Чужой
VIII
’Howdoyoufeel?’askedDallas.
’Terrible.Whathappenedtome?’
’Youdon’tremember?’Ashsaid.
So,Dallastoldhimselfwithsatisfaction,theamnesiaanalogywasnearerthemarkthanhe’dsuspected.
Kanewincedslightly,morefrommusclescrampingfromdisusethananythingelse,andtookadeepbreath.’Idon’trememberathing.Icanbarelyremembermyname.’
’Justfortherecord..andthemedicalreport,’askedAshprofessionally,’whatisyourname?’
’Kane.ThomasKane.’
’That’sallyouremember?’
’Forthemoment.’Helethisgazetravelslowlyovertheassemblyofanxiousfaces.’Irememberallofyou,thoughIcan’tputnamestoyouyet.’
’Youwill,’Ashassuredhimconfidently.’Yourecallyourownnameandyourememberfaces.That’sagoodstart.Alsoasignthatyourlossofmemoryisn’tabsolute.’
’Doyouhurt?’Surprisingly,itwasthestoicParkerwhoaskedthefirstsensitivequestion.
’Allover.Feellikesomebody’sbeenbeatingmewithastickforaboutsixyears.’Hesatuponthepalletagain,swunghislegsovertheside,andsmiled.’God,amIhungry.HowlongwasIout?’
Dallascontinuedtostareattheapparentlyunharmedmanindisbelief.’Coupleofdays.Yousureyoudon’thaveanyrecollectionofwhathappenedtoyou?’
’Nope.Notathing.’
’What’sthelastthingyouremember?’Ripleyaskedhim.
’Idon’tknow.’
’YouwerewithDallasandmeonastrangeplanet,exploring
