Сумерки

           Isnappedthefirstslideintoplaceunderthemicroscopeandadjusteditquicklytothe40Xobjective.Istudiedtheslidebriefly.

           Myassessmentwasconfident."Prophase."

           "DoyoumindifIlook?"heaskedasIbegantoremovetheslide.Hishandcaughtmine,tostopme,asheasked.Hisfingerswereice-cold,likehe’dbeenholdingtheminasnowdriftbeforeclass.Butthatwasn’twhyIjerkedmyhandawaysoquickly.Whenhetouchedme,itstungmyhandasifanelectriccurrenthadpassedthroughus.

           "I’msorry,"hemuttered,pullinghishandbackimmediately.However,hecontinuedtoreachforthemicroscope.Iwatchedhim,stillstaggered,asheexaminedtheslideforanevenshortertimethanIhad.

           "Prophase,"heagreed,writingitneatlyinthefirstspaceonourworksheet.Heswiftlyswitchedoutthefirstslideforthesecond,andthenglancedatitcursorily.

           "Anaphase,"hemurmured,writingitdownashespoke.

           Ikeptmyvoiceindifferent."MayI?"

           Hesmirkedandpushedthemicroscopetome.

           Ilookedthroughtheeyepieceeagerly,onlytobedisappointed.Dangit,hewasright.

           "Slidethree?"Iheldoutmyhandwithoutlookingathim.

           Hehandedittome;itseemedlikehewasbeingcarefulnottotouchmyskinagain.

           ItookthemostfleetinglookIcouldmanage.

           "Interphase."Ipassedhimthemicroscopebeforehecouldaskforit.Hetookaswiftpeek,andthenwroteitdown.Iwouldhavewrittenitwhilehelooked,buthisclear,elegantscriptintimidatedme.Ididn’twanttospoilthepagewithmyclumsyscrawl.