Мгла
Further Discussion. Mrs. Carmody. Fortifications. What Happened to the Flat- Earth Society.
Heimmediatelyuntieditandcinchedittighterwithagoodquicksheet-bendknot.Therewasnotasoundinthemarket.Nortonshifteduneasilyfromfoottofoot.
"Youwanttotakemyknife?"Iaskedthemaninthegolfcap.
"Igotone."Helookedatmewiththatsamecalmcontempt."Youjustseetopayingoutyourline.Ifitbindsup,I’llchuckher."
"Areweallready?"Nortonasked,tooloud.Thechubbyboyjumpedasifhehadbeengoosed.Gettingnoresponse,Nortonturnedtogo.
"Brent,"Isaid,andheldoutmyhand."Goodluck,man.
Hestudiedmyhandasifitweresomedubiousforeignobject."We’llsendbackhelp,"hesaidfinally,andpushedthroughtheOUTdoor.Thatthin,acridsmellcameinagain.Theothersfollowedhimout.
MikeHatlencamedownandstoodbesideme.Norton’spartyoffivestoodinthemilky,slow-movingfog.NortonsaidsomethingandIshouldhaveheardit,butthemistseemedtohaveanodddampingeffect.Iheardnothingbutthesoundofhisvoiceandtwoorthreeisolatedsyllables,likethevoiceontheradioheardfromsomedistance.Theymovedoff.
Hatlenheldthedooralittlewayopen.Ipaidouttheclothesline,keepingasmuchslackinitasIcould,mindfuloftheman’spromisetochucktheropeifitboundhimup.Therewasstillnotasound.Billystoodbesideme,motionlessbutseemingtothrumwithhisowninnercurrent.
Againtherewasthatweirdfeelingthatthefiveofthemdidnotsomuchdisappearintothefogasbecomeinvisible.Foramomenttheirclothesseemedtostandalone,andthentheyweregone.
