The Bickford Fuse by Andrey Kurkov & Boris Dralyuk

Author:Andrey Kurkov & Boris Dralyuk [Kurkov, Andrey & Dralyuk, Boris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General Fiction, Fiction, Hard-Boiled, Mystery & Detective, Contemporary, Mystery, Biography, History, War
Amazon: B01417JYMM
Goodreads: 30111696
Publisher: MacLehose Press
Published: 2011-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

"No people around. There were some, but now they're gone. "

"So who are you?"

"The gardener."

" The gardener? There's only one? For this whole huge orchard? "

"Sure, " the stranger confirmed. " I mean, it doesn't bear any fruit."

"Blight?"

"No. Just no fruit. This used to be a killing field, for the firing squads. They'd cart out enemies of the people, liquidate them. Well, of course they'd ask them for their last wishes. I was the guard, so I taught them. I'd say, 'Your last wish has to be strange, unusual, and then they'll let you do it.' I'd say, 'Ask them to let you plant a fruit tree. That's better than a cigarette or a newspaper.' Well, they planted this orchard for me. I knew the escorts and had them bring me saplings along with the enemies. So every tree you see around here was planted by a prominent enemy of the people. Beautiful blossoms - it's hard to breathe, you get drunk on the smell - but no fruit. Makes no sense at all . . . "

"Is there soine village around here, maybe? " Kharitonov asked, despondent.

"What do you need a village for? We've got a town. It isn't far.

Just keep walking. Right past the orchard."

Kharitonov thanked the man and set off in the direction he'd indicated.

"Hold on! " The gardener's cry stopped him.

The wanderer looked back.

"Remember! If they sentence you, ask them to plant a tree! Don't forget! "

Kharitonov nodded and walked on.

He passed a sign that read PLANTING OF 1 9 5 1 , while up ahead neat rows of trees merged with the horizon.

174

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.