Атлант расправил плечи
Their Brothers’ Keepers
Everyshed,silo,elevator,warehouse,garageanddancehallalongthetrackisfilledwithwheat.AttheShermanelevators,there’salineoffarmers’trucksandwagonstwomileslong,waitingontheroad.AtLakewoodStation,thesquareispackedsolidandhasbeenforthreenights.Theykeeptellingusit’sonlytemporary,thecarsarecomingandwe’llcatchup.Wewon’t.Therearen’tanycarscoming.
I’vecalledeveryoneIcould.Iknow,bythewaytheyanswer.Theyknow,andnotoneofthemwantstoadmitit.They’rescared,scaredtomoveorspeakoraskoranswer.Allthey’rethinkingofiswhowillbeblamedwhenthatharvestrotsherearoundthestations—andnotofwho’sgoingtomoveit.Maybenobodycan,now.Maybethere’snothingyoucandoaboutit,either.ButIthoughtyou’retheonlypersonleftwho’dwanttoknowandthatsomebodyhadtotellyou."
"I..."Shemadeanefforttobreathe."Isee...Whoareyou?"
"Thenamewouldn’tmatter.WhenIhangup,Iwillhavebecomeadeserter.Idon’twanttostayheretoseeitwhenithappens.Idon’twantanypartofitanymore.Goodlucktoyou,MissTaggart."
Sheheardtheclick."Thankyou,"shesaidoveradeadwire.
Thenexttimeshenoticedtheofficearoundherandpermittedherselftofeel,itwasnoonofthefollowingday.
