Вино из одуванчиков

           "Fifteen,sixteen,seventeen,eighteen,nineteen,twentysteps,"shebreathed.

           "Onefifthoftheway!"sheannouncedtoherself.

           Theravinewasdeep,blackandblack,black!Andtheworldwasgonebehind,theworldofsafepeopleinbed,thelockeddoors,thetown,thedrugstore,thetheater,thelights,everythingwasgone.Onlytheravineexistedandlived,blackandhuge,abouther.

           "Nothing’shappened,hasit?Noonearound,isthere?Twenty-four,twenty-fivesteps.Rememberthatoldghoststoryyoutoldeachotherwhenyouwerechildren?"

           Shelistenedtohershoesonthesteps.

           "Thestoryaboutthedarkmancominginyourhouseandyouupstairsinbed.Andnowhe’satthefirststepcominguptoyourroom.Andnowhe’satthesecondstep.Andnowhe’satthethirdstepandthefourthstepandthefifth!Oh,howyouusedtolaughandscreamatthatstory!Andnowthehorriddarkman’satthetwelfthstepandnowhe’sopeningthedoorofyourroomandnowhe’sstandingbyyourbed.‘IGOTYOU!’"

           Shescreamed.Itwaslikenothingshe’deverheard,thatscream.Shehadneverscreamedthatloudinherlife.Shestopped,shefroze,sheclungtothewoodenbanister.Herheartexplodedinher.Thesoundoftheterrifiedbeatingfilledtheuniverse.

           "There,there!"shescreamedtoherself."Atthebottomofthesteps.Aman,underthelight!No,nowhe’sgone!Hewaswaitingthere!"

           Shelistened.

           Silence.

           Thebridgewasempty.

           Nothing,shethought,holdingherheart.Nothing.Fool!ThatstoryItoldmyself.Howsilly.