Марсианские хроники

           "Listentome,"saidthegirl.

           "Two,"saidSamfirmly,cockingtheguntrigger.

           "Sam!"criedElma.

           "Three,"saidSam.

           "Weonly—"saidthegirl.

           Thegunwentoff.

           Inthesunlight,snowmelts,crystalsevaporateintoasteam,intonothing.Inthefirelight,vaporsdanceandvanish.Inthecoreofavolcano,fragilethingsburstanddisappear.Thegirl,inthegunfire,intheheat,intheconcussion,foldedlikeasoftscarf,meltedlikeacrystalfigurine.Whatwasleftofher,ice,snowflake,smoke,blewawayinthewind.Thetillerseatwasempty.

           Samholsteredhisgunanddidnotlookathiswife.

           "Sam,"shesaidafteraminutemoreoftraveling,whisperingoverthemoon-coloredseaofsand,"stoptheship."

           Helookedatherandhisfacewaspale."No,youdon’t.Notafterallthistime,you’renotpullingoutonme."

           Shelookedathishandonhisgun."Ibelieveyouwould,"shesaid."Youactuallywould."

           Hejerkedhisheadfromsidetoside,handtightonthetillerbar."Elma,thisiscrazy.We’llbeintowninaminute,we’llbeokay!"

           "Yes,"saidhiswife,lyingbackcoldintheship.

           "Elma,listentome."

           "There’snothingtohear,Sam."

           "Elma!"

           Theywerepassingalittlewhitechesscity,andinhisfrustration,inhisrage,hesentsixbulletscrashingamongthecrystaltowers.Thecitydissolvedinashowerofancientglassandsplinteredquartz.Itfellawaylikecarvedsoap,shattered.Itwasnomore.