Читать книгу The Valkyries - Пауло Коэльо - Страница 17

PAULO AWOKE WITH HIS STOMACH churning, and a tremendous need to vomit.

“Lie still for a while longer.”

Someone was speaking to him, but in his head there was only confusion. He still remembered the golden paradise where all had been serene and peaceful.

He tried to move, and felt as if thousands of needles were sticking into his head.

I think I’ll go back to sleep, he thought. But he couldn’t—the needles wouldn’t allow it. And his stomach was still turning over.

“I want to throw up,” he said.

When he opened his eyes, he saw that he was sitting in a kind of mini-market: He could see several refrigerator cabinets with soft drinks and shelves with foodstuffs. The sight of the food made him feel nauseated again. Then he noticed nearby a man he had never seen before.

The man helped him to get up. In addition to the imaginary needles in his head, Paulo realized that he had another in his arm. Only this one was real.

The man held the needle in place and helped Paulo to the bathroom, where he vomited some water, nothing more.

“What’s happening? What’s this needle for?”

It was Chris, speaking Portuguese. He returned to the store and saw that she was sitting up, too, with a needle in her arm.

Paulo felt a little better now, and no longer needed the man’s support. He helped Chris up and to the bathroom, where she vomited.

“I’m going to use your car to get back to mine,” the stranger said. “I’ll leave the keys in the ignition. You can get a ride to it when you’re ready.”

Paulo was starting to remember what had happened, but the nausea had returned, and he had to vomit again.

When he came back, the man had left, but a boy of seventeen or eighteen was there.

“Just another hour,” the boy said. “The solution will be used up then, and you can go.”

“What time is it?”

The boy told them. Paulo struggled to get up—he had an appointment, and there was no way he was going to miss it.

“I have to meet with Gene,” he said to Chris.

“Sit down,” the boy said. “Not until the solution is used up.”

The comment was unnecessary. Paulo no longer had either the strength or desire to walk even to the door.

I’ve missed the meeting, he thought. But at this point, nothing mattered. The less he thought about, the better.