"Lisa Tuttle - Jamie's Grave" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tuttle Lisa)

the back door, as if seeing him oftтАЬ on an expedition.

тАЬCome back in when you get cold,тАЭ she said. тАЬOr if you get hungryтАжтАЭ

She turned on Radio Four, got out her knitting and worked on the sweater which was to be a Christmas
present for her sister in Scotland. She worked steadily for about an hour. Then the panic took her.

A falling-elevator sensation in her stomach, and then the cold. It was a purely visceral, wordless,
objectless fear. Her shaking fingers dropped stitches and then dropped the knitting, and she lurched
clumsily to her feet.

If anything happened to Jamie she would never forgive herself. If she was too late, if anything had
happened to himтАФ

She knew he was safe in the back garden, where there was nothing to hurt him. She knew sheтАЩd had this
experience before, and there had never been anything threatening her son. Logic made no impact on the
fear.

He was so fragile, he was so young, and the world was so dangerous. How could she have let him out of
her sight for even a moment?

She ran to the back door and out, cursing herself.

She saw his bright yellow boots first. He was lying flat on the ground, on his stomach, and she couldnтАЩt
see his head. It must have been hanging over the edge, into the hole he had dug.

тАЬJamie!тАЭ She didnтАЩt want to alarm him, but his name came out as a shriek of terror.

He didnтАЩt move.

Mary fell on the ground beside him and caught his body up in her arms. She was so frightened she
couldnтАЩt breathe. But he was breathing; he was warm.

Jamie gave a little grunt and his eyelids fluttered. Then he was gazing up at her, dazed and sleepy-looking.

тАЬAre you all right?тАЭ she demanded, although it was clear to her, now the panic had subsided, that he was
fine.

тАЬWhat?тАЭ he said groggily.

тАЬOh, you silly child! What do you mean by lying down out here, when the groundтАЩs so cold and wetтАж
youтАЩll catch your deathтАж if you were tired, you should have come in. What a silly, to work so hard you
had to lie down and take a nap!тАЭ She hugged him to her, and for once he seemed content to be held so,
rubbing his dirty face against her sweater and clinging.

They rocked together in the moist grey air and country silence for a time, until Jamie gave a deep,
shuddering sigh.

тАЬWhat is it?тАЭ