Нейромант

           Heglancedup;onthewall,justabovetheSony,he’dhunghergift,tackingittherewithayellow-headeddrawingpinthroughtheholeatitscenter.

           Heclosedhiseyes.

           Foundtheridgedfaceofthepowerstud.

           Andinthebloodlitdarkbehindhiseyes,silverphosphenesboilinginfromtheedgeofspace,hypnagogicimagesjerkingpastlikefilmcompiledfromrandomframes.Symbols,figures,faces,ablurred,fragmentedmandalaofvisualinformation.

           Please,heprayed,now--

           Agraydisk,thecolorofChibasky.

           Now--

           Diskbeginningtorotate,faster,becomingasphereofpalergray.Expanding--

           Andflowed,floweredforhim,fluidneonorigamitrick,theunfoldingofhisdistancelesshome,hiscountry,transparent3Dchessboardextendingtoinfinity.InnereyeopeningtothesteppedscarletpyramidoftheEasternSeaboardFissionAuthorityburningbeyondthegreencubesofMitsubishiBankofAmerica,andhighandveryfarawayhesawthespiralarmsofmilitarysystems,foreverbeyondhisreach.

           Andsomewherehewaslaughing,inawhite-paintedloft,distantfingerscaressingthedeck,tearsofreleasestreakinghisface.

           Mollywasgonewhenhetookthetrodesoff,andtheloftwasdark.Hecheckedthetime.He’dbeenincyberspaceforfivehours.