Грань будущего
Chapter 2
Whycouldn’tIhavedreamedaboutblastingawayafewbaddies,gettingpromotedagradeortwo?
Onthebunkabovemearadiowithitsbassblownoutwassquawkingmusic-somekindofprehistoricrocksoancientmyoldmanwouldn’thaverecognizedit.Icouldhearthesoundsofthebasestirringtolife,incoherentchattercomingfromeverydirection,andaboveitall,theDJ’sover-caffeinatedvoicechirpingawaywiththeweatherforecast.Icouldfeeleverywordpiercemyskull.Clearandsunnyouthereontheislands,sameasyesterday,withaUVwarningfortheafternoon.Watchoutforthosesunburns!
Thebarracksweren’tmuchmorethanfoursheetsoffire-resistantwoodproppeduptogether.Aposterofabronze-skinnedbikinibabehungononeofthewalls.Someonehadreplacedherheadwithashotoftheprimeministertornfromthebasenewspaper.Thebikinibabe’sheadgrinnedvapidlyfromitsnewhomeatopamachomusclebuilderonanothernearbyposter.Themusclebuilder’sheadwasMIA.
Istretchedinmybunk.Theweldedaluminumframesquealedinprotest.
"Keiji,signthis."Yonabarucranedhisneckoverthesideofthetopbunk.HelookedgreatforaguyI’djustseengetimpaled.Theysaypeoplewhodieindreamsaresupposedtoliveforever.
JinYonabaruhadjoinedupthreeyearsbeforeme.Threemoreyearsoftrimmingthefat,threemoreyearsofpackingonmuscle.Backwhenhewasacivilianhe’dbeenthinasabeanpole.Nowhewascutfromrock.Hewasasoldier,andhelookedthepart.
"Whatisit?"
"Aconfession.
