Марсианские хроники
December 2005: The Silent Towns
"Genevieve,"hesaid.
Hedrovethecarthroughtheemptystreetsbutsawnothing."Ifthisisapracticaljoke…"
Heslowedthecar."Waitaminute.Wewerecutoff.MaybeshedrovetoMarlinVillagewhileIwasdrivinghere!SheprobablytooktheoldSeaRoad.Wemissedeachotherduringtheday.How’dsheknowI’dcomegether?Ididn’tsayIwould.AndshewassoafraidwhenthephonediedthatsherushedtoMarlinVillagetofindme!AndhereIam,byGod,whatafoolIam!"
Givingthehornablow,heshotoutoftown.
Hedroveallnight.Hethought,Whatifsheisn’tinMarlinVillagewaiting,whenIarrive?
Hewouldn’tthinkofthat.Shemustbethere.Andhewouldrunupandholdherandperhapsevenkissher,once,onthelips.
Genevieve,sweetGenevieve,hewhistled,steppingituptoonehundredmilesanhour.
MarlinVillagewasquietatdawn.Yellowlightswerestillburninginseveralstores,andajukeboxthathadplayedsteadilyforonehundredhoursfinally,withacrackleofelectricity,ceased,makingthesilencecomplete.Thesunwarmedthestreetsandwarmedthecoldandvacantsky.
WalterturneddownMainStreet,thecarlightsstillon,honkingthehornadoubletoot,sixtimesatonecorner,sixtimesatanother.Hepeeredatthestorenames.Hisfacewaswhiteandtired,andhishandsslidonthesweatysteeringwheel.
"Genevieve!"hecalledintheemptystreet.
Thedoortoabeautysalonopened.
"Genevieve!"Hestoppedthecar.
GenevieveSelsorstoodintheopendoorofthesalonasheranacrossthestreet.
