Грань будущего

           "You’veneverheardofanyonerelivingthesamedayoverandover,haveyou?"

           Therewasapausebeforehereplied."Yousureyou’reawake?Thedayafteryesterday’stoday.Thedayaftertodayistomorrow.Ifitdidn’tworklikethat,we’dnevergettoChristmasorValentine’sDay.Thenwe’dbefucked.Ornot."

           "Yeah.Right."

           "Listen.There’snothin’totomorrow’soperation."

           "…Right."

           "Sweatittoomuch,you’llturnintoafeedhead-enduplosingyourmindbeforetheyevengetachancetoblowyourbrainsout."

           Istaredblanklyatthealuminumpipingofthebedframe.

           WhenIwasakid,thewaragainsttheMimicshadalreadystarted.InsteadofcowboysandIndiansorcopsandrobbers,wefoughtaliensusingtoygunsthatfiredspring-loadedplasticbullets.Theystungalittlewhentheyhit,butthatwasall.Evenupclosetheybarelyhurt.Ialwaysplayedthehero,takingthehitfortheteam.I’dspringoutcourageouslyintothelineoffire,absorbingonebulletafteranother.Ididalittlejumpwitheachsuccessivehit,performinganimpromptuinterpretivedance.Iwasreallygoodatit.Inspiredbythehero’sdeath,hiscomradeswouldlaunchaboldcounterattack.Withhisnoblesacrifice,he’densuredhumanity’ssalvation.Victorywouldbedeclared,andthekidswho’dbeenthebadguyswouldcomebacktothehumansideandeveryonewouldcelebrate.Therewasnogamelikeit.

           Pretendingtobeaheroslaininbattlewasonething.Dyingaheroinarealwarwasanother.