Мгла
The First Night.
ThefogappearedtodarkeninexactlythewayOlliehaddescribed,onlythedarksmutchdidn’tfadeaway;itsolidifiedintosomethingwithflapping,leatherywings,analbino-whitebody,andreddisheyes.Itthuddedintotheglasshardenoughtomakeitshiver.Itsbeakopened.Itscoopedthepinkthinginandwasgone.Thewholeincidenttooknomorethanfiveseconds.Ihadabarefinalimpressionofthepinkthingwigglingandflappingasitwentdownthehatch,thewayasmallfishwillwiggleandflapinthebeakofaseagull.
Nowtherewasanotherthud,andyetanother.Peoplebeganscreamingagain,andtherewasastampedetowardthebackofthestore.Thentherewasamorepiercingscream,oneofpain,andOlliesaid,"OhmyGod,thatoldladyfelldownandtheyjustranoverher."
Heranbackthroughthecheckoutaisle.Iturnedtofollow,andthenIsawsomethingthatstoppedmedeadwhereIwasstanding.
Highupandtomyright,oneofthelawn-foodbagswasslidingslowlybackward.TomSmalleywasrightunderit,staringoutintothemistthroughhisloophole.
AnotherofthepinkbugslandedonthethickplateglassoftheloopholewhereOllieandIhadbeenstanding.Oneoftheflyingthingsswoopeddownandgrabbedit.Theoldwomanwhohadbeentrampledwentonscreaminginashrill,crackedvoice.
Thatbag.Thatslidingbag.
"Smalley!"Ishouted."Lookout’Headsup!"
Inthegeneralconfusion,heneverheardme.Thebagteetered,thenfell.Itstruckhimsquarelyon-thehead.
