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."If a model's good enough, there would be no way to tell it wasn't real.""We show a kid a picture of a dog and say 'This is a doggie'-but it's not."Jenny sat up.The fire was burning as fiercely as ever, like all the beachbonfires in the world fused into one.Tom and Dee and the others were standingin a sort of football huddle a few feet away.Jenny felt light-headed butgood.She felt light all over, in fact, as if carbonated bubbles were liftingher toward the ceiling, bursting inside her.She felt glorious."That's it," she whispered."That's it."Page 115ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlShe had to shout to make them hear her."Tom.Tom, come here-everybody comehere.I've got it.I know how to get out."They crowded around her."What?" "You're kidding!" "Tell us."Jenny laughed for the sheer pleasure of laughing, feeling crystal clear andbrilliant.Like a sphere filled with moonlight.She lifted her arms joyfully,shook back her hair, and laughed again.The others exchanged glances, their expressions changing from excitement toconsternation."No, it's okay," Jenny assured them."I know how we get out-we just walk.Don't you see? The fire isn't real! It's a model our brains are making."They didn't look nearly as happy as she would have thought.They blinked ather, then at one another.Michael opened his mouth and then shut it again,looking nervously at Audrey.Audrey sighed."Ah." Dee glanced at the others, then patted Jenny's shoulder."Okay,Sunshine.You go back to sleep, and later we'll talk about it.""What, you think I'm joking? I'm not.I'm telling you-we can walk right outof here.""Uh, Tiger-" Dee looked over her shoulder at the fire, then back at Jenny."Ihate to tell you, but that fire is not a model in my brain.It's hot.I've gotblisters." She showed Jenny several fluid-filled bumps on her hand.Jenny looked at them, briefly shaken.Then she recovered."That's because youlet it happen.You believed in the heat, and it gave you blisters," she said."No, Dee, don't humor me, damn it!" she added."I'm serious.You know howhypnotized people can get a blister if you tell them that you're touching themwith something hot-even if it isn't hot.It's like that."Michael ran his hands through his hair."No, but Jenny, it's really hot.Youcan't even get near it.""That's because you believe it's hot.You were theone who said it, Michael: If a model is good enough, you can't tell thedifference between it and reality." She looked from one face to another.Theglorious lightness had disappeared; now she felt crushing disappointment."Youthink I'm crazy, don't you? All of you.""Jenny, you've been through so much-""I don't want sympathy, Audrey! I want you to listen.Will you listen, Zach?"She turned to him desperately."Remember Magritte? You told me that the imageis not the reality, and I said, 'Unless you have somebody who can make animage into reality.' But what if that's not what Julian does? What if hedoesn't make an image into reality, but he makes us think it's reality? If heshows our senses something so convincing that our brains make a model of itand believe it-even though it's just an illusion? Like a dream."'"What if?'" Zach quoted back to her."That's a pretty big if, Jenny.What ifyou're wrong?""Then we're toast," Michael muttered.Page 116ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"But it's the only thing that makes sense," Jenny said."Remember, Juliansaid he wouldn't actually cheat.If the fire's real and there's no way to getthrough it, then that's cheating.Right? Don't you think?""I think your faith in him is charming," Audrey said acidly, hercopper-colored eyebrows raised.She looked at Tom, but Tom looked away.Refusing to side against Jenny-but not looking at Jenny, either."It's not just faith in him.It's sense," Jenny said."Don't you see: Aba hada dream almost exactly like this.And the girl in that story came through allright.Her will was strong enough.""But the fire burned her," Michael pointed out."But it didn't kill her.I'm not saying it won't hurt-I'm sure it will, fromthe look of Dee's blisters.But I don't think it will kill unless we let it.If our will is strong enough, we can get through." But she could see by theirfaces that they were still unconvinced.Despair clutched at Jenny's chest."Dee?" she said, almost pleading.Dee shifted uncomfortably."Sunshine-if it were anything else.but I'vebeen there.It sure felt like a real fire to me.And even if I could convincemyself to walk in-what happens if I get into the middle of it and my willsuddenly isn't strong enough?"".toast," Michael said.Audrey spoke decisively."It's too big a risk.""When an illusion is that good," Zach said, "it might as well be real.It canstill kill us."Jenny stood."Okay," she said."I understand-if it wasn't my own idea, I'd probably thinkit was crazy, too.And I'm the one who got you all into this, so it's onlyfair I get you out.I'm going in alone."Tom's head jerked around."Now, wait a minute-" he said at the same momentZach said, "Now, look-""No, it's decided," Jenny said."I have the best chance, since I'm the onewho believes I can get through it.""That's only if your theory is right," Dee said, standing in front of Jennyto block her."If you're wrong, you're dead wrong.No, Sunshine, you're notgoing anywhere.""Yes, I am." Jenny leaned forward, eye to eye with Dee, matching the othergirl's volume and ferocity."This is my decision.I'm going and no one isgoing to stop me.Get it?"Dee let out her breath sharply.She glared-but she fell back to let Jennypass.Michael, eyes wide, moved hastily out of the way, tugging Audrey withhim.Even Zach, although his face was white and furious, recoiled a step,unable to hold Jenny's gaze.It was Tom who caught Jenny's arm."Just hang on a minute," he said, hisPage 117ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlvoice reasonable [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]