"Scott Westerfeld - Uglies" - читать интересную книгу автора (Westerfeld Scott)

The mansion was full of brand-new prettiesтАФthe worst kind, Peris always used to say. They lived like
uglies, a hundred or so together in a big dorm. But this dorm didnтАЩt have any rules. Unless the rules were
Act Stupid, Have Fun, and Make Noise.

A bunch of girls in ball gowns were on the roof, screaming at the top of their lungs, balancing on the
edge and shooting safety fireworks at people on the ground. A ball of orange flame bounced next to
Tally, cool as an autumn wind, driving away the darkness around her.

тАЬHey, thereтАЩs a pig down there!тАЭ someone screamed from above. They all laughed, and Tally quickened
her stride toward the wide-open door of the mansion. She pushed inside, ignoring the surprised looks of
two pretties on their way out.

It was all one big party, just like they always promised it would be. People were dressed up tonight, in
gowns and in black suits with long coattails. Everyone seemed to find her pig mask pretty funny. They
pointed and laughed, and Tally kept moving, not giving them time to do anything else. Of course,
everyone was always laughing here. Unlike an ugly party, thereтАЩd never be any fights, or even arguments.

She pushed from room to room, trying to distinguish faces without being distracted by those big pretty
eyes, or overwhelmed by the feeling that she didnтАЩt belong. Tally felt uglier every second she spent there.
Being laughed at by everyone she met wasnтАЩt helping much. But it was better than what theyтАЩd do if they
saw her real face.

Tally wondered if she would even recognize Peris. SheтАЩd only seen him once since the operation, and
that was coming out of the hospital, before the swelling had subsided. But she knew his face so well.
Despite what Peris always used to say, pretties didnтАЩt really all lookexactly the same. On their
expeditions, she and Peris had sometimes spotted pretties who looked familiar, like uglies theyтАЩd known.
Sort of like a brother or sisterтАФan older, more confident,much prettier brother or sister. One youтАЩd be
jealous of your whole life, if youтАЩd been born a hundred years ago.

Peris couldnтАЩt have changed that much.



тАЬHave you seen the piggy?тАЭ
тАЬThe what?тАЭ

тАЬThereтАЩs a piggy on the loose!тАЭ

The giggling voices were from the floor below. Tally paused and listened. She was all alone here on the
stairs. Apparently, pretties preferred the elevators.

тАЬHow dare she come to our party dressed like a piggy! This is white tie!тАЭ

тАЬSheтАЩs got the wrong party.тАЭ

тАЬSheтАЩs got no manners, looking that way!тАЭ

Tally swallowed. The mask wasnтАЩt much better than her own face. The joke was wearing thin.