dirty clothes in the corner of the room. He pulled down his sweatpants and kicked them into the
same general vicinity. He was late. Very late.