Song for Night. Chris Abani

Читать онлайн книгу.

Song for Night - Chris  Abani


Скачать книгу
back and laughed.

      “This one is ripe. I will enjoy her,” he said, looking right at me, as though he expected me to challenge him, like I did the first time he had forced me at gunpoint to rape someone, but whatever he saw in my eyes made him laugh even louder. Without thinking, I lifted my AK-47 and opened fire. He moved, instinctively I think, the way an animal will, to escape the shot, and the bullet went through the seven-year-old and found John Wayne’s heart. They both looked at me, faces wide with shock for a long moment, then John Wayne fell, taking the girl with him. Everyone scattered for cover, the women, the man carrying Jesus, still carrying Jesus, and the rest of the platoon; everyone except Ijeoma, who stood behind me, and the priest, who leapt out of his car and ran toward John Wayne and the girl.

      Without a word the priest bent down, said a prayer over the child, kissed her forehead, and drew a cross in the air above her with two fingers. He pried her from John Wayne’s arms and held her to his chest, her blood staining his white soutane. He seemed confused, unsure what to do next, and his eyes locked on mine were filled with tears and an expression I have seen too many times. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. I was numb to John Wayne’s death. Gladness would come later. For now, all I could think was that the only real casualty was Faith.

      I became aware that Ijeoma was rubbing my back gently. Without a word I turned and put my head on her shoulder. When I looked up, the rest of the platoon was gathered in a circle around us. Nebu had unpinned John Wayne’s rank insignia and was holding it in his hand like a burning coal. He approached me silently and pinned it to my shirt, saluted, and turned around. The rest of the platoon came to full attention and saluted. I was now the leader, months into the war; our war.

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQEASABIAAD/2wBDAAMCAgMCAgMDAwMEAwMEBQgFBQQEBQoHBwYIDAoMDAsK CwsNDhIQDQ4RDgsLEBYQERMUFRUVDA8XGBYUGBIUFRT/2wBDAQMEBAUEBQkFBQkUDQsNFBQUFBQU FBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBT/wAARCAkQBdwDASIA AhEBAxEB/8QAHQAAAgICAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAABAUDBgIHAAEICf/EAEkQAAEDAwMDAwMDAgQFAgQA DwEAAgMEBREGEiETMUEHIlEIFGEjMnEVgUKRobEJFiRSwTNiFyVDU3JzY5I0giYYJzU3VGTR4f/E ABoBAAMBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQABQb/xAArEQACAgICAgIDAAIDAQEBAQAAAQIRAyESMQRB IlETMmEFcRQzQiM0UiT/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/APfsWey6kBPngKN8pHA7qNs5BIK+di77PTeujPrB zh8tU0lW2cAH9w7IWOHc4n5Uj6BzW7h3VnEW9EFQPcHO7qRrBJFyo4aSR78yHhFECPjsAhT9CEUN K5vPhcfGIwcLJtbh20dljLlvuPYo9rYy7FlRAJX7vKmo5HwuAPZTOYH+4DGFi9hY3eeylx4u0V7C 3Ymb+UO4bQQVynqAQfCwY/rudk9kznaJ0rMWnacKOYhxwVi55a8hQVhdE3d3Wdlo0idrsjaeywEZ aSfCgp6jrjGCFJLI6N2DyEe0c6O

Скачать книгу