"R. Garcia y Robertson - The Good Ship Lollypop" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robertson R Garcia Y)

Jill stuck her head into the hall. “Nothing there.”

Shirlee looked for herself, seeing only the bare hall.

“He smells something,” Jill decided.

Something bad, though neither said so. Whispering a prayer to Saint
Michael, Shirlee slowly entered the hall, holding Jill’s hand, with Lomax in
the lead.

Past the rows of sideways tables was the serving area, and disposal,
opening into the wall instead of the floor. Everything seemed normal, just
titled on its side.

Saying good-bye, Shirlee crawled into the tube, headed home.
Before she got to the first turn, she heard Lomax bark.

Glancing back, she saw a black shadow fall over the open door.
Shirlee froze in fear. Barely able to see the Boogie man, she could tell he
was big, scary, and clearly a man, not a chimp or SuperCat. She begged
Saint Michael to make it go away.

Luckily the Boogie man was far too big and frightening to fit in the
disposal tube. After looking at her long and hard, he went on, headed the
way Jill had gone.

Shirlee scrambled back to her apartment, emerging in the kitchen.
Mom was still flat out on the float-a-bed.

Putting the pills on the bed table, Shirlee punched into the Net, calling
for Jill. She found her at home, asking, “R U OK?”

“SURE Y?”

“I SAW THE BOOGIE MAN.”

“U DID?”
 “SWEAR 2 GLADYZ. N THE HALL OF TABLES.”

“2 SCARY.”

“U BET.”

Mom got up, pushing aside damp hair, then looked groggily about.
Her face was pale, and her skin sagged. Seeing the pills, Mom rolled
bloodshot eyes. “You have got to stop sneaking off to Jill’s on your own.”

Shirlee nodded dutifully, and got out a carton of water. Mom popped a
pill, broke the seal on the water carton, and drank. Then she plugged
herself into the Net, and went back to work.