Нейромант

           Nextthing,Iwasonthebeach,realearly,sunrise,thosebirdsallyellin’solonely.Scared’causeIdidn’thaveashotonme,nothin’,an’IknewI’dbegettin’sick...An’Iwalkedan’walked,’tilitwasdark,an’foundthisplace,an’nextdaythefoodwashedin,alltangledinthegreenseastufflikeleavesofhardjelly.’Sheslidherstickintotheembersandleftitthere.`Neverdidgetsick,’shesaid,asemberscrawled.`Missedcigarettesmore.How’boutyou,Case?Youstillwired?’Firelightdancingunderhercheekbones,rememberedflashofWizard’sCastleandTankWarEuropa.

           `No,’hesaid,andthenitnolongermattered,whatheknew,tastingthesaltofhermouthwheretearshaddried.Therewasastrengththatraninher,somethinghe’dknowninNightCityandheldthere,beenheldbyit,heldforawhileawayfromtimeanddeath,fromtherelentlessStreetthathuntedthemall.Itwasaplacehe’dknownbefore;noteveryonecouldtakehimthere,andsomehowhealwaysmanagedtoforgetit.Somethinghe’dfoundandlostsomanytimes.Itbelonged,heknew-heremembered-asshepulledhimdown,tothemeat,thefleshthecowboysmocked.Itwasavastthing,beyondknowing,aseaofinformationcodedinspiralandpheromone,infiniteintricacythatonlythebody,initsstrongblindway,couldeverread.

           Thezipperhung,caught,asheopenedtheFrenchfatigues,thecoilsoftoothednylonclottedwithsalt