Грань будущего

           Theoldman’sskinwouldhavemadefinepicklebrineifyousetitoutinajaronabrightdayliketoday.Inhislefthandheclutchedathree-prongedmetalspearrightoutofafairytale.What’shedoingwithatrident?Thegirl-shelookedabouttherightagetobeinelementaryschool-squeezedhisrighthandtightly.Halfhiddenbehindtheman’sleg,thegirllookedupatmeunabashedlyfromunderherstrawhat.Thefacebeneaththehatwastoowhitetohavespentmuchtimecookingunderthesun.

           "Yournanunf’milyarface."

           "I’mfromtheFlowerLinebase."Dammit!I’drunmymouthbeforemybrain.

           "Ah."

           "What,uh,bringsyoutwoouthere?"

           "Seahasfishwantin’t’becaught.Family’sallgon’uptoTokyo."

           "WhathappenedtotheCoastGuard?"

           "Wordcome’boutthewhoopin’wetookdownonOkinawa.Why,theyallup’n’left.Ifthearmykintakecarethemcroakersforus,we’dbreatheeasier,that’sfersure."

           "Yeah."CroakerswasobviouslysomelocalslangforMimics.OrdinarypeoplenevergotthechancetoseeaMimicwiththeirowneyes.Atbestthey’dcatchaglimpseofarottingcorpsewasheduponthebeach,ormaybeonethathadgottencaughtinafishingnetanddied.Butwiththeconductivesandwashedawaybytheocean,allthatwouldremainwouldbeemptyhusks.That’swhyalotofpeoplethoughtMimicsweresometypeofamphibianthatsheditsskin.

           Ionlycaughtabout70percentofwhattheoldmansaid,butIheardenoughtoknowthattheCoastGuardhadpulledoutofthearea.