Мор - ученик смерти

           WhenDeathdroppeditintoMort’soutstretchedpalmitfeltsurprisinglyheavyandslightlywarm.

           FORYOUANDYOURLADY.AWEDDINGPRESENT.ADOWRY.

           ’It’sbeautiful!Wethoughtthesilvertoastrackwasfromyou.’

           THATWASALBERT.I’MAFRAIDHEDOESN’THAVEMUCHIMAGINATION.

           Mortturnedtheglobeoverandoverinhishands.Theshapesboilinginsideitseemedtorespondtohistouch,sendinglittlestreamersoflightarchingacrossthesurfacetowardshisfingers.

           ’Isitapearl?’hesaid.

           YES.WHENSOMETHINGIRRITATESANOYSTERANDCAN’TBEREMOVED,THEPOORTHINGCOATSITWITHMUCUSANDTURNSITINTOAPEARL.THISISAPEARLOFADIFFERENTCOLOUR.APEARLOFREALITY.ALLTHATSHINYSTUFFISCONGEALEDACTUALITY.YOUOUGHTTORECOGNISEIT–YOUCREATEDIT,AFTERALL.

           Morttosseditgentlyfromhandtohand.

           ’Wewillputitwiththecastlejewels,’hesaid.’Wehaven’tgotthatmany.’

           ONEDAYITWILLBETHESEEDOFANEWUNIVERSE.

           Mortfumbledthecatch,butreacheddownwithlightningreflexesandcaughtitbeforeithittheflagstones.

           ’What?’

           THEPRESSUREOFTHISREALITYKEEPSITCOMPRESSED.THEREMAYCOMEATIMEWHENTHEUNIVERSEENDSANDREALITYDIES,ANDTHENTHISONEWILLEXPLODEAND...WHOKNOWS?KEEPITSAFE.IT’SAFUTUREASWELLASAPRESENT.

           Deathputhisskullononeside.IT’SASMALLTHING,headded.YouCOULDHAVEHADETERNITY.

           ’Iknow,’saidMort.’I’vebeenverylucky.’

           Heputitverycarefullyonthebuffettable,betweenthequails’eggsandthesausagerolls.

           THEREWASANOTHERTHING,saidDeath.