"Philip E. High - These Savage Futurians" - читать интересную книгу автора (High Phillip E)

IT WAS TWILIGHT when Ventnor and his companion reached the top
of the long winding hill. Herman, obviously exhausted and weak from loss
of blood had to stop frequently to rest.

Finally he said: "Thank God-this way."

There was a round hole in a grassy bank and they crawled into it. Inside
it was still another hole, but wider and deeper. The earth walls were held
from collapse by some ancient tree trunks and some plastic boarding.

In the fading light Ventnor saw that it contained a large bin of tubers
and a tub of reasonably clean drinking water. Beyond were two
straw-filled palliasses.

Herman drank greedily of the water, helped himself to three or four
tubers and crawled to the nearest palliasse. "God, I'm gowed! Sleep for a
hundred years."

Ventnor, drank, ate three tubers and lay down himself. But before he
could relax, the earth jerked and shivered beneath him.

He sat bolt upright. "What was that!"
 "What?" Berman sounded half asleep.

"The ground shook."

"Oh—yeah—yeah. You don't know, do you? Not to worry —one of the
repeaters. Elham Valley or Barham."

"Repeaters?"

"Oh, brother I Look, we'll pass one tomorrow, tell—about it—then—"
Berman's voice trailed away and he began to snore.

Strangely it was Ventnor who had to be wakened at dawn.

"Come on, boy, rouse up. It's daylight."

As they left the artificial cave, the ground shook again but Berman
made no comment.

They walked steadily, if windingly along level ground and Ventnor,
glancing back, could just glimpse the pile of ruin on the hilltop which he
had passed the day before.

"What was that place?" He pointed.

"Them ruins? Sage says it used to be a castle-sort of fort—story is that
the Indoes made a last stand there."