Грань будущего

           Icametoanabrupthaltandstooddumbly,justasIhadbeforewestartedrunning.Ritacouldn’tcutherspeedintimeandcamecrashingintome.AnotherOSslip-up.Itookafewawkwardsteps.Ritastumbledassheregainedherbalance.Weheldontoeachothertokeepfromfalling.MyarmwaswrappedaroundRita’sbodyandhersaroundmine.

           Theimpactriskedbreakinganynumberofregulations.Hertonedfleshpressedagainstmelikereactivearmor.Apleasantscentassaultedmysenses.WithoutmyJacket,Iwasdefenselessagainstanystraychemicalsthatchancedintotheair.

           "Uh,excuseme."Ritawasthefirsttoapologize.

           "No,mybad.Ishouldn’thavestopped."

           "No.Imean,excuseme,but-"shesaid.

           "Youdon’thavetoapologize."

           "I’mnottryingtoapologize.It’sjust-wouldyoumindlettinggoofmyhand?"

           "Ah-"AredringstoodoutonRita’swristwheremyfingershadgrippedherskin."Sorry."

           Tome,Ritawasanoldfriend,acompanionofmanybattles.Buttoher,KeijiKiriyawasastrangershe’djustmet.Nothingmorethananashensilhouettefromanothertime.OnlyIrememberedthereliefwe’dfeltwhenwestoodwithourbackspressedagainsteachother.OnlyIhadexperiencedtheelectricitythatflowedbetweenuswhenoureyesmetinimplicitunderstanding.OnlyIfeltasenseoflonginganddevotion.

           BeforeIjoinedthearmy,Isawashowaboutamaninlovewithawomanwho’dlosthermemoryinanaccident.HemusthavegonethroughsomethinglikewhatIwasgoingthroughnow.