Грань будущего
Chapter 2
Ispottedmyfriendfromthe4thinthethrong,too.Hewashavingsuchagoodtimewatchingmesuffer.EachtimeRitaorIputanotherumeinourmouths,awaveofhecklingrippledthroughthecrowd.
"Comeon,pickupthepace!"
"Noturnin’backnow,keep’empoppin’!"
"You’renotgonnaletthislittlegirlshowyouup,areyou?"
"Fuck,youthinkhecanbeatRita?You’recrazy!"
"Eat!Eat!Eat!"
"Watchthedoors,don’twantnobodybreakin’thisup!Igottenbucksonthescrawnyguy!"followedimmediatelyby,"TwentyonRita!"Thensomeoneelsecriedout,"Where’smyfriedshrimp?Ilostmyfriedshrimp!"
Itwashot,itwasloud,andinawayIcan’texplain,itfeltlikehome.Therewasaninvisiblebondthathadn’tbeentheremyprevioustimesthroughtheloop.I’dhadatasteofwhattomorrowwouldbring,andsuddenlyallthelittlethingsthathappeninourlives,theminutiaeoftheday,tookonnewimportance.Justthen,beingsurroundedbyallthatnoisefeltgood.
Intheend,weateeveryindustriallypackedumeboshiinthebarrel.Ritahadthelastone.Iarguedthatitwasatie,butsinceRitahadgonefirst,sheinsistedthatshehadwon.WhenIobjected,Ritagrinnedandofferedtosettleitoveranotherbarrel.It’shardtosaywhetherthatgrinmeantshereallycouldhavegoneoneatingoriftheoverloadofsourfoodhadmadeheralittlefunnyinthehead.Thegorillafromthe4thbroughtinanotherfullbarreloftheredfruitfromHellandplaceditinthemiddleofthetablewithathud
