《Kane's Odyssey 》作者： - Jeff Clinton【EPUB】

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Kanes Odyssey by Jeff Clinton CHAPTER ONE Rufus wearing skins stood at the edge of the woods with his friend John. It was cooler in theshade after the heavy work. Rufus took a drink of the cold water from the rusty can and wipedhis forearm across his mouth. He squinted out at the field harsh and rocky under the pea-greensky. A dozen of his kinsmen remained at work in the field struggling under the murky sunshoving their wood plows through the parched brown dirt. This time the elders said theplowing would be good because it would rain in time. Rufus doubted it. quotWed better get back to workquot John said beside him. John was twenty five years younger thanRufus and not so tall but with a thick powerful body. He usually managed to look cheerfuleven at times like this late in the working day. quotCome on Rufusquot he smiled. quotOne more sipquot Rufus stalled. quotWe have to hurry before the rain comes.quot quotWho said its going to rainquot quotThe elders. You heard them.quot quotAll their arguments were non-sequitursquot Rufus said. quotWhatquot John said startled. quotNon-sequitursquot Rufus repeated. quotWhats a non-sequiturquot quotIts a logical argument that doesnt follow.quot Johns forehead wrinkled. quotWhere did you getthat From The Learnerquot quotNo. From a book.quot John sighed. quotNobody reads books.quot quotI do.quot quotYoure crazy.quot quotWhyquot quotBecause reading those books is dangerous .quot Rufus got interested in the logic. quotWhyquot quotBecause people will think youre crazy.quot quotWhyquot quotBecause nobody reads books any more.quot quotNon-sequiturquot Rufus said. quotIm getting back to workquot John said quotand if youre smart you will too.quot Rufus hung back a moment watching his friend trudge out into the furrowed field and lift theheavy handles of the push-plow. The murky sun glistened on Johns sweaty shoulders as he beganwrestling the awkward wood machine through the earth. Johns deerskins like Rufuss weresoaked through with perspiration and hung clammy and dark tied around the neck and the waistleaving arms and legs bare. It was a brutal senseless way to live Rufus thought suddenly.There was no future no thought nothing. A man could work his life away dripping his sweatand blood into this dead soil and it would never matter at all. It was insane and there had tobe a better way of life somewhere. Which immediately made his skull throb with savage pain—a shot of bone-vibrating pain