"Kate Wilhelm - Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wilhelm Kate)

through the smaller passages and finally into the lab office.
тАЬHow many people did we kill?тАЭ Celia asked, stepping out of her jeans. She turned her back
to put her clothes on the foot of her cot. Her buttocks were nearly as flat as an adolescent
boyтАЩs. When she faced him again, her ribs seemed to be straining against her skin. She looked at
him for a moment, and then came to him and held his head tight against her chest as he sat on his
cot and she stood naked before him. He could feel her tears as they fell onto his cheek.


There was a hard freeze in November, and with the valley flooded and the road and bridges
gone, they knew they were safe from attack, at least until spring. The people had moved out of the
cave again, and work in the lab went on at the same numbing pace. The fetuses were developing,
growing, moving now with sudden motions of feet and elbows. David was working on substitutes for
the chemicals that already were substituting for amniotic fluids. He worked each day until his
vision blurred, or his hands refused to obey his directions, or Walt ordered him out of the lab.
Celia was working longer hours now, still resting in the middle of the day for several hours, but
she returned after that and stayed almost as late as David did.
He passed her chair and kissed the top of her head. She looked up at him and smiled, then
returned to her figures. Peter started a centrifuge. Vlasic made a last adjustment on the end tank
of nutrients that were to be diluted and fed to the embryos, then called out, тАЬCelia, you ready to
count chicks?тАЭ
тАЬOne second,тАЭ she said. She made a notation, put her pencil in the open book, and stood up.
David was aware of her, as he always was, even when totally preoccupied with his own work.
He was aware that she stood up, that she didnтАЩt move for a moment, and when she said, in a
tremulous voice that betrayed disbelief, тАЬDavid . . . David . . .тАЬ he was already starting to his
feet. He caught her as she crumpled.


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Her eyes were open, her look almost quizzical, asking what he could not answer, expecting no
answer. A tremor passed through her and she closed her eyes, and although her lids fluttered, she
did not open them again.


Chapter 6


Walt looked David over and shrugged. тАЬYou look like hell,тАЭ he said.
David made no response. He knew he looked like hell. He felt like hell. He watched Walt as
if from a great distance.
тАЬDavid, are you going to pull yourself together? You just giving up?тАЭ He didnтАЩt wait for a
reply. He sat down on the only chair in the tiny room and leaned forward, cupping his chin in his
hands, staring at the floor. тАЬWeтАЩve got to tell them. Sarah thinks thereтАЩll be trouble. So do I.тАЭ
David stood at the window, looking at the bleak landscape, done in grays and blacks and mud
colors. It was raining, but the rain had become clean. The river was a gray swirling monster that
he could glimpse from up here, a dull reflection of the dull sky.
тАЬThey might try to storm the lab,тАЭ Walt went on. тАЬGod knows what they might decide to do.тАЭ
David made no motion but continued to stare at the sullen sky.
тАЬGod damn it! You turn around here and listen to me, you asshole! You think IтАЩm going to let