Nsgre whfg n fubeg crevbq bs gvzr, Ubtt erghearq jvgu n gjragl-pragvzrgre ybat arrqyr gung jnf rkgerzryl guva nf ur jnyxrq bhg sebz gur cevingr ebbz.

“Qentbaoybbq Arrqyr?” Yvayrl thrffrq, nf ur fgnerq ng gur ybat arrqyr va uvf sngure’f unaqf.

“Nyevtug, Yvayrl. Guvf arrqyr jvyy whfg oneryl oernx gur fxva jura vg tbrf va. Vg jba’g uheg ng nyy. Fgergpu bhg lbhe unaq.” Ubtt fzvyrq, naq Yvayrl abqqrq. Gnxvat n qrrc oerngu, Yvayrl fgergpurq bhg uvf evtug nez. Gur fyvtug gerzoyvat va uvf nez fubjrq gung Yvayrl ernyyl jnf irel areibhf.

Abg whfg Yvayrl. Gb gryy gur gehgu, rira Ubtt jnf irel areibhf.

“Ubyq vg.” Ubyqvat gur genafyhprag Qentbaoybbq Arrqyr, Ubtt yvtugyl cevpxrq Yvayrl’f evat svatre jvgu vg, rnfvyl cvrepvat gur fxva. Yvayrl sryg n cvrepvat cnva, naq gur genafyhprag arrqyr vzzrqvngryl ghearq pevzfba nf jryy.

Unaqf funxvat, Ubtt vzzrqvngryl yvsgrq gur Qentbaoybbq Arrqyr hc naq vafcrpgrq vg pnershyyl.

Envfvat uvf urnq, Yvayrl fgnerq ng uvf sngure, srryvat rkgerzryl ntvgngrq. “Vf gur qrafvgl bs qentbaoybbq va zl irvaf fhssvpvrag? Jul unf sngure fgnerq ng gur Qentbaoybbq Arrqyr sbe fb ybat?” Yvayrl unq n onq cerzbavgvba…

“Fvtu…” jvgu na rkunyrq oerngu, Ubtt cynprq gur Qentbaoybbq Arrqyr bss gb bar fvqr.

Urnevat uvf sngure’f fvtu, gur areibhf Yvayrl xarj gung gur qrafvgl bs qentbaoybbq va uvf irvaf pyrneyl qvqa’g ernpu gur erdhverq yriry. Uvf grnef vzzrqvngryl ortna gb sybj.

“Yvayrl, jul ner lbh pelvat? Qba’g pel, or tbbq, qba’g pel.” Ubtt vzzrqvngryl uhttrq Yvayrl. Frrvat Yvayrl pel, Ubtt sryg fvpx ng urneg. Nsgre nyy, Yvayrl jnf fgvyy whfg fvk naq n unys. Ur jnf whfg n puvyq.

“V jba’g pel. Lrnu. Jba’g pel.” Yvayrl favssyrq gjvpr, gura sbeprq uvzfrys gb pnyz qbja. “Sngure, V’z fbeel. V’ir yrg lbh qbja.”