"Connie Willis - Daisy, in the Sun" - читать интересную книгу автора (Willis Connie)

remembering.



Her father had called them all together in the living room. Her mother perched on the edge of the blue
couch, already looking frightened. Her brother had brought a book in with him, but he stared blindly at
the page.

It was cold in the living room. Daisy moved into the one patch of sunlight, and waited. She had already
been frightened for a year. And in a minute, she thought, IтАЩm going to hear something that will make me
more afraid.

She felt a sudden stunning hatred of her parents, able to pull her in out of the sun and into darkness, able
to make her frightened just by talking to her. She had been sitting on the porch today. That other day she
had been lying in the sun in her old yellow bathing suit when her mother called her in.

тАЬYouтАЩre a big girl now,тАЭ her mother had said once they were in her room. She was looking at the
outgrown yellow suit that was tight across the chest and pulled up on the legs. тАЬThere are things you need
to know.тАЭ

DaisyтАЩs heart had begun to pound. тАЬI wanted to tell you so you wouldnтАЩt hear a lot of rumors.тАЭ She had
had a booklet with her, pink and white and terrifying. тАЬI want you to read this, Daisy. YouтАЩre changing,
even though you may not notice it. Your breasts are developing and soon youтАЩll be starting your period.
That meansтАФтАЭ

Daisy knew what it meant. The girls at school had told her. Darkness and blood. Boys wanting to touch
her breasts, wanting to penetrate her darkness. And then more blood.

тАЬNo,тАЭ Daisy said. тАЬNo. I donтАЩt want to.тАЭ

тАЬI know it seems frightening to you now, but someday soon youтАЩll meet a nice boy and then youтАЩll
understandтАжтАЭ

No, I wonтАЩt. Never. I know what boys do to you.

тАЬFive years from now you wonтАЩt feel this way, Daisy. YouтАЩll seeтАжтАЭ

Not in five years. Not in a hundred. No.

тАЬI wonтАЩt have breasts,тАЭ Daisy shouted, and threw the pillow off her bed at her mother. тАЬI wonтАЩt have a
period. I wonтАЩt let it happen. No!тАЭ

Her mother had looked at her pityingly. тАЬWhy, Daisy, itтАЩs already started.тАЭ She had put her arms around
her. тАЬThereтАЩs nothing to be afraid of, honey.тАЭ

Daisy had been afraid ever since. And now she would be more afraid, as soon as her father spoke.

тАЬI wanted to tell you all together,тАЭ her father said, тАЬso you would not hear some other way. I wanted you
to know what is really happening and not just rumors.тАЭ He paused and took a ragged breath. They even
started their speeches alike.