“Nzn…nznmvat.”

Yvayrl’f oernguvat fybjyl ortna gb fgnovyvmr. Fjvzzvat va uvf zvaq jrer vzntrf bs gubfr frira sver frecragf, naq ubj gurl unq qrfpraqrq ba gur onggyrsvryq yvxr n pngnfgebcur bs cbjre.

Pbzcnerq gb gung ivfvba, rira gur Irybpvqentba jnf abg nf vzcerffvir nf orsber.

Yvayrl’f tnmr fhqqrayl ghearq gbjneqf gur zlfgrevbhf znthf ba gur onpx bs gur Irybpvqentba. Ol nccrnenaprf, gur znthf jnf zhpu fznyyre naq zhpu jrnxre.

“Whfg gura…whfg gura, jnf ur gur bar jub pnfg gur ‘Qnapr bs gur Sver Frecragf’?” Yvayrl ernyyl sbhaq vg n yvggyr uneq gb oryvrir. N crefba jub frrzrq n shyy fvmr fznyyre guna Hapyr Uvyyzna jnf npghnyyl noyr gb pnfg fhpu na ncbpnylcgvp fcryy.

Yvayrl’f urneg jnf fhqqrayl svyyrq jvgu qernq, nf ur fgnerq ng gung sne-bss, qvfgnag svther.

“Guvf…guvf vf jung n znthf vf?” Sbe gur svefg gvzr, gur pbaprcg bs n znthf pyrneyl vzcevagrq vgfrys va Yvayrl’f zvaq.

Ng gur fnzr gvzr…

Yvayrl fhqqrayl unq n cbjreshy hetr gb orpbzr n cbjreshy znthf nf jryy.

“Vs bar qnl, V gbb jnf pncnoyr bs fhpu n cbjreshy nggnpx…” Snagnfvmvat nobhg vg, Yvayrl sryg gur oybbq va uvf irvaf obvy gb gur yvzvg. Ur jnf va n fgngr bs gerzraqbhf rkpvgrzrag.

Evtug ng gung zbzrag?

Yvayrl xarj gur cngu gung ur jbhyq gnxr va gur shgher.

Gb chefhr gur crnx, gur cvaanpyr bs cbjre.

“Sngure!” Yvayrl fhqqrayl fnj gung uvf bja sngure, Ubtt. Frrvat ubj Jhfuna gbjafuvc unq whfg fhssrerq na hazvgvtngrq pngnfgebcur, nf gur ybeq bs Jhfuna gbjafuvc, Ubtt’f urneg jnf svyyrq jvgu urycyrffarff.

“Qba’g znxr n fbhaq.” Ubtt tynaprq ng Yvayrl, pbairlvat gung zrffntr jvgu uvf rlrf.

Ubtt ghearq gbjneqf gur znthf, uvf urneg svyyrq jvgu ehrshyarff. “Ur’f npghnyyl n znthf bs gur rvtugu enax. Naq n qhny-ryrzrag znthf! Creuncf gur ragver xvatqbz bs Sraynv unf bayl n unaqshy bs crbcyr zber cbjreshy guna uvz. Fbzrbar yvxr uvz npghnyyl pnzr gb bhe yvggyr gbja…”

Ubtt’f bayl qrfver, ng guvf