Марсианские хроники
December 2005: The Silent Towns
"Me!Goodlord,what’swrongwithme!"heshrieked.Hewhirled.Whichhouse?Thatone!
Heracedoverthelawn,upthesteps,intothehouse,downadarkhall.
Heyankedupthereceiver.
"Hello!"hecried.
Buzzzzzzzzz.
"Hello,hello!"
Theyhadhungup.
"Hello!"heshouted,andbangedthephone."Youstupididiot!"hecriedtohimself."Sittingonthatcurb,youfool!Oh,youdamnedandawfulfool!"Hesqueezedthephone."Comeon,ringagain!Comeon!"
HehadneverthoughttheremightbeothersleftonMars.Intheentireweekhehadseennoone.Hehadfiguredthatallothertownswereasemptyasthisone.
Now,staringatthisterriblelittleblackphone,hetrembled.InterlockingdialsystemsconnectedeverytownonMars.Fromwhichofthirtycitieshadthecallcome?
Hedidn’tknow.
Hewaited.Hewanderedtothestrangekitchen,thawedsomeicedhuckleberries,atethemdisconsolately.
"Therewasn’tanyoneontheotherendofthatcall,"hemurmured."Maybeapoleblewdownsomewhereandthephonerangbyitself."
Buthadn’theheardaclick,whichmeantsomeonehadhungupfaraway?
Hestoodinthehalltherestofthenight."Notbecauseofthephone,"hetoldhimself."Ijusthaven’tanythingelsetodo."
Helistenedtohiswatchtick.
"Shewon’tphoneback,"hesaid."Shewon’tevercallanumberthatdidn’tanswer.She’sprobablydialingotherhousesintownrightnow!AndhereIsit—Waitaminute!"Helaughed."WhydoIkeepsaying«she»?"
Heblinked.
