Чужак в чужой стране

           "Don’tworryaboutwastingfood.Don’tworryaboutanythingelse.ProtectJill."

           "AlwaysIwillprotectJill."

           "Good.Butsupposeamanpointedagunatsomeone–orsimplyhaditinhishand.Supposeyoudidnotwantorneedtokillhim?butyouneededtomakethegungoaway.Couldyoudoit?"

           Mikepausedonlybriefly."IthinkIgrokit.Agunisawrongthing.Butitmightbeneedfulforthemantoremaincorporate."Hethought."Icandoif."

           "Good.Mike,Iamgoingtoshowyouagun.Agunisawrongthing."

           "Agunisaverywrongthing.Iwillmakeitgoaway."

           "Don’tmakeitgoawayassoonasyouseeit."

           "Not?"

           "Not.Iwillliftthegunandstarttopointitatyou.Likethis.BeforeIcangetitpointedatyou,makeitgoaway.Butdon’tstopme,don’thurtme,don’tkillme,don’tdoanythingtome.Justthegun.Don’twastemeasfood,either."

           "Oh,Ineverwould,"Mikesaidearnestly."Whenyoudiscorporate,mybrotherJubal,Ihopetobeallowedtoeatofyoumyself,praisingandcherishingyouwitheverybite?untilIgrokyouinfullness."

           Harshawcontrolledaseasickreflexhehadnotfeltindecadesandansweredgravely,"Thankyou,Mike."

           "ItisIwhomustthankyou,mybrother–andifitshouldcometobethatIamselectedbeforeyou,Ihopethatyouwillfindmeworthyofgrokking.SharingmewithJill.YouwouldsharemewithJill?Please?"

           HarshawglancedatJill,sawthatshehadkeptherfaceserene–reflectedthatsheprobablywasarock-steadyscrubnurse.