Сумерки

           Icouldn’tstandtoseethem.SoIfoughtagainstmywearinessandthesunrosehigher.

           Iwasstillawakewhenwecamethroughashallowmountainpassandthesun,behindusnow,reflectedoffthetiledrooftopsoftheValleyoftheSun.Ididn’thaveenoughemotionlefttobesurprisedthatwe’dmadeathree-dayjourneyinone.Istaredblanklyatthewide,flatexpanselaidoutinfrontofme.Phoenix-thepalmtrees,thescrubbycreosote,thehaphazardlinesoftheintersectingfreeways,thegreenswathsofgolfcoursesandturquoisesplotchesofswimmingpools,allsubmergedinathinsmogandembracedbytheshort,rockyridgesthatweren’treallybigenoughtobecalledmountains.

           Theshadowsofthepalmtreesslantedacrossthefreeway-defined,sharperthanIremembered,palerthantheyshouldbe.Nothingcouldhideintheseshadows.Thebright,openfreewayseemedbenignenough.ButIfeltnorelief,nosenseofhomecoming.

           "Whichwaytotheairport,Bella?"Jasperhadasked,andIflinched,thoughhisvoicewasquitesoftandun-alarming.Itwasthefirstsound,besidesthepurrofthecar,tobreakthelongnight’ssilence.

           "StayontheI-ten,"I’dansweredautomatically."We’llpassrightbyit."

           Mybrainhadworkedslowlythroughthefogofsleepdeprivation.

           "Areweflyingsomewhere?"I’daskedAlice.

           "No,butit’sbettertobeclose,justincase."

           IrememberedbeginningthelooparoundSkyHarborInternational...butnotendingit.IsupposethatmusthavebeenwhenI’dfallenasleep.