"Vernor Vinge - Rainbows End" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vinge Vernor)

The blur moved directly in front of him, into the middle of the sunlight. This was not some hint of presence
behind his shoulder or in his memory. The blur became a face just inches from his own: he could see the
straight black hair, the small round countenance smiling at him as if he were the greatest guy in the world.
It really was his little sister.

Robert reached forward, and her hand was warm in his. "Oh, Cara. It's so good to see you." He wasn't
home, but maybe he was close. He was quiet for a moment.

"I'm... I'm glad to see you, too, Robert. Would you like to go for a ride around the neighborhood?"

"... Yes, that would be nice."

Things happened fast then. Cara did something and his chair seemed to spin around. It was dark and
gloomy again. They were inside the house and she was fussing like she always did, this time getting him a
hat. She still teased though, as in asking him if he needed to go to the bathroom. Robert sensed that the
thug who claimed to be his son was lurking just to one side, watching it all.

And then they were out тАФ what, the front door? тАФ and onto a street. Cara stayed beside his wheelchair
as they strolled and rolled down an empty street lined with tall, thin trees... palm trees, that's what they
were. This wasn't Bishop. But this was Cara Gu тАФ though on her very best behavior. Little Cara was a
good kid, but she could only be good for so long and then she would find some devilish tease and have
him chasing her all over the house, or vice versa. Robert smiled to himself and wondered how long the
angelic phase would last this time. Maybe she thought he was sick. He tried unsuccessfully to turn in his
chair. Well, maybe he was sick.
"See, we live on Honor Court. Over there, that's the Smithsons' house. They transferred here from Guam
last month. Bob thinks they're growing five тАФ oops, but I'm not supposed to talk about that. And the
boyfriend of the base commander lives in that house by the corner. I'm betting they'll be married by the
end of the year... And there are some kids from school I don't want to talk to just now." Robert's
wheelchair took an abrupt turn, and they were heading down a side street.

"Hey!" Robert tried again to turn in his chair. Maybe those kids were friends of his! Cara was teasing
after all. He slumped down in the chair. There was the smell of honey. Bushes seemed to hang low above
them. The houses were gray and greenish blurs. "Some tour!" he groused. "I can't see a Dam Ned thing."

The wheelchair abruptly slowed. "Really?" The little wretch was all but chortling. "Don't worry, Robert!
There's some devious twiddling that can fix your eyes."

Grump. "A pair of glasses would fix them, Cara." Maybe she was hiding them from him.

There was something about the brightness and the dry wind that swept these streets тАФ wherever this
was. It made him wonder what he was doing tied down to a wheelchair. They toured around a couple
more blocks. Cara fussed endlessly over him. "Are you too warm, Robert? Maybe you don't need that
blanket."

"The sun is going to burn your head, Robert. Let me tilt your cap down a little bit." At one point there
were no houses. It seemed that they were on the edge of a long slope. Cara claimed they were looking
off toward the mountains тАФ but all Robert could see was a hazy line of tan and faded ochre. They were
nothing like the mountains that shouldered into the sky above Bishop, California, U.S.A.

Then they were back indoors, in the house they had started from. Things were as dark and gloomy as