Грань будущего

           Nottheemeraldgreenyou’dseeofftheshoreofsomeislandintheSouthPacific,butafrothy,turbidgreen,asifasupertankerfilledwithgreenteaicecreamhadrunagroundandspilleditscargointothebay.Adeadfishfloatedonthewaves,abrightfleckofsilver.

           Irecognizedthatgreen.I’dseenitonthemonitorsduringtraining.Mimicsatesoil,justlikeearthworms.Butunlikeearthworms,thesoiltheypassedthroughtheirbodiesandexcretedwastoxictootherlife.ThelandtheMimicsfedondiedandturnedtodesert.Theseasturnedamilkygreen.

           "Ain’tlikenoredtideIe’erseen."

           Ahigh-pitchedscreamfilledtheair.Myheadrangtoitsfamiliartune.

           Eyebrowsstillknitted,theoldman’sheadtracedanarcasitsailedthroughthesky.Theshatteredpiecesofhisjawandneckpaintedthegirl’sstrawhatavividred.Shedidn’trealizewhathadhappened.AjavelinexitsaMimic’sbodyattwelvehundredmeterspersecond.Theoldman’sskullwentflyingbeforethesoundofthejavelinhadevenreachedus.Sheslowlylookedup.

           Asecondroundslicedthroughtheair.Beforeherlarge,darkeyescouldtakeinthesightofherslaingrandfather,thejavelinrippedthroughher,anactofneithermercynorspite.

           Hersmallbodywasobliterated.

           Buffetedbytheblast,theoldman’sheadlessbodyswayed.Halfhisbodywasstainedadeepscarlet.Thestrawhatspunonthewind.Mybodyrecoiled.Icouldn’tmove.

           Abloatedfrogcorpsestoodatthewater’sedge.

           ThiscoastwasdefinitelywithintheUDFdefenseperimeter