Читать книгу Crossroads: The Beginning After the End - - Страница 6

The bare treetops creaked as they leaned against each other under the force of the wind. Sparse snowflakes fell from a sky covered with heavy gray clouds. His head ached terribly, and his wooden muscles and joints refused to bend. His body was so cold that his insides, dried out and exhausted, didn’t seem to function at all.

– I’m not dead? – With a muffled groan, the quiet words came out.

A drop of melted water dripped into his half-open mouth through the leaky respirator. The first small gulp was a sharp pain. The spasm it produced made it impossible to inhale and Adam coughed. Someone had heard him. From the side of his head came the crunch of twigs, followed by the sound of cautious footsteps. The respirator left his face with the stranger’s help, giving his flesh a pleasant sensation of freedom. Something cold and metallic touched his lips and poured the life-giving liquid into his mouth. Each sip made it easier, but it didn’t fully satisfy the urge.

– More, please! More!

Adam tried with all his might to reach for the distant flask, but his hands would not obey, continuing to lie dead weight on the cold ground.

– What’s wrong with my body, why won’t it obey?

– We’ll find out, – a woman’s voice said tensely. – It’s a wonder you can breathe and talk at all. I’d advise you to do less of both. Your rotten body might not hold up, and I’d have to dig a hole, and I don’t really want to do that. It’s frozen.

Above him stood a middle-aged woman with long, curly dark hair gathered in a ponytail. The fine lines near her eyes betrayed a slight feisty nature, and the brown depths of her gaze high intelligence. She studied him, stood for a few seconds in confusion, but then, as if making a decision for herself, took off her cloak and threw it over the man lying in front of her.

– You’ll last an hour, and that’s all we need, – she added without much enthusiasm.

– What? Adam didn’t hear the last word. – Oh, an hour… Yeah, just an hour.

His eyes were blurred, his thoughts confused, and a wild weakness weighing him down. Through the dream he felt the freshness of the moss on which his hands were stretched, the gusts of wind ruffling his hair, and the heavy breathing of his savior pulling his heavy body by the straps. Then warmth, the pleasant smell of pine, the crackle of the fire, the prick in his arm, and lightness, such a pleasant lightness.

When he woke up, he couldn’t tell exactly how long he had slept. He felt much better, which was saying a lot. He was in a full bed with blankets and pillows. A fireplace was burning in the room, casting rare sparks on the tempered glass. Along the walls were an empty desk and a couple of unremarkable cabinets, and the floor was covered by a fluffy rug yellowed with old age. Adam raised himself slightly and only then noticed the dog by the bed, watching his every move.

– Well, hello. What’s your name? – the dog didn’t move. – Uh, okay. You’re not very social, are you? – Again, no response.

The sound of footsteps came from the door, and the dog stood up, wagged his tail, and took his place at the door. Not five seconds later, the same dark-haired woman whose silhouette, though hazy, still wandered in the memory as a bright star of salvation, entered the room. The animal wagged its tail even more vigorously, began to paw and nuzzle at its mistress, unconsciously obstructing her passage.

– All right, calm down, Alpha. Give me the road, – the woman said, stroking the dog behind the ear, then looked up at her guest. – You look pretty good for a recently dead man, even your skin color is almost normal. Surprisingly you recover very quickly, do you want to tell me what the secret is?

– I don’t know what you mean, – Adam said, sitting up higher. – I wish I knew where I was.

– You are in my home, – she said calmly, sitting down on a chair by the bed. – I’m Maria Fleur, Maria, – she introduced herself. – And this is my dog Alpha, – she scratched her pet behind the ear. She closed her eyes and rumbled with pleasure. – Now it’s your turn. Who are you, where did you come from, how did you get to the relic forest?

– Where’d you go?

– Into the relict forest, you fool! – The landlady’s tone changed, and a small antique revolver rested on her knee. – You know, it is not customary in our land to answer a question with a question. But I’ll give you another try and ask you again, «Who are you?»

Adam had never been in a situation like this before, and he had never been threatened with a gun before. There was no fear, only a strange incomprehension of what was happening.

– My name is Adam Perket. I’m an engineer at the Center for Robotic Technology and Innovation. I live in the suburb of Le Mans, the gated community of Grory, 15 Legionnaires Street. Personal number: 13.79.61.02 series W. What else do you want to know?

– Are you kidding me?! – Maria’s face twisted with indignation. Apparently, this was not the answer she had expected. Her hand gripped the revolver tighter. – Tell me who you are! Are you a Kred or a member of the Order of Truth? Or are you a member of the Free? I don’t think so, they don’t come here, – she thought for a moment. – Where did you get those strange clothes, and what were you doing covered in moss under a fucking pine tree in my forest, are you a mutant?

– Me?

– No, me! What do you think?!

The situation was becoming a stalemate. Adam felt like he was being asked something he had no clue about. What was this woman even saying? What mutants, Creeds, what moss, after all! He couldn’t be covered in moss – that much was clear to everyone. He’d been on the trial – yes! That’s where Audley had gone mad and then the funnel… That’s right, he’d been in some kind of funnel!

– If you’ll excuse me, – Adam said politely after he’d finished digging through his vague memories. – What day is it today?

– Wednesday, – Maria replied gruffly, without removing her finger from the trigger of the revolver.

– I’ve only been here one day?

– I wish! It’ll soon be two weeks since you’ve been using my goods. You were dead when I found you. I cleaned you up, got you out. By the way, you owe me now!

– Two weeks?! Well, don’t worry, Maria, I have a bank account and good insurance. I’ll be sure to repay you.

– Are you blessed or something? – Maria furrowed her eyebrows. – What account, what bank, are you kidding or do you think I’m an idiot?

No, he wasn’t joking, but her surprise didn’t seem like a joke either. Something had changed in the time he’d been unconscious, or maybe he’d been rescued by a madwoman who’d gotten far away from civilization and forgotten all about its benefits.

– Okay, – Adam thought, gathering his thoughts together, and decided it was worth trying to clear the tension and try to start the conversation again. – Let’s say you don’t know what a bank is and you find my idea strange. That’s all – okay. I suggest we calm down and talk. Okay? – Maria lowered her revolver in response. – «Good, that’s much better,» – the man exhaled. – According to you, I’ve been here for at least two weeks and probably a little more under the pine tree. I’ve seen snow, so it must be winter, and I’ve missed a lot…

– It’s August, you fool! – Maria interrupted his musings.

– How was August?

– As always – by calendar.

– Well, was it snowing, or am I imagining things?

– Well, the snow is falling, so why be surprised? – The landlady shrugged her shoulders. – It’s been thirty years since the weather has surprised us, we can’t change the calendar every week! I don’t understand, were you born, under that pine tree?

– All right, well, you’ve got that kind of weather… – Adam stretched out thoughtfully, almost accepting the idea that the woman in front of him was crazy. – Is there anything else I need to know?

– What’s to know?! Don’t mess with my head. I’ve already told the Coppers about you, they’ll come for you soon. They’ll give you a quick explanation of what’s here and how.

– Who’s coming for me?

– Capers.

– Ahhhh… – Adam, rolled his eyes and leaned back on the pillow.

– Don’t you know the Capers?

– I know, of course, they’re the ones who used to take bets at stadiums.

– Taking what?

The conversation was not going well at all. Adam felt as if he were talking to a man who hadn’t just fled to the wilderness, but who didn’t know the civilized world at all. It didn’t add up here, either. The strange woman’s house was modern, and the furniture was old, of course, but it wasn’t junk. The inconsistency of the facts began to press between my eyes.

– The bets were taken on a victory or some specific event, – he started to get excited and explain, but by the eyes of the listener quickly realized that it was pointless and almost immediately gave up. – You don’t understand me. Well, tell me then, who are these Capers?

– You’re very strange, you know that? – Maria said, practically resting her head on her left shoulder, squinting. – Not knowing Capers in these parts is like not drinking or breathing water. – She laughed and waved her hand away for some reason. Apparently she didn’t believe in her guest’s naive ignorance. – Yes, you amuse me – that’s good! Other people don’t come here very often, which makes it boring. It’s just the two of us, me and Alpha. It’s not an easy life, you know, but it’s a sin to complain, other people have it no better. We live on the edge of a relic forest. It feeds and warms us. Sometimes she gives us presents. In general, I like to talk. But only when I haven’t seen people for a long time. And in other situations, I’m not very good with people. It’s not my thing. I’m closer to nature, you know.

Maria talked nonstop. Yes, she liked to talk, and when she realized that she would be listened to, she began to pour out everything that had accumulated, important and not so important. At first Adam tried to catch the meaning of her words, then tried not to get lost in the themes and descriptions of events, but after that he gave up trying everything, deciding just to listen. She talked about many things: the place she lived in, how she found Alpha, the two lovers, diseases, mushrooms and herbs, thieves, animals and plants, she talked about Capers too. As Adam realized, the Capers were a sort of hobby club, quite popular in these parts. The head of the club was one Marcus Armless. There was even a legend about his life and death, resurrection, acquisition of higher powers, and other nonsense that only children or fools could believe in. This Marcus and the people from his club had complete power in this area. They even had their own laws. The rest of the people living here either worked with them or tried to stay neutral. But there were rival clubs. These included bandits, cannibals, Creeds, sectarians of the Order of Truth, blood slaves, and another five similar crazy names. With every second of listening to this nonsense, the flames of indignation and discontent grew hotter inside. How long he had been here remained unclear. There was no communication, the nearest town was not clear, and he urgently needed to tell Annet that he was alive and would return to her soon. Instead of solving important questions, he sat on the bed and listened to a lecture on breeding rabbits in the wild.

– In winter, they can even eat their own feces, but that’s if it’s really bad with food.

– Maria, – Adam finally decided to interrupt her. – I’m not interested in hearing about rabbits. I have a lot to do and every minute is precious to me. Where can I find a connection?

– You’re at it again! There’s no connection here, there hasn’t been for a long time. I’m telling you important things, you should listen. Maybe my words will save your life someday.

Adam covered his face with his palms and shook his head.

– No, this can no longer be tolerated… – Lowering his palms, he looked up at the woman and, holding back with all his might, asked a question. – Here, are you serious now! Do you seriously want me to forget about normal life, and believe everything you say? Capers, Creeds, hares, relic forests, mutants, purple and red grass – these are all fairy tales, and you’re a grown woman, it would seem!

He shook his head in emotion, threw back the blanket, and didn’t recognize his legs. They were as thin as canes. Skin covered the bones and small clusters of muscle. Nevertheless, he stood up. It was a laborious action, and he shook, but he could not delay any longer.

– Where do you think you’re going? – Maria took up her revolver again.

– I’m sorry, but I can’t take it anymore. Besides, you’re out of ammunition, an empty drum. I should be finding out if my family’s okay, not lying here listening to your nonsense. Nevertheless, I’m very grateful to you. When I get to civilization, I’ll repay you for your kindness, I won’t be in debt. Well, now I have to go, goodbye!

Adam threw on his jacket, cast a parting glance at the confused woman and her dog, then left the room. She yelled something after him, but he couldn’t hear. He had to go, find the connection and figure this out.

Finding his way out of the house was not difficult. He opened the massive old oak door and found himself outside. A chill immediately struck him in the face. Heavy gray clouds floated in the sky, driven by a faint wind. Behind the house was the forest, the familiar green grass beneath his feet.

– Well, where are the mutants or plants of all the colors of the rainbow? – The man cursed aloud and, wrapping himself tightly, began his journey to civilization.

The logic of the decision was simple: civilization was everywhere, which meant that wherever you went, you’d come to a house or a town where there would be some kind of communication. The area was unfamiliar to Adam, but the architecture of the only building he could see, the house of the crazy Maria Fleur, told him that he was not far from where he lived. Yes, of course, the typical designs were built all over the North Atlantic Alliance, but there was something native and familiar about her house and the hills that were visible everywhere.

The dark green forest was far behind, as was Mary Fleur’s dwelling. Ahead were views of hills of varying heights and steepness of slope, hiding between them small, cozy valleys with murky streams babbling in them. The going was hard. There were no roads or beaten paths in this area. I had to stop a couple of times to find the safest route. In some places the mud was too much even for a prepared man, and Adam in his current condition could not boast of being prepared. His legs were weak, as was the rest of his body, but on the whole he felt fine. His legs were weak, like the rest of his body, but he felt fine.

He walked on, trying not to waste energy on thinking, but when his eyes came upon a patch of bright red grass, he could not hide his surprise, stopped and looked at the miracle of nature for a long time. Further along the way he met other similar spots. He did not pay attention to them, so he did not notice how soon all the grass lost its green color, changing it to yellowish, bright red or purple, exactly as Maria had said. In addition, the small shrubs and trees had disappeared from the path, she said. The only thing left to do was to meet herds of rabbits and representatives of various hobby clubs, and then every word of the madwoman would be confirmed.

Naturally, Adam didn’t believe anything the strange woman said, even as he met confirmation of her words. She might have been right in small particulars, like what had happened with the grass, but she was definitely wrong about everything else. Well, there couldn’t be any mutants or sectarians with real power! It was all an invention of her sick mind. He felt sorry for Maria. She seemed a kind and frank woman, worthy of another life, a life of sanity and adequate society. Perhaps it was the fact of her alienation from the rest of the world that made her so. Adam decided for himself that when he got to civilization, he would definitely not forget about her and help the poor woman return to a normal life. After all, she had found him and helped him, and that couldn’t be ignored.

Shadow was descending on the curves of the hills when the path led to the long-abandoned watermill. Its wheel was broken, its walls were brown with moss, its door hung on rotted hinges and held only by good word of mouth. By this time the traveler was too cold to be selective, so he opened the door without caution and stepped inside. To his great joy nearly all the space was occupied by the millstones. They were, by the way, entirely absent. Instead, the familiar RITEG generator stood in the middle of the spacious room.

The room was fully equipped for habitation: a once stylish kitchen, a couple of sofas, an armchair, chairs, a bathroom, and a fireplace for a shower. The only pity was that the furniture had rotted away, the kitchen was covered in dust, and the bathroom was covered in a strange-looking moss. Apparently, for years this room, like the rest of the mill, had been a haven for insects and rodents rather than people. Nevertheless, under the circumstances, it was better than nothing.

Adam walked over to the generator and with a heart full of hope pressed a few buttons on the control panel. There was a slight electrical hum somewhere in the depths, and the control screen lit up, displaying an inscription:

«Thirty-eight days remain until the end of the generator’s service life. Contact Technical Support to replace the unit and dispose of the radioactive core. Thank you for choosing our services, we work for you – «Lumiere & Schott».

Adam exhaled a sigh of relief. He only needed one night and then it would be up to him.

The fireplace, programmed to maintain the temperature in the room, woke up along with the generator. Its holographic flames illuminated the room with a warm and soft light, and streams of hot air rushed out of the dampers, blowing up dust sheaves. Satisfied with the results of his labor, Adam moved his chair closer to the warm shutters, sat down in it, and fixed his eyes on the fire. He was thinking about everything at once, or not at all. He would rather not decide anything, he would rather not be afraid or worried either, he had some inner certainty that he wouldn’t be lost. All he had to do was to get to the people, to find his home, Annet, and then to tell the police about the secret bunker and the illegal trials of the cursed Audley.

He quickly became warm. The light crackling of the supposedly existing logs and the tantalizing dance of the flames, together with the feeling of safety, left the exhausted, tired guest no chance. Not ten minutes later, the trembling body relaxed. The guest put his legs on the chair and fell asleep unnoticed.