Таинственная история Билли Миллигана
Chapter 8
Hisfourth-gradeteachersnoticedhisoddbehavior,andwhenoneofthepersonalities,notknowingwhatwasgoingon,wouldsaysomethingstrangeorgetupandwanderaroundtheroom,Billywouldbesenttostandinthecomer.Three-year-oldChristenewastheonewhokeptherfacetothewall.
Shecouldstaythereforalongtimeandnotsayanything,keepingBillyoutoftrouble.Mark,whohadashortattentionspanforanythingbutmanuallabor,wouldhavewanderedaway.Tommywouldhaverebelled.Davidwouldhavesuffered."Jason,"thepressurevalve,wouldhavescreamed."Bobby"wouldhavegottenlostinafantasy."Samuel,"whowasJewish,likeJohnnyMorrison,wouldhaveprayed.AnyoneofthemortheothersmighthavedonesomethingwrongandgottenBillyintoaworsemess.OnlyChristene,whonevergotolderthanthree,couldstandtherepatientlyandsaynothing.
Christenewasthecomerchild.
Shewasalsothefirsttohearoneoftheothers.Shewasonthewaytoschoolonemorningandstoppedtopickabunchofwildflowersinthefield.Shefoundsumacandmulberriesandtriedtoputthemintoabunch.Ifshebroughtthemtoherfourth-gradeteacher,Mrs.Roth,maybeshewouldn’tbeputinthecomersomuch.Whenshepassedtheappletree,shedecidedtobringafruitinstead.Shethrewawaythewildflowersandtriedtoreachtheapples.Shefeltsadtheyweretoohigh,andtearscametohereyes.
