Марсианские хроники

           "Thestars!"hesaid.

           "Thestars!"saidtheMartian,looking,inturn,atTomas.

           ThestarswerewhiteandsharpbeyondthefleshoftheMartian,andtheyweresewnintohisfleshlikescintillasswallowedintothethin,phosphorescentmembraneofagelatinousseafish.YoucouldseestarsflickeringlikevioleteyesintheMartian’sstomachandchest,andthroughhiswrists,likejewelry.

           "Icanseethroughyou!"saidTomas.

           "AndIthroughyou!"saidtheMartian,steppingback.

           Tomasfeltofhisownbodyand,feelingthewarmth,wasreassured.Iamreal,hethought

           TheMartiantouchedhisownnoseandlips."Ihaveflesh,"hesaid,halfaloud."Iamalive."

           Tomasstaredatthestranger."AndifIamreal,thenyoumustbedead."

           "No,you!"

           "Aghost!"

           "Aphantom!"

           Theypointedateachother,withstarlightburningintheirlimbslikedaggersandiciclesandfireflies,andthenfelltojudgingtheirlimbsagain,eachfindinghimselfintact,hot,excited,stunned,awed,andtheother,ahyes,thatotheroverthere,unreal,aghostlyprismflashingtheaccumulatedlightofdistantworlds.

           I’mdrunk,thoughtTomas.Iwon’ttellanyoneofthistomorrow,no,no.

           Theystoodthereontheancienthighway,neitherofthemmoving.

           "Whereareyoufrom?"askedtheMartianatlast.

           "Earth."

           "Whatisthat?"

           "There."Tomasnoddedtothesky.

           "When?"

           "Welandedoverayearago,remember?"

           "No."

           "Andallofyouweredead,allbutafew.You’rerare,don’tyouknowthat?"

           "That’snottrue."

           "Yes,dead.