Дюна
Book Two: Muad‘dib
Theyturnedtheirheadsastheywalked,sawthemoundofthecoursingworm.
“Keepmoving,”Paulwhispered.“Don’tlookback.”
Agratingsoundoffuryexplodedfromtherockshadowstheyhadleft.Itwasaflailingavalancheofnoise.
“Keepmoving,”Paulrepeating.
Hesawthattheyhadreachedanunmarkedpointwherethetworockfaces—
theoneaheadandtheonebehind—appearedequallyremote.
Andstillbehindthem,thatwhipping,frenziedtearingofrocksdominatedthenight.
Theymovedonandonandon....Musclesreachedastageofmechanicalachingthatseemedtostretchoutindefinitely,butPaulsawthatthebeckoningescarpmentaheadofthemhadclimbedhigher.
Jessicamovedinavoidofconcentration,awarethatthepressureofherwillalonekeptherwalking.Drynessachedinhermouth,butthesoundsbehinddroveawayallhopeofstoppingforasipfromherstillsuit’scatchpockets.
“Lump...lump....”
Renewedfrenzyeruptedfromthedistantcliff,drowningoutthethumper.
Silence!
“Faster,”Paulwhispered.
Shenodded,knowinghedidnotseethegesture,butneedingtheactiontotellherselfthatitwasnecessarytodemandevenmorefrommusclesthatalreadywerebeingtaxedtotheirlimits—theunnaturalmovement....
Therockfaceofsafetyaheadofthemclimbedintothestars,andPaulsawaplaneofflatsandstretchingoutatthebase.Hesteppedontoit,stumbledinhisfatigue,rightedhimselfwithaninvoluntaryout-thrustingofafoot.
Resonantboomingshookthesandaroundthem.
Paullurchedsidewaystwosteps.
“Boom!Boom!”
“Drumsand!”Jessicahissed.
