Марсианские хроники
August 2002: Night Meeting
"Earth,aname,nothing,"saidtheMartian."But…asIcameupthepassanhourago…"Hetouchedthebackofhisneck."Ifelt…"
"Cold?"
"Yes."
"Andnow?"
"Coldagain.Oddly.Therewasathingtothelight,tothehills,theroad,"saidtheMartian."Ifeltthestrangeness,theroad,thelight,andforamomentIfeltasifIwerethelastmanaliveonthisworld…"
"SodidI!"saidTomas,anditwasliketalkingtoanoldanddearfriend,confiding,growingwarmwiththetopic.
TheMartianclosedhiseyesandopenedthemagain."Thiscanonlymeanonething.IthastodowithTime.Yes.YouareafigmentofthePast!"
"No,youarefromthePast,"saidtheEarthMan,havinghadtimetothinkofitnow.
"Youaresocertain.HowcanyouprovewhoisfromthePast,whofromtheFuture?Whatyearisit?"
"Twothousandandone!"
"Whatdoesthatmeantome?"
Tomasconsideredandshrugged."Nothing."
"ItisasifItoldyouthatitistheyear4462853S.E.C.Itisnothingandmorethannothing!Whereistheclocktoshowushowthestarsstand?"
"Buttheruinsproveit!TheyprovethatIamtheFuture,Iamalive,youaredead!"
"Everythinginmedeniesthis.Myheartbeats,mystomachhungers,mymouththirsts.No,no,notdead,notalive,eitherofus.Morealivethananythingelse.Caughtbetweenismorelikeit.Twostrangerspassinginthenight,thatisit.Twostrangerspassing.Ruins,yousay?"
"Yes.
