Books In English "City Of Illusions" Ursula K. Le Guin | Page 73

water there, and it won't take long." She lay still while he gathered all the
scrub-wood he could and made a little fire and heaped up more of the
green wood where she could put it on the fire. "I'll be back soon," he said,
and started away. At that she sat up, white and shivering, and cried out,
"No! don't leave me! You mustn't leave me alone—you mustn't go—"
There was no reasoning with her. She was sick and frightened beyond
the reach of reason. Falk could not leave her there, with the night coming;
he might have, but it did not seem to him that he could. He pulled her up,
her arm over his shoulder, half pulling and half carrying her, and went on.
On the next rise he came in sight of the trees again, seeming no nearer.
The sun was setting away off ahead of them in a golden haze over the
ocean of land. He was carrying Estrel now, and every few minutes he had
to stop and lay his burden down and drop down beside her to get breath
and strength. It seemed to him that if he only had a little water, just enough
to wet his mouth, it would not be so hard.
"There's a house," he whispered to her, his voice dry and whistling.
Then again, "It's a house, among the trees. Not much farther…" This time
she heard him, and twisted her body feebly and struggled against him,
moaning, "Don't go there. No, don't go there. Not to the houses. Ramarren
mustn't go to the houses. Falk—" She took to crying out weakly in a
tongue he did not know, as if crying for help. He plodded on, bent down
under her weight.
Through the late dusk light shone out sudden and golden in his eyes:
light shining through high windows, behind high dark trees.
A harsh, howling noise rose up, in the direction of the light, and grew
louder, coming closer to him. He struggled on, then stopped, seeing
shadows running at him out of the dusk, making that howling, coughing
clamor. Heavy shadow-shapes as high as his waist encircled him, lunging
and snapping at him where he stood supporting Estrel's unconscious
weight. He could not draw his gun and dared not move. The lights of the
high windows shone serenely, only a few hundred yards away. He shouted,
"Help us! Help!" but his voice was only a croaking whisper.
Other voices spoke aloud, calling sharply from a distance. The dark
shadow-beasts withdrew, waiting. People came to him where, still holding
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