He was awakened by impulse, shake - and here he is, and hangs. Wisit inside his sleeping bag and goes though. To whom or what it is. Albert Ostmen woke up finally and clearly understood: in my sleeping bag while standing, or rather, half-sitting moves in space. He does not, his shaking, as if he is attached to a saddle horse. And everything around him: tin cans edges, adamant count guns - all vibrate and beat him with iron angles.
Who or what pulls him? But whatever it was, it went. I kept a sleeping bag with Albert and all his arms in an upright position, and his sleeping bag does not touch the ground. And darkness - absolutely!
Here is the one who pulls, climbs steeply, you can hear his breathing - A weighted times just like a human pokryahtyvanie. Is he? Mountain spirit of the legend, as mumbling old Indian?
... The old Indian, who was hired by Albert carrier, flat oars fluffed waters of the Pacific Ocean, or Great. Albert listened with patient indifference Injun warning about some spirit, embodied in something like a monkey.
- This is a gorilla. We, in Canada, they are not found.
- Monkey - eyp. Eyp Canyon. Monkey Valley. Yes, that live there saskavatchi. - Injun led the back of his head in the direction you move the boat. - Perhaps few of them left, but they are.
In the summer of 1924 after a long work of cutting wood, Albert Ostmen got leave. A place to relax, he chose a stun, more than a hundred miles north of Vancouver - where, according to rumors, it was possible to extract zolotishko. Where then in those places should be abandoned gold mines. That he would kill two birds with one stone: pan for gold sand and a good rest. Hunt, to lie by the fire in solitude but in the silence.
Serene calm days dragged Alberta. Kill a deer - meat has nowhere to go! Fireplace diluted, for the water to the stream down, cook venison, add seasoning, all allowances, that are brought in to keep the accuracy of that on hand - this is just and caring. Became drop in the surrounding hills - a place Predgornoe. Where is here before gold was extracted. Maybe that's left?
Six days serene Lives! On the seventh - has begun.
In the morning, he got out of my sleeping bag, stretched from tree to drop his trousers. And they are not. Pants lying on the ground. The wind blew? And why so crumpled? Tin cans were stacked in the evening: coffee, canned meat, two cans of snuff. Everything collapsed. Fireplace torn. Someone obviously here pohozyaynichal. Albert why it suspected porcupine. Rodent could easily chew up his boots - thick-skinned boots. This should not be allowed. And in this night, before going to bed, Albert put them on the bottom of the sleeping bag. All canned goods, bags and cans - in a backpack. Backpack is hung higher above the ground, that no four-skotinka not got it.
He slept soundly and peacefully, as always. When he awoke, he saw a strange scene: hanging backpack left hanging on the straps, but turned inside out. And all the contents scattered on the ground.
He went to a mountain stream refreshment. In the cold stream was a deer carcass he left - he tied it to the stone. Ostmen hardly believe his eyes: no carcass, no scraps of rope, or even stone.
Who was his night visitor? Bear? Could bear unscrew backpack? Here's a package with prunes. Being overweight is now opolovinen. And no traces - the soil is rocky. In some places, he said, though no traces, as well - dents, as it were, from moccasins very large.
By night the weather turned bad, the sky was delayed by clouds. Albert hid in a backpack all that climbed up there, and put him in a sleeping bag, then took off his shoes and also put them on the bottom. The gun is tucked inside, all the bullets with a hunting knife and a new leather case. Ostmen climbed into the bag in the trousers and jacket, determined: no sleep, and see - who is he, his nocturnal visitor?
Timid raindrop fell on her forehead. He threw on the valve face and ... fast asleep.
... Grab a knife? Cut a hole in a sleeping bag to jump out with a gun? But it is compressed from all sides, squeezed, can not even move. It is fortunate that the bag top is not fully compressed - you can breathe. What a helpless! And armed to the teeth. But he swaddled own sleeping bag and did not move up or on half-inch.
But if you wanted to kill, would long ago have done - came on the same night. So, in captivity hit. Well, gun in hand, he let it go.
He shrugged and turned sharply. Started to go down, straight down, like a bucket into the well. Albert understood: it hangs over the precipice, and he who keeps his word, pulls it down. With him.
Suddenly, Albert hit a hard ground. Caught the opening of the bag revealed. He rolled lifeless chocks, head forward and took a sip, another breath of air. Raw, dawn. Alive.
The gun - in the right hand, the left began to massage the cramped leg. And who stands beside you and breathe, who is a big, breathing high above him. Probably, "he whom Injun described saskvatch.
Brightened or eyes looked hard: he saw the silhouettes. Ostmen coughed hoarsely and said:
- Well, what?
In response to a vague mutterings. Silhouettes are immobile. Closer to him myself thief: if the buffalo would turn into a man, but abandoned the work is not finished. All in wool, all! From top to bottom. And eyes are small, reddish. Not very round-shouldered, not simply hooked. A short distance away - three of them, the growth of smaller ones. They approached the thief and began to make sounds, guttural screaming. Obviously, explained the purpose of their country of purchase. Madame - it can be understood on a figure - it clearly did not approve. Two young staring at Alberta. Soon daylight. All four retreated to the rocks and disappeared, as if it was not at all.
Albert regained his usual composure. It has everything you need: food, gun, ammo. It is easy to get rid of her kidnapper and leave. He looked around: all around the walls almost vertical mountains. He did not climb through them. However, judging by the fact that the greens a little thicker below - there is water. If a stream or river, then there is a channel. We must find out which way the water falls into this hole and what follows?
Albert moved his belongings back to where it was seen as a stream flowed from the valley. Is it too narrow is the gorge, prolezet Does he? Perhaps prolezet. He came closer, and even had time to notice the lumen - a way out of the pit. At Freedom! But suddenly ...
- Ssykha! - Suddenly a cry from behind. Strong impetus hairy hands - and Albert, like a baby, flew to the side, hit the ground, rolled over twice.
Arose. He looked around. Nobody.
Only branches of the bushes move, disturbed. And short cry - not a sobbing, half laughing, half growling.
"In neki and their kingdom, in a neki and they state ..." - housekeeper Pelagea, the grand mistress to tell the tale, she sighed and sat beside the stove, prigoryunilsya one hand, and began a singsong voice: "In neki, and the kingdom ..." And the story went under the name " Scarlet Flower ". So wrote SA Aksakov hundred years ago, and nothing seems to be no similarities between gardens and palaces of the beast is not an animal, not human rights, and a terrible monster and shaggy, among its gardens and bare rocks around. And the brook, near which, keeping guns out of the hands, situated very real lumberjack from Canada, was no resemblance to freestyle River Buguruslan in the steppes of Ufa Bashkortostan. There, among the snow drifts, stood the thatched roofs of peasant huts, and in the house with warmth heated furnace future writer listened to the tale Pelageja housekeeper. Tale, affects all jokes, grimaces, groan and zdyhaniem.
And there is nothing like a general does not, except that the total sky, all combined. In this sky, lying on the ground, staring Albert, the third day, living in the guest of fairy tales, and thought: how long it stretched their supplies? Do not eat off as he leaves from the bushes, as they do. And most importantly, how to escape? Kill saskvatcha spot, when he will appear around him? But the rest? Do not pounce on him from behind the hostess? One stroke of its tyazhelenkoy pen ... This is because, armed to the teeth and helpless - position! It would seem that he is now one. Take belongings and crawled up the stream - they are there for him not climb: the width of the shoulders they have almost a meter. But no! These creatures are able to mysteriously appear out of nowhere. And also nowhere to disappear.
In one of the following days, Albert was sitting on a sleeping bag, went through food supplies, established diet. One thing is clear: coffee can not save. He poured coffee residue in a napkin, went down to the brook, empty cans scooped up the water to make coffee on a spirit. Returned - and he has guest!
Sits on his haunches around his things saskvatch younger and curiously inspects all. When Albert came up, he jumped, made a rebound. Like jumping frog - with the squatting. And he stayed aloof, - bold, not hiding. Here and in his shoulders - said Albert - a meter or slightly more, not fit into the tunnel. His observer was sitting cross-legged, bent knees on the ground. He seemed to show Albert soles of their feet: naked, skinny, dirty gray color and solid, like pillows on dog paws. Only dimensions - Wow! And then Albert understood: the imprint of such a leg would look like on the trail of moccasins, if not imprint fingers. And they are hooked and moving the thumb is able to stand aside.
Alien with eager curiosity on a spirit lamp, the flame and the bank, which was cooked fragrant coffee. "We'll have to share with him than anything" - thought Albert, pulled from the backpack empty cans of corned beef and threw it at him. He jumped from a sitting position elastically like a ball, grabbed the jar, licking her inside and disappeared. He returned immediately, dragging her sister's hand.
"Yeah, it means, and it nearby, and I did not notice. Guy asks for a souvenir and sisters "- Albert and thought, finishing his coffee, put his hand into his backpack and pulled out a can of snuff - colorful, painted, dressed as an Easter egg. Tipped the balance of tobacco on the ground, got up and threw a young female with a bright little things. She grabbed her, pulled a hideous mouth, and Albert - cool man! - Started in surprise. Sharp sudden sound! Presumably, it was a laugh: she laughed. Albert felt sorry for her: she laughed so would be an idiot. Piercing, vibrating sound. He arose suddenly - out of complete silence - and suddenly ended. She made a few strange grimaces: jerks protruding jaws. Waved his hand in a whole handful, fist, holding a gift, and disappeared. Only now, Albert realized - it was a sign shook her joy.
Young saskvatch also funny. Stretching up as a victory trophy, a hand with an empty jar, he climbed the sheer wall, clinging to his toes and fingers of one hand. In the same way, thought Albert, father of the young man that night went down, clutching fingers of one hand and his toes, as in his other hand he bore no empty cans, and prey weight ... How much it weighs, thick, thirty years, with a gun and a supply of canned cans? The first time Albert did not think about how to get rid of his guard, and about him, master. With respectful astonishment. Why had he brought it, Alberta, here? Out of curiosity?
To this day, which will be referred, Mr Snatcher three times already present at the banquet of Rights. On the Rights of the master he was getting pretty close to Albert, and not only watched all his movements, not only to emulate, like learning to do the same, but also touched a particular subject. On that day, both male sitting at kosterka kindled by Albert. He noticed that the females moved away among the bushes, his hands digging young shoots, dug into the earth that is pulling out - roots? It seemed as if the hostess had reconciled with his existence, leaving him unattended. For all the time but once it went on the offensive. That was when all three of her children and yourself mister, sat up later than usual around kosterka. They are attracted by everything: the fire, and the manner of Albert's words, and striking banks, which devastated, get them. Albert regal gesture, give them in turn.
He left three packets of biscuits, four cans of canned meat, for one - fish and vegetable, and one unbegun Bank snuff. All three sat around Alberta: the host side. Then the old lady, fiercely vzrevnovav with overclocking went to Alberta. Threateningly raised both hands, she opened his mouth wide.
Albert rose. Took the gun with both hands. But old Mr. also got up and went to meet her. Ugovarivayusche muttering - uterine, as mutter frogs, he led her away. Appease with gratitude thought Albert and understand: to get rid of the thief he is becoming more difficult: he can not shoot, the hand does not rise. On that day, which is described in the decisive day, the male half of the family present at the banquet of the guest. The owner was trying to be too familiar with Albert and sat him very closely.
Svetlogolovy, blonde Albert squatting guarded boiling coffee. Close, even too much, getting Albert to move, too, on his heels - he copied the pose of man - large and black, as a projection into the past as a shadow, fallen behind in the ages - the beast is not a beast, a man not a man. Albert mercifully not finished his coffee, handed him. He snatched the jar and in one fell swoop overturned in itself remains - mostly thick. Taste or not felt, or the case was different: in prestige. He was feasting with him, a superior being, who knows how to make a bright scarlet hot flower. Once old Mr could not resist his extreme curiosity touched the red flower - it hurts!
Softened after the meal and coffee, Albert got into the backpack and pulled out a jar snuff. The guy screamed, and the owner stared at her. Maybe he was offended that the other one is the same - an extraordinary, brilliant! - Went not to him. And the first person here it is. And did not he brought on himself a living miracle? Albert took out of his back pocket pouch, clicked the button, pulled out a knife, kovyrnul they cover banks. Again, no hurry, put the knife in its case - watched over him. Albert conventional slow movements of the lid closed its case, clicked the button, put the knife in the same pocket. Again sat comfortably.
Pushed his finger in the lid of the bank, took schepotochku tobacco, brought to one nostril, nyuhnul and threw his head back, inhaling with pleasure. Took another schepotochku, brought it to the other nostril, and his face portrayed the peace. The owner turned his whole body and looked pleadingly, but so expressive, as if accustomed to handouts. Albert, holding a jar, and handed him: they say, please, sir, schepotochku tobacco. Help yourself.
He expected that he would politely pinch your fingers - we all were measured on the yardstick. But fingers saskvatcha not able to form a pinch. He was impatient eagerness stretched out his hand with a force pulled out the bank, grab it - the coveted award for his selfless devotion. Hurry, until man changed his mind, saskvatch overturned jar, poured into his mouth all the contents. Swallowed in one breath. Licked inside the bank, as it did with the banks of a pork stew, canned milk and vegetables.
Albert alert. Touched the gun lying on the ground. What will happen? Shortly saskvatch opened his eyes and stared at one point. In the eyes of frozen anguish. He clutched his head, stuck it between his knees and began rolling on the ground. Abdominal pain can be seen, only intensified. He screamed. Just like a pig - a shrill, piercing.
Albert jumped up with a gun in his hand. If he rushed at him, you have to shoot. But saskvatch in his suffering people not to blame. He was screaming and holding his hands over his stomach, bent, twisted, ran to the stream, dropped his head into the water and began to drink greedily. "Now" - thought Albert and quickly began to throw their belongings in a sleeping bag. Do not leave anything, no matches, nor edible, quickly picked up from the ground everything.
Albert quickly left, rather, ran along the creek to the place where the water got out of the crevices in the rock. Prolezet? Not fit? I have to crawl. Suddenly saskvatchiha barred his path, her eyes were burning fiercely. Albert quickly raised his gun higher, how many possible hand occupied sleeping bag, pulled the trigger. From the roar of the shot as it blew. Most did not pursue him.
He crawled struggling against the current, struggling with water. Dragging heavy wet sleeping bag, rifle clung to the wall. Aperture, albeit slowly, but extended. When, finally, got out, then ran forward without looking back, not looking, not looking path. It was until the evening, quieter and quieter, then a shambles. Tried to light a fire - but the matches damp. At night in the cold and wet bag did not sleep. Morning realized - a cold, ill. Head is burning with fever, legs do not want to move. Based on the gun as a crutch, he walked, walked. In the distance I could see the forest, and he went there, it attracted the sound. Why is he attracted to himself? Not all at once he realized that it squeals sawmill.
Lumberjacks gazed at him as he staggered, walked up to them and leaned against a tree trunk. What do they say? The head is very sick from the heat, but he thought coldly. Reasonable. I did not say to them that he stole the mountain spirit of Indian tales.
- Guys, I got lost. Ill. Comes to our help.
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