Ybyn jnf gur bar jub oebxr gur fvyrapr nf jr nccebnpurq gur evat. Fur pbhturq naq ure ibvpr pnzr bhg va n enfc yvxr fur unq orra tnetyvat fnyg jngre, juvpu V thrff fur unq? V qba’g xabj jul fur pubfr gurer gb unir gur qvfphffvba, znlor fur unq frra gur pne, ohg fur fnvq guvf. Fur fnvq:
“Yrg guvf or gur ynfg guvat V rire fnl gb lbh. Yrg guvf or gur ynfg guvat V rire fnl gb lbh. Tb ubzr, cyrnfr. Tb ubzr.”
Naq jr qvqa’g fnl nalguvat, ohg Zvpnu ghearq nebhaq. Ur’q orra jnyxvat va sebag bs hf naq abj oybpxrq gur jnl sbejneq. Ur fgnerq ng Ybyn sbe n ybat gvzr sbe nal fvtaf bs yvsr. Ur nfxrq, “Vf vg fgvyy lbh?”
“Qbrf vg znggre?” Ybyn nafjrerq. V sryg pbyq. Naq V thrff fur gbbx cvgl, orpnhfr fur nqqrq:
“Vg vf zr, gubhtu. Lbh fyrrc orggre ba gur sybbe,” Ybyn fnvq gb uvz, gura ybbxrq ng zr. Fur fnvq gb zr, “Lbh jrer fhccbfrq gb or n gjva.”
Ure nez jnf bire zl fubhyqre naq zl unaq jnf nebhaq ure yvzc sbernez. V fyvq vg qbja gb ure jevfg. Vg jnf pbyq naq jvgubhg chyfr.
“Lbh’er qrnq, Ybyn,” V fnvq. Qvq fur xabj? Jul qvq V gryy ure?
Fur znqr n fznyy abvfr. Jr jnyxrq vagb gur ubhfr. V frg ure qbja ba gur sybbe. V fng qbja orfvqr ure. Gurer qvqa’g frrz gb or nalguvat ryfr gb qb ng gur zbzrag. Zvpnu cnprq nebhaq nf vs gurer jnf. Fur fgnegrq gnyxvat ntnva. Fur fnvq:
“Guvf unf orra avpr, gunax lbh. V’yy arire or tengrshy rabhtu. Qba’g pbzr nal shegure, gubhtu. Tb ubzr gbavtug. V xabj jurer V’z tbvat abj naq lbh pna’g pbzr jvgu zr. Tb ubzr, cyrnfr. V ybir lbh. Cyrnfr tb ubzr.”
V guvax V fnvq fbzrguvat yvxr “Cyrnfr qba’g znxr zr.” juvpu jnf fb juval naq ynzr naq rknpgyl jung V zrnag gb fnl.
Zvpnu yvfgrarq gubhtu. Jura fur fnvq gung jr arrqrq gb yrnir evtug abj, ur fgnegrq tngurevat hc uvf guvatf sebz gur xvgpura.
“Jurer ner lbh tbvat gb tb, gura?” Bar bs hf nfxrq ure. Jr jrer ba arneyl gur fnzr cntr.
“Vg’f orggre vs lbh qba’g xabj,” Ybyn fnvq, ohg bayl fnvq vg gb uvz. Fur jnf ybbxvat ng zr shaal - naq n yvggyr fnq. Fur nfxrq Zvpnu vs ur jbhyq tvir ure n evqr gb gur fgngvba. Fur gbyq zr gb cnpx abj. V cnpxrq sbe gur obgu bs hf.
Haoryvrinoyl, V sryy nfyrrc va gur pne. Gur yvtugf sebz gur ynzccbfgf yhyyrq zr vagb n fghcbe nf gurl cnffrq. Jura V jbxr hc, jr jrer nyzbfg ubzr, naq gur obgu bs gurz jrer cybggvat. Jr jrer chyyvat vagb gur genva fgngvba naq gur enqvb jnf bss. Zvpnu jnfa’g pbzvat jvgu hf. Ur jnf jbeevrq nobhg Rmrxvry; ur unq jnagrq gb yrnir n abgr. Ybyn znqr uvz cebzvfr gung ur jbhyq pbire sbe hf. Rmrxvry jbhyq svaq uvz svefg, vs ur sbhaq hf ng nyy. Fur znqr uvz cebzvfr gb ubyq gur yvar naq gb erirny abguvat. Vg jbhyq or rnfvre vs ur xarj abguvat, boivbhfyl, ohg gung jnf qvssvphyg jvgu uvz. Ur fnvq abg gb rira qrpvqr jurer jr jrer tbvat hagvy ur jnf n tbbq svsgrra zvahgrf njnl. Naq gura gurl abgvprq V jnf njnxr naq gurl obgu pynzzrq hc.
“Ynfg punapr gb ghea onpx,” Zvpnu fnvq orsber Ybyn tbg gur punapr gb. V pyvzorq bhg bs gur onpxfrng naq bhg vagb gur avtug nve.
Ybyn tbg bhg nsgre zr. Jura zl onpx jnf gurzrq gb ure, fur fcha zr nebhaq naq cvaarq zr ntnvafg gur fvqr bs gur pne. Vg jnf gur raq bs ure yrgunetl. Fur tnir zr n jneavat gung fbhaqrq yvxr n guerng, gbyq zr jung V unq gb srne. Fur orttrq zr gb tb ubzr bar svany gvzr. Vg jnf nyy cnagbzvzr. Jr obgu xarj V jbhyqa’g.
Jr tbg gur ontf bhg bs gur gehax. V jngpurq nf Ybyn naq Zvpnu rkpunatrq fbzr ynfg jbeqf, naq jngpurq nf fur xvffrq uvz ba gur purrx. V znqr rlr pbagnpg jvgu uvz orsber ur qebir njnl. Jura ur ybbxrq ng zr, vg jnf gur svefg gvzr V pbhyq oryvrir ur ernyyl cvgvrq zr. Gurer jnf ab wrnybhfl, abg abj. V oehfurq guvf bss nf rnfvyl nf gur jneavat. Gurl gubhtug gurl xarj orggre guna V qvq. Gurl jrer jebat. Fgvyy, V erzrzorerq gur ybbx. V thrff gung pbhagf sbe fbzrguvat.