Мор - ученик смерти

           ’There’sboundtobesomeonepassingwhocanreadittous,’saidLezek.’Goodbye,Mort.’Heblewhisnose.

           ’Goodbye,dad.I’llcomebacktovisit,’saidMort.Deathcoughedtactfully,althoughitsoundedlikethepistol-crackofanancientbeamfullofdeath-watchbeetle.

           WEHADBETTERBEGOING,hesaid.HOPUP,MORT.

           AsMortscrambledbehindtheornatesilversaddleDeathleaneddownandshookLezek’shand.

           THANKYOU,hesaid.

           ’He’sagoodladatheart,’saidLezek.’Abitdreamy,that’sall.Isupposewewereallyoungonce.’

           Deathconsideredthis.

           No,hesaid,IDON’TTHINKso.

           HegatheredupthereinsandturnedthehorsetowardstheRimroad.Fromhisperchbehindtheblack-robedfigureMortwaveddesperately.

           Lezekwavedback.Then,asthehorseanditstworidersdisappearedfromview,heloweredhishandandlookedatit.Thehandshake...ithadfeltstrange.But,somehow,hecouldn’trememberexactlywhy.

           Mortlistenedtotheclatterofstoneunderthehorse’shooves.Thentherewasthesoftthudofpackedearthastheyreachedtheroad,andthentherewasnothingatall.