Грань будущего
Chapter 3
AndtherewasRitaattheedgeofmyfieldofvision,leavingthecafeteria.Iwouldmakethispainalessonfornexttime.Ilostconsciousnessandwanderedthroughmuddysleep…
WhenIcameto,Ifoundmyselflaidoutacrossseveralpipechairspushedtogetherintoamakeshiftbed.Somethingdampwasonmyhead-awoman’shandkerchief.Afaintcitrussmellhungintheair.
"Areyouawake?"
Iwasinthekitchen.Abovemeanindustrialventilatorhummed,siphoningsteamfromtheroom.Nearby,anolivegreenliquidsimmeredinanenormouspotlikethecauldronsangrynativesweresupposedtouseforboilingexplorersuptotheirpithhats,exceptmuchlarger.Nextweek’smenuhungonthewall.Abovethehandwrittenmenuwastheheadofamantornfromaposter.
Afterstaringathisbleachedwhiteteethforwhatseemedaneternity,Ifinallyrecognizedit.Itwastheheadofthebodybuilderfromtheposterinourbarracks.Iwonderedhowhehadmadeitallthewayfromthemen’sbarrackstohisnewwall,wherehecouldspendhisdayssmilingknowinglyoverthewomenwhoworkedinthekitchen.
Rachelwaspeelingpotatoes,tossingeachspiralskinintoanoversizedbasketthatmatchedthescaleofthepot.Thesewerethesamepotatoesthathadcomerainingdownonmyheadmyfourthtimethroughtheloop.I’deatenthegoddamnedmashedpotatoesshewasmakingseventy-ninetimesnow.Thereweren’tanyotherworkersinthekitchenasidefromRachel.Shemusthavepreparedthemealsforallthesemenonherown.
