Напряжение / Voltage: Глава 12

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I woke up from the cold, clawing at my left side with its toothless mouth. It just squeezed, unable to bite, but that didn't make it any easier either. No, the teeth were there as soon as I moved. Countless needles jammed into my skin, forcing me to freeze in place. Cold is not happy that his prey has suddenly decided to run away. But I'm not his prey anymore. I could bite anyone! Not personally, of course. I'm not a wild man. I've got an iron jaw for that now.

Camrad_RIP 08.03.23 в 18:58

I had to get my strength up and ignore the pain, so I climbed over the warm bear cub - it turned out I had somehow settled between them, though I remembered falling asleep at the very edge. It is understandable - the bears are warm, but the ground has let me down. It's completely cold. I felt the edge of the trailer, pulled myself to it, and rolled over. I lay there, looking at the thousands of stars, big and small, trembling with cold, like me.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 09:23

Cautiously, cringing from the tingling all over my body, I got to my feet and slowly did my exercises. Gradually the cold and pain went away, and only a hedgehog lodged itself in my chest, making me wrinkle in deep breaths. With my eyes, I found the trolley, part of which peeked out from behind the trailer, and carefully retrieved the cubs, stacking them next to their main means of transportation. The cubs were still asleep, but both made an attempt to eat my hands - I had to wrap my arms around them for nothing. Hungry, I guess. I'm definitely hungry, and I'll be that way until morning. The boarding school has long ago eaten an afternoon snack and supper... the command "lights out" flies across the floors, and the boys sleep in warm beds, saying good night to each other. Good for them... I wonder who remembered me? Hardly. Except for that Mashk sadly looks out my window, waiting for a cutlet. He'll be hungry tonight, just like me.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 09:36

Putting the trolley on the wheel, he rolled along the path, lit by the bright light of the full moon. It had been hiding behind the carriage the whole time. Even so, it was dark, especially under the trees and on the narrow paths. Not a single light on around. The zoo is asleep. True, not all of it. Sometimes I would catch someone else's attention, freeze and stare back - interesting, after all - and the yellow specks of gaze would turn away, losing interest.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 09:39

I made my way back easily, and after a while, I found myself back where it all began. There was a huge cube with bright lights. The night had obscured the glass facets, making it seem as if the fireflies had gathered and shaped themselves into such a beautiful shape. But the slow, wistful movement betrayed their lack of freedom. Tigers, giraffes, and other animals moved in the same way behind the bars of the zoo - free only in the enclosure as if they had forgotten how to move quickly. But I have taught the tigers to move.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 09:40

"They tried to kidnap me today too," I complained to the lights, pressing my nose against the glass.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 09:43

From here, looking upwards, there seemed to be a lot more lights. Only some of them were not moving at all for some reason... Oh no, that's...! But then inside...! A deafening realization roused everything in me, making me rise sharply to my feet.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 09:43

"They stole the stars!" I was indignant, clenching my fists tightly.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 09:44

There is no crime worse!

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 09:44

"I'll set you free," I promised, sniffing and wiping away a tear.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 09:45

I rolled the trolley with the cubs away, wrapped my arms in the gift, and slammed it against the glass with force. The cube shuddered, groaning audibly, but it stood.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 09:46

"Well, yes!" I accepted the challenge angrily.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 09:50

But immediately I calmed down. Anger is bad. Curiosity...

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 09:50

"I wondered if I could do it this way...." Scratching the back of my head, I put my hand on the edge and let the power flow through it.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 09:53

The stars immediately rushed towards me, clinging to my palm and squeezing into a little sunshine.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 09:53

And now it's like this!

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 09:54

Biting my tongue in excitement, I stretched out my other hand and enveloped it with the Power of Blood, then slowly and carefully created a bridge between my palms.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 09:55

"And there you go!"

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 10:01

I tried "lighting the light bulb" in my free hand, drawing power from my left, but using only my gift.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 10:01

First, a ribbon of light and then a flood of lights bloomed in the air around me, illuminating the park with the light of a new day. A good and free day! There was no one left in the cube, I noted with pleasure, stretching my muscles and shaking off the stars sticking to my hands with one gesture.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 10:27

"Cheers, everyone!" I waved to them.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 10:28

Only they were in no hurry to leave.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 10:28

"All right," I shrugged, and I put the trolley on the wheel and headed for the exit. Along the suspiciously bright paths.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 10:29

"Hey, that way," I paused, pointing my finger at the cloud of lights in the sky. But they were not at all impressed, continuing to fly overhead with their familiar slowness. "Alright, but only as far as the exit!" I gave up on the unexpected companions.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 10:30

In general, it's handy: it's light, and one can go around bumps.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 10:31

So we reached the gate quickly. The gate was tall, wrought iron, locked, with a huge padlock on a chain.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 10:32

"So, what to do?" I asked the bears, but they were treacherously asleep. And the stars are not talking at all - no "thank you" or "hurrah" from them.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 08:45

I glanced to the left, and there was also a fence, a continuous arrow, sometimes hidden behind the trees. I looked to my right and, to my relief (I was already getting ready to climb a tree with bears), I found a small gatehouse nestled under a sprawling birch crown. I reached closer and managed to peep through the window, though when I was the last step closer I knew for sure that someone was there - the sound of snoring was so loud that the windows trembled. An old bearded man was dozing in the glow of the stars, covered by a gray rug. Next to him, on the table, gleamed a tall bottle, the kind that Uncle Sergei liked to carry around in his first weeks, and a faceted glass. In their shadow hid a plate of two green cucumbers. My stomach growled treacherously, demanding, if not the key to the gate, at least one cucumber.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 08:47

I walked around and pulled the door - it was locked. I'll have to wake him up.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 08:39

"Hey, good night," I banged on the window, trying to get attention. It didn't work. He snorted louder than I shouted.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 08:40

"Okay, attempt number two," I hummed, applying force to my hand, and after a moment, I could already feel the living sun in it.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 08:41

I folded my palm in a boat shape, concentrated the glow into a narrow beam, and shone it directly into the face of the man sleeping in the gatehouse.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 08:41

"Get up!" I shouted as best I could.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 05:37

"Oh, what?!" The watchman called back frantically, immediately tangled in the plaid, and collapsed on the floor.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 05:37

"Open the gate, please."

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 05:38

A sleepy face appeared in the window, peering out blindly.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 05:38

"Who is it?!" shouted the old man more fearfully than sternly.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 05:44

"Emperor Maximus."

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 05:45

"Ahh..." he said, mouth open and shut.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 05:45

He was the one who saw me, standing with the cart in a cloud of brightly shining stars.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 05:51

"Oh, that... what's in the trolley?"

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 05:52

"It's the cubs. They were a present to me," I explained patiently. - I'm taking them home.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 05:53

"Well... you can't take the beast home, can you?" he muttered as he finally climbed out of his gatehouse.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 05:53

"These little ones."

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 05:55

"They are small now. Then they will grow up." Turning around and rubbing his eyes, the old man reached the gate and jangled the keys.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 05:56

"Are you sure?" I hesitated.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 05:58

"So... there's no such thing as small bears." And the gate creaked.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 05:58

"Geez..." I got all upset, having no idea what to do with such enormous things in a couple of months. I have no idea where to put them in the gymnasium. They say there is a goat there - but I have never seen it - and they even jump over it. It's all right. They'll run from the bears now. It's good for them too.
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Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 06:06

"I wouldn't lie to the Emperor," he bowed and held the gate open, letting me pass.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 06:07

Except when I was passing by, he decided to poke me with his finger for some reason, and I barely dodged it. He was strange but a good one.

Camrad_RIP 13.03.23 в 06:08