Сумерки

           Hechuckled,andthensighed.

           "I’vedecidedwhatIwanttodo,"Itoldhim."Iwanttohearmoreaboutyou."

           "Askmeanything."

           Isiftedthroughmyquestionsforthemostvital."Whydoyoudoit?"Isaid."Istilldon’tunderstandhowyoucanworksohardtoresistwhatyou...are.Pleasedon’tmisunderstand,ofcourseI’mgladthatyoudo.Ijustdon’tseewhyyouwouldbotherinthefirstplace."

           Hehesitatedbeforeanswering."That’sagoodquestion,andyouarenotthefirstonetoaskit.Theothers-themajorityofourkindwhoarequitecontentwithourlot-they,too,wonderathowwelive.Butyousee,justbecausewe’vebeen...dealtacertainhand...itdoesn’tmeanthatwecan’tchoosetoriseabove-toconquertheboundariesofadestinythatnoneofuswanted.Totrytoretainwhateveressentialhumanitywecan."

           Ilayunmoving,lockedinawedsilence.

           "Didyoufallasleep?"hewhisperedafterafewminutes.

           "No."

           "Isthatallyouwerecuriousabout?"

           Irolledmyeyes."Notquite."

           "Whatelsedoyouwanttoknow?"

           "Whycanyoureadminds-whyonlyyou?AndAlice,seeingthefuture...whydoesthathappen?"

           Ifelthimshruginthedarkness."Wedon’treallyknow.Carlislehasatheory...hebelievesthatweallbringsomethingofourstrongesthumantraitswithusintothenextlife,wheretheyareintensified-likeourminds,andoursenses.HethinksthatImusthavealreadybeenverysensitivetothethoughtsofthosearoundme.AndthatAlicehadsomeprecognition,wherevershewas."